Van life – living in converted vans, Luton trucks, or campervans – is increasingly popular. Some use their van for weekend trips or longer holidays, while others have turned to living van life full time. At MoneyMagpie, we’re all about finding new ways to live on a budget, so we investigated whether van life could save you money.
What Is Van Life?
There are some people who have always lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving from city to city and country to country as the whim takes them. Van life is increasingly popular in the wake of the pandemic, as many jobs can be done remotely and you can see the world at the same time.
It’s not for everyone: many forms of van living are like camping on steroids. It is possible to do with a family but the costs rise exponentially if there are more than two of you attempting more full-time van living.
However, van life can free you from being tied into rent or a mortgage for a while, and help you find a new place you’d like to settle down. Many people even find they can save enough over a year or two of van living that they can take a break from work, or save up a deposit to buy a house.
What Can You Save?
Of course, when you have a van, you don’t need to run another vehicle, so that’s a good saving. You also won’t need to pay rent or mortgage, buildings insurance, and other regular bills like Council Tax.
You will have other costs, such as pitch costs for parking up. These can be per night or for a longer-term basis, if you want to rent land for a more permanent base for a month or two.
You may also find many nights you can park for free, if you’re only parking for one night. Your fuel costs will be much higher, but you can get around some of this by installing solar power where possible to reduce fuel usage for things like hot water and heating.
You have to carry your water with you, so you don’t have a water bill – and there are plenty of places to fill up your water for free, too.
Finding a Van
Some campervans are suited for weekends and week-long holidays, while others are best for long-term van life. Of course, the more equipped your van is, the more expensive it’ll be.
A fully equipped long wheel base van will cost around £20,000-£30,000 second-hand, or £40,000 and above brand new. It’s tempting to look for the cheapest, but think about the practicalities of maintenance and running costs – a cheap van can end up a false economy if you have to replace the engine!
Long wheelbase converted Sprinter vans are particularly popular as they will fit in many car parks and can be easier to handle on country roads. Larger vehicles also need an addition to your driving licence, while most people with a standard UK licence can drive a long wheel base van. Just be aware of how much your van weighs when it’s kitted out and loaded up.
Kit or Custom?
If you aren’t buying a second-hand van that’s already converted or purpose-built for van life, you’ll need to consider the costs of a conversion.
You can buy kits that you install yourself, which is significantly cheaper (as little as a couple of thousand pounds). However, you need to have somewhere you can store and work on your van, with access to the right tools.
If you’re confident with building things, it can be a great project to spend time on – and building it yourself means if something goes wrong on the road you’ll know how to fix it. There are many custom build services out there who will convert your van for you, too.
The cost is much higher, but the standard is a professional finish and will also be covered by guarantees (which your own handiwork wouldn’t!). You can also design a bespoke van layout that suits your needs. For example, if you want to take your dog with you, you can build in a kennel under the bed for safety during transit.
Trying It Out
If you’ve never tried van living, give it a go first. It will cost a lot of money to get started with van life, so you want to make sure it’s something you want to do.
However, it can save you a lot of money when done right and give you wonderful new experiences travelling the UK and beyond, so it’s worth experimenting to see if it’s for you.
Hire a campervan or converted van for long weekends, week-long and fortnight trips. Go with the person or people you want to van life with, including your pets! Make sure you take time to test it out more than once before committing to buying a van and moving out of your home.
Jobs You Can Do During Van Living
The great thing about van life these days – which wasn’t possible until fairly recently – is that you can work remotely wherever you are. Many van lifers make a living as social media influencers, recording their experiences of living on the road.
Others are copywriters, graphic designers, video editors, even voiceover artists. All you need is a good wifi connection. This might mean regularly planning in stops to cafes or areas with reliable wireless internet connections – or you can invest in a portable router or wifi dongle.
Working while you travel in your van is a great way to keep costs down and ensure you can save some cash while you’re on the road. Once you’ve covered the initial outlay of buying and kitting out your van, your day-to-day costs will be lower. If your salary stays the same as when you lived in a bricks-and-mortar house, your savings will quickly add up.
Renting Out Your Van
One of the best ways to experience van life without committing to it fully is to go part-time. You might want to van life on the weekends only, or alternate two weeks in the van and two weeks at home.
While this may not seem cost-effective on the surface, as you’re still paying housing costs while running the van, you can make money from your van when you’re not driving it. Hire out your van for a few trips each month, and you’ll find your savings boosted pretty quickly!
If you don’t think you want to rent out your van, don’t fret. There are plenty of other things you can hire out of your home to make some extra cash. You could even do so as a way to save for buying your van in the first place!
