Living in a Caravan Vs Living in a house
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The 13 pairs weren't all bought at once - I've got plain sensible ones from when I worked in an office, and bright coloured ones which took my fancy (my weakness). I buy less than a pair a year, usually for a special occasion. The last one was last April when Countryfile came to film (though my feet were never on camera).
Don't you have everyday shoes, and "going out" shoes?
Maybe I should count how many scarves I have, or hats for every occasion
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You are so right WTG the difference is these people aren’t confined to a small area in Sussex and probably not in excessive debt.
If Mrs One didn’t have her voluntary commitments we do long term vanning and fly back to the U.K. for special events. Probably wouldn’t let the house out. I keep dreaming
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I think we seem to be forgetting what the OP of this thread said. It was not about people going off to live in Spain for anywhere between two and six months it was about whether people could live in their unit permanently and the consensus seems to be that very few would actually choose that lifestyle. It matters not about whether they have downsized to a Park Home or whether they rent out their house they still do have the option of returning when that is their only option. The crucial point being the difference between having a bolt hole or whether your only choice is a caravan or a motorhome especially if you are constrained financially. There are of course those that just take what life throws at them on a devil may care basis as they know the state won't throw them out on the street, although I wouldn't be too sure about that. The other side of that are those that take personal responsibility for their own care and wellbeing by being financially responsible and planning for their old age.
David
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I'm not sure that the average touring van is a viable option for long term living. I would have thought that a fifth wheeler with slide-outs would give you the sort of space that you would feel comfortable with on a permanent basis.
On the subject of bolt-holes, some of you will recall I used to have a place in Spain. We had that as an adjunct to our main home in the UK unlike some who sold up everything and relocated. The Spanish property market took a massive hit and some who, for various reasons, now need to relocate back to the UK are unable to do so because they can't afford to but are bale to manage their lives in Spain. They are between a rock and a hard place. I see going for a caravan as the sole dwelling in the same light.
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I suppose Malcolm has slightly improved accommodation over THIS.
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I think most of us on here realise the benefits of living in a house but I guess not many know the true value or problems of living in a caravan or MH. I’m lucky as my brother lives in his Swift Kontiki all year round and spends at least 11 months a year in Europe. He is single so although tight he manages to get everything in the truck, he also installed additional lockers etc.. He also has stuff in storage in the U.K., including 4 mg sports cars. His month in the U.K. is spent visiting family, getting MH MOT’d, Doctors appointments etc. Using his U.K. prescription he can usually get supplies of medication in EU countries. The reason he can enjoy this lifestyle is that he is solvent. What will happen when age/ill health forces a change I have no idea.
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I would love to live full time in a LV but not in the UK.
We have friends that have been doing so for 6 years now, they do still have a house in the UK which they rent out so yes they have a bolt hole.
We could sell our house, I don't have any sentimental feeling towards it, its just bricks and mortar, somewhere to live. After living in 17 different properties while OH served in the Army I thought I would feel feel possessive about owning our own house but I don't. I like our house, I like where we live but it wouldn't bother me if we sold it.
Being close to family doesn't mean that you have to spend a lot of your time with them. Both of our sons live hundreds of miles from us but we talk to them often and we see them as and when we/they can.
That would not change if we lived anywhere else, even touring abroad we could still go and see them or they come and see us.
We prefer the outdoor life that we have when away in the MH to indoor life we have at home. Due to the weather here its not possible to do the things we enjoy all year round.
I quite like the idea of not having the space to horde possessions, I am for ever trying to down scale our kit since we settled down here to live, we never had this amount of kit while moving every 18 - 24 mths with the Army.
I do enjoy having a garden though, however its big and it will become a problem as we get older.
I know I couldn't live like Malcolm and his wife does but they do seem to be quiet happy to do that.
I can see that others on here have lived a long time in the same house/town maybe that is why they feel the way they do. I have spent most of my life moving around this country and abroad so don't have the same ties. No school friends that I still meet, no work colleagues that I still meet up with. Short term friends and work colleagues all my life but I do have thousands of them.
Even my Aunts, Uncles and cousins are scattered far and wide, same as OH's family. We don't feel the need to have big family dinners or get together's. We are not estranged from our family like Malcolm but they are not the be all and end all to us either.
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Something I see when I visit places like Bristol (in my area) are vans on the streets, I think there are a lot in the south, around Brighton and Worthing etc. What happens if someone run out of funds or decides not to pay site fees?
Similar to Oneputt's question really. Everything is possible on a reasonable income but what happens when it's attempted on a dwindling income or credit card borrowing etc. It is possible to get income support even if living in a van but is it more of a struggle to cope with that lifestyle or a bit easier with bricks and mortar?
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Yes we both have wellies and space to store them in the caravan.
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There is plenty of choice of sites and prices available as long as you are not confined to a particular area. If you need a cheaper site, you can get one for £5 a night if you don't have EHU.
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I think the OP is spot on when he suggests that living permanently in a van detracts from the whole point of having a holiday home. Whilst I have no experience of living permanently in a caravan, I do have a similar experience. I was fortunate / unfortunate enough to have to retire (the first time) at the age of 42. I bought a new yacht and my, then, lady friend (now my wife!) and I , cleared off to the Med for two and a half years and had the adventure of a lifetime. She did have a house which was rented out whilst we were away, so we always had that element of security if anything went wrong. We were probably physically fitter than we have ever been since having no transport other then our folding bikes, we walked or cycled everywhere. We even had a shopping trolley which we used for the big supermarket shops and had to lug a pile of stuff back to the boat every week or so!
However, although an idyllic lifestyle in many people's eyes, the fact of the matter is that, eventually, being permanently on 'holiday' became boring - to the extent that we started to question what the purpose was. Perhaps it was a reflection of our relatively young ages.
Needless to say, we returned to the UK and both started working again but I look back on that period with many happy memories. Would I do it again - yes. Would I choose that as a permanent lifestyle - probably not - especially as we have got older!
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If a decision was made to sell up and live in a caravan, what happens with regards to vehicle insurance, and tax, is the caravan insurance much higher if you live in it, contents cover, a lot of things we have is covered in the house insurance, registering with a Dr, what address do you use, can you use whatever touring site you are on, does the club let you do that, do they still have the PO addresses, assuming you don't have a family member in the area you want to be in. So many questions.
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what happens with regards to vehicle insurance, and tax
Internet.
I do not presently insure caravan contents and never had. If living full time in a caravan I am unlikely to discuss that with the insurer. As for address that would be at my daughter's place but all banking and insurances etc would be internet based - no snail mail.
For medical purposes would use daughters address.
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I would think most people who do this must have an 'accommodation address' they use for tax, NHS and other official purposes as some in this thread have already said. I would think there are too many difficulties otherwise. As far as insurance, it appears from those who 'full-time' that they actually have very little in the way of possessions - so I can't imagine that the insurance cost is any more. I wonder if insurers do actually know that the caravan is being lived in, rather than used as a touring caravan for holidays.
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ValDa I suppose the insurers are not bothered until something happens, then they use it as an excuse not to pay up.
WaytoGo, thanks for the link, can't see me living in my caravan, but there is so much to think about.
EasyT I understand you can do a lot on the internet, but don't they want an address for where the vehicle is kept. Not everyone has a family member close by or even in this country to use or even a family member.
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EasyT I understand you can do a lot on the internet, but don't they want an address for where the vehicle is kept. Not everyone has a family member close by or even in this country to use or even a family member.
A friend or family address is sufficient for vehicle registration or licence etc. It does not need to be close by. We are often hundreds of miles from home base any way.
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I could and have thought of living in a static caravan over the summer, overlooking the sea, at least in a static you have rooms and space and no need to keep moving every 21 days, but a touring van, even a 6 berth would be too crammed, even with an awning and little possessions.
The only positive point I can see would be less cleaning, 10 minutes all done, then I could sit, eat and watch TV, and maybe a little walk.
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