WHEELY NICE
We’re a family of 7 and ditched our home to live in a caravan – rent is only £250 a month, and our electricity is free
The family revealed some of the pros and cons of living in a tiny home
A FAMILY of seven have revealed how much cheaper their expenses have become since moving into a caravan.
Two months ago, Ellie, Rowley and their five children, moved out of their three bedroom house into a caravan.
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When the family lived in their house, they were paying about £1,148 a month on rent and bills.
However in their caravan, they only have to pay £250 in site fees, which allow them to stay on a campsite.
Also included in this fee is electricity which they are able to access via an electric hook-up.
The family also spend just £8.25 a month on gas, which comes from gas bottles hooked up to their caravan.
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In total, Ellie and Rowley have calculated that they will save over £9,000 in eight months.
"That's a lot of money for anybody to save", Rowley said.
With all of their extra money, the couple plan to take their children out for lots of fun days out.
"Hopefully we will have lots of exciting times ahead of us with all of that free money", Ellie said.
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As well as the financial benefits of living in a caravan the duo revealed that another thing they love about it is that because of it's small size, it is so much easier to clean.
Speaking on the couple's YouTube channel, Off We Tow, Rowley said: "It's just a lot less stressful than living in a house".
We ditched our house to live full-time in a caravan - our rent is only £300 a month, but there’s loads of hidden costs
The garden is also a lot easier to manage as they just have a small patch of grass, however, they do have to fetch their own water and change the toilet.
The children also have far more opportunity to spend time outdoors as the campsite they are staying in is located by a farm.
"They're being very sociable and they're absolutely loving it", Ellie said.
The couple prepared a lot for their move, and have purchased everything they need to live comfortably in the caravan, including a washing machine.
Tiny Homes FAQs
The tiny house movement began in the USA before gaining popularity in the UK.
What is a tiny home?
Tiny houses are small, fully-equipped living spaces designed to lead a more sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. Although they vary in size and shape, tiny homes tend to be between 15 and 50 square metres in capacity, made of sustainable materials and are easier — and cheaper — to maintain than traditional brick homes.
Are tiny homes legal in the UK?
As long as the tiny house doesn't exceed 19.8m x 6.7m in size, it is defined as a caravan in UK law. Therefore, tiny houses are classed as legal additional living space.
Can you get a mortgage for a tiny home?
The small size and relatively low cost of tiny houses means they’re not generally considered eligible for a mortgage. However, there are plenty of options to take out a loan to fund your dreams of the perfect, moveable home.
"It saves us so much money on a laundrette", Ellie said.
The family are really enjoying their life in their caravan so far, and say they would never go back to living in a house.
"You feel a lot freer", Rowley said.
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"We absolutely love it, and the kids never want to go back", Ellie added.
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