Living The Dream ? (1 Viewer)

[stuurman]

Many times during my 40year-policework in Amsterdam I have met old people, alone and miserable, sitting in front of the tv all day, looking into their street at neighbours who dont care, routinely going through their days until they die, sometimes only found because of the smell in the house. I remember having a long conversation with one old man (he managed to get help by banging the central heating for a few hours), who explained to my partner and me why and how he ended up alone and miserable. When we finally took our leave (not easy to do, he clung to us like glue) I remember him looking at us and saying Don't end up like me. I never forgot that old man. And now I am 62, alone and sometimes miserable. But I am alone and sometimes miserable in my home on wheels, travelling around Europe, seeing things, meeting people, no day is alike, never know where I will be tomorrow, not always happy but who is and spending winters where its warm.
Is this life of mine a dream? No. Am I pursuing a dream? No. I just don't want to end up like him, bless him. I just want to FEEL FREE! I want to know that when I close my eyes at night, I can start the engine on the morrow and ride into the sunset.
Oh, I realise that someday my body will fail me. It might even be a problem to get back to Holland and get a place to live in. But until that day comes I drive my van, singing aloud with songs on the radio, waving at other MH (I always wave, no matter if they don't) and having a beer at night wherever I am.
Live your dream?....NO, LIVE YOUR LIFE!

 

[scotjimland]

Live your dream?....NO, LIVE YOUR LIFE!

Hi

as I said in my opening post ...

Is fultiming not a way of life rather than a dream and if you agree.. what kind of life is it ?

and I totally agree, it's not a dream or some extended holiday .. it's a way of life which you have clearly found to your liking ..

It won't suit everyone, in fact I think it will only suit a minority of those who actually try it, so it must be given careful thought before embarkation ..

good luck with your life.. and safe travels

 

[Mandaxxx]

Excellent questions and fantastic answers,
We are selling up and going to live in the van for a 'gap' year or few months-however it works-out then we hope to find an assistant warden jobs with one of the clubs.
In the meantime we hope to get sold up asap and get away from the day jobs and relax for a while.
Long term I suspect we will end up renting or buying a small place somewhere.

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[vwalan]

its really living a fantasy.
i say there are two types if you own your house dont sell. if you dont own it then you probably cant afford to do it anyway. sounds hard but i think its true.
have lots of pleasure from your van use it when you can. try to keep a base somewhere .
could be here or abroad. could be just a field doesnt matter.
also somelive in a van and dont travel ,may as well get a static its cheaper.
if you travel finding free places is getting harder .site are expensive.
most of europe is very cold in winter ,no where is it hot. (in europe).
i like travelling for about 6 months then home for 6mths .visiting places in uk while here.
i call it a balance ,keep in touch with prices every where .
uk is cheap at moment .
always make notes so you dont forget what is good value as you travel. enjoy it .its great . 9 out of ten dont keep fulltiming .and most realise that life was good anyway they just needed to open their minds. travel does open your mind.lets you know how well off you was ,and still can be. if you make the right choice. dont burn your bridges .
have fun ,there is alot to be had. cheers alan.

 

[WorkandTravel]

Just been reading this great thread, much appreciated all.

For us it is not a dream, but a change in life-style. We are both in our early forties and are taking off in two weeks time, pull the door behind us, hand in the key with the landlady and travel the UK (and later the rest of Europe). Both of us are Dutch by origin and there is so much in the UK we want to see and enjoy. But that is not the single reason, we both struggle to sit still and enjoy new challenges. In my 40-odd years I have moved over 20 times from house to house (or home to home if you like), including relocating to the Highlands of Scotland 9 years ago .... full-timing just seems a natural extension.
On top of that I am tired of the self-imposed 'structure' that seems to be there every time to sooth my worries, but in reality just make me itch. But that is just me

I do agree with some of the suggestions that steps like this, for me at least, are best taken with some proper planning. It helps you to realise the big pitfalls and even make you face the mirror asking 'why'. Asking things like: 'If it is a mid-life crisis, why not buy a sports car?'
And as some suggested, keeping myself busy besides the travelling: about 20 very busy web sites to run (mobile broadband yippie!).... doooh still not 'off-grid' oh:
I am really enjoying all your experiences and views, really excellent!

WorkandTravel

 

[thehutchies]

its really living a fantasy. .

Or it's living an entirely different kind of life without even realising that some people might find it strange.

I have a friend who has lived for more than 20 years in a converted coach, working the Dutch bulb fields, picking grapes in France, selling jewellery on Mediterranean beaches, servicing travellers' bicycles, giving guitar lessons, painting houses and labouring for Moroccan swimming pool constructors.

However, he has never connected to the internet, joined a forum, or discussed his way of living.

There are so many people, so many families, living their lives in ways that most people couldn't begin to understand.

The common way isn't the only way.

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[vwalan]

hi hutchies. i dont really knock it. i do it for 6mths of the year. have travelled since a small child with my parents. i just like people to think hard before making the change . i have many friends worldwide living in campers trucks and buses some on boats . many things have to be taken in to consideration if you make the move. the usual problem is about addresses . its been mentioned many times in different posts over the years . its not just jump in a van and away. i,m sure you know this. i also can and do give lots of advice to anybody thinking about doing it . sometimes i say what they dont want to hear but i try to be honest. lots do make it work .good for them .there is masny stumbling blocks along the way .i try to have the best of both worlds .a foot in both camps ,works for me.
have fun thats what its about .when the fun stops try something else.
cheers alan.

 

[Bulletguy]

Many times during my 40year-policework in Amsterdam I have met old people, alone and miserable, sitting in front of the tv all day, looking into their street at neighbours who dont care, routinely going through their days until they die, sometimes only found because of the smell in the house. I remember having a long conversation with one old man (he managed to get help by banging the central heating for a few hours), who explained to my partner and me why and how he ended up alone and miserable. When we finally took our leave (not easy to do, he clung to us like glue) I remember him looking at us and saying Don't end up like me. I never forgot that old man. And now I am 62, alone and sometimes miserable. But I am alone and sometimes miserable in my home on wheels, travelling around Europe, seeing things, meeting people, no day is alike, never know where I will be tomorrow, not always happy but who is and spending winters where its warm.
Is this life of mine a dream? No. Am I pursuing a dream? No. I just don't want to end up like him, bless him. I just want to FEEL FREE! I want to know that when I close my eyes at night, I can start the engine on the morrow and ride into the sunset.
Oh, I realise that someday my body will fail me. It might even be a problem to get back to Holland and get a place to live in. But until that day comes I drive my van, singing aloud with songs on the radio, waving at other MH (I always wave, no matter if they don't) and having a beer at night wherever I am.
Live your dream?....NO, LIVE YOUR LIFE!

An excellent post.

As a single guy living alone I can identify with everything you mention. Isn't it sad how many of us now have lost the 'neighbourliness' of knocking on an elderly neighbours door every now and then just to say hello and how are you?

I once watched a documentary about the people who have to clear out these houses (like what you mention), of people who have lain dead in their home sometimes for months before anyone decided to knock. The circumstances varied from each one, but all had one thing in common.......nobody cared.

As you say......LIVE LIFE.....not 'the dream'.

 

[lez17]

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum and in hunting for info on 5th wheelers laws etc came across it. we are middle aged 3 grown-up children & 5 grand children. Our intention is to sell our house and buy a 5th wheeler to " live the dream".We are at present trying to discover the law surrounding towing an American mid sizer in the UK ( another story!).
After reading most of this thread( had to join to read more), I would like to share our thoughts and motives for our plans.
We have been wanting to realise our dream for 20 years although young children made it, imo unrealistic. My husband has worked extremely hard ( groundworker) all his working life,I have worked-brought family up- and am now working part-time again. We have never been able to save and in fact have a struggle to keep up with all the huge bills that owning your own home seems to throw at you. We have always owned either a caravan,motorhome or -in the begining a tent- and have spent alot of time in recent years away in our unit at weekends and of course our holidays also.
We have fully considered all aspects of living in a 5th wheeler and are by no means going in with " rose coloured glasses", my husband will continue to work,but will no longer HAVE to do a saturday, we will not HAVE to worry weekly if he looses his job as we will for once in our lives have monetary back up and will also be able to help our children - first small car for our daughter- and watch them enjoy it. I think leaving education working all the hours one can so as to save a deposit to strap one's self up for the next 25 years scrimping and saving,living in denial of luxuries and now to add; helping all these imigrants who come solely to sponge from the working Brits- encoraged by our government-so that when we have worn our bodies out and have failing health we can then retire to start a new battle......keeping your home from the government who will wish it be sold and the monies given to cover residential care.....what IS our NI stamp that we have been paying all our working life used for ?, if we DO managed to pass on home intact,it just goes to the kids anyhow....but we wont be around to see the help it affords them.
One thing for sure....we ALL end up the same place....just depends on how much you enjoy yourself on the journey toward there.......................and for those wondering ,we plan on placing our names on a council waiting list gathering pionts along the way, the rest....... will be what will be, we have spent too many years worring sick of it all............
all thoughts welcome.................not too harsh please

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[scotjimland]

all thoughts welcome.................not too harsh please

Hi , and welcome to Motorhome fun

No harsh thoughts from me.. you seemed to have thought it through quite carefully ..

You have a financial plan , and more importantly an exit plan .... :thumb:

Good luck and keep us posted, ask as many questions as you like, there are quite a few full and ex full timers, including myself, who will be only too pleased to help..

safe travels..

 

[coolasluck]

Hi all,i am also a relative newbie to this site and have been reading this thread with great interest.I have seen Barryd on another site and didnt realise,but he really seems to be the same as me.I bet you sometimes bore the wife too,like me Barry making plans and working out financial lists e.t.c,i drive my wife to distraction sometimes.lol
Myself i am currently 39 and my wife is 43 and we are differant in that the wife is as keen to full time as what i am,i wonder if it is anything to do with our starsigns,as we have our birthdays only 1 week apart
We have a cracking house that most people would be really happy to have and would love to live here until they died,but this isnt for us.We do not want to have to work into our retirement to then own our house.When my wife and i got together from previous relationships we decided to buy the house which we live in today.The house came our way via an old lady whom i used to deliver meals on wheels too,she was a lovely old lady who over a period of time started to loose her marbles and take falls.I often arrived to pick her up off the floor to find she had hurt herself in some way.Anyway we agreed a price with her niece and that was it,but what we decided then and have decided now is that we are not going to grow old in the same manner as she has.She had lost her husband in the 70s and was alone in in this house for 30 years,she would spend her time living in a small area of the house with her blinds shut and back to a wall .Anyhow we have decided that we are going to live our lives to the full,we have no kids we both work ,dont drink and basically dont like spending money!We both appreciate the smaller and finer things in life which you dont need money to appreciate,so have decided that full timing is deffinatly the way to go.At the back end of last year we brought our first motorhome an a class hymer b544 and are using it as much as we possibly can to gain the experiance and learn the ropes,we are using it for holidays and weekends,basically as much as is possible.
We have decided on a 4 year plan that will enable us to do the work required on our house to get back as much money as possible,i am itching to jack my job in and bugger off now but we know as much as we are fed up with our jobs and lifestyle it is a means to an end for us.I find myself having to kerb my tongue at work and have now a real dissinterest in what i am doing!!!lol
These threads and sites are of great use to us and have found them a real mine of information.We have decided that when we full time that is it for us,no more bricks and mortar,we dont want that anymore,we shall give full timing 5 years to start with and then assess where we are,hopefully we will carry on or will have another exit strategy,just not in this country.My thoughts are a cheap piece of land only.Maybe in Greece.lolMy sisters home will be where we shall be officially residing at and where all corespondances will go to.We also have the inlaws where we can respite forhowever long we feel like and where we can also store some property,which we intend on getting rid of the majority of.We shall mostly just store our winter clothing in the summer and vis-vera in the winter there and a few things that we just dont want to lug around in the van.We want to be able to spend as much time as we want to over xmas periods visiting people,just having the option,kyaking walking visiting national trust and english heritage properties,keeping fit.I cant wait.We also feel that we will have fun during the week and do the chores at the weekend when most people are out and about.Driving should be a site easier where we can drive early evenings or very early mornings to avoid traffic congestion.No more traffic jams!!Visiting Our favorite country and its islands in Greece.Do what we want when we want,a cracking lifestyle change and one we are both looking torward to.
When i am old i want to die without any regrets,i will die in peace knowing i have done what i wanted to in life and at an age where hopefully we will have enjoyed with good health ,no regrets and i will leave this earth a happy man.

I would say that you should experiance the layouts before full timing as this way you will learn what you want most and what you would not be without,which for us would be a separate shower.
We have our 5 year plan and hope to tie the most of our money up in some savings bond i would think as we dont want the worries and hassles of renting.
Make your plans carefully and allow for plans for what ifs,after that do as you want to do with your life let everyone else worry about their own lives.
I would rather live my life to the full and live old age in a tent its gotta be better than this boring ratrace.

 

[Sundowners]

Hi and welcome
we did fulltime for nearly 7years in the '80s----our kids were very small.
Now that our lives have turned, we are again able to carry on where we left off !
Our situation is different this time around-----we have the experience gained from before--- we have a little more money---a 'mistake' that we considered we made before was selling our house, so this time it is being rented out----perhaps the biggest change is our 'home', we had a very old 30ft coach before, this time we have an old Dodge Ram diesel and a new 30ft 5er !!
WE LOVE the lifestyle------but you DO NOT immediatly get rid of lifes problems----some you do---but you also create loads of others (which can all be sorted) Although retired, we don't get any money at all from pensions or the State, so we have to work very carefully with what we have------if carefull we should last 'till we get our pensions, with that and rent we should scrape by !!!!!!
Very good luck with the 'dream'
Nigel & Pamala

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[lez17]

YIPPEE house sold after only 2 weeks on the market- got well up near asking price :0) - so now to go for it !. Looking for our 5th wheeler now ( with a little urgency ). Can I pick your brains please before spending out on a unit. In simple terms can some one please tell us what we can LEGALLY tow ( with a dodge ram), I would love an American unit but what braking system IS legal as we have been told soo many things...as I said keep it as simple as poss... not too good on tech stuff .... sooo excited:thumb:

 

[twoofakind]

Hi Lez17

Absolutely fantastic you've sold. We are still letting(thank goodness) hoping for a sale.
Would'nt go back now tho.

Just a thought, I'm sure others on here will give you much more advice, but a fifth wheel, whilst fantastic layouts, is just towing. You won't be able to take advantage of Aires, wild camping, and just stopping 'anywhere' with a fifth wheel.

We tugged for, crumbs forty years or more, with the kids, then full timed for eighteen months with our beloved Elddis caravan, before we realised we were still reliant on site bookings. Sure we stopped on the odd park place with the van but it's definitely not ideal or the same.

We changed to a Motorcaravan for the facility of stopping, expecially abroad, anywhere, staying overnight in supermarket car parks, village squares, beaches, side of the road etc.

We seriously looked at a fifth wheel for the space etc., our tow car was a Nissan Xtrail, and we quite liked the idea of upgrading to a big beast to tow the 5w. Then we met some owners and realised it's still towing!!

We are all different in our requirements, but for full timing part time or otherwise, the versatility of moving on and parking anywhere just isn't with a 5w.

Really exciting time for you, love to know what you choose.:thumb: Kal & Tone

 

[vwalan]

course you can wild camp use aires etc i only used one site in 5 months last winter . here in uk i never use sites travel all over the place. did southwales last august after malvern show .earlier went up to barnsley and lincln no probs . possibly only used a handfull of sites in 10 yrs of pulling my trailer. and i dont need to tow a toad. cheers alan.
i think many funsters will agree as i find them or they find me all over the place.

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[lez17]

Many thanks Kal & Tone for your reply...all advise is more than welcome to us,totally understand where your coming from, we are a little apprehensive about sites that will allow 5w as none ever say and have heard that some occasions although they booked in as 5w, the sites turned them away on arrival. We are investigating sites that DO allow the larger sized units. My hubby will still ( for the time ) be keeping his job so we wont be travelling much in it( at the mo:Cool, have got a local site ( Wyke Down ) and have been lucky enough to meet a lovely couple who choose to do the same as us a couple of years ago and picked thier poor brains ( and got invited for a look around in the unit and Dodge). Sounds like you are having a great time :thumb:......will keep you updated....thanks again

 

[lez17]

course you can wild camp use aires etc i only used one site in 5 months last winter . here in uk i never use sites travel all over the place. did southwales last august after malvern show .earlier went up to barnsley and lincln no probs . possibly only used a handfull of sites in 10 yrs of pulling my trailer. and i dont need to tow a toad. cheers alan.
i think many funsters will agree as i find them or they find me all over the place.

Sounds good vwalan:thumb:....as I say we will use it for our Cornwall hols ( permission from a farmer to use his field), the main site as I mentioned then maybe start adventuring out a little more as we get braver lol

 

[LillyBeth]

This thread has inspired me to register after months of lurking…hello everyone!

My dreams change as I realise them and I have to think of new ones. My motto is “it’s better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven’t”, and my latest dream (although I feel the word “dream” trivialises it), aged 42, is to sell my house and fulltime in a quirky caravan [sorry, I know this is a motorhome forum but I reckoned the philosophy was the same just that the vehicle is different…am I still welcome?:Blush:].

I know this may sound reckless to some but these are my reasons for wanting to fulltime…

I dislike a lot of what modern living involves, and frankly I find life pretty depressing. We are conditioned to believe that we are worthless unless we have a mortgage and a career, but it is these 2 things that depress me the most, and I’ve done both. I live in a lovely cottage in the country but due to an ex-partner/joint mortgage scenario I have to sell the place soon (but at least I realised my dream of owning a country cottage!). A friend of mine fulltimes in the type of caravan I want so has given me the lowdown, and I’m still keen. In some ways it’s a harder life (but any harder than struggling to pay the rent/mortgage?!) but ultimately it’s more fullfilling

Security is no longer in careers and bricks and mortar. For the last 4 years (although I think this has been brewing far longer) I’ve been seriously considering how my life is going and how I can be happy. I’ve come to the conclusion that the mortgage is a millstone round my neck that ties me to earning a certain amount of money and leaves me with little time or energy to actually have a life. I grew up on the poverty line, washing my clothes by hand and no heating in my room, and I’d rather have little money but a fulfilling life than loads of money and no life. My thrills come from making my own power to run the few electrical devices I may like [laptop and mobile phone], finding out how people used to live before the mod cons we have now, eg fridges, washing machines and cookers, and generally how to live as frugally as possible. Materialistic I am not.

I’ve been on survival courses, love back to nature and the simple things in life, am not at all materialistic, so provided I have enough money to survive I am pretty sure I’ll be happy. I don’t mind “roughing it”. My plan is to invest all my money to get a small monthly income [which I have to double check with my IFA] then do WWOOFing or the Help Exchange Link Removed and http://www.helpx.net/index.asp) which will mean I spend even less of my limited funds whilst being more sociable [another of my ambitions].

My research has found many peop,e who fulltime in all sorts of vehicles and the general consensus of opinion is that the pros outweigh the cons. I’m prepared to take the risk.

Long term is more tricky to predict but things tend to work out for me and I’ve been called resourceful on a fair few occasions. I am due to inherit a property, and can envisage this happening in about 20 years [touch wood she has a long and happy life though] by which time I may feel like settling down in a nice cheap mobile home or similar. I’m the sort of person who looks at garden sheds and thinks “that’s lovely, I could make a home of that”!

Beth.

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[vwalan]

hi lillybeth and welcome to the fun, of course you are welcome. i hope you have taken the time to read the thread all the way through. think carefully about addresses .you do need one for lots of reasons ,all mentioned in the thread , i know people who have found the not quite telling the truth aspect gets them down . i do keep considering it. but after years of long term travelling and knowing many people that do i may not. it is getting harder to work within the system. you need an address in a cheap insurance area. etc .give it a go but get ready with a return plan. lots dont have one are trapped somewhere frightened to come back to uk as they have not taxed and insured properly for years and no mot so are afraid to get off the ferry . spain is full of it. think hard get your plan and make it work .have fun there is alot out there .cheers alan.

 

[LillyBeth]

Thanks Alan. Yes, read the whole thread with interest and been researching the pros and cons of fulltiming on other forums for a few months now. I’ve been told a few times not to leave the property ladder as once I’m off I’ll never be able to go back on at that rung, but sod it. I have to sell my cottage, I don’t have a choice, and even if I did have the choice it’s not the type of property (according to letting agents) that’s rentable. So another option would be to buy a rental property but I don’t want to do that; there are no guarantees that it will always be let and if I go down the route I want I simply won’t be able to pay the mortgage. I’d worry myself sick about the tenants leaving or trashing the place. If I bought the rental property outright I’d then have no income to survive and therefore would have to get a steady job, which puts me right back to square one.

I want to live an alternative life (in the UK rather than abroad) and I’m prepared to take the risk. My mental health is more important to me these days than living rigidly within the system so I’ll take my chances. I’d rather be having to ask for help in a few years than having the life sapped out of me any more in this career and property lifestyle that’s seen as the proper thing to do. I used to worry about everything and was a control freak who was too scared to step outside my comfort zone just in case this or that happened, and I don’t want to look back at my life and wish I’d tried things anymore. I’d regret it more if I didn’t give it a go than I think I would if I tried and failed.

 

[vwalan]

with out an address how can you register your vehicle, get insurance,register your driving licence. these are just a few of the lies you must tell. bit of land and caravan/ shed as an address is better. hang around there will be more advis coming i,m sure. best not rent property if you dont visit every month they wreck it and end up not paying . been there . even the agencies are crooks. but some do ok. hard to generalise again.
if i dont tell you now be worse in 10 yrs if i say i could have told you that.
over the years i,ve watched my parents friends and lots of mine go full time ,thats why i part time i think its better. have been doing it for last 12 yrs 6 away 6 here. works for me.
cheers alan.

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[scotjimland]

Hi Beth

I was the guilty party who started this thread . ..

I agree with Alan, full time is a way of life and it is not easy, few, if any, are conditioned to living a solitary nomadic lifestyle, on the fringes of society and keeping one step ahead of the law.
Gypsies travel in bands or groups for good reason, it gives them both physical and mental security, roots and a culture ... going alone full time you will have none of these to fall back on.

Please give it careful thought, sell your cottage and with your share of the proceeds buy a cheap flat or residential caravan.. You cannot live off of the proceeds for ever so you will need to earn money sooner or later .. better sooner, and if doesn't work out you will have a nest to return to..

I often wish I had better council before setting out .. but as they say .. such is life. All I can do is say how it was for us.. and advise others.

I could say a lot more but would only be repeating what has already been said, good luck and keep posting

 

[lez17]

Well said LillyBeth....you echo our sentiments exactly:thumb:. I would NEVER encorage my children( with their wages nor the way our Country now runs:Angry to buy and saddle themselves with a massive mortgage, forget holidays,forget that new outfit( if you did get it you could't affort to go out), count pennies,count pennies....one day in years and years time you MAY own your home...WOW, now what?, keep your health( hope you haven't toiled and worn yourself out too much), if your health fails dont worry...sell your house( you'll have to) and you can pay for care till the end....how fulfilling-not!!-I do agree with the comments for an address for insurance ( we will use our daughters), and for the rest of the mail a PO Box,I will put our name on some housing waiting lists and go LIVE my life.
I wish you all the luck and happiness and look forward to watching your dream materialize here on Motorhome Fun:beer:

 

[LillyBeth]

with out an address how can you register your vehicle, get insurance,register your driving licence. these are just a few of the lies you must tell. bit of land and caravan/ shed as an address is better. hang around there will be more advis coming i,m sure. best not rent property if you dont visit every month they wreck it and end up not paying . been there . even the agencies are crooks. but some do ok. hard to generalise again.
if i dont tell you now be worse in 10 yrs if i say i could have told you that.
over the years i,ve watched my parents friends and lots of mine go full time ,thats why i part time i think its better. have been doing it for last 12 yrs 6 away 6 here. works for me.
cheers alan.

I will be using a relative’s address for banking, insurance, etc. Before I move I shall remove myself from all the mailing lists I’m on, ideally change to a bank that does not insist on sending monthly paper statements (even though I tell them I prefer to do it all online), then set up a Post Office mail redirect to my relative’s for at least a year. I don’t like to lie but…

I’ve been closely following other forums where people give the lowdown on what it’s like to fulltime with no place to return to so realise it’s not necessarily the easy option. But for me, having spent a great many years wondering what the point of life is (even though I’ve done rather well in some ways) I know it is the most suitable option for me; the lesser of the evils if you like.

Thanks for your advice though, it’s much appreciated. If I come back in 10 years time and moan about how awful it was and how I wish I’d remained a slave to the system, got myself another 9-5 career (where all my money seems to go on just keeping a roof over my head – be it rental or mortgage - and all my time taken with working), where I look forward to retiring so I can actually start living (but then may be too old or infirm to do it), feel free to roll your eyes and say “I told you so”

Hi Beth

I was the guilty party who started this thread . ..

Tsk!

I agree with Alan, full time is a way of life and it is not easy, few, if any, are conditioned to living a solitary nomadic lifestyle, on the fringes of society and keeping one step ahead of the law.
Gypsies travel in bands or groups for good reason, it gives them both physical and mental security, roots and a culture ... going alone full time you will have none of these to fall back on.

I’ve been living a solitary life out of choice for the past 18 years and chose to spend a lot of time alone before that. I’m not completely anti-social or a hermit, but I don’t get lonely or yearn to be with people, even though I am capable of being very sociable. Modern living jars on me in so many ways that I don’t mind being on the fringes of society.

RE keeping one step ahead of the law, I realise the law says you can’t live anywhere without planning permission for more than 28 days per annum but if no-one complains then the council don’t get involved. If people would like my help for more than 28 days in exchange for a place to park then we’ll take the chance and just wait for the visit from the council asking me to move. I’ll move, no big deal. My friend has lived in the corner of a farmer’s field for 4 years without bother (and other places before that) and I know of others who are similar. Always have the next stage of the journey in mind so will not be caught out suddenly. I plan to use caravan sites occasionally and will always make sure I know the nearest ones and how they operate.

Please give it careful thought, sell your cottage and with your share of the proceeds buy a cheap flat or residential caravan.. You cannot live off of the proceeds for ever so you will need to earn money sooner or later .. better sooner, and if doesn't work out you will have a nest to return to…

“Unfortunately” I can either use my money to buy a property or I can use it to create a small monthly income, some of which I can save if I’m doing WWOOFing. I worked out that even with these low interest rates I could afford to stay legal ie pay insurance without having to find another source of income. If need be I can always fall back on my skills and make a few quid, and I plan to learn more.

But I don’t want to buy a place to rent. If I did (apart from I can’t afford to do that and live how I want) I’d be constantly worried about how the tenants are treating it, whether any expensive maintenance needed doing (including the hassle of finding good tradesmen in a hurry!), and whether it was always going to be let. I couldn’t afford to pay the mortgage/rates etc on it and would risk loosing it if I could rent it out. I realise it’s impossible to remove all of life’s worries but I’m trying to minimise them. I also realise that my capital will actually be depreciatng if I take the earned interest out of it, and I realise that



When things have gone wrong for those who have full timed does anyone know the reasons? Forewarned is forearmed:Cool:.

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[ollie]

Sorted!

When things have gone wrong for those who have full timed does anyone know the reasons? Forewarned is forearmed:Cool:.[/QUOTE]

Only 'embuggerance' you will have is when there is a SERIOUS problem with your vehicle & you will need a Plan B, e.g. (& ONLY an example) a bit of extra dosh put by for a B&B whilst repairs are being carried out.

 

[JJ]

Hi LiilyBeth...

I write as one who has lived fulltime in a van of one sort or another for twenty years.

I rarely use sites, I park on the road/laybys/wherever depending on what I am up to at the time.

There is, IMO, a big difference between what is "allowed" by law and what is perfectly possible. It seems to me to be all about one's personality. Some people worry about safety etc if they are not on a site. Others don't.

I am not "allowed" to live in a van where I am parked at the moment but no one lives near by and I keep my head down and cause zero trouble. I have stopped here many, many times over the last 15 years.

The thing is nothing is permanent... if I break my leg I might have trouble getting my water, driving the Wagon etc etc but I'm not going NOT do something because I MIGHT break my leg... If I break my leg I will deal with it at the time and not before!

I was driving along the Caledonian Rd, North London several years back in my "home" of the day when the front suspension collapsed and the van was well and truly stuck. I went to bed a worried man. The next day it got worse as Mercedes said they no longer "supported" my vehicle and I could not order the spare parts needed as they didn't have any. I thought the world as I knew it had come to an end.

I stayed stuck there for three days... I explained the situation to the parking wardens and they left me in peace (checking on progress now and then.)

A week later a friend had given ("This is not a loan JJ it is a gift...) some money and another had located the spares from an Owners Club. A brilliant breakdown man ("I like a challenge...") had towed me to another friend's workshop, I had fitted the parts and I was back up and running.

My main bearings collapsed on the Salamanca ring road ten years ago... The van had to be scrapped but not until six months later. In those six months it acted as my home as it was parked by the recovery company outside a friend's house in Coimbra, Portugal.

These are the only two major setbacks I have had on the road in twenty years and pale into insignificance when held up in comparison to the fabulous times, sights, people, freedom and experiences I have enjoyed...

Sorry to ramble on so (one weakness amongst many of mine) but I sayto you, do it if you want to, adapt where necessary, don't lay down set rules for yourself, control any worries (Dale Carnegie "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living) and always have Fray Bentos Pies in the cupboard...

Good luck...

JJ

PS. If you find yourself in Central Portugal there is a great parking place on my little bit of land in the middle of nowhere...

 

[sedge]

JJ we have never met you mate, but we do both think of you and indeed speak of you at least once a week when passing the shelf with said pies upon it in Tesco's!! LOL

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[Snowbird]

Hi LiilyBeth...

I write as one who has lived fulltime in a van of one sort or another for twenty years.

I rarely use sites, I park on the road/laybys/wherever depending on what I am up to at the time.

There is, IMO, a big difference between what is "allowed" by law and what is perfectly possible. It seems to me to be all about one's personality. Some people worry about safety etc if they are not on a site. Others don't.

I am not "allowed" to live in a van where I am parked at the moment but no one lives near by and I keep my head down and cause zero trouble. I have stopped here many, many times over the last 15 years.

The thing is nothing is permanent... if I break my leg I might have trouble getting my water, driving the Wagon etc etc but I'm not going NOT do something because I MIGHT break my leg... If I break my leg I will deal with it at the time and not before!

I was driving along the Caledonian Rd, North London several years back in my "home" of the day when the front suspension collapsed and the van was well and truly stuck. I went to bed a worried man. The next day it got worse as Mercedes said they no longer "supported" my vehicle and I could not order the spare parts needed as they didn't have any. I thought the world as I knew it had come to an end.

I stayed stuck there for three days... I explained the situation to the parking wardens and they left me in peace (checking on progress now and then.)

A week later a friend had given ("This is not a loan JJ it is a gift...) some money and another had located the spares from an Owners Club. A brilliant breakdown man ("I like a challenge...") had towed me to another friend's workshop, I had fitted the parts and I was back up and running.

My main bearings collapsed on the Salamanca ring road ten years ago... The van had to be scrapped but not until six months later. In those six months it acted as my home as it was parked by the recovery company outside a friend's house in Coimbra, Portugal.

These are the only two major setbacks I have had on the road in twenty years and pale into insignificance when held up in comparison to the fabulous times, sights, people, freedom and experiences I have enjoyed...

Sorry to ramble on so (one weakness amongst many of mine) but I sayto you, do it if you want to, adapt where necessary, don't lay down set rules for yourself, control any worries (Dale Carnegie "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living) and always have Fray Bentos Pies in the cupboard...

Good luck...

JJ

PS. If you find yourself in Central Portugal there is a great parking place on my little bit of land in the middle of nowhere...

Good post JJ and a good lesson on life in general:thumb:
People are always asking me if I am ever worried about traveling long distances in my old vans.I always reply"If it breaks down ,mend it or get somone who can".People tend to worry about very trivial things instead of adopting the"What the hell,just do it attitude".

 

[Lancer165]

Hi All
Ah Yes! living the dream or ending up with a nightmare???
What about living the nightmare and reaching out for a dream?
My wife and I have worked slavishly for the whole of our lives, served Queen and country, paid our tax’s and paid enough into a mortgage for bricks and mortar to pay for the damn thing three times over. The only winners there were the government and the bankers, so let’s not kid ourselves.:Sad:
Our property we have been told is one of only five A* properties now available on our estate. Take the house dump it elsewhere the agent has informed me and it would be worth half as much again. But here is the crux, all we have apart from our pensions is the collateral tied up in the property. We are presently selling up the stone from around our neck as the local population is quickly changing from considerate family types to loud mouthed and disrespectful young drunks and drug addicts.:Angry:
So the chances are the property will devalue even more in time due to its location and eventually we could end up prisoners in our own palace. What about health care? Well the layabout who’s never worked a day in his life in the same street will get his care paid for by the DHSS but the house owner well you have guessed it will be expected to use the collateral to cover not only his cost but part of the layabouts.
We are going full timing as a way to
A: To have the freedom to decide who our neighbours are.:thumb:
B: To see a lot more of our own pleasant land and possibly Europe.
C: To have one last adventure while we are still fit to do so.riving2:
Rose tinted glasses? Well yes partly, though we have done a good bit of research and read lots of forums and sought and will continue to seek advice.
Fortunately we can use our daughters address as our main UK residence for insurance, electoral roll, mail, health and dental care and so on. After all the end of your days could be just crossing the road or life just being snatched away from you by ill health. Plan for the future but live for today.
Put your name on a housing waiting list and when the option to live the dream ends RENT!
You will have enjoyed the collateral from your property and with prudence will have kept enough in the bank for that rainy day and you’ll have the satisfaction that the layabout can go and whistle.
Sorry if this has depressed anyone (it’s not intended to) but each has his own reasons for full timing if you were me, what would you do?
Lancer

 

[scotjimland]

Good post Lancer , welcome to the forum ..

you seem to have thought it though and worked out most of the practicalities, now all you have to do is try it out, then and only then will you know if it's for you .... or not ..

The only comment I have is that yes, you can choose your neighbours but only for 28days at a time unless you book into a long term or seasonal site which is fine for winter. For us the constant moving became tiring and we never had any roots and when we became friendly with others it was only for a short time until they or us had to move on..

Of course we are all different, being nomadic suits some .. others not , good luck and keep us posted with your progress

safe travels

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