A MAN who has lived in a minibus for the past four years has said he saved a whopping £20,000 by making the swap from a rented flat.
Tim Knight, 37, has never looked back since swapping his one-bed apartment for van life in 2022, calling the set-up “a dream come true”.
A former carer and mental health support worker from Stoke-on-Trent, Tim said he put off buying a van for years because he feared it would be a “money pit”.
But he finally took the plunge after a breakup meant he was forced to shoulder the rent for a one-bed flat costing him £650 a month including bills.
In October 2022, Tim moved into his first van, which he had bought a couple of years earlier for trips to music festivals with his then-girlfriend.
He said the swap means his living costs are £400 a month cheaper, and he insists his quality of life has improved in almost all areas.
“It is a dream come true for me as the person that I am, loving the outdoors, going new places, going on walks,” he said.
“My friends and family say ‘you’ve never seen Tim so happy’.”
Tim added: “I’m able to live a healthier life, afford hobbies and socialise while working, whereas I could never afford a life when I rented my flat working full time and living on my own.”
He said he loves the sense of freedom van life affords him, able to take off wherever strikes his fancy.
“Sometimes I’ll just look on the map and say ‘oh I’ll go and see that castle this weekend’,” he added.
“You’re roaming at will as long as you’re within the rules of parking in places.”
With his cute Calico cat Mini for company, he tours the around beauty spots in Cornwall and Wales, as well as visiting Knypersly Reservoir in Staffordshire.
Friends and family may think he’s “a bit nuts”, but the van-dweller said the money he’s saved from making the lifestyle change is more than worth it.
“It’s a big money-saver,” he said. “I’ve worked out that on just rent and bills since 2022, I’ve not spent over £20,000 from living in a flat.”
Now, his monthly costs, including van insurance, road tax and fuel, total just £227.
While it may be cramped for space, Tim said his new LDV Maxus, a 2006 wheelchair-accessible minibus which he converted into a cosy motorhome, is even warmer in the winter than his previous flats.
He bought the adapted vehicle for £1,800 and spent a further £2,000 converting it for van life, including ensuring it was well-insulated.
It has a small kitchen area, bed, a dartboard, and even room for Tim to play his electric guitar.
Lack of running water is not an issue either – he showers at gyms and uses laundrettes to clean his clothes.
Tim does acknowledge one downside to his unconventional living arrangements, though – his love life.
“You do sacrifice that relationship with somebody,” he said.
“I sometimes rule it out completely because I don’t want to go back living in a house, but then I think I might meet a girl who enjoys going away at the weekends in the van.”
