Go Full Time August 26th!!!!

[Steve L]

Hi Bakers.

I guess by now you've settled in and are having a well earned rest. Moving a van with full timing stuff is a tough task.

I have found that corkscrew dog tie out handles make very good storm strap pegs. I bought 5 from our local 99p store. I use 2 for the main strap over the top of our INACA awning. Don't use the sewn in straps as they strain the seams of the awning. Then I screw 3 tie downs about 500mm out from the side wall and directly in line with the 3 vertical main poles.Then using luggage ratchet straps again from £ shop, I feed the strap around the pole junction (3 way) connector and ratchet the straps tight to the cork screw. Doing this holds the awning down and ridgid. I also use straps fed through the tie downs under the windows and attatch these to the corkscrews as well, to stop the billowing of the side panels.

As for condensation, avoid any items touching the side pannels. I lay down a big plastic tarpaulin folded double, then our old breathable ground sheet, followed by the new awning carpet. I also ensure they flow up the side panels a couple of inches to try to avoid water ingress. We run a hallogen heater in the evenings and open the doors as much as possible on sunny days to air the awning out. You do have to remember you'r on a field which by nature is damp anyway. We also use plastic garden storage cuboards to keep things delecate dry etc.

Good luck and have fun.

Steve L.

 

[bakers-cottage]

HI to all! Thanks for all the comments, all advice gratefully recieved!
Thats us with the first week done! and all I can say is - its brilliant - wish we had done it before, ok, winter is not here yet, so may not be saying that as I empty the loo at -10 with a 50mph wind trying to rip out my awning, but so far so good!
Hope you are all following the blog? http://ourlifeinacaravan.blogspot.com you will see how we are getting on and whats happening to us!
Yes we bought some storm straps, but like the idea of the screw in ones for dogs! cracking idea!
Moving around a bit over the next couple of weeks as we are exhibiting at a couple of Steam Shows, Harmans Cross at Swanage next weekend, and then Berwick St John the following weekend, a total of 8 nights free camping!
Discovered a cracking little site, which we are staying at the moment, and tend to return after the two shows for a 3 week stay.
Its all so relaxing! Havent felt so refreshed in years!
Till later.....
Jools & Mikki

 

[bakers-cottage]

Hi to all, its our 22nd consecutive night tonight, and we have just finished our first 6kg propane gas bottle - not sure if thats good or bad? So far we have had 5 nights with no ehu, the rest hooked up. All coooking done on gas.
Now at Berwick St John Country Fair, on the border of Wiltshire/Dorset I think its a free entry to the show, they rattle a bucket for donations under your nose as you walk in, so if you see us say hi, you cant exactly miss our van!
All going well, looking forward to a 21 night stop in the same place as of this monday!
Dont forget to keep up with us at our blog - http://ourlifeinacaravan.blogspot.com
Till later....

 

[hymerman1]

I use my caravan atleast four months of the year, overwintering in Spain/Portugal. here are some of my tips
1) use the leccy you pay for as much as possible, I have, slow cooker, remoska (from Lakeland), breadmaker (Panasonic) hotplate 500W, microwave, the lightest I could find, fan heater for the awning, a grill I picked up in Italy made by Tefal (Pepito) and has an element suspended over a tray that you fill with water, this absorbes heat and catches the fat. All these items I place on tables in the awning with a multi socket fed from the outside power point.
Another useful item is a 12V chiller box, powered from the 12V outlet on outside of caravan
2) If using CL/Cs's, or temporary holiday sites that are withouit hookup's I use solar panels or a gennie.
3) In the awning I suspend old sheeting, using "glingons" in the roof, to hold heat in and reduce condensation
4) If you use an outside water container in the winter stand it on an insulant, I insulate the outside and pipe by purchasing a small fleeced coat (charity shop), feeding the pipe through the sleeve and zipping up.
5) Use a bucket for waste water with a plastic toy floating in it, helps from freezing or get some concertina type piping to feed into hedge , but cover over if freezing.
6) I use the bottom of old bread trays to place on ground in the entrance, also helps if car loses traction when getting off wet grass.
7) I use an extension cord to shift the dongle around in the awning for internet.

I hope this will be of assistance and wish you both all the best.

 

[chriswife]

just what i needed practical advice!! We are 38 and hoping to go ft next month after bankruptcy both now on antidepressantsz and struggling with finances mainly cos I cannot teach anymore thanks to stress. I hope to find part time work and hubs will commute we have 2 dogs, our van is only 2 berth and is 1991 good nic no damp but floor delam needs sorting before we go dad got us a kit, could do with a swop to 4 berth so can leave a bed up but we may be able to save a bit if i get work so maybe can upgrade in new year. I thought to send washing somewhere to get washed dried and ironed would save hass, i like the bakers tray idea and do you mean hanging sheets in a swoop under awning canvas bit unsure like sound of insulation. I hope we can get a site with shower as last time we had nothing(lived for 6 weeks) i like a bit of space on occasion. I have electric griddle thingy and slow cooker we only use gas as last resort. can I have post held at sorting office then?? Dont really want to use relatives. What can I do about doctors would like to keep the one I have can I if postal address the same?

 

[hymerman1]

Hi Claire
The sheeting is like a ceiling with the clingons (google to find them) providing attachment points to the awning roofing.
Another item I forgot to list is a pressure cooker, a heavy item but saves on gas, I usually start it on the leccy hotplate then finish on the gas. Incidently the larger gas cylinders cost less.
I string nylon cord back and forth from the awning roof poles, this provides drying lines and also a suspension point for my mains light, this over my laptop.
A tip given me years ago is to use the car for airing cloths, gets nice and hot.

 

[bakers-cottage]

Hi some good tips there - cheers!
This will be our 30th consecutive night after setting out on our adventure. So far no major dramas.
All I can say to Claire is go for it! - We have noticed a major difference in our stress levels, we have both never slept so well, not sure if its fresh air etc or just not having the worry of finding over a grand a month for bills etc!
Our running costs for September Including all camp sites have been £208.50 and our only bill has been £19.00 for a 6kg bottle of propane. A bit different than our old £550 for rent then the same again for bills etc!
It is a major change of lifestyle, but with a postive attitude anything can be achieved. We are both loving it!
You can see more of what we have been upto on our blog at http://ourlifeinacaravan.blogspot.com feel free to contact me direct.
Till later.....

 

[Steve L]

Hi Chriswife.
We have been fulltiming for 2 1/2 years now.
You would be much better off with a van that you can leave the bed made up, we used our 4 berth van which still needed the front bed makong for thr first 8 months by which time the novelty of mattress juggling had worn off. We got a fixed bed van which is heaven even at 18ft long.

Definately use your electric if you are paying £2 a day as so far this year we averaged £1-07p per day on our metered EHU. I can get a 7Kg flow gas bottle echanged for a tenner at my local plant hire shop as he likes good old non deductable cash in hand. So far we have used 2 bottles this year.

So long as you don't mind the trek, you can have your post held at your local sorting office for free. Take a look at the post office webstite for the info, because the post office staff will try to avoid the free service and try to sell you a PO box number which is an alternative way to go. You can claim housing benefit towards your pitch fee's too subject to application approval. Most councils pay out for houseboat moorings so explain to them that a permanent caravan pitch is identical and they will allow £40 towards that, which does cover most seasonal pitches. If you go for a 10 month seasonal pitch and then move to another site, you also avoid council tax as your caravan is not static. You can still use your doctor and dentist but remember to delete your land line telephone number and ensure they contact you via your mobile phone. Taxing the car is a pain in the butt unless you can make sure the postal tax reminder comes to you so you might consider using a friend or relative to register the car address to. you can still have the car in your name though. Using tinternet is the best way to tax the car, post office staff won't accept a tax disc application if the address on the form isn't the same as that on the insurance certificate, despite the fact that you are insuring the car primarily and as such the insurer might not be the registered keeper. Company cars are a typical example, but the post office opo's can't figure that one out.

Good luck Steve L.