Steve never said she was in the plan !!!!
I agree about life not being a dress rehearsal but as you only get one crack you don't want to get it wrong. What could be more miserable than being broke in your "golden years".
I agree about life not being a dress rehearsal but as you only get one crack you don't want to get it wrong. What could be more miserable than being broke in your "golden years".
i sold up in feb this year & went to live in my caravan. After being widowed 5 yrs & partly disabled, i was struggling with a big house (cleaning & bills) but its been great!just frozen pipes a problem but i had em lagged & got a thermmal bag for water tub. Im 55 & carried on vanning since huby died, with my mum 89,so if i can do it most of you could. good luck! san
Hello all,i have very recently joined the site and as i said in my intro post am very impressed,,,i am a self employed bricklayer by trade and do all types of generall building work,,,i have made my mind up at the age of 50 something to sell the house about august,buy a tourer and live permanently on the road so to speak,,i hope to be able to work wherever i can and this would include europe,,,i have no kids who are not self sufficient and at present no wife or partner ,,,i have travelled all my life but have always had a home to come back to (bricks and mortar) i am however extremely fed up now with working to just stay afloat,,and i can take a chance of changing my life because it is only me i have to worry about,,,any advice about type of van would be gratefully accepted,insurance etc,and the pitfalls of just shooting off,,im afraid im a bit of a dreamer so its definately happening and i love an adventure,,were not here for long !!! thanks for listening to me rambling,,i need all the help i can get !!! ian x
As someone who lived in the caravan permanently, I strongly advise against selling your home. We had no issues until I was struck down with RA and then had no alternative except to move back under tile and mortar.
Not much as changed regarding information already given in this thread unless you have a specific question so feel free to ask.
Not much as changed regarding information already given in this thread unless you have a specific question so feel free to ask.
Hi all,,i am selling up in july,august buying a tourer and working my way around europe and the uk,,,and the reason for this is that i have worked for over 30 yrs in england,mostly being self employed (builder) and im sick to the back teeth of working my backside off and starting from scratch evry jan after paying rediculous tax bills to keep people in my street who have never had a job in their lives,,most have bigger tvs,and nicer cars than me and dont give a hoot about other people,,so im starting again,,,,i wont have a massive amount of money but as long as i can work i will be ok,,,,all advice would be gratefully accepted ,,,thanks ian..
Mel
Moderator
Hi Ian. Sounds like a decent plan, but bearing in mind what Surfer said about circumstances forcing him back into bricks and mortar; is there any financial mileage in renting your house out instead of selling it. You might need the lump sum from the sale to get you started in a tourer but if not, it would mean you would retain an investment. Just a thought. Good luck with your plans
Mel
Mel
ianthebuilder said:
Why don't you buy the tourer first even if you have to buy on HP and give it a try before selling up your home. We have the t-shirt for both and can offer good honest advice.
that would be the sensible thing to do surfer but to be honest im not the most sensible man in the world,my whole life seems to have been an adventure of one type or another,and most usually ending in disaster,lol but great fun along the way,....I have owned and lost 3 houses in my life so far and this one is the only one that can afford me another adventure,,,for reasons i wont go into i do not want to live in norfolk anymore and im the sort of all or nothing type, I have rented a house out before and believe me it can turn into a nightmare !!! It may seem strange but i also do not want to carry any finance anymore,,if i cant afford it i dont buy it !! Im not in any way materialistic but a nice tourer and 4x4 or new van would be nice for me,,,its all about a change from the norm for me,,,And im really looking forward to it,,so much in fact that i have taken 3 days off this week to visit dealers to view a variety of vans,,great fun,and what an eye opener,various layouts,ages,styles etc and all of which is confirming to me that i am making the right decision for me that is,,,,god dont i go on? lol
hi Ian, I wish you well in your new venture and hope thing go well. I cannot offer much advice as I have not ever considered that form of life style, however certain obvious hurdles spring to mind. somehow somewhere you have to have a permanent address, because thats how the system works.
somewhere all the things that you cannot avoid go to. like tax, insurance. licences. bank accounts ect, you have to have a base somewhere, and that means a place you have to go back to time and time again as renewals ect come up.
and everything you own that will not fit in the van disposed of.
winter in a van on your own can be very bleak unless you intend to be abroad where its warmer.
it is possible of course, because others have done it. in which case I strongly suggest you take on board any advice they may be prepared to offer.
somewhere all the things that you cannot avoid go to. like tax, insurance. licences. bank accounts ect, you have to have a base somewhere, and that means a place you have to go back to time and time again as renewals ect come up.
and everything you own that will not fit in the van disposed of.
winter in a van on your own can be very bleak unless you intend to be abroad where its warmer.
it is possible of course, because others have done it. in which case I strongly suggest you take on board any advice they may be prepared to offer.
thanks colin,,i know it sounds a bit crazy but i will have an address for post,bank etc even insurance so that part doesnt worry me,and as for the winters,i like i said have been a builder all my life (so far)lol and the cold doesnt bother me,,like my dad said " put a jumper on" bless him, but i do intend to winter in spain or an equally warmer place (if all goes to plan) and thats half the fun of it for me,its a venture into the unknown,trials and pitfalls,highs and lows, and if i dont just jump in im never going to know what im missing,,,, perhaps you or anyone could tell me if it would be worth joining the caravan club for wider choices,etc and a specilist company for the van insurance? and as you have probably gathered im no brains of britain but getting the hang of this computer thingy now has made me think about writing from day 1 about the whole time,for however long i survive,where would be the best place to do that ? And i just want to say that all the comments i have had so far (keep them coming) have been really gratefully recieved by me,,i really do appreciate everything,,its nice to just know people are out there interested enough to help THANK YOU
No matter which club you join, your biggest hurdle is getting the caravan insured and you will have a battle on your hands. There is no obligation to insure a caravan on the road however as it will be your main residence, it would be foolish not to insure it. Try Park Homes for insurance. I suggest finding out who will insure your caravan if living in it permanently before splashing out on a caravan. Also you will need breakdown cover to cover the caravan when moving between sites so if the car breaks down, they will tow the car and the caravan to your destination. IMHO the Caravan Club Mayday cover is far better than the C & CC RAC breakdown cover as no restrictions on size of caravan.ianthebuilder said:
hi colin,,yes valid points mate,i do have an address i can register at so all good there,,as for winter i dont mind the cold to be honest but i will have heating etc and i would like to think i could at least do spain etc for a couple of months,,,i think the winters are getting warmer here though to be honest and after 30 years of building im pretty much used to it,,,,do you know of anyone on here who actually is living full time in there tourer ? I have had a surf about on here today and i was amazed at the amount of work on offer at various campsites,all with small money but free pitches etc,,what an eye opener, handy for me if i dont manage to get any building work !! Ian
Another thing colin,i joined the caravan and camping club today,very interesting,all info on ins etc very handy,,,,cheers,,,
And as for all the things i own not fitting in,,my most prize possessions are my tools and a set of golf clubs,,lololol oh and i know i will need some clothes lolol But to be honest,having lots of stuff hasnt done me anygood in life,,,so it will be nice to declutter,,,im sure i will buy lots more rubbish as i go ! lol
hi Ian. you seem to have most things covered. applying to be a deputy warden is probably one of the best ways to get a free long term pitch. and being a builder should assist in your application, there are many jobs on site apart from cutting grass and a stint in reception to do mending fences repairing toilets ect. so it might just work out.
as for members who have taken the same route you have decided to do, there have been a few over the years. Surfer, Steve in leo, and Liz in cornwall who used to post from her van while being a deputy warden on a site. there have been a few others that decided to live in their vans full time, but soon dropped of the grid shortly after doing so.and stopped posting so we never knew how they got on,
living full time in a van is a completely different lifestyle. if you are sure it's for you go for it.
as for members who have taken the same route you have decided to do, there have been a few over the years. Surfer, Steve in leo, and Liz in cornwall who used to post from her van while being a deputy warden on a site. there have been a few others that decided to live in their vans full time, but soon dropped of the grid shortly after doing so.and stopped posting so we never knew how they got on,
living full time in a van is a completely different lifestyle. if you are sure it's for you go for it.
I don't live in my van permanently but I do live in it from the end of October until the beginning of March because I tow the van to Spain. I go to the same site each year so I'm able to meet up with people I already know from previous years. Two couples who come to the site are site wardens during the summer, one for C&CC and the other, wardens on a privately owned site. There are also several people who permanently live in motorvans (with their dogs or cats) and just follow the good weather. Deteriorating health conditions and age related problems seem to be the biggest worry for the nomads. For myself, I love being in the van but no way would I give up my home to do it full-time.
Hi jaydug,,from oct to march you live the life im looking for,,could you give me some more info on the spanish campsite,ie costs,length of journey,fuel costs approx ferry costs and anything in you may think helps,,,and i do understand what you say about giving up home etc,i am seriously thinking of selling it all though...5 or so months in the sun sounds pretty good to me,,,cheers,,ian..
hi colin,,yes i thought about the warden thing and it sounds ok,,i am an experienced builder(40 yrs) and i would expect to be able to get work from someone in most places,,even on site,i am a bricklayer by trade so it all helps,, And there was another post by jaybug about him going to spain for a few months every year and that is what i plan to do also,,so if i have to put up with a few mishaps and dramas im sure i can get over it,,,,thanks for your best wishes and i hope not to stop posting when it all kicks off i find this site and advice very valuable indeed,,,,,cheers colin,,,ian
Hello Ian. If you click on the blue link at the bottom of my posts, it will open my caravanning blog. Click on European Tours, then again on "Another winter in Spain". Go down to the end of the blog and you'll find a list of costs. Ferry fare, fuel costs, site fees and insurance costs............................ The Spanish campsite I go to is http://www.campingelpino.com/index.php but along the coast lines there are hundreds of sites - all open in the winter months - and all giving up to 50% discounts for stays of longer than a month.
Well jay,,that was the best thing i have read for ages,,i admire you immensely,, That sounds like a dream way to spend a winter or two,,and the costings at the end of the blog are really helpfull ,,I hope you are well and planning another trip to write about soon,cause im looking foreward to reading it ! lol all the best mate and i hope your still baking the fruitcake !! ian...
hello to you all, I am "permanent caravanning" have been for 3 and a half years, When was widowed at 50 I found renting on one wage was not easy, we didn't own a home. So I moved into the caravan for a while and am still here. A few of us on this site do the same although it is a touring site. Like you Ian, I have an Address so no problems there. Insurance was ok it's on a "seasonal pitch" and may go into storage (same site) now and then. I have friends who are retired and do this, spending winter in spain and coming back for the summer months. Not an option for me as I'm still working and the retirement age is a long way off 
good luck with your venture...
good luck with your venture...hi abi,,im glad to hear someone does live in their van,i dont know too much about it yet,,is there many sites that are open for 11 or 12 months? i dont know how much i will be travelling in my first year like you i need to work,but hopefully building work should be available in most areas,,,tell me abi,do you have a 2 berth van or a 4? i was just wondering about the room for stuff etc?
ianthebuilder said:
Thank you for your kind words. And Yes - I've just booked my outward crossing to Bilbao for the end of October.
Hi Jaydug.........hopefully we will see you in Elpino next January
We spent at week in Olvera and visited Ronda and Acipino in early March.
So much so we plan to visit again next year with bikes as there is a cycle track there.
If you want any info please email me........I will ask the moderators to forward my address.
We spent at week in Olvera and visited Ronda and Acipino in early March.
So much so we plan to visit again next year with bikes as there is a cycle track there.
If you want any info please email me........I will ask the moderators to forward my address.
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