Permanent Caravanning.

[colin-yorkshire]

hi all

how very diplomatic of you SL and well said, this is my first post on the subject so I will try not to be too conrovertial but to me living in a caravan is a life choice you want it or not it is up to you, me!!! no chance the van is fine for a couple of weeks in the summer in field somewhere other than near home for a break. Full time caravanning the very thought of it just chills the blood, the idea of living in a van in muddy field in the middle of winter with a disabled wife no way, with site fees to pay of around

 

[Guest]

We lived in our caravans three for months whilst overseeing a building project for our daughter. The freedom caravanning gives us made it an easy choice and I gues we've spent about three months under Alli this year.

Permanent caravanning must be some sort of life choice, but reading here suggests that it is also has strong financial factor in the equasion.

What ever rig you start your permanent caravanning life style with will be worth several thousands less than when you purchased it within a very short time.

Depreciation has to be a big factor when going permanent. Also travel is another factor, surely if you have to move to differnet sites many are not going to be in a position where their CL is close to their work.

House prices fluctuate as many are seeing now, overall they rise in price where as your tow rig depreciates and will have to be replaced, car and caravan.

Ubless the intention is to live in the van until you shrug off the mortal coil.

What's the plan for old age? Will you still be happy in a field in your 80's and still be fit to drive and move the caravan?

Or do you build up a nest egg to buy a retirement home or to put a deposit on a rental and then pay rent, we have a nice home in the French countryside that we are very happy to live in when not travelling or caravanning.

After 20 years of idylic permanent caravanninge enjoying rural surrounds will you have the funding to move to bricks and mortar in a setting of your choice or will the choice be made by your finances and the prices of the day?

We've a property business, UK property we bought ten years ago is still worth a lot more today in a depressed market than what we paid for it. You would have to have a very good income and have been able to invest a large percentage of your earnings for ten years to save the money that would buy property ten years on from the day you went permanent.

 

[Ogre]

"GREED"

Where do you do your shopping? Do you still use the little old corner shop? the butchers? the veg shop?or do you use a supermarket because they have the cheapest prices?

Hi 'g' . We use the supermarket. We NEVER use corner shops, butchers or veg shop, and never have done, because it makes financial sense to make one journey to one destination to do all the shopping as economically as possible. No parking charges, as little fuel use as possible, and the convenience of being able to get it all under one roof, and wheel your goods straight to the boot of your car. I also don't have any problem with buying chickens at

 

[colin-yorkshire]

ok ogre I will take the bait. you get what you pay for you buy cheap S**t you eat cheap s**T thats up to you.

put a cornfed free range chicken along side a tesco

 

[Guest]

"GREED"

Where do you do your shopping? Do you still use the little old corner shop? the butchers? the veg shop?or do you use a supermarket because they have the cheapest prices?

Hi 'g' . We use the supermarket. We NEVER use corner shops, butchers or veg shop, and never have done, because it makes financial sense to make one journey to one destination to do all the shopping as economically as possible. No parking charges, as little fuel use as possible, and the convenience of being able to get it all under one roof, and wheel your goods straight to the boot of your car. I also don't have any problem with buying chickens at

 

[g_374369443]

OGRE.

We were talking greed and the question was not aimed at you but Ian.

Although I can see why you answered it,as you spoke about the greed of people too.

I actually do have a question for you. I followed this thread from day one, when you spoke of being forced to live in a caravan,even though you made it clear you could not afford your own house.

Which means you wanted a house.This is the difference,you wanted a house and then just because you could not have one you slatted home owners,and even chucked around the greed word,like you were not greedy!

You have mentioned that you have kept a diary,and that you intend to publish it.How true this is,well I don't really care.

So tell me what do you expect to earn from it? with reference to you continued harp on about greed?

Its based on a YEARS info, so assuming you spent 1 hour a night doing it that would be 400 hours of work,say at

 

[Parksy]

This thread is descending down to the level of personal abuse and insult.

For those who have for whatever reason decided to live full time in their caravans, well, it wouldn't suit everybody but each to their own.

Nobody who contributes to this website should be subject to an inquisition or be forced to justify the choice that they have made.

Please can everyone calm down a little and stop the points scoring.

 

[Guest]

Time Gentlemen Please!!

Whatever are the true circumstances of anyone's decision is a matter for them alone.

This was a discussion on various aspects of permenent caravanning with the emphasis on the financial side of things and I for one would like to know how things work out. I think what I have done is right for me and my family, but I am always willing to look at others to see if there are lessons to be learned.

Patience and Tolerance perhaps???

 

[Guest]

Since the age of 7 my family was always moving due to fathers work, and no my parents were not travellers. My parents bought and sold houses as they moved and as soon as I qualified I took work abroad as It paid better and my son and daughter could get a better education.

I've worked in some hell holes and having a caravan in the UK let us rent our house out and have some independence when coming home to the UK for Holidays.

We own properties, rented out, and we also have some "social" type housing so put something back in to the UK. We've never begged anybody to pay rents and have we've paid the % costs to banks for the loans we've risked taking for purchases and build projects and paid tax's on profits and still do.

Having wandering feet, my wife and I love to travel and we love the freedom of caravanning and the time shared with family and friends exploring and indulging in our sailing/surf interests.

Choices are down to the individual or partners as to where and how they live. I don't expect anybody to justify their choices here.

But! I am interested and I would think others who may be considering full-timing would also like to know how full timers cope with depreciation and how or what they plan for old age.

 

[Robert_374373903]

We were "wild" camping at the side of a dam in a motorhome some years ago and late evening another m/h pulled up and its occupants were to elderly Dutch husband and wife who asked us would we mind them staying there as well.They invited us to go over to them for a drink etc later and they told us their story.He used to be a head teacher and they liked the travelling around Europe thing but work was preventing them from doing it, plus they had a large house and garden which was also becoming a tie.It resulting them selling the house and buying a small 1 bedroom flat and getting early retirement on full pension from his job , which was another story.When asking how long had they been doing it they replied 3 years and loving it. In fact my Wife got carried away and said could we do it but i had cold feet .

 

[Ogre]

Point taken Mr Mod. So to all our respondants. That means ALL of you.

No we would never want a house, even if we won the lottery. No we won't Buy British, because so long as foreign food is cheaper we'll buy it, and Yes, we will now only reply to genuine replies about PERMANENT CARAVANNING.

Love, peace and harmony to you all OGRE xxxx

 

[Gumbo]

My sister sold her house and bought a Static Caravan for

 

[g_374369443]

Just had one of those wicked thoughts.Over the last few years touring pitch prices have shot up.

Thank fully we have no need to become permanent caravanner's,but it did cross my mind if this did become a more popular style of living for whatever reason,how prices for pitches would possible shoot up dramatically, based on supply and demand.

The other thing that interests me is I know of many full time travellers sites,and indeed a fare few static sites,but where are these full time permanent legal sites for touring caravans?

Are there any legal ones,or are they the same ones that are set up for the travellers community?

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi all

the answer to that g is no they are not the same as far as I am aware there are 3 types of sites for perminant caravaners to dwell on there may be others that I am not familier with but the 3 I refer to are as follows:-

1 is the touring site that is open all year

2 is the caravan park that allow you to live in a static site all year

3 is a park home site ie bungalows built like vans that you can live in

if you live on one of these sites you are a perminant caravaner (of sorts) that is you dwell in the same place all the time, if you live anywhere else in a van you are a "TRAVELLER".

ulike ogre that life style does not appeal to me in any way what so ever. I would rather set fire to it than live in it.and thats a fact.

colin

 

[Guest]

Am I missing something.

Fanatstic that Ogre is doing what he/she wants. Just being able to do what pleases you is many peoples dream.

I asked how a permanent caravanner copes with depreciation, moving about and travel issues and what one plans for old age or how one copes with the onset of old age and reduced retirement income ????

What Ogre buys or where it is bought is of no interest to me thats personal choice, but the basics of the questions above are surely the most imporatant long term factors.

The thread may have got disjointed and Peace and Love to Ogre, but Ogre's last post seems to sit strangely with the first post that started the thread.

We've gone from could "never afford" to "No we would never want a house". I'm assuming that permanent caravanning has proved so good for Ogre that minds have been changed. But still no information or advice to others as to how the long term plans and costs pan out or are planned.

As a Landlord I could take issue with Ogres first post, buying or bulding property costs the money that Ogre says they could never afford! Fine, understandable, but please don't diss those of us that have worked damned hard for the money taken the loan risks and paid the interest rates to the banks and tax's to the government to the benefit of the UK economy. Rental price are a reflection of market forces, to much and the property lies empty!

Ogre labels landlords as "greedy" but was happy to pay the price of a greedy caravan manufacturer and caravan dealer proabably.

Landlords, Caravan manufacturers, M&S, Transport and Tesco are all businesses and are there to make profit and living.

The fact that good jobs in transport and nursing are judged to make bricks and mortar out of reach suggest that other couples in Ogre's area on lower pay but be really up the creek without a paddle.

Or may be those couples make their own free choice to take an alternative step in the home stakes.

NO offense here Ogre, you made the first post and made a judgement on others choices.

I've only asked simple polite questions that will be of interest to anyone considering full timing.

 

[g_374369443]

hi all

the answer to that g is no they are not the same as far as I am aware there are 3 types of sites for perminant caravaners to dwell on there may be others that I am not familier with but the 3 I refer to are as follows:-

1 is the touring site that is open all year

2 is the caravan park that allow you to live in a static site all year

3 is a park home site ie bungalows built like vans that you can live in

if you live on one of these sites you are a perminant caravaner (of sorts) that is you dwell in the same place all the time, if you live anywhere else in a van you are a "TRAVELLER".

ulike ogre that life style does not appeal to me in any way what so ever. I would rather set fire to it than live in it.and thats a fact.

colin

Thanks Colin.

 

[Surfer]

No one has to justify anyhting to any one whether a home owner or someone living in a touring caravan like we did. We sincerely regret having moved into brick and mortar but had no choice at the time however greedy utility companies and councils are making is rapidly change our mind. So much so that this weekend we are off to put a deposit on a pitch so that once again we cna enjoy the freedom that we had before. I have worked and paid my taxes and will continue to pay them as long as they are due.

Home is where you park your caravan!

 

[Gumbo]

Euro has raised some very valid questions with regards to Permanent Caravaning.The whole thread appears to be about the lifestyle and cost elment of this way of living. As opposed to living in a House !!!!!

We all know how to live in a caravan albeit for weekends or holidays (winters in Spain 3 months ) etc, could be described as Semi Permanment Caravaning.

I liked the point about what do you do when your older,OK so most sites will have water and waste points at the pitch, but not connected to the sewer!!!!!!

It is an important thread on a caravan forum please keep it coming.

 

[Chrisbee]

Fortunately I only have a year left on my mortgage so mortgage rates don't realy concern me too much and I am quite happy living in my brick shed. I've been following this thread with interest but have declined to comment as it seems a very emotive subject. However, at the risk of upsetting some people I have a question. If permanent caravaners don't pay council tax as it is levied on property, those of us who do pay are subsidising those who don't. Presumably you would expect the fire brigade to turn up to a fire, the local streets to be kept clean, access to the libary if you're in to reading etc. etc. I see no reason for anyone not to pay.

 

[Tony-Porthcawl]

How do you guys living in a van manage internet access ?

get a dongle and go wireless its great

 

[Tony-Porthcawl]

Euro has raised some very valid questions with regards to Permanent Caravaning.The whole thread appears to be about the lifestyle and cost elment of this way of living. As opposed to living in a House !!!!!

We all know how to live in a caravan albeit for weekends or holidays (winters in Spain 3 months ) etc, could be described as Semi Permanment Caravaning.

I liked the point about what do you do when your older,OK so most sites will have water and waste points at the pitch, but not connected to the sewer!!!!!!

It is an important thread on a caravan forum please keep it coming.

Do what we have done we live on site in a static which has double glazing,central heating and a toilet connected to a sewar.We can stay on site 11 months of the year and the month we have to be off we go on holidays which is in Jan each year so we head for the sun.

 

[Surfer]

We don't pay council tax because we are not really permanent as every year you have to vacate the site for a minimum period of one month.

In general and nothing to do with permanent caravanning, who likes to pay a council that increases the tax every year, but the council has millions hidden away in an off shore account? Do you really think you are getting value for money on council tax when you have to drive down roads full of potholes or walk on a pavement that is crumbling? Maybe this could be the start of another thread?

 

[Guest]

I agree that no one has to justify how and where they decide to live.

Some here seem to find Bricks and Mortar a drain on their resources, my families life style is all due to Bricks and Mortar. If it were not for house purchasing we would not be off enjoing caravanning or living aboad and travelling.

Our parents and grand parents enjoyed their old age as they'd invested in property early in their marriages and were able to use that investment to fund a healthy enjoyable life style in their old age and we followed their examples.

I intend to be around for a long time and still no one who is or has been a full timer is advising as to what full timing holds for their long term futures.

Its like people who rush off to Spain and have little idea on how they will cope in old age with families back in the UK and now have the reduced pension income due to the falling pound.

Justification for your personal choice, NO!

But is the future planned for ageing and the economics thought out and planned. Or is the excitement the life style full timing freedom provides masking out what the long term future has in store for full timers.

My 76 year old uncle has been ill. Sorry but I dont't think he would have coped in a caravan in a field up a muddy track. And at his age I don't think he would have had so many friends on hand and the support network in his community if he was out living on a CL. May be he could have acrued vast savings due to the savings he'd made full timing compared to owning his bricks and mortar.

So far no one seems to be giving any clear advice to fellow caravanners or readers thinking of taking up full timing.

"go for it" is not a long term stategic finacial plan to see you through out your life!

My wife and I could full time quite easily as we have bricks and mortar to fall back on, but full timers here seem not to have that or have sold up.

God, I just hope I've not offended anyone. The UK is in difficult times financially and to jump in to this FT life style without some serious planning for the long term could lead to a disastous long term future I think.

 

[Barking]

Euro

Like you my wife and I invested in property at the beginning of our married life, we have now sold our house and are living full time in a caravan. However, we have money ringfenced for the purchase of a smaller (than we had) property, should the desire to invest once again in a house. At age 60 we both have indexed linked pensions with relatively large lump sum payments attached - I do not fear for my old age.

If however I had been living in rented accommodation, had no savings or private pension and poor job prospects it would have made the jump to permanent caravan living easier. If I got fed up with it or fell ill I would just go back to rented accommodation, rely on the NHS and look for another job.

I think you blinkered by your own level of security, as was I for years, and think it impossible to live without it.

There are many people today who are living in a house, have jobs and do not enjoy the comparitive wealth that you do, it should not affect thier decision to embark on something different, I wish I had had the courage to do years ago what I am doing now.

 

[Steve L]

I totally agree with you Barking. We have lived in mortgageded to the hilt property's for years and quite honestly all we have been doing is home improvements after home improvements, just to try to keep the value up on the place to cover the mortgage.

We sold up March this year and moved into our tourer. Had we not of sold then and hung on until now, we would of slipped into negative equity.

I've worked bloody hard all my life to support our family and paid every penny of tax and insurance, and realy on reflection I do wonder just who is better off when i see an old school chum who hasn't done a stroke of work in 33 years, but can still afford to go to the pub at the weekend and get bladdered. Then return to his house (rent paid by the state), sit back and watch telly knowing that his giro will float through the letter box each week duly paid for by saps like us who "work for a living".

I must admit after 33 years of flogging myself to death to keep a house and several utility firms in profit by millions, I'm glad to of lept the fence and gone caravanning permanently.

Steve L.