A couple says they have slashed their monthly outgoings in half by swapping their rented Manchester flat for a houseboat. Jack and Gemma Cox, both 29, now live on the waterways between Manchester and the Yorkshire Dales in a two-bed wide beam narrowboat, along with their pet tortoise Teacake.
The couple, who want to be closer to Gemma's family in the dales, decided it was time to start saving for a house. Paying £1,000 for rent and bills, and putting money into a help to buy ISA savings account, the couple realised they were looking at an average house price of £280,000 for a two-bed.
Knowing it would take a long while to achieve their goals, Jack, a secondary school teacher, and paramedic Gemma decided they were going to bin off their ISA and buy a boat instead. In doing so, the couple have managed to cut their outgoings by £500 a month, half of what they were paying before.
