One couple has made the decision to pack up their life and move into a converted van - and they say they'll save around £18,000 a year as a result.
With the cost of living crisis biting, more people are considering living in alternative housing and going "off-grid".
Robert, 28, and Mariona, 26, Bolohan decided to jump on the bandwagon after being inspired by others on social media.
The couple, both originally from Spain, lived in a 29 square metre studio flat in Hayes, west London, where they were paying around £1,500 in rent and bills each month.
They usually work remotely working on branding and design alongside their own translation business Lotuly.
Robert told Mirror Money: "We kept seeing people sharing these lifestyles and Instagram and TikTik and after like two or three months of constantly seeing stuff, we started to have ideas and we began to research how we could do it.
"[Our flat] wasn't really worth what we were paying and because we can work remotely so we do have the freedom to travel too, so we thought why not do it for a couple of months and save some money.
"We knew the investment was going to cost us but the amount we were going to save over the next two years from it was even more."
After writing down all their monthly costs, Robert and Mariona worked out that they could save around £18,000 over the course of a year if they followed their van life dream.
Broken down, the couple were paying around £12,000 a year in rent alone, and as the flat was "badly insulated" Robert felt they were "wasting" money on their energy bills too.
The possibility of making the £18,000 savings motivated the couple to follow their dream.
But it hasn't been without upfront costs. The pair estimate they've forked out between £40,000 and £50,000 doing the entire conversion.
Robert and Mariona purchased their 17-seater minibus - which measures seven metres long - for £14,000, which they then started to convert into their future mobile home.
Over the last 12 months, the couple installed a full kitchen with a hob and 90-litre fridge, a dining area which doubled as the living and sleep quarters and a working shower and toilet.
To power their home, they installed solar panels and have invested in reliable battery banks which they have hooked up to their van's engine so can get charged whilst the couple is driving.
For the winter months, Robert and Mariona invested in a diesel heater which they say heats up the entirety of their living space at the cost of five to 10 litres of fuel.
Robert added: "All in all it cost us around £40,000 to £50,000 to do the conversion, everything inside the van is brand new and the materials were a little more expensive, as it always is like we needed to adapt our fridge to the circuit in the van so it could function properly.
"The batteries were really expensive too because these are lithium batteries that people use for Teslas and electric vehicles."
With council tax, the couple researched UK law and found they didn't need to pay the tax if they did not stay longer than 28 days in the same spot, which aligned perfectly with their travelling plans and meant they made another saving here.
For their travels across the UK, Robert and Mariona plan to "wild park" or set up and pay for parking spaces made for larger vehicles and motor homes.
Robert added: "At the moment we spend around £50 or £60 a month parking the van in a business parking space which is huge. Half of the space is specifically for business parking so it is very secure, and it's surrounded by fields, lakes and animals, so it's very nice."
As the two have their own business, having access to good Wi-Fi was an important aspect of their renovation plans, and because the couple were planning to travel across Europe too, they needed to make sure their Wi-Fi would work wherever they went.
After a lot of digging, Robert opted to go with a plan which gives 300 gigabytes which can be used throughout Europe at a cost of only £30 a month.
This is yet another saving of £30 as they have previously paid £60 for their W-Fi.
The couple don't know how long they would like to live in their van but they have made a plan for the future too as they will live in the van if they ever buy and need to renovate a home and they are also willing to sell it in the future if they have no need for it anymore.
Robert added: "We've had offers of around £110,000 from a lot of people in the US where living in a van is a huge this, so we would be making a big profit if we ever sell it, but the important thing for us right now is to save money, have a good time, and make memories."
Robert and Mariona are to set off on their van life adventure next month with a plan to do a whistle-stop tour of France, Germany, Switzerland, Albania and Greece before heading back to Spain to attend a wedding.
The couple have shared their van renovation journey on their TikTok and their Instagram and plan to share their travels going forward.
How much Robert and Mariona spent each month:
- Rent: £900
- Council Tax: £150
- Broadband: £60
- Water: £40
- Electricity: £70
- Insurance: £100
- Storage: £120
- Parking: £60
Possible monthly savings: £1,500
Possible yearly savings: £18,000
