I couldn’t afford a house so bought a boat – it’s so cheap I’ve been able to quit my job & I’ve still saved £8k a year
This young couple is now saving over £669 each month on bills after deciding to quit the rat race and move on to a narrowboat.
Amy Cross, 26, and her partner, Wesley Arthur, 29, both from Sheffield, had enough of spending their money on rent, working nine to five then eating and sleeping on repeat each day.
So in October 2019, the couple decided it was time for them to ditch the rat race, and started saving to buy a narrowboat for them to live on.
Since moving on to the narrowboat, Amy and Wesley are saving £669 on bills each month and Amy was even able to quit her full-time admin job to become a gaming streamer and manage the couple's social media channels.
Amy said: "Since moving on to our boat, our outgoings are so much lower.
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"We have so much less to pay for since living on the boat.
"We even sold our car before moving into the boat so we aren't spending our money on anything like that.
"I have even been able to quit my admin job which has been amazing.
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"I am a full-time games streamer now and I manage our social media such as Instagram and our YouTube channel, boat time UK.
"And Wes, a games designer, is able to work remotely from wherever we are on the boat.
";We were both fed up with the repetitive cycle of life, working, sleeping and eating, and then trying to explore at the weekends.
"And now we can just wherever and whenever we want on our house."
The pair started saving for the narrowboat in October 2019 after hiring one for a week and fell in love with the lifestyle.
And in June this year, Amy and Wes finally purchased their narrowboat, costing them £46k.
MONTHLY OUT GOINGS BEFORE
Rent: £650
Utility bills: £110
TV and broadband: £90
Food: £400
Car bills: £80
Petrol: £100
Entertainment packages: £40
Council tax: £120
Takeaways and eating out: £100
Total: £1,690
Amy said: "After viewing a selection of boats, we found a second-hand narrowboat that was built in 2011 and only had one previous owner.
"It just needed some cosmetic work done to the inside, so it seemed perfect for us.
"We took out a bank loan to help us purchase the boat.
"We did all the work to the inside of the boat ourselves costing us £500, and tried to do it on a budget and using repurposed material as we try to be eco-conscious.
MONTHLY OUT GOINGS NOW
Loan: £531
Licence: £80
Food: £250
Diesel: £40
Gas: £10
Fuel (coal, kindling etc in winter): £40
Internet: £28
Eating out: £30
Entertainment packages: £12
Total: £1,021
TOTAL MONTHLY SAVINGS £669
"We had no previous experience of living on a boat or even decorating as we have lived in rented houses so we haven't had to do any painting or put up any shelves as we haven't been allowed.
"So it was a good challenge.
"We also had some solar panels added to the exterior of the boat so we can go completely off-grid.
"We have been adapting to the slower pace of life and a shift in our mentality."
The couple's boat is fully equipped with a kitchen with a full-size oven, a double bedroom, a desk for when they need to work, a three-seater sofa and a bathroom that has a hot water show, a toilet, vanity unit and sink.
They are continuous cruisers which means they are always on the move and they even share their boat with their dog, Rufus, and rabbit, Rupert.
The couple says that one of the best things about moving onto the narrowboat is the sense of ownership.
She added: "We have never owned our own place before as we have always just been renting properties.
"So to actually own our home together is such a good feeling.
"We love the sense of freedom that comes with it too.
"We have a choice to go wherever we want for however long we want to go for.
"We can explore so many different places that we probably wouldn't have got round to seeing because life would have got in the way.
"We've adapted to boat life very well."
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For more alternative home choices, check out the couple who saved £3.5k a MONTH by swapping our flat for a van, we shower outside & don’t have a proper loo but it’s worth it
Or this woman who quit her flat to live in a van, I save £1.5k a month on rent & have no bills – loo’s a glorified potty but it’s worth it