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London Journal | The Voice of London
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        First Channel migrants deported to France from TODAY in Labour’s ‘one in one out’ deal – but legal challenges await

        First Channel migrants deported to France from TODAY in Labour’s ‘one in one out’ deal – but legal challenges await

        Row erupts over £500k donation to Labour amid fears betting taxes will be hiked

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        Peter Mandelson is SACKED as US ambassador following Jeffrey Epstein scandal

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        Loyal minister and lefty MPs join race to replace Angela Rayner for Deputy Labour Leader

        Loyal minister and lefty MPs join race to replace Angela Rayner for Deputy Labour Leader

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          News diary 15-21 September: Trump visits UK, interest rate decision, sentencing of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon

          News diary 15-21 September: Trump visits UK, interest rate decision, sentencing of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon

          William Reed chair Charles Reed steps down after 30 years

          William Reed chair Charles Reed steps down after 30 years

          City AM trumpets resurgence of print profitability

          City AM trumpets resurgence of print profitability

          Reach to cut editorial headcount by 186 in ‘biggest reorganisation’ yet

          Reach to cut editorial headcount by 186 in ‘biggest reorganisation’ yet

          Trending Tags

          • Tech
            Bizarre crash-proof plane idea revealed that wraps aircraft in giant AIRBAGS

            Bizarre crash-proof plane idea revealed that wraps aircraft in giant AIRBAGS

            Once-in-a-millennium mega asteroid will be visible to BILLIONS without any equipment

            Once-in-a-millennium mega asteroid will be visible to BILLIONS without any equipment

            Rare ‘Evil Twin Black Moon’ that only occurs every three YEARS due in days as stargazing spectacle linked to ‘end times’

            Rare ‘Evil Twin Black Moon’ that only occurs every three YEARS due in days as stargazing spectacle linked to ‘end times’

            Ancient treasures & statues lifted out of sea as sunken Egyptian city discovered after 2,000 YEARS

            Ancient treasures & statues lifted out of sea as sunken Egyptian city discovered after 2,000 YEARS

            Watch ‘Blood Moon’ turn red TONIGHT in rare total lunar eclipse that won’t happen again until New Year’s Eve 2028

            Watch ‘Blood Moon’ turn red TONIGHT in rare total lunar eclipse that won’t happen again until New Year’s Eve 2028

            Mystery behind primitive horned skull fused to a cave WALL is finally solved

            Mystery behind primitive horned skull fused to a cave WALL is finally solved

          • Health
          • Science

            We’ve probably already been discovered by aliens, but they have some pretty good reasons to hide.

            Almost everyone is said to benefit from a scientifically supported method for improving sleep.

            2,500-year-old rock engravings were found near Mosul, Iraq.

            Is the soul of a person eternal? the findings of scientists

            With its most recent move, is General Electric abandoning wind power?

          • Crypto
          • Entertainment
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            Paul Craig retires as the UFC’s flying Scotsman and UK MMA legend who had a career upcoming fighters could only dream of

            Paul Craig retires as the UFC’s flying Scotsman and UK MMA legend who had a career upcoming fighters could only dream of

            Who is Terence Crawford’s girlfriend and how many children do the couple have?

            Who is Terence Crawford’s girlfriend and how many children do the couple have?

            Irish Open 2025 betting tips, free bets and latest golf odds

            Irish Open 2025 betting tips, free bets and latest golf odds

            Luke Rockhold left with horror gash in backstage brawl with rival Dillon Danis just hours before Misfits 22

            Luke Rockhold left with horror gash in backstage brawl with rival Dillon Danis just hours before Misfits 22

            Tyson Fury and wife Paris sell £800k seaside property for knockdown price… but still make massive profit

            Tyson Fury and wife Paris sell £800k seaside property for knockdown price… but still make massive profit

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            How to Choose the Ideal Baby Gift Set for Boys & Girls – A BabyWondersUK Guide

            How to Choose the Ideal Baby Gift Set for Boys & Girls – A BabyWondersUK Guide

            A Site for Situated Practices: Mezzanine

            Exhibition: Substance & Recoding: The Narrative of Contemporary Objects in the Semantic Turn

            Discover Amsterdam’s beauty from the water

            An adventure on the canals of Amsterdam

            An adventure on the canals of Amsterdam

            Eromosele Gideon Eigbiremolen Unveils Sustainable Vision for SS24 with Burvain's Latest Collection.

            Eromosele Gideon Eigbiremolen Unveils Sustainable Vision for SS24 with Burvain’s Latest Collection.

            after builders cleaning

            After Builders Cleaning Services in UK with Cliffycox: Reviving Spaces, Redefining Cleanliness

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          I save £600 a month by living in a van – I don’t miss my house

          by Anderson
          June 29, 2024
          in Motoring
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          “My belief is that we spend a lot of time paying to live in one place while dreaming of being elsewhere,” says Helen Laing, 41.

          In March 2022, she swapped a two-bedroom rented house in Devon for a second-hand VW Crafter, which she’s named ‘Manny’.

          “The move was prompted by a desire to be in different place and have a flexible life. I have complete flexibility in terms of career and all aspects of life because I don’t have the usual overheads.”

          In Devon, Helen was paying £1,350 a month for rent and living costs, excluding motoring.

          While she spent £10,000 to buy the van and £15,000 to convert it with a friend, it’s now worth around £35,000 and she only spends £750 a month, which includes all living expenses, motoring expenses, and maintenance. This saves her £600 a month.

          #color-context-related-article-3122538 {–inews-color-primary: #F88379;–inews-color-secondary: #FEF2F1;–inews-color-tertiary: #F88379;}

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          She said: “The first question I usually get asked is: ‘Do you feel scared travelling around as a single woman?’ The answer is ‘No’ because the reality is that people aren’t out to murder ‘vanlifers’.

          “The second question is always: ‘How do you go to the toilet?’ I have a self-contained composter toilet that I empty every so often.”

          As well as a toilet, Helen’s VW boasts a shower, 2m-long kitchen, small double bed, slim wardrobe and storage. There are also solar panels on the roof so she’s fully off-grid in terms of power (as long as the sun shines). The van can also carry up to 100 litres of water.

          “The furthest I’ve been is Norway, travelling through the Netherlands. I mostly travel around the coast of the UK, and I hang out in the South West especially, as that’s where my parents are. I’ve been to Wales and Scotland and I’m going to Ireland in September.”

          Helen, who is divorced with no children, believes “vanlife” is a great way for individuals or couples to save up for a house deposit, if that’s their aim.

          “As a first-time buyer, you’re often compromising in order to get on the property ladder, but you can buy a decent van for £10,000 to £15,000, all kitted out. Each month there’s scope for me to save between £600 to £700, compared to what I paid renting in Devon. You could double the deposit in a few years, especially if there are two of you.”

          While saving money has been helpful, and given Helen career options, it wasn’t the main motivator in her move.

          “The advantages are the flexibility, and it has brought me more in touch with nature. You’re very aware of the seasons in a van but even bad weather sounds good, with the sound of the rain on the roof.

          “My resilience has also increased; if you have mechanical challenges, you can go from having the best day to the worst one in seconds… I’ve become much stronger in terms of dealing with situations. I recognise when there’s something bad and I’m not afraid to ask for help.”

          One particular low point was when she was in Copenhagen and the clutch went. The bill was £3,000.

          Helpfully, Helen also works from her VW, running three businesses.

          “One of my jobs is a complete contrast to my lifestyle – it’s marketing for luxury hotels and all my clients have been lovely and come on the transition with me. The second is an e-commerce business, selling small travel containers so you can take liquids on planes.

          I save £600 a month by living in a van – I don’t miss my house
          Helen says she has made the most of her space in the van (Photo: supplied)

          “The third is Vanlife Hub… I plan to create physical places, where vanlifers can access vital services, such as refilling water, emptying waste, washing (clothes), and a community. Unfortunately, the logistics are not in place in the UK at the moment in order to support the vanlife movement, and I’m committed to changing this.”

          Currently, Helen does her washing and stocks up on water at laundrettes or campsites, for which she pays a small fee. Another issue is that, in winter, there often isn’t enough sun for the van’s solar panels to power her laptop.

          “Sometimes I have to drive the van somewhere in order to charge up its battery so I can charge up my laptop and work.”

          She also has “a very forgiving mother” who gets her post, as otherwise she wouldn’t have an address. “Most vanlifers have friends or family who provide an address for them.”

          Helen says she’s watched vanlife evolve over the years. “[It’s] been through the ‘Instagram phase’ but it seems the influencers have all gone off to bricks and mortar now. It’s been through the ‘necessity phase’ where people that couldn’t afford to rent lived in vans.

          “Now, it’s turned a corner and it’s people who are strategically planning it and choosing to do it rather than being forced into it. They are thinking that this is a sensible thing to do from a financial perspective.”

          She says all sorts of people have embraced vanlife. “There are couples, and families live in them, especially since the trend for homeschooling… You can absolutely get four beds into a VW van like mine.” That said, Helen says it helps if you have the right personality: “You need to have a certain positivity to power you through. You need to be able to laugh at things.”

          You also need to be strong enough to deal with other people’s perceptions of your lifestyle. “Vanlife is not well perceived. I’m always quite cautious of who I mention it to, especially in a professional setting. If I’m parked up somewhere public, such as a beach, I’ll always leave my door open. I want to break down the idea that living in a van is dirty. I’m a young(ish) professional person and I’ve not experienced anything negative but, I’m on many different vanlife forums, and the animosity can be hurtful.”

          Helen is loving her life and has no plans to leave her transient existence. “I don’t think about going back to a fixed home. That might change at some point; I’m saving more than ever before so I could have a deposit… The only time I’d live in a home is if I could buy an incredible tiny home. I’ve learnt to live in a small space, maybe I’d buy a plot and put a container home on it and live off-grid in some way.”

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