This student saves THOUSANDS on rent by living in a van

Fancy saving a couple of grand on student accommodation? Hannah, a first year marine biology student from the UK lives in her van full time, saving money and exploring in the process. After living in halls last year for an art foundation course, Hannah wholeheartedly decided to not go back to living in halls for her next university experience, stating that you couldn’t pay her to relive the fresher’s experience, oh dear. The main drive behind Hannah living in the van is of course, money, with living costs for students currently soaring and 1 in 3 students suffering from stress caused by money troubles, Hannah’s decision can be seen as a last resort when it comes to getting your own accommodation. Yet, when it comes to the actual van in which she lives, things don’t seem too bad. There’s a comfy looking double bed, a stove, a sink, water on tap and draws, could this be the future for struggling students? Hannah states that her kitchen worktop, pushed in next to her lifted bed, is her mother’s old dressing table, a nice addition from home, whilst the gas stove is apparently too powerful and cooks food too quickly, whilst the tiny sink has a handy lid to pull over any dirty dishes, nifty! Hannah knew that she wanted to convert the van herself, making sure that there was both standing head space and an area to walk around in, whilst also ensuring that the bed didn’t have to be folded away! When looking into the van, it is quite remarkable to think how everything fits, from the retro decor down the fairy lights, everything definitely seems like it has it’s own little place. Similar instances are now being spotted all around the UK, with another student living on a £800 boat in order to save on rent, an issue which arose when his relationship with his partner ended and he found himself unable to afford the bills. Joe lived on his 42 year old boat for fourteen months whilst he studied for his masters degree, finding the whole experience very agreeable, he only had to pay £1 a day to keep the boat in the harbour! Joe has saved a huge £5,600 on rent so far and hopes to further his work on the boat this year, describing the whole experience as luxury camping and like ‘living in a wooden tent’, hmm. When hearing of all these instances around the UK, it is important to look into just how much it costs now to rent and live as a student. According to a study from red brick, students now spend the vast majority, nearly three quarters of their loan on their rent, this is of course not taking into account the additional living costs, if the place if not all inclusive, as well as food shops, travel expenses and just general money for enjoyment! Last year university counselling slots were filled to over capacity, with students being told to wait weeks before they could seek advice or guidance from their place of study. It has now been revealed that the main reason behind student stress, anxiety and even depression can be linked down to money worries. From living in a van, boat or a even a tent, whist these examples are perfect cases of both innovation and creativity, are they also a harsh reminder of the expensive living costs students are now facing in 2018? As Hannah states, to even afford a small flat she would have to work full time, with no time for studying at all.

Student blog

Elizabeth Whittingham

Further reading

Navigating the UK housing market as an international student

Coventry: a student's guide

Maximising space in shared accommodations: smart storage tips