A couple have saved thousands of pounds in living expenses by kitting out a van with a toilet, a hob and a double bed in a bid to avoid paying out on expensive student accommodation.
Daniel Dayment, 22, spent £10,000 on the van conversion after saving up money at university from odd jobs including freelance photography, cleaning, and working in a bike shop, as well as saving part of his student loan.
Daniel, a third-year photography student, and his partner, Mary Cullen, 23, who live in Totnes, Devon, spent three months converting the 2007 Citroen Relay van as a lockdown project over the summer of 2021.
Living in a van allows them to save more than £5,000 on rent and utility bills each year.
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Daniel said: "It was always my plan to have my own home by my third year of university, specifically a home that was minimalist and one that I could travel around in.
"I saved up the money to convert a van, as I didn't want to pay the high rent of a student flat for a year.
"It would have cost me £5000 alone just to live in student accommodation for ten months.
"Having a converted van is really a future financial asset to me now, I'm saving money by not having to spend it on bills or extortionate accommodation rent."
Mary, a freelance graphic designer, added: "Before I met Daniel, I never thought about living in a van but it's just so convenient and there's so many adventures that we have yet to plan."
"I miss having a toaster, as we have to fry our toast, but I have really come to enjoy van life and when living on the road, you come to realise you don't need the same electrical appliances most households can't go without."
The Plymouth College of Art student first purchased his van for £5,000 in March 2021, and spent a further £5,000 on renovations, including a £1000 eco-friendly solar electrical system.
The van boasts a hob to cook on, storage for clothes and food, a compost toilet, a kitchen counter and even a double bed to make for a cosy home on wheels.
Daniel said: "The batteries and solar electrical system were probably the most expensive part of the renovation, but it was worth the money as it was the price of what someone would spend a year on their electrical bills.
"To light the van, I got some fairy lights and LED lights to make it look homely, they were £20 and really light up the small space.
"I managed to get a second-hand Welsh dresser for £50 that I broke down and converted into the kitchen counter where I store the pots and pans.
"I also created a compost toilet for £50 from scrap pieces of wood, a bucket, and dividers for solids and liquids.
"It might sound weird, but the toilet is my favourite part of the renovation.
"I use a coconut peat, and a vinegar solution to neutralise the smells and as it's compostable, it's all very environmentally friendly.
"One the most luxury items in the van is the 50l camper fridge that cost £400, it's usually cool enough to hold ice cream which is a nice treat."
Daniel used scrap wood to create the bed with room for storage underneath, as well as adding a food cupboard and hooks for to the inside of the van for coffee mugs.
Everything inside of the van is multipurpose, with seating including a storage box and the compostable toilet.
Despite enjoying the simplicities of van life, the couple have had to make a series of compromises in order to live on the road.
Mary said: "We both kind of miss hot running water, so we have to shower at campsites and use laundrettes when travelling.
"I'm a notorious clothes hoarder, so when I moved into the van with Daniel, I had to cull a lot of things, only to realise I never really needed them anyway.
Daniel continued: "Van life is all about improvising and doing things that may not be considered the norm.
"Van life allows you to be as low impact and eco-friendly as possible whilst being able to travel as much as you like."
The couple have plans to travel through Europe once most Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and Daniel finishes university.
The price breakdown
The Van, 2007 Citroen Relay MWB £5,000
Paint for the outside of the van £100
Interior wood, Ply and Cladding £500
Roof rack £150
Insulation £200
Windows £250
Roof vent fan £200
Swivel chair base £300
Solar panel and charge controller £300
Batteries £500
Battery to battery charger £230
Fridge £375
Mattress £180
Wiring £100
Led Lights £15
Fairy lights £5
Diesel heater £85
Compost toilet £50
Second hand welsh dresser £50
Sink and tap £60
2 burner hob £60
Tools for the build £300
Endless trips to screwfix £300
