A WOMAN who now lives on a narrowboat to save thousands of pounds each month has given three major warnings to people looking to start living in waterways.
Nesha, who vlogs her life while living on her dream boat, revealed how starting a life on narrowboats may be as easy as it looks.
The expert, who posts her video on her YouTube channel Driftwood Folk, has now revealed a few tips that could help anyone ditch their homes and start a life on boats.
Nesha said that people should have a good budget before they plan to buy a narrowboat and renovate it as it may not always be cheap.
She then revealed how it could cost a lot of money just to maintain it over time.
Her advice was to be prepared to spend at least £35,000 to start a life on a boat.
Furthermore, Nesha explained why painting boats can cost a fortune.
She said: “Every work that you get done on a boat counts as a specialist job. You’ll be more likely to get work done on the boat at a boatyard.
“The problem is that it tends to be quite pricey, especially if you’re getting work done like welding.”
“And when you live in a metal tube, it’s very likely that you will get some welding done at some point.”
Nesha’s next tip for anyone looking to live on a canal boat was to be prepared to live in a tight space, especially if someone is moving out from a traditional hopping structure.
She advised: “If you are someone who really likes their own space and you live with a partner or you have children, you might find living on a canal boat a bit difficult because space is very limited.”
She also emphasised how maintaining boats can be a difficult job – but an extremely important one.
The expert said: “Even though it’s portrayed as a simple life – which it can be to some degree – there is a lot of maintenance involved
“It isn’t just a case of living a slow, simple life and never having to do much. There is always something to do on a boat.”
It comes after a woman who lives on a 20ft micro narrowboat said she’s terrified it might tip over, but revealed a hidden compartment that keeps her safe.
Kat, known as Gentil Lentil’s Green Life on YouTube, shared an insight with her viewers about what it’s like to live on a small boat.
The content creator explained that she fears storms could tip over her 20ft micro narrowboat.
Fortunately, in the video, she revealed two compartments designed to help prevent it from tipping.
One of the compartments, located beneath her bed, contains a water pump that removes excess water from the bottom of the hull.
These are found on most boats and are an essential piece of equipment.
What it's like living on a boat
A WOMAN who quit her job and sold everything to live in a storm-damaged £6,000 boat has revealed how it is living on a boat.
Elizabeth Earle from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, hoped to sail across the world and realise her dreams of freedom.
Upon return to England, she decided to buy a different kind of boat and live on there instead – a canal boat.
She bought an initial narrow boat in 2019 and then paid £35,000 for a second one from a close friend and nicknamed the boat Maggie.
Elizabeth has decided against buying a home and paying a mortgage and said the system doesn’t work for people who have unstable work.
She said: “It does not favour the solo, self-employed, slightly hungover, 30-something artist from the Midlands.”
Elizabeth said that living on a canal boat can be cheap and gives you great flexibility in life.
She said: “My bills are extremely minimal, I’ve gone from paying £1200 a month with rent, gas and electric to just £254 a month on the boat.
“The rent for my marina spot at Mancetter is £120 a month, but it allows me to use the facilities, so that’s been quite nice during the winter as I’ve been able to get hot showers – as I’ve not managed to get the gas and hot water sorted yet.
“I pay £96 a month for my boating licence, boat insurance is £10 a month and the Canal and River Trust tax is £100.
“I cook off a camp stove and rely on my log burner to keep me warm.”
Elizabeth said you have to make other compromises like emptying a porta-potty and battling condensation in the morning.
“But it’s all worth it when you wake up in the morning to the beautiful countryside.”
It comes after an artist shared what it’s like to live off-grid in a canal boat where she can save £600 a month.
Shannon Lane, 29, ditched her room in Clapham for a 30ft narrowboat which she cruises in with her pug, Gilbert.
She decided to move on the water after learning her landlord was raising the price of her rent to £1,000 a month.
The freelance artist and video producer took out a loan to buy a £24,000 narrowboat and now spends just £300 a month paying it off.
Ever since Shanon moved, her mental health has improved and she no longer suffers from “bad anxiety and depression“.
Nonetheless, the transition from bricks to a floating home takes adjusting to.
She told The Sun: “The first night I moved in I thought what the hell have I done.”
She couldn’t figure out how to get her electrics to work and at one point ended up blindly making her way through a 20-minute tunnel because her headlights didn’t switch on.
She added: “There have been incredibly stressful moments. I moved in in January and I had to learn how to use the stove fire.
“I’d envisioned this amazing life and suddenly everything was actually really hard.”
But Shannon was saving thousands.
She said: “My electricity all comes from solar panels and then everything else is normal household spending like food and toiletries.”
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