WATER LIFE
I moved into a BOAT to avoid forking out £1,000s in rent every month – now I only pay £111 & electricity is FREE
Watch to see a tour of Jennifer's surprisingly spacious boat home
A SAVVY 'water gypsy' mum has told how she ditched traditional housing to move full-time onto a boat - saving her thousands of pounds a month.
Fed up with sky-high rent prices, Jennifer Patricia swapped her landlocked life for England’s Grand Union Canal - paying only £111 a month.
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Unable to secure a mortgage, she invested £97,000 in building her dream boat named Adi Shakti, and hasn’t looked back since.
Jennifer had enough of pouring her hard-earned cash into rent.
"I just went down the canal one day and thought, ‘That’s the life I want,’” she told
Adi Shakti, one of the largest boats on the Grand Union Canal at 65 feet long and 12 feet wide, is not just a boat—it’s a full-fledged home.
BOAT LIVING
The boat has three bedrooms, with a den play area for her two kids.
"A standard IKEA kitchen", fully kitted with a fridge, freezer and washing machine.
As well as plenty of space in her living room which doubles as her studio, where Jen teaches yoga and practices massage therapy.
PENNY-PINCHING PERKS
Jennifer revealed she's saving £1000s in rent with her new lifestyle.
Most read in Money
She only pays £111 a month for her boat license, which covers water, bins, and towpath maintenance.
Thanks to her solar panels, her electricity is free all summer.
Living on a boat has its quirks, but Jennifer has adapted like a pro.
Her boat has a water tank which she refills every two weeks and a heating system to keep the boat warm, though winters can be a bit nippy.
“We all get changed around the fire because it’s so cold in the bedroom,” Jennifer admits.
Despite the cold, she and her kids thrive in this rustic setting, enjoying the simple, free-spirited life on the water.
On her continual cruiser license, Jen only has to move her boat every two weeks to meet her annual 32km requirement.
What license you need to live on a boat
To live on a boat full-time, you need to be either 'continuously cruising' or have a 'residential mooring'.
Residential Mooring: If you need to remain in one location due to your children's school or work commitments, you'll want a residential or 'home' mooring. A 'home' mooring provides a place to leave your houseboat when you're not out on the water. Residential moorings can be costly and finding available spots, particularly in cities and the southeast, can be challenging.
Continuous Cruising: You just need to license your boat, which can cost between £500 and £1,000 a year. This license requires you to move your boat every 14 days and cover at least 20 miles a year. You can stay anywhere on the towpath for up to 14 days, unless there’s a visitor sign with a time limit or you’re near a lock. It's usually best to moor against the towpath or on designated visitor moorings, as many riverbanks and the non-towpath side of canals are private property.
Leisure Mooring: For a cheaper alternative to residential mooring you can apply for leisure mooring. Leisure mooring limits the time you can live on your boat to a few days a week so is a great option to try out the boat life before fully committing.
NO TV, NO PROBLEM
Jen’s kids don’t mind the lack of a telly. They spend their time reading and they've got plenty of room to chill in the spacious living room.
"We can jump, dance and do yoga" she said.
For Jennifer, the best part of boat life is waking up to stunning views and fresh air every day.
“Being deep in nature and fresh air and waking up to beautiful views every day is the plus side to living on a boat”.
Her bedroom, equip with a make up desk, wardrobes and library, leads onto her front deck where she "drinks her morning tea".
"Its nice to sit and watch the sunset" she said.
Jennifer’s story is a shining example of how thinking outside the box can lead to a fulfilling, economical lifestyle.
So, for those tired of the rent race, perhaps it’s time to consider life on the water.
Read More on The Sun
Elsewhere, a dad who moved out of his home to live on a narrowboat has saved a fortune and says he never wants to live on land again.
Meanwhile, another woman shares how she lives rent free in London, thanks to living on a boat.
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