Jess Hill, who says her mortgage and bills reached “ridiculous amounts” which left her no money left at the end of the month, wants to share her story to help others
A young woman is living in a van after the cost of living crisis forced her to sell her three-bedroom property.
Jess Hill, 24, found running the property no longer became viable amid the squeeze the country is facing and put it on the market. With its proceeds, the building surveyor says she has a “more affordable” lifestyle – albeit living in a Citroën Relay, which has solar panels partly powering its electricity.
The university graduate admitted having no money left at the end of the month as her bills and mortgage totalled “ridiculous amounts”. Now, she wants to share her decision to offer hope to other people struggling due to rising prices.
Jess sold her home in Ingleton, North Yorkshire for £125,000 and has found her living costs have dramatically slashed by living full-time in her van, even despite insuring the vehicle at £80 per month.
“Being in the van, all I’ve got to pay for is the insurance, the fuel and the food. That’s going to be a lot cheaper than living in a house. If I get short of money I’ll just travel less that month as fuel is the variable,” Jess said.
Jess’ journey mirrors that of former En Vogue singer Dawn Robinson, who has been living in her car for three years after falling on hard times. She shared her experience in an emotional video this week, in which the 58-year-old musician became tearful.
Jess, however, had hopes of settling down – despite the tough economic times – but money became so tight she found herself living in the van. She continued: “My £425 mortgage was one of the cheapest I’ve seen around and I still struggled with the bills for it on my own – I had no disposable income at all. All of the bills just add up to a ridiculous amount, they come out of your bank account and then you’re like ‘oh my goodness, my whole wage has disappeared.'”
But The Man Van, a house removal firm with several branches across London, says it has handled increased numbers of cases like Jess’ recently with people left with no choice but to reside in their vehicles.
With any significant money saved, Jess plans to use her situation to her advantage – by taking the opportunity to travel across Europe. The construction worker, who graduated from University of Salford, has installed a bed and shower in the van on a shoestring budget.
She continued: “I want to keep things really simple and enjoy a life outdoors and see the world. Living in my van is going to help me live the life I enjoy… I’m trying to do it as cheap as possible so I can keep money either as a back-up fund or for in the future if I ever settle down.”