We couldn’t afford to buy a flat so got a 50ft boat instead – our bills are only £230 a month & we have a sun terrace
BUYING a home can be expensive, so one woman decided to opt for a more adventurous – and affordable – option.
Daisy, who posts under @daisyontheboat shared how she bought a 50ft boat, and her bills come to just £230 a month.
In a clip on her account, she answered questions about her floating home.
First up with the topic of cost, and she said her monthly outgoings are “way cheaper than when she was renting a flat.”
She shared how she pays £195 in mooring fees, but you can avoid them if you move around, and the boat is decked out with solar panels, meaning that Daisy and her partner can get their electricity for free.
They also don’t have to pay for water or council tax, and spend around £9 a month on gas.
To heat the boat, Daisy has installed a log burner which runs on coal, which costs her around £6 a week.
Daisy admitted that it was expensive to buy the boat at £42,000, but it was way cheaper than buying a house.
She added: “Aside from the cost of buying a house, I honestly wanted a different lifestyle and thought a boat looked fun.
“My boyfriend and I used up our savings and I also got a loan which I pay each month.”
On board, they have a cassette toilet, which they empty on land, and a sink and shower that is pumped into the canal, and they try to only use eco-friendly products.
Thankfully they do have Wi-Fi, an unlimited sim card and an aerial on the roof, to keep them hooked up.
For work, Daisy said she has a “normal job” with a commute so has continued earning as before.
In their free time, they are able to enjoy the sun terrace on their boat.
Daisy said that her favourite thing about living on a boat is being able to move around whenever she likes.
“I just want to be a pirate really”, she joked.
Where and how to buy a houseboat
Living on a houseboat can be a cheaper alternative to living in a house, however, it comes with challenges, such as having to empty your toilets and do lots of hand on maintenance.
Houseboats are exempt from stamp duty, and if you have a residential mooring, you will pay the lowest council tax banned, which is often included in your mooring costs.
Many people buy houseboats with cash instead of getting a mortgage, as they can’t be registered with the land registry.
You can get a specialist “marine mortgage” but they need at least 25% deposit and come with higher interest rates and a shorter repayment term.
You can find houseboats for sale on sites such as Zoopla, or on brokerage websites like Apollo Duck or Whilton Marina.
“Brick life is overrated”.
Daisy’s video, which was posted under the username @daisyontheboat, has likely left many people feeling impressed, as it has racked up over 1.2 million views on the video sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts.
One person said: “I would love to live on a boat.”
A second person said: “Omg daisy! It looks so nice.”
A third person added: “This is my dream, rather than saving for a house.
“I’ll rent until my kids are older then it’s boatlife for me and the dog”.
A fourth chimed in: “Having a log burner would be so banging!”