A WOMAN who lives full time in a camper van has hit back at trolls who say she is “poor”, stating that she gets to live the dream, whilst only paying £300 a month in rent.
Ester, 22 said that she never imagined herself living in a van, but now loves the life that she shares with her husband.
However, the California native said that she is constantly bombarded by hate comments online, from people calling her “poor”, and telling her that she doesn’t work enough, which is why she has to live in the camper.
“I had one guy say ‘this is what poverty looks like'”, she said, in a video posted to her YouTube channel @wondering_wheels.
“Excuse me sir, but if the definition of poverty in your dictionary is travelling across the US, getting to go to so many national parks, and visiting so many different cities, sign me up!”
Ester added that she only has to pay £300 a month in rent for her campervan, meaning that she gets to live her dream life at a low cost.
The campervan is 27ft and is incredibly spacious inside.
It has a large kitchen, which Ester often uses to make homecooked meals for her husband, a dining room, a bathroom, and a bedroom, with a double bed in it.
Ester said that she has a “clothes obsession” but is still able to fit all of her clothes in her tiny wardrobe, by vacuum packing everything.
She added that she is a stay at home wife, and spends most of her days cleaning and doing chores whilst her husband works a blue collar job.
Ester’s video, has likely left many people open-mouthed, as it has racked up over 73,000 views on the video sharing platform.
YouTube users raced to the video’s comments section, to share their thoughts on her chosen lifestyle.
One person said: “That’s what freedom looks like.”
A second person said: “You own your own place, not many 22 year olds can say that!
“It’s a very cool place.”
A third person said: “You’re living a real life and having great experiences doing so.”
IF you are looking to live in a van to save money or travel, you'll be pleased to know that there are no UK laws stopping you.
However, you must ensure your vehicle has passed its MOT and is fully road legal.
There could also be restrictions on where you can park up to sleep in your van.
For example, local authorities place restrictions on certain streets or lay-bys, and you could be fined if you spend the night there.
It could also be unsafe to stop in certain locations, particularly at night-time.
Check the The Highway Code guide for guidance.
A fourth person added: “Do what makes you happy. I live in a camper and I love it.”
Living in a campervan is a great way to save cash for a house, whilst still having your independence.
As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, more and more adults are struggling to get on the property ladder and are choosing to live in their family home for longer.
The 2021 census revealed that over half of people aged 23 and under still live with their parents.
The average price of a house in the UK was £285,000 as of March 2023, and this rises to a whopping £735,254, which is completely unaffordable for many.
Moreover, research from the Resolution Foundation found that the average first time buyer deposit tripled from 5 per cent of the property price in 1989 to 15 per cent in 2019.
This means that buyers have to save for far longer and use up a larger percentage of their earnings to get on the property ladder.
Recent research by property site Zoopla found that 42 per cent of adults under 40 who do not already own homes have given up, due to the astronomical cost of buying a property.
This included 38 per cent of people earning over £60,000 (almost double the average salary for the UK)
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