Women’s health dietitian Maddison Milton (27) along with partner Kyle Markham who is a stay-at-home dad (29) and their son Reef (3) decided to leave behind their home in Adelaide, Australia in 2022 and opted to live in a van as a family and have travelled all across Australia covering about 13,000 miles in their van. The family has been living since November in their 2015 Mercedes Sprinter van, which cost them £21,335. They originally bought the van in 2020, and spent two years and £21,000 transforming it into their dream home.  “The van cost just under $40k (£21,355.16) second hand,” said Maddison.  “The renovation also cost just under $40k (£21,355.16), we really put all the extra touches in as we wanted it to feel as much like a home as possible.  “For us our biggest expenses are food and fuel. Our fuel expenses of course fluctuate and depend on whether we are travelling very far that week. We tend to travel quite slowly so we can really experience each place.  An estimate of living expenses for us currently is approximately $500-$600 (£267.09-£320.42) per week.  “That is typically $250-$300 (£133.51-£160.21) in food, $100-$150 (£53.40-£80.10) in diesel, $100 (£53.40) for phone bills, van insurance, subscriptions etc and then any extra is for eating out, booking a caravan park or a special event on the odd occasion.  “We are lucky enough to have an abundance of free camps in most areas that we visit. “We have managed to almost cut our living expenses in half by not having rent or utilities to pay. We don’t pay for electricity as we are completely solar powered.  “Our internet is just with our phone bills as we upped our data plans before we left and water is available at lots of camp sites or RV fill up points.” Now the family is living life to the fullest and giving their little boy a lifetime of incredible memories.  “The biggest reason we chose van life is due to the freedom it gives us,” said Maddison.  “Both my partner and myself have done a lot of travel and when we found out we were pregnant with our son, we wanted to find a way that our travel could continue “We weren’t ready to settle down, buy a house and plant roots just yet. We are the kind of people that thrive on new challenges and being immersed in new places.  “We love the feeling of arriving at a place, knowing nothing and finding our way. Most of all, we wanted to share these incredible experiences with our son. “Secondly, we knew we wanted to spend as much time together as a family as possible. For us, these early years of our son's life are the most precious to us. We want to be there, as present as we can be for all of those incredible milestones.  “By moving into the van we reduced our living expenses to the point where Kyle could quit his job and be home with us while my work and business, which is completely online, keep us going. “And lastly, our end goal is to one day find a piece of land of our own and build a little off grid tiny home of some description and live a more homestead style life. “Living in the van means we get to immerse ourselves in all of the options and find a place that feels like home to hopefully one day plant roots.” Van life is not always easy but Maddison and Kyle love it and want to encourage others to try the lifestyle.  “Our biggest challenge is that when something breaks or goes wrong, it is your home which can be tricky depending on the situation,” said Maddison. “Thankfully for us we haven’t had anything major break or happen but we of course have insurance and roadside assist just in case.  “Another challenge is how long everyday tasks can take in a van or small space. We have a “jobs day” once a week where we fill up water, do laundry at the laundromat and do our grocery shopping. 
“We find these things take that bit of extra time compared to being in a home and having it all on hand.  “We have had some incredible feedback on our design and build. We are often at a campsite and have multiple people walk past or come over to take a look at what we have done inside.  “They are always so impressed at how homely the space is and the attention to detail inside.  “They are always blown away by the woodwork and how comfortable and spacious it actually is inside.  “We get lots of questions. Everyone always wants to know how we do it with a child and our dog. They are often quite astounded and are always very intrigued.  “After we explain that it isn’t as hard as it might seem, they are generally really impressed with the amount of freedom this lifestyle gives us.  “We have been met with mostly positive comments. We haven’t encountered any negative ones from people in our personal life or day to day world.  “We meet many elderly couples who are also on the road, traveling in caravans, and they tell us just how incredible it is that we are doing this at our age and sharing it with our son.” If you are considering the van life Maddison suggests research before investing.  “I think the biggest piece of the puzzle is to start by choosing the right vehicle for you and your needs / travel preferences,” she said.  “Different types of vehicles have different pros and cons and allow you to travel in different ways.  “For example, for some a 4WD might be better suited because they value being able to see more remote places. For others, they may prefer a caravan so they can leave it set up at camp and have the option of a FWD for day trips.  “Or for others, looking for less gear to pack up / down a van may be best. Or there are even buses too if you’d like more space. “I’d say take a look at all of the options and feel into what makes the most sense for you and your situation, as you’re going to be spending a lot of time in it so you want to be comfortable.” Weekly Costs:·  $250 (£133.51) food·  $150 (£80.10) fuel ·  $30 (£16.02) laundry·  $50-100 (£26.70-£53.40) phone bills, subscriptions, insurance etc ·  Total $480-$580 (£255-£309) “The cost of when we were living in a home was an additional $350, at least, in rent and then probably an additional $50 - $80 in utilities per week. “Then depending on your location and whether there are free camps around, then you need to factor in caravan parks etc.” ENDS