A look into Alternative Living

With rising living costs, many are turning to alternative ways of life, driven by the desire for more affordable, fulfilling, and environmentally conscious living.

In Leanne’s early twenties she made the decision to “Live a real life and be more in touch with the planet” which led to her living on a boat for five years. She didn’t have some facilities that many of us would not even consider living without, like electricity and water, she had to instead rely on the basics like collecting wood for the fire to stay warm. She described the reasons why she enjoyed alternative living: “I liked being outside of normal society, it was like a family so other people that lived on a boat automatically connected with you because you were living a similar life.” Many are looking for more ways to live sustainably and mindfully, which correlates with the growing interest in alternative living. This may be a reflection of a larger shift towards new thoughts on what defines a home and the appeal of the community that comes with living an alternative lifestyle.

However, this lifestyle isn’t easy, due to living on a boat being a “24/7 job, you can’t sit down at the end of the day and relax.” Despite this she enjoyed the experience and believes it was worth it: “In my opinion it’s more real and we should be more in touch with our planet and we should be looking after our environment instead of sitting on our phones.” While financially living on a boat was cheaper than traditional living, it came with the cost of time and effort. But it is clear, Leanne believed this was a fulfilling way to live as she described her mornings waking up on her boat: “You wake up and the suns there, and you don’t watch TV or pick up your phone, you can hear the birds singing.”

Coren Munday began her van life journey in July 2022 after buying a converted van for £4000 pounds, a steal compared to the current market. She looked for the most basic possible set up to avoid an excess of regulations as she described her van as “A tent on wheels.” For the next few months she enjoyed the freedom and flexibility that came with van life until October of that year, when she decided to move back home due to the dropping temperature.

She described the benefits of van life being the convenience of always having everything with you, as well as the community: “Everyone is so friendly” and “There is a really nice online community, especially on Tiktok and Instagram.” Due to her predominantly travelling by herself there were times she felt unsafe leading her to move on which highlights the challenges that may arise more when living an alternative lifestyle alone. However, van life has a great community and seems to be a rewarding lifestyle for someone who wants to travel.

Luke Birch lived on a Samba boat, a kind of sailboat, which gave him a sense of independence even though he was only young. However this lifestyle also comes with challenges as Luke explained: “I struggled because it was hard making friends and not knowing when we’d next see them.” While his parents came across different kinds of challenges, more in terms of planning: “The struggles were planning everything months in advance. Food shops were done when we were in big cities, which was only a few times per year. They also had to avoid dangerous areas with pirates and storms, and sometimes change plans when it was hurricane season.”

He also shared his thoughts on why people are becoming more interested in alternative living: “I think that now everything is expensive and people don’t want to just fit into that stereotype of living in one house all your life and growing old in that same house; they seek other ways of living life and it gives a greater sense of freedom and independence.”

Billie Blue spent three and a half years living on an off grid site with her family. With additional help from family friends, Billie’s family built their own home through a collaboration of effort. One of the highlights of her time off grid was “Tuned in Tuesdays” when everyone would gather for a large meal after working on her family's garden together. Reflecting on this time Billie said: "I appreciate more now than I did then, to not be interfered with by the Wi-Fi and the internet. I would definitely do it again."

Some aspects were not particularly glamorous however, like changing the compost loo and having to lick their plates clean due to having their own water filtration system. Billie explained they also received judgement for their lifestyle as some didn't understand the fact they didn't have heating or Wi-Fi. Their first winter off grid was especially tough due to not having insulation or heating, however Billie still enjoyed the experience as she said: “Learning how to be with the seasons is a lot more raw and true and I don't think it was that difficult; it was just adapting to it all.”

She explained why she thinks more people are living alternative lifestyles: “Definitely because of the cost of living crisis, I think people are realising they can do things on their own and be better off.” Statistics on house prices correlate with her thoughts as according to https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-house-price-index-for-september-2024/uk-house-price-index-summary-september-2024, the average UK house price was £292,000 in September 2024 which for many, particularly young people, is not affordable, especially in correlation with the cost of living crisis Billie mentioned, with alternative living having the appeal of often being more cost effective.

The sense of community that comes with alternative living is emphasised as Billie explains: “We are better together; we are stronger when we are together.” Showing the value of a lifestyle that creates connection, sustainability, and a deeper connection to nature.