We converted a van into a cosy tiny home for £3k and now travel the world – here's how to find cheap deals & save money | The Sun
A SAVVY couple have revealed how they turned their van into a "cosy" tiny home on a small budget.
Nicky and Harri, who have no mechanic or carpentry skills, explained how they hoped to share their top tips and tricks to prove that even the most "clueless" can still create a "good looking van" on a budget.
In a clip shared to their YouTube channel, they begin by explaining how they initially spent £4k on their 2008 17 seater mini bus with a high roof – the latter being important so they could have "space to walk around freely and not be crouched."
Harri then points out the few things you should look out for when buying a van.
"Low mileage, minimal rust, good MOT history and maybe some good service history with some work recently done on it, which kind of shows it's had money spent on it and it's been looked after well," he says.
They then move onto discuss the £3k conversion of their tiny home – and helpfully split the costs up into four sections.
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First up is electrics, which they say is the place everyone gets stuck and "spends way too much money on."
Harri notes how the electric got a third of their total budget and cost them around £900.
"So we had a 12 volt setup and a 240 volt setup along with our solar panels, which powered the whole thing," explains Nicky.
"We managed to do this very, very cheaply…"
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Harri warns: "For us it was necessary to do it very basic so we could understand exactly how it works and if it stopped working on our travel we knew exactly how to fix it.
"A lot of people spend a lot of money on bank conversions because they go out and buy pre-bought electric sets and stuff like that, which costs so much more money."
Next up, the couple move onto insulation and wood, which cost them a total of £1k.
They point out how they used so much more wood and plywood than they had initially thought.
"What we'd say is at the beginning get a Wickes loyalty card or a B&Q loyalty card because obviously you get points, you get money off," advises Nicky.
She continues: "Along with all of the raw materials, there are so many on Facebook Marketplace."
Among the items the couple nabbed from the online selling site was a brand new and unused kitchen worktop for £35, sink for £20, and cabinet doors for the kitchen which were £3.50 each.
Nicky adds: "Find them [the bargains] before you even get your van.
"Get on there early and just check every day what deals are up because that's how we got them."
The adventurers then move onto note how they spent £1k on other necessities.
Nicky explains how this includes things you don't often think about – such as the foam for their mattress, sink, tap, lights, and a fridge.
"This is one really easy way to keep money down in the vanconversion…use a 240 volt instead of a 12 volt fridge," she says.
"We actually use a £100 one off Amazon."
Lastly, Nicky and Harri discuss their decorations – such as bedding, cushions, and handles, which cost them around £400 from their budget.
"Save money and borrow a friend's sewing machine and watch tutorials online on how to make curtains and how to make cushion covers because that's what I did," says Nicky.
The couple have since been inundated with praise, with many expressing their gratitude for the money-saving advice.
"Really useful info and the spreadsheets are a massive help, I'm hoping to start a van conversion soon and you guys have been so inspiring," wrote one.
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A second enthused: "Well, you couples did fantastic job, it's looking very cosy & well organised."
A third commented: "Really helpful video!"
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