How much does it cost to live & travel in a van? Part 2

There is this negative social stigma behind money and a lot of people shy away from conversations about it. But I’m here to break the rules so buckle up and learn about how much does it actually cost living on the road 🙂 

April was our first full month living in a van in Spain and I am going to breakdown our budget for the month.

We covered a lot of miles in March so it was nice to slow down and really take time to explore each area. Our wallet felt the benefits too as we spent nearly 75% less on diesel in April.

Settling into the van life we also realised what we forgot to buy! We went on a mini shopping spree to stock up on those essentials we didn’t know we needed. I will include a list at the end as you might find it useful if you are thinking of travelling in the van (I hope you are!)

We also had our first breakdown in the van (RIP Water Pump) which was a costly affair.

Our groceries made up the biggest chunk of our spending in April. It was actually a nice change from spending more money on diesel than anything else in March. We are relaxed about it so we don’t look at prices and buy whatever we want when it comes to food. However, I have to admit the food prices have gone up when compared to our previous trip. When I was putting it all together I was a little surprised how much we spent in a month on groceries. The one thing that has remained a constant here in Spain is the price of alcohol which still feels ridiculously cheap.

So here it goes the long-awaited breakdown! I have split it into essentials and non-essentials to give you an idea of how much you could push to save

• Groceries £390
• Diesel £93
• Gas £12
• Water Pump Repair £122

Essentials £617

• Eating out £68 (x3 times)
• Team haircuts £42.64 and I couldn’t believe
• Shopping for things we didn’t know we needed £145
  • 2 x pee bottles, I don’t need to explain why…
  • Sink Strainer to avoid a van plumbing disaster
  • Sunglasses because apparently, it’s sunny in Spain
  • 2 x dog beds that are actually fit for travelling
  • Smoothie maker for making breakfast for champs
  • Walking sticks to help with our wonky knees

Non-essentials £255.64

Total £872.64

What can I say, we are getting used to this nomad lifestyle and whilst we had some unexpected expenses our costs are already down. I am also expecting we will be spending less in May so keep an eye out for the next budget post!

If there is anything else you like to learn about van life – let me know and I will make that blog post happen for you!