What's the cheapest way to live?

[dazm]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 21 May 2011 at 11:29

[R60EST]

dazm said:

Starting a new job at the end of the month in Milton Keynes. Currently live with parents in Kent as me and the girlfriend have been trying to get a deposit together rather than rent unnecessarily. I don't fancy a 4 hour commute every day so I'm looking for a cheap option to live in Milton Keynes mon-fri and the occasional weekend. When the girlfriend qualifies towards the end of the year we'll look at a more permanent base up there but until then I just want a cheap way of living that still allows me to get some serious savings together.

I really don't like the idea of a flat share without my own bathroom and kitchen, so that leaves me looking at studios/1-beds to rent, b&b's, long term hotels, holiday home? I've even considered getting a camper van I'm that desperate for options! Anyone got better ideas?

Static / large touring caravan , sell it on when you no longer need it

[cheshire_cat]

Campervan

[davepoth]

cheshire_cat said:

Campervan

A friend did it, it's well st.

Try and find a spare room for rent at the house of a widow. if you get a good one she will treat you like the son she never had.

[hyperblue]

Just do a flat share, try and just rent a room if you can. If you're working during the day and go home at weekends you're hardly there anyway.

[simonej]

I was looking recently and the cheapest options seemed to be spare rooms on farms. There were plenty available for £250 or less per month and you get the added bonus of having somewhere pleasant in the countryside to live.

[Mr POD]

I'm contracting so am frequently spending 4 nights a week in a town some 2 hours drive from home, and I usually do the following :

Google the nearest 6 B&B's / Doss Houses, and book in for the first week. Typically That's £15 to £25 a night.

As soon as you start, work put a note on the board (or employee intranet message board). You'll find someone willing to rent a room midweek for £50 a week.

try http://www.mondaytofriday.com/

At present I'm renting a small single room in a shared house with 2 graduates from Rolls Royce for £160 plus bills, which are about £70 a month. I somehow negotiated the single garage into my rental agreement, much to the other lads erm surprise.

[Mr POD]

dazm said:

I really don't like the idea of a flat share without my own bathroom and kitchen, Anyone got better ideas?

Grow a pair ? Try staying in a youth hostel ?

Lets face it 3 blokes in one house can be pretty foul, so I devote 1/2 an hour to cleaning the bog, bath and sinks when I come in on a monday, and they seem genuinely surprised that I'll wash up whatever is waiting whilst I cook. It's not hard, but then I have kids and they make a fecking mess and you have to keep on top of it.

[BoRED S2upid]

Work REALLY long hours and sleep in the office our office has showers, coffee shop, canteen... kill two birds with one stone managers will love you for working extra hard and free accomodation.

[P-Jay]

I'm afraid it's a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. House Shares, Caravans, Doss Houses/B&B's are cheap, but unpleasent and all have serious downsides - at least you're young (I Assume) so it's not the end of the world, I did all those things in my early 20's - but now I'm in my 30's I wouldn't consider any of them even for 4 nights a week.

I'd look for a little bedsit or 1 bed flat, crawl through the local rags for private landlords rather than go through an agent, mate of mine used to rent a 1-bed over a garage of this massive £m+ house from the nice guy who owned it for peanuts.

Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 12th May 16:38

[oldcynic]

Static caravan or large tourer on long-term pitch. You may want a more solid roof over your head by October, or if the site is sheltered enough you may just buy more gas.

No point buying a camper van for a semi-permanent base.

[Mr POD]

P-Jay said:

I'm afraid it's a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. House Shares, Caravans, Doss Houses/B&B's are cheap, but unpleasent and all have serious downsides - at least you're young (I Assume) so it's not the end of the world, I did all those things in my early 20's - but now I'm in my 30's I wouldn't consider any of them even for 4 nights a week.

I'd look for a little bedsit or 1 bed flat, crawl through the local rags for private landlords rather than go through an agent, mate of mine used to rent a 1-bed over a garage of this massive £m+ house from the nice guy who owned it for peanuts.

Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 12th May 16:38

Go for a house share as close to work as you can and save like mad.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Mr POD said:

I'm contracting so am frequently spending 4 nights a week in a town some 2 hours drive from home, and I usually do the following :

Google the nearest 6 B&B's / Doss Houses, and book in for the first week. Typically That's £15 to £25 a night.

As soon as you start, work put a note on the board (or employee intranet message board). You'll find someone willing to rent a room midweek for £50 a week.

try http://www.mondaytofriday.com/

At present I'm renting a small single room in a shared house with 2 graduates from Rolls Royce for £160 plus bills, which are about £70 a month. I somehow negotiated the single garage into my rental agreement, much to the other lads erm surprise.

An alternative is www.spareroom.co.uk

I currently rent a room too. The landlady is absolutely stunning (and single) and lives in too. No; I haven't seen her naked yet (but I'm busy fitting the cctv in the bathroom so a live feed will be provied to PH any day soon....!)