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A COUPLE who live “debt-free” while on the road have revealed their plans this Christmas – including free decorations and a beach party.
Christopher and Lindsay Harvey quit their busy nine-to-five lives five years ago to take up living full-time in a glam home on wheels.
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The pair, aged 42 and 37, began their adventure to live freely half a decade ago and since then, they’ve travelled across the US and even Mexico.
Now, the business owners are gearing up to spend the festive season in their new traditional way – with their “travelling family” and using nature’s finest for decoration.
“In early December, we take our standup paddle boards and try to find a piece of driftwood that can serve as our tree, which we dress with basic lights and decorations,” Christopher, from Florida, US, told Need To Know.
Photos of the clever invention show a thick log plunged into a sandy beach, adorned in red tinsel and baubles.
“Each year, we see travellers from all parts of the world come together to celebrate the holidays,” Christopher added.
“It’s pretty eventful, as we spend Christmas on our favourite beach in Baja, and have done this for the past three years”.
The motorhome enthusiast added that he holds a potluck lunch with other travellers which often leads to many more friendships being made.
“There is an annual resident who retired as Santa a few years back and he now winters on the beach too, giving out treats and gifts to kids,” the van-lifer said.
“It’s such a special time of year, where we really get to cherish and embrace the feeling of being free.”
The couple, who used to live “chaotic” lives as foster parents for two years, always had a “hunger” to discover the world.
Using their savings, which they had amassed after living “frugally” in a bid to live without commitments, they purchased a Ford F-250 for £6,000, before moving onto a 1999 Shasta Cheyenne, costing £9,600.
In a bid to make the home-on-wheels their own, they spent a further £6,400 revamping the space including a built-in shower, power system, and living area.
Photos of the stunning vehicle show a fresh white exterior, but it’s the cozy interior that has left viewers shocked.
The inside space is packed full of homely wooden features, plump colourful pillows, and embroidered quilts and rugs.
But van life has not all been smooth sailing.
Christopher said: “Despite one setback after another, including times where we’ve had to stop and work to pay for breakdowns, we’re committed to doing whatever is needed to remain on the road.
“One of the breakdowns was severe enough that several mechanics said our truck engine was dead – but luckily a friend of ours was able to repair this”.
He added that because van life has become increasingly popular, their way of life on the road has drastically changed.
“Public lands are being closed to campers, and many don’t take proper care over the etiquette needed, so there’s become a lot of selfishness which didn’t used to exist,” he said.
“Costs have gone up due to the increase of the movement and it’s becoming harder to make ends meet, but we’re putting more effort in.”
Currently, the savvy couple work with a strict £2,000 budget per month but continue to make the most of their lives of freedom.
On New Year’s Eve, they’ll be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary – but for now, the pair are focusing on encouraging others to pursue “their best lives” and not to feel “trapped”.
Christopher added: “It’s nice to have 100% control over the decisions we make and how we want to live our lives thanks to being debt-free.
“If we want to stop working, or continue on the road with no commitments, then it’s our choice.
“It’s allowed us to experience a fuller life than we would have expected.
“Start with the right intention – if it’s to escape, then that’s not the right reason to start.
“Enjoy the ride and wherever the wander takes you.”
But Christopher and Lindsay aren’t the only people to have traded a life in a house with a life on the road.
One full-time van lifer revealed how she travels 500 miles a month for just £200.
Coren lives in a converted Ford Transit, which she has dubbed “Fifi” and transformed into a cosy mobile home.
Inside, she has a double bed, some space-saving storage units and homely decorations.
Another TikToker explained how people pity him for living in a van – but he totally transformed it with a kitchen, bathroom, and huge double bedroom.
Richard Monkton’s van has a lot of the features you would find in your house including a shoe rack for when you walk in.
His van is also equipped with a fridge, hob, oven and sink allowing him to cook and eat whatever he likes in the comfort of his vehicle.
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Taryn Kaur Pedler
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