Retirees sell their home to live in a motorhome all year round

The coffee steams on the small folding table, parked opposite a lake still grey with mist. Philippe rolls up the awning while Nadine checks the water level one last time: for three years, their mornings have no longer begun with a letterbox full of bills, a garden needing attention or a boiler coughing at the worst possible moment. At 67 and 64, these two retirees sold their home to live in a motorhome all year round. Their decision worried relatives and sometimes amused the neighbours. Yet they describe neither an escape nor a whim. Above all, they explain what they stopped paying for, and what this freedom genuinely costs. Their figures hold a few surprises.

The house sold, a long list of direct debits removed

For the first few months, Philippe still checked his banking app with a degree of apprehension. He almost expected the home insurance payment or a winter electricity bill to appear. Nothing came through. Their former 110 m² house, in a suburban town, had consumed a sizeable share of their retirement income without them fully realising it. “We were paying for rooms that stayed shut all week,” Nadine sums up. Since setting off, they have removed council property tax, home insurance, their fibre broadband subscription and much of the spending associated with maintaining the building from their budget.

Between them, they estimate that before the sale, the house cost €950 to €1,150 each month once all annual expenses were spread across the year. Electric heating and firewood bought for winter were substantial outgoings, as were the small repairs that eventually mount up: a gutter, a shutter, a leak beneath the sink, followed by a gate that refuses to close. They also cut their garden budget, which reached almost €1,200 a year for the mower, fuel, tools and plants. A garden can be a joy, but it never takes a holiday.

The biggest shift was not simply the size of the bills, but how they viewed what was essential. In a motorhome, every item has to justify its place and every expense is immediately visible. There is no need to buy furniture because a corner looks bare, replace worn curtains or fill an already overcrowded garage. We all know the moment when we buy something “just in case”. Philippe and Nadine found that “just in case” becomes expensive when it turns into a habit and accumulates for years.

Lower fixed costs, but motorhome living still requires careful budgeting

Nadine readily offers one straightforward piece of advice to prospective travellers: keep a record of every housing expense for a year, including the smallest ones. This means not only the mortgage or rent, but subscriptions, repairs, water, cleaning products, unavoidable journeys and emergency purchases too. Such a record makes it possible to compare real life in a house with real life on wheels, rather than with an idyllic photograph taken in sunshine. Their own spreadsheet contained around forty entries. That was when they realised that energy use and daily travel had accounted for more than they expected.

They also got rid of a second car. Previously, Nadine used hers for shopping and appointments, while Philippe drove the other for his former voluntary activities. The motorhome became their main vehicle, supplemented by two electric bicycles for short trips. The savings are far from trivial: insurance, MOT testing, fuel, tyres and repairs for one fewer vehicle. Let us be honest: nobody really does this every day, especially when the weather turns or the nearest supermarket is several kilometres away. They therefore plan each stop more carefully than they did before.

A common mistake is to assume that a motorhome removes every financial constraint. It substitutes some costs; it does not erase reality: fuel, specialist insurance, servicing, paid parking, gas and mechanical repairs are all very real. Philippe advises keeping a dedicated contingency fund, as a breakdown can occur mid-journey and prove expensive.

“We do not live for free. We live with fewer bills arriving without warning,” he explains.

Their approach rests on several highly practical principles:

• avoid staying at paid campsites every night;
• cook most meals in the vehicle;
• set aside a monthly maintenance allowance;
• favour longer stays in order to drive less.

What they gained cannot be measured in euros alone

Three years after leaving, Philippe and Nadine do not claim to have found a universal formula. In some weeks, they spend more than expected, particularly when they need to cross France or have part of the vehicle repaired. However, they have eliminated purchases that once seemed routine: seasonal decorations, equipment for a house that was too large, home deliveries ordered through tiredness and costly outings to “get a change of scenery”. Now, a change of scenery can simply mean moving the motorhome 20 kilometres. That is enough for them.

Above all, their budget has become easier to understand. They know a full tank of fuel will be costly, but they also know they can spend several days by the sea without putting money into a domestic electricity meter. Their retirement income has not risen; their room for decision-making has. That distinction matters. Many retirees dream of selling up, then draw back because of discomfort or other people’s judgement. Nadine understands that hesitation: living in 20 m² requires a genuine adjustment, especially after spending forty years expanding your living space. Freedom also demands sacrifice.

Their story raises a question that goes beyond motorhome living: what do we truly need to feel at home? For Philippe, it is two armchairs, books, a coffee maker and an ever-changing horizon. For Nadine, it is a reliable connection for calling the grandchildren, a clean place to cook and the option to stop whenever she wishes. The rest, she says, can wait. Their choice will not suit everyone, but it encourages a different look at the automatic expenses that can follow an entire lifetime without ever being questioned.

Key point	Detail	Added value for the reader
Costs removed	Council property tax, home insurance, fibre broadband, heating the house, garden upkeep and building repairs.	Identify the hidden costs of home ownership before comparing them with a nomadic lifestyle.
One fewer vehicle	Philippe and Nadine sold their second car and use electric bicycles for short journeys.	Assess potential savings on insurance, fuel, tyres and annual maintenance.
Costs to plan for	Fuel, breakdowns, motorhome insurance, gas, paid motorhome areas and periods spent at campsites.	Avoid the illusion of a cost-free life and set aside a realistic financial reserve.