Woman saves nearly $700 per month on bills by living on a boat
Tired of sky-high rent, Lucy Barwick, 28, made a bold move—literally—onto a 48-foot houseboat. The switch has slashed her monthly expenses by $664 and given her a new outlook on life.
Lucy, a wholesale operator, was paying $1,600 a month for a three-bedroom flat in Bedminster, Bristol, which she shared with her ex-partner. As prices climbed, she began searching for a more affordable—and flexible—living option that would still accommodate her and her cat, Mr. Biscuits.
In May 2024, she took out a loan and purchased a dark green and white houseboat for just over $100,000. Though initially moving onto the boat with her partner, Lucy decided to keep it after their split.
“It was affordable enough for me to stay,” she said. “I can live here on my own—something I couldn’t afford to do in a flat.”
Now moored in Bristol Marina, Lucy spends around $600 a month on rent and utilities, down from the $1,100 she used to pay. Beyond the financial benefits, she says the sense of community on the marina is something she hadn’t experienced before.
“I know all my neighbors, and it feels more like a community than anywhere I’ve lived,” she said. “Plus, I’ll have the loan paid off in a few years—no 30-year mortgage needed.”
Lucy admits she wasn’t always a “boat person,” but says the boat feels just like home. “If I were renting a flat in this area, it would probably be smaller than the boat and cost me at least $2,000 a month.”
She and her ex had initially looked at buying a flat in the area, but were discouraged by high prices and poor quality—some listed at $300,000 without even having windows. When they found the narrowboat on Rightmove, it felt like the right choice.
Still, boat life isn’t without its challenges. Lucy had to downsize significantly when moving from a three-bed flat to a one-bed boat and learn new routines like emptying the toilet weekly and refilling the water tank.
“In winter, it can get really cold overnight,” she said. “And if you forget to refill the water, the shower cuts out—it’s not ideal.”
Despite these inconveniences, Lucy says the perks outweigh the downsides. “We have a rooftop space that acts as our garden—we can have BBQs and socialise in a way we couldn’t before.”
She hasn’t yet learned how to operate the boat’s engine, and doesn’t plan to move it anytime soon. “It sounds great in theory, taking your home with you, but for me, this is a permanent spot.”
For now, Lucy’s content. “I just love my boat life.”
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