I bought a dated caravan for £4.5k & turned it into my family's very own second home – now we holiday for just £10 a day
Now Jade Aldred and Joe Earl, both 25, have their very own second home and are able to go on holiday for just £10 a day.
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After a nightmare trip with their pals, the couple, who live in Gateshead, decided to invest in a caravan.
They searched high and low for a home on wheels without damp and eventually found Elvis - their 21-year-old caravan which they bought for £4,500.
Now, DIY fan Jade reveals all on the caravan's transformation process, as well as the negativity she has received for owning one.
Jade exclusively tells Fabulous: 'We hunted high and low for a caravan with no damp and Elvis was the only one that ticked all the boxes. It was at that moment, we knew Elvis definitely wasn't dead!
'It was very dated and needed some TLC, but we knew he had amazing potential.'
The couple were inspired to buy a caravan after not being able to afford the trip their mates had booked.
Jade says: 'They asked us to go away for a weekend to a caravan site and instead of missing out, we put a blow up bed in the back of Joe's van and went.
'We were absolutely freezing through the night and both woke up with a cold. All of our friends had their central heating on and cooked Full English breakfasts. It was like home from home and we instantly knew we wanted a caravan after that.'
But despite their desire to buy a caravan, Jade and Joe were in the process of saving to buy their first home, so didn't have loads of extra cash to splash.
But they also knew their mortgage would make holidaying difficult - whereas with a caravan they 'could still go on holiday without the extreme prices.'
I bought a £26k caravan, trolls say it's a mistake but my bank account disagrees
As a result, the couple bought their home on wheels, which has a fixed bed, kitchen, shower and toilet, from a private seller in Whitley Bay.
It cost them a total of £4,500, which included the awning and extras.
Renovating on a budget
But the caravan, which is nearly as old as Jade, was in need of an upgrade, so they headed to B&Q and IKEA, and ordered bargain buys from eBay and Shein, to transform it whilst staying on a budget.
Jade shares: 'We took the old carpet up and replaced it with Herringbone flooring from B&Q.
'We replaced the old kitchen bench top with an off-cut that Joe had spare from work.
'We bought adhesive wall tiles from Create Your World for £30 - this really transformed the kitchen area.
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'We took all of the cupboard doors off, sanded them all and replaced the middles with rattan from Shein. The rattan was £30 in total.
'We did all of the cupboards and the fridge and had a lot of spare material left over.
'I upholstered the sofa cushions myself - I bought the Tiphede rugs from IKEA for £10 each and I used seven in total for all the sofa cushions and the window pelmet.
'I used a 14" upholstery needle from eBay for £6.99 and also buttons from eBay for £26.
'I watched endless tutorials on how to do it and they turned out really good and don't look any different since I did them.'
Reflecting on their caravan's new gorgeous look, Jade beams: 'Since the renovation, Elvis is now very stylish, homely and cosy with such a warm feel.
'It really is a mini home on wheels. Elvis has everything you need and the best part is your own bedding.'
'Young to own a caravan'
But while Jade loves her cosy abode, she confesses that some people have been very vocal with their judgemental opinions.
'When people say 'you're young to have a caravan', it makes me feel old and boring but a lot of my friends hire caravans for weekends away and would love to buy one if they could.
Why caravan holidays are so underrated
CARAVAN park holidays are a British staple.
And with the cost of living crisis wreaking havoc on Britain's purses, more of us are turning to them for an affordable break.
Josie O'Brien, Senior Digital Writer on Fabulous, weighs in on why she thinks caravan holidays are seriously underrated...
WHEN I was a child, my mum used to collect the £9.50 holiday vouchers in The Sun.
She'd use them to book a couple of nights away at a caravan park during the school holidays.
As an adult, I fully appreciate the convenience of a humble caravan holiday.
No faffing about with passports, no luggage limits and no bog-standard hotel breakfast of stale toast and grey eggs.
I still love caravan holidays as an adult.
In a world of doing everything for the 'gram, a caravan park brings you back to basics.
There's no obligation to get dressed up, no stress to fit a million picturesque excursions in one week and I don't find myself flustered in tourist hot spots like abroad.
I love going to coastal caravan parks and strolling along the beach parade.
My highlight is always fresh mussels, ice-creams and classic pubs to grab an afternoon tipple in.
And then, of course, there's the cost.
Staying in a caravan is definitely way cheaper than my international trips.
With no expensive hotel bills and the ability to cook my own meals, I'm spending hundreds less than I would abroad.
I've had some of my best and most relaxing holidays in caravans. Maybe I'll buy my own one day.
'I think a lot of people associate having a caravan with the older generation [but] I think it's getting more and more popular with younger people having caravans and motorhomes,' Jade reflects.
And not only do Jade and Jo travel around in their caravan, but it's great for the rest of their family too, as Jade acknowledges: 'I have taken my siblings on many trips away and they love it.
'We have had so many amazing times away with family and friends and made amazing memories and new friends for life.'
Cutting costs on holidays
Now, Jade and her family are able to go to campsites for just £10 a night, significantly reducing the cost of their holidays.
The homeowner, who is also currently renovating her detached three-bedroom home alongside Joe, admits: 'We often do weekends away in the caravan and have a 'No Spend Weekend'. You can do it cheaply if you want to.
'I always cook like I would at home - we have all the facilities, gas hob, grill, oven, air fryer etc.
'We go on long walks and take picnics, take our own alcohol and drinks. It's so easy going and chilled. You can come and go as you please.'
So far, the couple have been to numerous caravan sites and have taken trips to Morpeth, the Lake District, Keswick, Harrogate, York, Belford and Richmond (with a cheeky trip to the Forbidden Corner).
And for those wondering whether caravan life is for them, Jade, who shares clips of her caravan on social media under the username @ thatmeadowreno, gushes: 'I definitely think if you are trying to save money and still want to go on holiday, owning a caravan is a great way to do it.
'You can see many places and have the best time with your family and friends for a very little price.
'It's a great idea if you want to get away with pets, it means they don't have to miss out on the fun too!'
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