'I don't want to look back wishing I'd been braver': British woman, 60, sold her home to live and work from a campervan - and has halved her bills as she travels across Europe

A 60-year-old woman who sold her house to live and work from a campervan says she's halved her living costs and has no plans to return to a conventional home.Yvonne Hemmings, originally from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, decided to swap bricks and mortar for life on the road in 2024 after growing tired of the responsibilities and expenses that came with owning a house.The self-employed virtual assistant, who documents her adventures on TikTok under @lifebetweenthewheels, now lives full-time in a VW Crafter campervan, travelling around Europe while running her business remotely.Yvonne said: 'I'd reached a point where I was questioning why I needed a house and all the responsibilities that came with it when I could work from anywhere.'I was sitting in a house watching television, looking out of the window at more houses, and thinking, surely there's more to life than this?'I didn't want to spend the next twenty years waiting for retirement before I could enjoy myself.' Yvonne Hemmings from Scunthorpe lives full-time in a VW Crafter campervan In her van, she travels around Europe while running her business remotelyYvonne, who left the corporate world to start her own virtual assistant business in 2016, realised she could work from anywhere and decided to sell her house eight years later.She said: 'I didn't sell my house because I couldn't afford to live in it. I sold it because I no longer wanted that lifestyle.'Now, instead of commuting to an office, Yvonne can wake up in France, explore Spain or travel through Portugal, all while continuing to work for her clients.Her campervan doubles as her office, complete with a laptop, second monitor and mobile internet connection, while solar panels and backup batteries keep everything running.Speaking to HelloRetriever.com, Yvonne said: 'My working day probably isn't that different from anyone else's, apart from the view out of my window!'The difference is that when I've finished working, I can go for a walk somewhere beautiful, explore a new town or simply sit outside with a coffee. She can wake up in any destination she likes, covering countries across the continent Yvonne says her new lifestyle gives her greater freedom - and saves her money'And if I don't like where I'm parked, I can move.'As well as enjoying greater freedom, Yvonne says the move has helped her significantly reduce her living expenses.She previously spent more than £1,000 a month running her house, but estimates those costs have roughly halved since moving into the campervan.She said: 'When you live in a relatively small space, you become much more conscious of what you actually need.'The financial saving is fantastic, but it wasn't the reason I made the change. I wanted the freedom more than anything.'However, Yvonne admits that life on the road isn't always as glamorous as it appears on social media. Yvonne's remote working setup inside her campervan Yvonne out on the road inside her campervanShe recently experienced electrical problems that left her heater struggling to start, her lights flickering and her fridge without sufficient power. She's also dealt with a flat tyre, a damaged alloy wheel and a smashed wing mirror cover.She said: 'People see the lovely photographs and assume you're permanently sitting somewhere beautiful drinking coffee in the sunshine.'They don't see you crawling around trying to fix something that's stopped working!'When your vehicle is also your home and office, every mechanical problem becomes a little more interesting.'Despite the challenges, Yvonne has no regrets. She's even purchased a small olive farm in Portugal, which she hopes to turn into a peaceful retreat for women one day.But for now, she's happy continuing her adventures on the road. Yvonne's campervan is comfortable and well kitted-out on the insideShe said: 'I'd absolutely recommend it to the right person, but I'd also say don't romanticise it. Living in a campervan isn't the same as going away for a fortnight on holiday.'You've still got to work, cook, clean, do your washing, empty the toilet and deal with everything that goes wrong and sometimes it all happens on the same day!'But if you value freedom, enjoy your own company and don't need lots of possessions around you, it can be an incredible way to live.'She added: 'I'm 60 now, and I don't want to look back in another twenty years wishing I'd been a bit braver.'