To live in a Travelodge

[oakkiln]

Inspired by the other poster who started a threads about liquidating their assets and living in luxury hotels in their old age (but, for us, sadly without the assets!)

My husband and I are in a desperate situation. We are both late middle age and still rent. We are doing everything we can to save for a deposit for a house and live very frugally.

Rent, rates and all house costs etc come to £21k a year. But we could live in a Travelodge for £11k. Storage for furniture etc would be £2k

Are we crazy to consider it for just a year or two?

No, just have a husband with PTSD and want to live rurally away from built up areas. He'd happily live in a caravan or a tent in a field for the rest of his life if it meant bring away from people. I'd rather save every penny we have so we can live in a tiny place on the edge of a village where we could both be happy.

Why don't you look at a cheap park home or fixed mobile home on a caravan park? Then get an Air B&B or use hotels for the couple months a year they are often closed? Some of them do not allow you to stay there 12 months of the year. Once you are no longer working you could go somewhere cheap like India or Romania and live more cheaply than you could in the UK for a couple of months at a time.

Yes!!! I loved those old ladies! Thanks for making me smile! (And for your kind words)

Food wouldn't be too much of a problem as neither of us are big foodies. I'd honestly be happy with cup a soups, sandwiches and cereal every day, with maybe a hot dinner at Wetherspoons once a week for a treat.

Actually, I've just realised, Travelodge means no cooking for a year! BRILLIANT!!!

When you say move out to save, are you saving for the deposit?

If so how long will mortgage lenders lend for if the main earner is already 55 (or older after a couple of years saving).

Plus the no fixed address thing applies with living in a van/hotel also.

PP saying stay in/buy a static on a holiday park are totally wrong saying that! It’s illegal to live on a holiday park (the clue is in the holiday bit!) - I know people do it, I know a lot of holiday parks turn a blind eye to it but it is against the terms of the holiday park licence. If you do live in one you can be evicted with hardly any notice and the local council will not house you as a priority.

You could live as comfortably in a 6 berth motorhome or large caravan. Find the right site and it can be reasonable costs. And you can cook all your own food.

Yes, saving for a deposit. We are desperately saving every penny (quite literally beans on toast two or three times a week) but not having to pay rent and rates would really boost our deposit. Because of our ages we can only get a very short mortgage (10 years) so even a cheap house here is going to be very difficult.

Consider the cost of food given there isn’t food prep facilities in hotels. But if that adds up then why not.

What about YHA as they have cooking facilities - maybe get a camper & do a bit of both. There are some really nice campsites for £40-50 a night.

I also think your DH needs to be working if you don't have a permanent place to live, otherwise he will be hanging around either hotel room or campsite.

Some people get a seasonal pitch & put a caravan & awning on site. I reckon that would be fine April-October. You could make it quite cosy.

My bf did for almost a year. He got a work contract on the outskirts of London. He rented out his house and realised renting in London is insanely expensive so he lived in travel lodge. He changed the location doeending on deals.

I’ve had to spend weeks at a time in hotels significantly posher than a Travelodge. For work and on my own. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be even with access to a decent room service menu. You’d be mad to even think about it.

Thank you for that info. The one we've found is really quiet and in a nice area, but it's looking like it's going to be too difficult.

Maybe van life is the answer, but as PP just said when talking about her friends and the canal boat, the not having a permanent home causes its own problems.

Portable hob, 1 ring. It is the hotel’s electric anyway.

Box it up after use each day in wardrobe.

Would you consider a year in a double room in a shared house so you can save more? Also have you looked at shared ownership schemes?

Where in the country are you? Are you prepared to consider moving to a much cheaper area? Because at the age you are and without good pensions it might be worth considering saving really hard for a few years and moving somewhere you can buy outright for £80k or whatever. Not owing anything will make the years to come so much easier.

It might be easier to stay in a Youth Hostel in a private en-suite room.
At least then you have access to a kitchen / fridge / freezer, lounge space, Wi-Fi and often a garden. Similar price as a travelodge

Why bother? Home ownership isn't the be all and end all. In actual fact, it is a massive pain in the arse. Renting has many advantages.

Life can end in a split second, I strongly recommend trying to enjoy every single minute of it. Live for now, not some indeterminate point in the future.

Sadly not, need to be near our son and he's really settled where he is. Also my work is great and pays really well for what I do. Wouldn't get that salary (or job security) anywhere else. Thanks for the idea though.

Have you looked at social housing for older people? It can be lower demand than other low cost housing and even if it's not the long term plan it would give you some security while you look

A friend of mine lived in a hotel during A-levels due to various family dramas. If you want a long term booking, they may be open to negotiating the price so it could be cheaper than your estimate too.

With regard to moving out, this is only for a short period so could be a week spent at your mum’s or a different Travel Lodge before moving back.

Respectfully wouldn't you have to be careful not to get ill? If you are only eatting cup a soup I know you're midleaged not children etc, but don't forget to get fresh vegtables, and raw food.
If you can't cook, it'll be hard to eat properly, and to store food.
This is what you hear when they put gomeless people in hotels.

I'd do this! Get a lovely camper van and travel wherever you wish.

I'm sure others have said this (I haven't read everything)

You can't stay more than 90 days in a hotel per calendar year, otherwise they face fines as it becomes a residential property.

But if you do stay up to 90 days, ots worth asking for a 'bulk' deal, it's a nice guaranteed income for them so they will probably give a discount.

OP

are you both over 55? Not sure how old late middle age?

if so you could easily get over 55s accommodation with the council - its really not long a wait in most ares as the throughput is much more than other property types and as its age restricted it really does decrease the pool of applications

you can often get over 55s flats for £100 a week and it will have a lounge and kitchen along with one bedroom., yes you'd have bills and c/tax but these will be minimal and could see your annual rent and bills reduced to under £9500 a year

you'd obviously need apply to the council for housing and bid each week on over 55s accomidation