A woman who left her apartment to live on a narrowboat has warned the lifestyle is “not for everyone” despite enjoying her new life on the water.
Laura Woodley, 35, from London, made the decision during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, after struggling to cope with rising rental costs in the capital.
Laura, who considered herself “an unconventional person,” looked for alternative ways to live while spending less and was soon inspired to buy a boat.
Having previously observed how narrowboat communities live while walking near her local canal, Laura was drawn to the more relaxed lifestyle.
She said: “The standard, simple pattern of living has never appealed to me.”
A content creator who gave up her apartment to live on a narrowboat has warned the lifestyle is “not for everyone” despite enjoying her new life on the water.
‘I had a fantastic experience living with housemates, but by the time I turned 31, I was reaching the stage where I wanted to live alone. Living on a boat seemed like the obvious next step.
‘Many people in London live on the canals surrounding the city in “narrow boats”, which are usually 6 feet 10 inches wide. “I saw people sitting together on the boats and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
After spending some time researching boating life online, Laura decided to take out a loan and traveled 60 miles to Northampton to pick up her new boat and return home.
The TikTok influencer, who already made a living creating content and has more than 100,000 on her @canalcore account, said that once she bought the boat, “it made sense” to start posting videos on Instagram.
She said Business Insider: ‘I started posting about my life on a narrowboat on Instagram and TikTok to connect with like-minded people. I enjoyed the sense of community that came from connecting with people online who had done similar things.
However, although she likes living on a boat, Laura wants to make it clear that this lifestyle “is not for everyone.”
She said: “A lot of people think I live on a boat to save money, but I actually spend more than when I rented, although I now live alone instead of with roommates.”
Laura is still paying large amounts of money after taking out the initial loan to buy the boat, with sums of £650 paid each month until early 2025.
Laura Woodley, 35, from London, moved onto a boat during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, after struggling to cope with rising rental costs in the capital.
He also says that one of the main expenses when living on a canal boat is the license needed to keep the boat in UK waters, which costs £60 a month.
He added: “I don’t have access to utilities, but I do have other bills, such as laundry (when I don’t have access to friends’ houses), coal and firewood for heating, and the cost of pumping waste out of the toilet.” , We come to about 190 pounds a month.
Meanwhile, maintenance costs Laura around £175 a month and she has to keep an unspecified amount of money in savings in case something unexpected happens, such as her chimney which had fallen over in recent years and which had to be repaired. cost £700.
Laura is often forced to deal with most maintenance issues as she “can’t just call the owner” and embarks on “two mile” walks to get rid of trash.
The content creator warns that staying on top of everything can feel like having a ‘part-time job’, stating that she was not used to having so much responsibility compared to renting an apartment.
However, while she enjoys living on a boat, Laura wants to make it clear that this lifestyle is “not for everyone,” citing increasing responsibilities and maintenance costs.
Ultimately, although she has fallen on hard times while living on a boat, Laura is unwilling to give up her new lifestyle and credits her local community for helping her move forward.
She said: “When you live in a house, you can stay in your own little bubble, but on a boat, you have to be nice because you’ll probably need help at some point too.”
‘However, it is important to approach it with realistic expectations. I wouldn’t tell people to do it just because it’s a difficult life. From the outside it may look very peaceful and idyllic, but that’s not always the case.’
It comes after Shannon Lane, 29, was tired of paying £900 a month for a room in a three-bedroom flat in Clapton, east London, and decided to buy a narrowboat.
However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing and Shannon says she experienced “boat blues” as she dealt with the freezing weather, learning how to move the boat, emptying the toilet and refilling water.