I gave up my apartment to live on a narrowboat for cheap – there's a food issue but I'll never go back to land living | The Sun

FROM off-grid yurts to old school buses turned tiny homes, traditional housing has taken a back seat for many.

One woman has given up her London apartment in favor of life on a narrowboat and she can't see herself going back.


Shannon Lane, 28, spoke to The U.S. Sun about her unique living situation.

"I was living in a three-bed house in East London and my landlord decided to put the rent up by £100-200 ($120-245)," she explained.

Describing her new rent as "a ridiculous amount of money," Shannon shared another issue facing her in the rental market.

She explained: "Having the dog as well, landlords are very strict about pets so I was in a bit of a predicament, I didn't really know what to do.

"So I was walking down the towpath one day and I came across a boat that had a for sale sign on it."

Despite never giving any thought to living on a boat before, Shannon decided to organize a viewing.

"As soon as I set foot on it, I absolutely fell in love, that was October 2022 and then I moved on to it in February 2023 because it needed a bit of work done," she said.

Shannon, a video producer, works remotely from her boat, which she painted bright green to brighten up the space.

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In terms of financials, Shannon's monthly expenses consist of coal, gas, and the loan repayment for her boat — which is way less than what she was paying while living on land.

She explained that she has a continuous cruiser permit, meaning she has to move in the same direction around the city every two weeks.

On her travels, Shannon has encountered everything from the sweet scent of the McVitie's cookie factory to a behind-the-scenes view of London Zoo.

"I saw the African dogs running past me and there was a big monkey enclosure, it was like my own little private ticket," she explained.

Another memorable day saw Shannon cross over a highway while on an aqueduct.

"It was absolutely insane because I was peering over the side of my boat and seeing these cars going 60 miles an hour," Shannon said.

And while she has had many cool experiences living on a narrowboat, Shannon also highlighted some of the drawbacks.

She explained that the use of electronics from hairdryers to Playstations is a no-go due to the limited electricity from her solar panels.

This also means that Shannon can only use her fridge on an as-needed basis, choosing instead to store her perishables in a cool box on deck during the winter months.

But she hasn't had to resign to a canned goods lifestyle just yet — in fact, she can still make the most of food delivery services though she admits to receiving confused reactions from drivers.

Drivers weren't the only ones who had to wrap their heads around the unique lifestyle.

Shannon explained that her dog had fallen into the canal not once but twice.

Joking that he doesn't fully understand the concept of water, she revealed that the pooch now wears a life jacket whenever he is on deck.

And when the question arises of whether she will ever give up her sea legs for land living, Shannon's answer is simple.

"To be honest I can’t see me ever living on land again," she said.

Shannon explained: "So I’ve even converted my boyfriend to want to live on a boat.

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"He has said he wouldn’t live on my boat as it is because it’s just big enough for myself and my dog.

"I think in the future if I were to start a family or move in together I would definitely get a bigger boat but I would absolutely love to stay on the canals."


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