I bought dream home spending just £3,800 using overdraft…I had to use BUCKET as toilet but there’s nowhere I’d rather be
A WRITER who used a bucket as a toilet while doing up her home has revealed that now there is nowhere she'd rather be.
Elizabeth Earle, 36, spent £3,800 on her "dream" home six years ago and, despite a rocky start, is thrilled with her decision.
She joined the 1,500 Brits ditching conventional accommodation and decided to settle down on a canal boat.
The determined 36-year-old battled through freezing winters and sub-par bathrooms to make it work.
She told Sky: "The way I did it was the dumbest, hardest way possible.
"I was just so full of dreams and wanting to make it but I made it work."
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The self-employed writer and illustrator spent seven years sailing the world but was unable to afford a deposit on a house.
Rather than downsize or rent, the savvy sailor splashed out on a shell of a boat and strapped in for a tough few years of renovations.
"I wanted a boat so much that I was okay with living without a shower, I was okay with using a bucket for a toilet for the first few months, I was okay with being cold," she said.
After two years, Elizabeth was able to sell her revamped pad for £20,000 and bought a larger boat for £35,000 with the cash.
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Her new boat was a 100-year-old narrowboat and was 70ft - offering a far more comfortable living experience.
One of the joys of living on a houseboat is that she can leave whenever she wants and enjoy the freedom that comes with canal life.
The boat is currently docked in the middle of the countryside, where Elizabeth lives with her rescue German Shepherd mix Leela and said "it's beautiful".
What makes it even more luxurious is that the new boat comes with a compost toilet.
While it's not quite a "posh poo" it's a long way from using a bucket.
She said: "I empty mine every three weeks.
"When you go round to your friend's house and you get to use their toilet you can't believe your luck.
"You can go for a posh poo and it's fabulous."
Bills come in at around £4,500 a year - these lower costs are what often attract people to the houseboat lifestyle.
The breakdown includes around £45 for a gas canister, which will last four to five months, £30 to £40 a week on coal, around £400 for a full tank of diesel and £146 a month for her Canal and River Trust licence.
As a "continuous cruiser" Elizabeth also avoids mooring charges which means she has to set sail every two weeks.
Harder parts of living unconventionally arise as it gets into British winter time.
"You're constantly covered in bruises and soot and it's muddy but you also think 'wow I can make a fire' and carry 25kg of coal," she said.
"One thing I try and do is try is put myself in a storyline - it's like I dissociate.
"I imagine I'm in Middle Earth and trying to escape a raid and get home with a basket of bread.
"I try and make it into an adventure so it feels easier to cope with."
Apart from the cold, there are also dangers that come with a being a female solo boater.
Walking a mile down the towpath to get to her boat can be frightening and Elizabeth keeps her fingers crossed she won't bump into a drunk.
To combat the risk she grabs the biggest coat she can find and hopes people think she's a boy.
For the most part however no one is bothering Elizabeth and her serene lifestyle.
And dating has almost been made easier now that she knows what she's looking for.
She added: "When you go back into the outside world you put up with such little bullshit and it makes dating a lot easier because you just say no to almost everyone.
"If a guy can't make a fire then it's an immediate no - it makes you more selective.
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