Along the roads of Spain, a retired couple lives in a seven-meter motorhome that has become their sole residence. Fernando and Ana spend their days wandering between villages, admiring the scenery, and making improvised stops, far from the bills that marked their former sedentary life. They embrace a radical choice born from a very concrete sense of frustration.
Because their incomes aren’t comfortable. “We are retired and our pension isn’t very high,” they admit to COPE radio. Three years after leaving their house, they say they have nonetheless found a better financial balance and, above all, a sense of freedom that changes everything.
Why Fernando and Ana Left Their Home for a Seven-Meter Motorhome
Fernando settled in Spain in 1970, after leaving Buenos Aires. Over the decades, he felt increasingly trapped in a single pattern: “tired of going round in circles, with the house, the car, the mortgage, the kids.” Ana, originally from Venezuela, shared this need to break the routine and take back control of their time.
The trigger came suddenly. “We told life to stop,” explains Fernando, “and we began shaping it to our own liking, refusing to be swept along.” Ana sums up their plan in a calm tone: “The little life we have left, already more than halfway gone, well, we’re going to dedicate it to ourselves.” Since then, their daily life unfolds aboard a Fiat Ducato Maxi nicknamed “La Vaca.”
La Vaca, a 27-Year-Old Fiat Ducato Maxi Transformed into a Rolling Home
Their seven-meter motorhome, a Fiat Ducato Maxi aged 27, is hardly a state-of-the-art model. Fernando and Ana are its third owners, but the vehicle, which they renamed “La Vaca,” has been converted into a permanent dwelling with everything they need. Fernando especially appreciates its solid wood furniture, which he believes is far sturdier than some newer fittings that, according to him, “deteriorate more easily.”
Over the years, the couple has learned every nook of the motorhome. A major repair took five months of work: “We found a defect running along the entire length of that wall and decided to fix it ourselves,” recalls Fernando. Between repairing the wall and the exterior paint job, they spent €1,631, well below the quotes they received, where the painting alone exceeded €3,000.
Lower Costs, More Freedom: How Their Modest Pension Is Sufficient
The bulk of their savings comes from the eliminated charges. By leaving their brick-and-mortar home, Fernando and Ana removed water, electricity, homeowner association fees, the garage, and the home internet subscription from their budget. “We’ve made substantial savings,” says Ana. Previously, their retirement pension wasn’t enough: “Before, when we lived in our brick house, by the 15th or 17th of the month we were already short of money and we looked forward to the 24th to receive our pension.”
- No more monthly housing bills to pay
- Expenses focused on fuel, propane, and food
- A daily budget estimated by some media at around €70 per week, excluding fuel
Today, Fernando notes that “there’s money left at the end of the month.” Their main variable expense remains fuel: “The more we travel, the more we spend.” They therefore adjust their pace, sometimes staying in one place for several weeks, and they emphasize that they buy locally: “We must shop for groceries, buy propane, buy food, and that money stays local,” Ana points out. This lifestyle has also led them to pare down their needs: “less is more,” she sums up. In seven meters, every item must serve a purpose. The couple prefers walks and landscapes to accumulating possessions. “Today is today; we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. So let’s enjoy today and see what tomorrow brings.”
Sources
- Marie France
“Fernando and Anna live in a seven-meter motorhome: ‘We are retired and our pension is modest, we have saved money’”
