Living full time in a camper van or motorhome in Europe

You will need to find a friend or relative who is happy for you to use their address as your postal address. Then the friend of relative will have to open any post addressed to you.
I use this system, using my parents house,

I get dental checkups when on the road. Most countries are cheaper than the UK, so not a problem.
I'm not sure about Doctors. I never need to visit them. I did however, when travelling in Spain, get a infection and had to visit a hospital Service was excellent and i shoed my E111 card and it cost me nothing.

Hi Kathy! I'm feeling just the same as you and am seriously considering selling up and going! Have never driven a camper van before and feel a tad nervous, especially as i am on my own, but also excited! be lovely to chat with you and share experiences!
~ Sarah

Hi Kathy
I am also looking to travel Europe, and i am also looking for advice on the best van to buy.
Most i have looked at seem to be good value for money, and if secondhand they all have been kept
in good condition.

As for make VW, ford look good.

All the best in your search, and you never know we may meet driving along a French valley

Cheers

Brian

Hi Kathy

For most people it is quite easy to live on a pension.
If you stay on a campsite each day you can expect to pay about €10 per day for the campsite and perhaps €10 per day for groceries, so that is €20 per day or €600 per month. Also factor in maintenance costs of the vehicle.
Once you have bought the vehicle it is quite cheap to live in one.
It is possible to live more cheaply than this.
Wild camping allows you to park and camp for free. This is only allowed in certain areas of certain countries.
There are also very cheap campsites throughout Europe. In Portugal during the winter the Municipal campsites charge just a few Euros per person per day, which is obviously very cheap.

All modern vehicles cope with mountain and country roads well. If you want the most manoeuvrable of vehicles consider a van conversion, which is based on a conventional van, rather than a motorhome which has a custom made and bigger body.

Cities are bad for crime, and I would suggest not leaving your vehicle unattended in a city.
Campsites are generally very safe.
Most wild camping areas are safe, but some caution should always be exercised.

Please let us know how you get along.

Check the list of items on this page:
http://www.campervanlife.com/locations/europe/1st-timer-tips

And make sure you take plenty of books. As you might trade them with other campers, it's worth stocking up at the second hand book store for great bargains.

Hi Ed

Try Insurance Choice
http://www.campervanlife.com/go/cvl-insurancechoice.php

and Adrian Flux
http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/camper/

Also take a look at the Insurance page
http://www.campervanlife.com/insurance

I lived in my van for 9 months. I mainly free-camped, visiting a camp site maybe 1 or 2 days per week. I spent about €10 per day, so €300 per month. You could get by for less.