A former teacher has revealed why she decided to quit her job to travel around the UK in a van.
Sophie Vallis, from Coventry,had been diligently saving for years and even managed to put away half of her teaching salary with dreams of owning her own two-bedroom home.
Howeverwhen the moment came to apply for a mortgage, she was stunned to be offered just£50,000 towards her first home – a figure that left her disillusioned with the traditional path.
Instead of investing in a home, Sophie turned her back on the rat race entirely, after four years of university and three years working in education to pursue the unconventional lifestyle.
Taking to her TikTok @vanlifevallis, the content creator documents her life on the road and opens up about how she made her alternative lifestyle a reality.
Speaking about saving to buy her first home and the realisation when it would not become a reality, Sophie admitted she knewenough was enough.
She said: ‘I’ve anticipated four, four-and-a-half, five times of what I earn, which is what most people say.
‘Wasn’t gonna be in a lovely house but it was gonna be a house, a two-bed house for myself.
Former teacher Sophie Vallis, from Coventry, has revealed why she decided to quit her job to travel around the UK in a van After dreams of owning her own two-bedroom home fell through
‘Then, that wasn’t gonna happen anymore and I just thought to myself, ‘I’m spending my whole life living for tomorrow.
‘I’m literally spending my whole live saving up, not doing what I want to do because I care about what might happen.
‘When I realised that my whole bubble just popped, I became very disillusioned with the idea you should find success in owning your own home, if that’s meant to come then it will come.’
Sophie carried on saving her money but this time she had decided to pack up her life, she bought a van, and hasn’t looked back since.
She explained: ‘I have always been someone who’s been into non-traditional living.
‘I was saving tiny homes at 14, I’ve always admired houseboats. When the van life started coming up, I just thought, ‘That’s it – that’s it for me’.’
For now, Sophie relies solely on her savings and no longer works – however, once the money runs out, she’ll be ‘praying for a miracle to live this life long-term’.
In another video, Sophie reflected onhow life can change in an instant and warned others who might be holding off on travelling until they retire that they may never see the day they have been waiting for.
Taking to her TikTok @vanlifevallis , the content creator documents her life on the road and opens up about how she made her alternative lifestyle a reality
Now, Sophie has turned her back on the rat race entirely, after four years of university and three years working in education to pursue the unconventional lifestyle
‘I know it’s a bit morbid but I always consider what happens if I don’t make it to retirement. Saving for a day that never comes,” Sophie said in the comments.
She added: ‘I think my reflection is that you literally cannot wait till then, there’s too many people that do not make it to retirement.
‘There’s too many people that save for retirement and then life happens and then they have to carry on working later than they expected, I mean with today’s government my generation’s going retire 101, so it’s just one of those things where it’s like live life now.
‘Live life for today, word of wisdom, don’t be so reckless that like you know tomorrow won’t come but you just never know that tomorrow will definitely come.
‘Get out and do what you want to do,if you can’t build your dream todaythen just get a little bit closer to it.’
Speaking about her dreams for the future, Sophie revealed one day she hopes to convert a bus into a bakery.
She said: ‘One day I wanna have a converted bus, I wanna have it converted into a bakery and I’ll travel around Europe with family and sell baked goods, now that’s a big dream.
‘Icannot achieve that today, but when I get back from travelling,I wanna get a bigger a licence, wanna upgrade my licence become like a bus driver or something, just for some experience and so that’s the encouragement.’
Many rushed to the comments of Sophie’s video, which racked up over 91,000 views, to ask more questions about her van life journey
‘Don’t wait as if tomorrow is guaranteed, start putting the things in place today that will build you closer to the life that you want or like to be more of the person that you wanna be.’
Many rushed to the comments of Sophie’s video, which racked up over 91,000 views, to ask more questions about her van life journey.
One person asked: ‘You’re still young, what happens when the money runs dry>’
To which Sophie replied: ‘Desperate times! Only Vans brother, joking aside… I’m sure it will, I’ll go home before it’s fully dry and I’ll work and save again.
‘I’ll never leave myself fully penniless I have a minimum amount which will be the end of travelling for me if I don’t manage to make money on the road before that.
‘Who knows maybe teach abroad and earn a lot more in a short space of time.’
Another said: ‘I’ve lived in my van for like three years and people have accused me of being on benefits and all sorts like I literally have a full time job and have worked all my life, people must think because you live in a van you can’t work or something.’
Sophie replied: ‘Ahah literally! In today’s society?!?! WFH? No one is asking where home is or if it’s a permanent address ! Good on you! How do you find it long term? Are you in a long stay park up or always moving?’
Someone else added: ‘Love this idea. I’m seriously thinking of going off-grid and selling up.’
To which Sophie said: ‘Trial run it! Book a month in an of grid B&B or hire a van first! Dip your toe in and go if you’re happy.’
