Ben John wearing his middle-aisle off-brand Oodie from Lidl which he says helps keeps his heating bill down

'I spend just £167 on heating all winter thanks to £12 Lidl buy'

by · DevonLive

A man who lives full-time in a caravan has shared his £12 Lidl middle-aisle hack to keep his home cosy on a budget over winter. Ben John, 38, moved into a caravan six years ago after becoming "bored" of living in a house.

The music student said the home can get chilly - but has found ways to keep it toasty even in winter. Ben, who lives in Bournemouth, Dorset, gets most of his heat from a diesel heater which he keeps running on a low setting in winter.

His electric bills come to £100 in winter - plus just £67 on diesel for heating despite running the heater 24/7. But he said the reason he can afford to keep the heater on so low is thanks in part to his £12 Lidl middle-aisle off-brand Oodie.

Alongside that, he said he has a collection of blankets and dressing gowns to be cosy - as well as an electric blanket. Ben said: "The diesel heater stays on constantly and its cheaper than electric - if I had electric on it would cost a fortune!

Ben John’s middle-aisle off-brand Oodie from Lidl

"I always keep it on the lowest setting though, to save money - and layer up. Slipper socks are great because they're nice and warm, and I have lots of fleecy dressing gowns.

"And then my 'Oodie' is like a big duvet - me the dog and the cat get all snuggled up on together in winter. And the electric blanket costs pence to run. If I keep the door shut, it can get quite toasty!"

He explained in order to live in a caravan full time, he has to have a five litre dehumidifier running permanently to prevent his carpet getting damp. And it fills up daily, meaning a full five litres of moisture are withdrawn from his dwelling daily.

He said: "You need a constant run of air."

Ben said over the festive period, he gets his van in the Christmas spirit by putting lots of outdoor lights around it. Last year he hosted Christmas at his with another van-dwelling friend who lives opposite him. This year, he'll be heading over to his neighbour's and she will be catering for him.

He said: "It's generally quite festive on site - people all get their lights up. I have them up outside, it's a nice vibe and a community feel."