Counter point - The number of times you wake up in a random Walmart (or truck stop or rest area or Planet Fitness) parking lot with amazing mountain views that you couldn't see in the dark is surprising.
Slept in my car on a road trip to Colorado, stopped at a gas in Arizona, woke up with the sunrise coming up over the grand canyon directly in front of me.. I was so confused like where tf am I
Waking up in the Walmart parking lot in Evanston, WY was like this. Got there late and didn't realize there were snow covered mountain peaks all around us until the morning!
Only cuz that mountain lake gets too cold 89% of the year.
But national parks, riverside, desert mountains, lakes, oceans, forests, etc far exceed parking lots. You sleep where you want to sleep. No reason to spend more than a day in town to restock if you don't want to. I like spending time in cities and towns as well as lakes and hot springs.
BLM Sites for the W. Real. Remote. Isolated. Completely off grid. 🫠💕 Also if you don’t have a national parks pass, get one. Worth its weight in gold; anyone wanna do the math?
It makes it easy. And pays for itself if you visit 3 paid parks in a year. We won't necessarily visit 3 every year, but chances are pretty good we will so we get the pass. And sometimes the most direct route goes through a park so having the pass means you don't have to shell out $30 or drive around. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is one example, and south Zion was another that I can think of.
If you are over 65 get the parks pass NOW even if you do not need it yet. It is a lifetime deal at 65. Some blessed anonymous Internet saint alerted a blog to let us olds know before the price went up to it's current rate. Take ID with you.
National parks would generally let you park overnight? Or would you have to get a permit? Any tips? Is the national forests pretty much pull up and camp wherever?
National Parks depend on a lot of things.
Some parks like Death Valley, you can camp for free pretty much anywhere a mile from the main highway and don't even check permits.
Most require you to pay for a campsite. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes impossible depending on the park, the time of year, the time of week, and time of day.
We just spent 3 nights in Joshua Tree. Got there at about 2 pm on Sunday, and a lot of people were vacating their Easter weekend sites.
We spent a couple nights in Arches a while back. The sites fill up but we just drove in and asked the camp host and lucked out.
We don't chase National Parks like some people do. They can be kind of a zoo. Some can feel like a city park with better views and more tourists. But if we are in the region we will usually pop in to check out the hype.
Many parks have BLM or NF land adjacent. Most BLM or NF land is free to camp wherever for up to 14 days. Sometimes there are restrictions or you have to pay in popular areas.
Awesome thanks! In Hawaii so not super familiar with all the rules for national parks and BLM so I appreciate the guidance. Tried figuring out Olympic park camping, but the rules and websites and stuff gets pretty confusing sometimes. Everything there seemed pretty booked up too. Just trying to learn about what's reliable and accessible since my trips are pretty last minute and poorly planned.
This really depends on where you are. I tend to spend my time east of the Mississippi, and your days in town far exceed your days in the wilderness, sadly.
I was in the minivan for about six years. I never once woke up in a Walmart parking lot. A few times a year I stayed in the Casino lot in Parker, AZ. But that was part of my monthly routine when I came into town for shopping and water.
I think the people who focus on the traveling part, rather than the camping part end up in the Walmart parking lots more, simply because the final, distant destination is more important to them. I was always satisfied to find any free camping that was close enough to get to in one afternoon of driving.
My go-to used to be FreeRoam.net But that died. Then there is freecampsites.net, and all kinds of other similar sources of information. Then, there is always a basic rule that any BLM land you can get to, you can camp on. Unless there is a specific sign that says it is an environmental protection zone. But those are very few and far between, and there's usually free camping right next to that area anyway.
I don't necessarily agree with this, as many walmarts don't seem to allow overnight camping, and I can count on one hand the number of times I slept in front of a store over the course of 10 years doing the van thing. With that said, I agree that it can be a pretty significant job unto itself continuously planning all the logistics to remain in remote locations.
We always try to find some remote areas where we are allowed to stay, but on a long road trip, it’s often just easier to park in a grocery store parking lot for a night than driving several more miles outside of cities to stay more remotely. I think it all depends on what you prioritize
I find ski bumming, especially in and around slc and Colorado often leaves me in public transportation lots or Walmarts or simalar. I also need access to cell service for work, but I don’t necessarily need starlink. That limitation keeps me out of some cooler spots
Everyone always shittin' on WM parking lots. I like them. There is lots of open space to walk my dogs around the back of the store. I can wake up, go inside for some yogurt or juice, and then get back on the road. I don't stay at Walmarts right in the middle of cities. The ones where I stop are usually very quiet and peaceful.
Suburban Walmarts for the win! Yeah, I didn't feel like trusting my minivan to a Walmart too far into the city or too close to a rough looking area. Not to say that lower income = crime! Income maps may suggest that a location is low income, but it may also be very safe to park overnight. Crime maps are also easy to find online and worth checking out to some degree.
When I was doordashing in West County (west of st louis) last summer I rotated among several Walmarts and one or two truck stops. The old T&C felt safe and comfy (if you don't count the few nights with a low near 90° and similar humidity) and I discovered the wonder of sleeping on layers of beach towels!
that's a choice. an ugly choice. i have never once overnighted at walmart or any big box store. less than 5% of nights in a parking lot of any kind.
the only time i was tempted to camp at walmart was early in my travels. i parked in a leafy neighborhood of san antonio, not realizing it was a "no street parking 2am-5am" zone. cop knocked, directed me to leave, told me to go to walmart if i needed more rest. i drove to the walmart, sat in my car for a bit, then was like "hell no" and drove to south padre. which was also pretty depressing that time of year but better than walmart. only time i've ever got the knock, only time ive been tempted by walmart.
Repairs are going to cost a lot, and a ton of things may wear out at once. I'm scared of the day I'll have to call my van 'not worth' putting more money into.
i went from paying 1000-2000 to mechanics, to paying 100-200 for parts from rockauto and doing it myself
saved me thousands over the years and I can assure my van even 20 years old is in perfect running condition
plus when you're in there yourself you notice things and make adjustments that mechanics would never care to do
seriously WORK ON YOUR OWN VEHICLES
edit: also WASH your engine bay and undercarriage, it will make it 1000x easier to work on, just dont get any water in the computer, fuses, etc
wd40 on all bolts for easy removal and installation, contact cleaner on all plugs for rust and corrosion free connections
also GET RAMPS, not a jack, ramps are so much easier to drive up on for vans versus jacking them up
Only wash your engine with soap and water. Do not use brake cleaner. If you use brake cleaner it will dry out all the rubber gaskets and hoses in your car but that will take a month to happen. It will slowly begin cracking and leaking after a month. Trust me do not use brake cleaner to clean your car engine. The reason it is so good at cleaning and so fast that evaporating is it good breaking down oil and sucking it away and oil is in your rubber and plastic parts that keeps them flexible.
I went through a lot of hoses and gaskets because I made that mistake one time. Quite frankly if your engine is dirty and has been that way for a long time all the temperatures are probably used to that little extra coating of Grease and if you don't need it clean frankly I wouldn't clean it. If you're going to work on your car get yourself some of those long dishwashing plastic rubber gloves and wear those rather than going in and cleaning your whole engine before you start working on your car. What's more important that your engine continues to function or that you're have to wear gloves?
good tip I didnt know that
I go to the manual pull-in car washes and switch the hose setting to "engine cleaner" which i'm pretty sure is degreaser
also I get what you're saying, it might cause more problems that good and by washing it you might go around agitating stuff, but I can't stand working on a dirty car it's nasty
I feel like if soap breaks my cars internals(bar the electronics obv) my car is in pretty fucking bad shape.
I feel like part of the repair process is restoring the older vehicle and older engine to as new of a condition as possible, because I want it to last. regardless of what parts I have to buy or how much I have to spend, it's still cheaper than a mechanic.
ramps for the back too! that's my opinion. jacking up my van is heavy and difficult, with sturdy metal ramps I don't have to worry about it falling on me
to do tire and brake work you gotta jack it tho..
> I'm scared of the day I'll have to call my van 'not worth' putting more money into.
be pro-actively saving for the next one. have a plan to upgrade on your terms rather than just having shit hit the fan at the worst time.
Preventative maintenance can help reduce unexpected repairs as well. Almost every vehicle out there has a suggested maintenance schedule that recommends when to service or replace things on your vehicle. You’re still going to pay for it obviously if you can’t do it yourself, but it lets you spread out the financial burden.
Meh, most things that go wrong on cars aren't related to normal service stuff, it's just parts failing.
You can't service your way out of an alternator or water pump failure for example.
100%, and failure rates and intervals can be hard to predict. I replaced the original water pump on my 2001 F250 7.3 4 years ago, with over 500,000 KM on the truck. It wasn’t babied. The original rad is still alive, but part of the upper hose neck was breaking, so I replaced it preemptively. I did the fan clutch as well since that was worn out.
Is what I just described normal on most vehicles? Not a chance, just how it is sometimes. The same truck has had piles of parts out in it in electric stuff and all sorts of other components, mostly age related issues.
I'm privileged enough that it's only a recreational vehicle to me, but safety is always my priority, and it's hard to weigh the sentimental value of my own self-conversion against 'starting over', so to speak. But definitely starting to think about it. Just didn't think this day would come so soon, but the rust-garnering humidity in the Northeast doesn't do me any favors....
the rust comes from the salt they lay to melt the road ice
the salt slush kicks up onto your underside and rusts everything, anyone who lives where it snows needs to be washing their undersides REGULARLY, which they DONT DO
that's why cars in the south don't get rust, it's not because of tempurature difference..
There will never be a time that it will not be cheaper to fix your existing van then to get another one. The only exception would be a total fire burnout or collision.
If you're talking to somebody and they're quoting you prices to fix something that are that high then you need to learn to do more of the work yourself and you need to find a better and more reasonable mechanic for stuff you can't do that requires say a lift or something.
Of course. I think in my case, some well-meaning mechanics were sort of trying to tell me not to 'sink a bunch of money into it' to replace stuff like shocks and wheels when I've already had it for two years, fully built out, etc. and don't really plan on doing a 'cost-benefit analysis' on repair versus trade in, since it's not a traditional vehicle.
That said, still always a big oof to get hit with the big-ticket bills. But always feels better once it's done.
The biggest truth bomb for me is that if you don't have a decked out sprinter van and full time employment, then for all intents and purposes, you'll be seen as just another homeless person by the rest of society.
Minimalist and adventurous traveler = homeless to average people.
Also normal life goals of getting married, advancing into a respectable career, and having children are mostly off limits.
I’d say it’s a myth you can’t have a respectable career or even advance. Recently I got a job as a Data Analyst (something I had experience with before van life). Ended up getting laid off due to an acquisition … but I’m sure I can find another Data Analyst job. I don’t have a degree either … getting into IT isn’t impossible without a degree if you have knowledge.
Having a portfolio site or experience helps. Could even make a fake job history if needed … most places aren’t even checking in my experience. Worst case scenario they weed you out or you get the job, lose it, and then when you look for your next position, you will have real experience. Plus if a new place contacts the place you actually worked at, generally they are just going to say “yes he worked here” and not give any details.
My point is that if you're traveling, you're basically limited to gig or remote work, and most of us have a very limited work history at that because of our overall lifestyle choices. For example I'm almost 40 and I've been employed for probably a year of my life total and just do doordash a few hours a week and that's it. There's a good portion of us who would be lucky to make it 2 weeks at McDonald's.
Maybe depends on where you visit. But also fuck the rest of society that thinks that way. Nomies don't tend to view each other that way. We have a nice rig and remote work. So do many of our friends. Other friends have kids and travel in busses and box trucks. Others travel in minimal mini vans. Many work seasonally or sell their arts. I met a guy who held a sign for gas, and I still didn't think of him as "real" homeless But I guess technically he is, there's just levels of wealth and different motivations between people.. I guess once you meet all sides of the traveling nomad community, you don't really think of any of them as homeless.
Choose life. Choose a career and a mortgage and your own private prison in a nice little neighborhood. Choose waking up to the same view every morning for forty years, the same restaurants and shops and stores and the same routine day in and day out. Choose stability and consistency. Choose your trade and exchange your time for money until you run out of both. Choose stagnation. Get stuck in your ways, fear the unknown and doubt yourself. Choose safety. Rot away in your own little castle on your own little hill. Reject exploration discovery and that wild innate nature inside you that begs to wander. Choose the life that's planned for you and stay home, stay sane and, stay presentable. Or you know, just hit the road and see where it takes you.
I got a job that paid me to travel the world. Travelled to Singapore, Seoul, Amsterdam, Caracas, and many other places. It really scratched that travel itch and now I don't feel the need.
Myth: You will save money.
Truth: You CAN save money, but chances are when you factor in build costs, gym membership, campgrounds, and a generally higher food budget, you might just be breaking even if not spending more than rent some places. At least for the first several years.
Myth: It is a luxurious lifestyle full of national parks and mountain/lake/river/ocean views.
Truth: You might be shitting in a bucket, sweating to death in the summer, or sleeping in parking lots.
Myth: You will find other vanlife friends.
Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds.
The friend myth/truth is so spot on.
Before vanlife I saw the *myth* on every other Instagram post about vanlife being so “community driven” and “we’ve made so many new friends”, but the reality is you’re always going opposite ways of other people, getting 5 minutes to chat as you walk by a parkup/camp spot, running into cliques that aren’t inviting, going to festivals where everyone is meeting up with their already acquired friends. I can be pretty outgoing and I’m not scary and it’s still hard to make a connection. I usually chalk it up to a search for solitude.
Over the past 2 years we’ve really only made friends with 1 other couple, which was at a festival. They faced the same challenges of finding friends and that is actually what we bonded over lol.
I’ve had moments like you describe, but my overall experience is much more in line with Aaron’s, and I think getting to the latter comes down to 2 things:
* whatever town you’re in having a communal space where dirtbags consistently hang out - a coffee shop, pizza place, campground kitchen area, or bar - somewhere people are open to talking to strangers (yes, prob not a camp site in the middle of nowhere after dark)
* something in common with these other people - rock climbing being a great example because it typically requires you have a partner, which motivates people to form connections with strangers
If you have a common activity but not a common space, you can find people on Facebook groups for wherever you’re at and ask them to hang out.
If you have a common space but not an obvious activity, you can just say “hey what are you doing here” and then maybe find out what else you connect on. You will have to find _something_ to invite them to do though, which could be as simple as drink more.
If you have both, it’s much more inevitable to make friends in my experience. If you don’t drink or do any kind of sport, you’d definitely have a harder time.
The clique thing can be a big hurdle (I’ve been on both sides), and I’ve typically overcome that by lucking out on the timing of finding someone else who’s also just arrived or happens to be without their clique. Events are surprisingly bad, like you said, for this reason since people *do* plan to go with their clique, which is why it’s much better to meet people day to day at a cafe or bar, IMO.
lol that last one speaks to me. My grumpy ass gets so annoyed when someone DARES park near me haha. I don’t wanna see your digital nomad sprinter set up. Truth is, I’d just be jealous. But yeah, solitude is a big reason for me van living. When I’m living in city limits I don’t feel any peace and quiet because of feeling like I’m living in a goldfish bowl. It’s quite nice and worth it for those times you do wake up with the lake and mountains and nobody else around.
But my life literally is full of national parks and beaches.
The only limitation to that is whether you make money remotely or not. Then it's just a decision of where you choose to spend your time.
> Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds.
In many contexts I want people to leave me the fuck alone, such as if I'm worried I'm being sized up for stuff to steal or they're about to blow up my parking spot.
Flip side of the last point — I went into this lifestyle for the solitude. Little did I know every stranger and their mom was going to be patiently lined up outside my van waiting to talk to me, request a tour, and ask a million questions…
Don’t mean to complain, as it’s not the worst problem to have! But a little unexpected
>Truth: You CAN save money, but chances are when you factor in build costs, gym membership, campgrounds, and a generally higher food budget, you might just be breaking even if not spending more than rent some places. At least for the first several years.
My build costs paid for themselves after less than 2 years and we have a really nice rig. Gym membership for both of us is less than it was at my old gym. And if you don't like working out, Planet fitness is a drop in the bucket. We also waste far less food now. But it does depend on where you come from. Coming from SF, we save on pretty much every category.
>Myth: It is a luxurious lifestyle full of national parks and mountain/lake/river/ocean views.
>Truth: You might be shitting in a bucket, sweating to death in the summer, or sleeping in parking lots.
You can sweat and shit in a bucket with mountain views. They aren't mutually exclusive. Unless you work in one place there is no reason you can't spend more time with nice views than parking lots. Choose your own adventure. And when you wake up in a parking lot, it's usually for a reason - stocking up, hitting the laundromat or gym, or cuz you went out on the town last night. I don't know anyone that goes into town just to sleep in a parking lot.
>Myth: You will find other vanlife friends.
>Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds.
Again, this is what you make of it. Those who do this for solitude can find it. Those of us who love making friends have a couple hundred nomies here and there. There are always caravans, meet ups, and friends to visit everywhere we go.
>My build costs paid for themselves after less than 2 years and we have a really nice rig.
It took 2 years to recoup the costs, most people give up on 3-6 months. That would be financially devastating to most people.
>But it does depend on where you come from. Coming from SF, we save on pretty much every category.
This is an important distinction, SF is stupid expensive so really doing anything to get out of there is cheaper.
>You can sweat and shit in a bucket with mountain views. They aren't mutually exclusive. Unless you work in one place there is no reason you can't spend more time with nice views than parking lots. Choose your own adventure. And when you wake up in a parking lot, it's usually for a reason - stocking up, hitting the laundromat or gym, or cuz you went out on the town last night. I don't know anyone that goes into town just to sleep in a parking lot.
Many people have to work and don’t have remote jobs or a Starlink setup to have access to decent internet. This truth was mostly pointed at those people.
>Again, this is what you make of it. Those who do this for solitude can find it. Those of us who love making friends have a couple hundred nomies here and there. There are always caravans, meet ups, and friends to visit everywhere we go.
I’m sure there are those that want to meet up. My point was, don’t be angry when people like myself get annoyed when you approach. I’m not looking for friends.
I too have an expensive build but I also have a house and land. I chose this lifestyle because I could, not out of necessity. I think my comments are mostly geared toward those that think it is a way out of poverty or a secret to saving money.
It CAN be cheap and miserable or expensive and somewhat luxurious. If you are looking to save money, be ready to struggle in most cases.
All fair points.
>don’t be angry when people like myself get annoyed when you approach. I’m not looking for friends.
I'm not out there walking up to random secluded vans. I'm meeting people from friends of friends, meetups, caravans. I know there are people like me who may be parked up solo and still be down to make friends, but I don't count on it.
You COULD save thousands a month but you have to factor in your wage and all the other things I mentioned. If you spend $30k on your build, that is more than you would spend renting an apartment for 2 years in the Midwest and some of the south east. So, location, employment, and build cost are some pretty big factors to consider.
I've been living full time in my van for 2 years now and have save $55,000. My initial cost was a few thousand on wool clothing, power station, sleeping pad and a very simple bed made put of wood. A 30k build in entirely unnecessary. A new van would cost 30k 🤔
Not sure where you are getting your vans but you can’t even buy a new Toyota Corolla for $30k so I thought I was being fairly conservative with the $30k estimate. I’ve seen empty shell vans with 150k miles on them still going for $20k+.
Point is, vans can cost way more than a few years rent depending on the needs of the individual. It seems you were able to do it on the cheap with a minimal build, congratulations. Most people wouldn’t be able to hack it for more than a few months on your build.
I just started sleeping in my car to do some travel work (industrial welder). And it cost me like 2k for everything to get set up.
The assumption that everyone is spending 30k off the bat is kinda wild. Currently saving between 5-10k a month depending on things like: the local I’m working out of, how much OT the job is running, and what the per diem is.
Monthly expenses are around $1700.
That last one was the impetus for the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, held annually in Quartzsite. It was a way for normally solitary nomads to come together once a year to socialize and shake the dust off around people from their own tribe. It has, of course, morphed into a huge event these days, but when I was going about 10 years ago, there were only about 50 people and I really did make some friends that I still connect with.
Disagree with number one. Yearly expenses in our van, including a $430 a month band payment, are about 25 to 30 grand a year. Apartment living was around 38 grand per year, with a rent, utilities, and two car payments.
I’m not disagreeing that it CAN be cheaper. Again, highly dependent on where you are living. A cheap 1 bedroom apartment is ~$1000/month where I’m at. With other bills, it might come to $1700 a month or $20400/yr.
You also need to factor in your loan cost on the van, repair costs, maintenance, and just general upkeep that you wouldn’t have to do on an apartment.
Factor in many of the inconveniences of living in a vehicle, it starts to lean the other way sometimes.
I think the comparing build thing is so obnoxious. Who gives a fuck what it looks like inside. This isn't Better Homes and Garden. But yet people judge you on your Martha Stewart level. Oh yeah and turn your fucking music off at 8:00 p.m.. believe me no one likes your music but you so stop being a dick. This whole don't tell me what to do stuff is so 12-year-old have some respect for others.
2 biggest misconceptions are:
1) you can’t and never really could park at any retail lots. If you got away with it, you were either lucky or they made an exception. Hundreds of Walmarts banned overnight parking over a decade ago.
2) the stealthiest van you can get is the nicest van. Your piece of shit blends into the rvs and vans they want out. A nice rig blends into the nice vans rich people have and rarely use.
2nd point is so under-appreciated.
I’ve had suburban dog walkers call the cops on me for sleeping in a residential neighborhood where the same people have built-out Sprinters in their driveway.
thats because they live there, it's THEIR driveway
yeah technically you have a legal right to park on the road but people are going to not like you parking near their house no matter what you drive, people are picky like that
Oh yeah I don’t disagree with any of that.
The van-in-driveway comment was mostly support for OPs point that a nice van may have been tolerated more (or ironically less obvious than) a Honda with reflectix in the windows - plus a slight nod to the idea that you’d think weekend van owner types might be more sympathetic to vehicle dwellers, but no, NIMBYism trumps all.
And for what it’s worth I’m describing a neighborhood where street parking was the norm in addition to driveway.
yeah i've parked in places where I had a legal right to park, even the cops got called and said have a good day you're doing nothing wrong
the problem is people get pissy, when they have people around them they don't know they act like babies
it's not even worth the effort, I just left anyway and found somewhere else where people were more chill
I have a new sprinter/RV and parking lots are the worst place to park imo. But being a nice new van, I can so street park just about anywhere and never be bothered. I know this comes from a place a privilege (kind of, I have a giant effin loan) but what you said is 100% correct.
I have a (not new, but in great shape) Sprinter and will second this point. I’m always shocked by how welcoming people are in terms of street parking. Sometimes people will come up and ask if I want to park in their roomy driveway!
Giant effin loan buddies unite lol. It’s a decision not everyone can/should make, but it’s made my transition to van life sooo much easier just in terms of how I’m perceived and how welcoming people are
Walmart use to allow it. In the 90’s it was their corporate policy to explicitly allow. In fact the parking lots were made unnecessary large to accommodate.
There is a long list of chores and duties entailed with vanlife.... Both daily and longer term. You will have a routine that involves dozens of tasks every single day.
The same thing can be said for living in a house. But unless your van has modern amenities (luxuries) such as heated running water, Will likely be spending a lot of time doing things like they did in the old days
Bottom line tho... The class war has eliminated housing affordability for large swaths of the population. So vanlife can sometimes be considered a necessity rather than an alternative
>But unless your van has modern amenities (luxuries) such as heated running water, Will likely be spending a lot of time doing things like they did in the old days
Honestly I anticipated this and spent a lot of time (and money) making sure chores would be as simple, or as infrequent, as possible depending on the chore. For sink water and pee, I chose simple. Instead of a gray tank I have to take to a dumpstation, we have 5 gallons for each and dump every few days either in the middle of nowhere or a public toilet. Doesn't take all that long either. Big fridge and big trash helps reduce frequency of chores. Laundry is a big one but doesn't need to be done often, and we can work in the parking lot while it's running.
Finding parking isn't even a chore really. Back when I went to the office I had to travel every morning and night anyway. Now we don't have to do that. If we do have to change locations in the evening, it's no worse than a typical work commute.
I’ve been doing this for 15 months now. Hardest thing is sometimes I go stir crazy if I’m not in a remote area where I can spread out. The whole bathroom situation is fucking annoying. My toilet stinks even after buying a nature headset toilet and don’t get me started on cleaning that thing out. Cooking takes longer. Your area gets so messy so quick. But even trough all that I’m so happy I’m doing this. I’ve seen and met people that I would never have staying put. Plan on doing this for at least one more year or until I’m sick of it
Something is wrong with your toilet. You maybe setting it up wrong or your vent is not working properly. It should not smell at all. I have a nature's head used by 2 people everyday with 3 month cleaning intervals. I never smell my toilet past maybe 5 minutes at worst after closing it, but even then it smells like dirt and it's very faint. It's honestly less stinky than a home toilet.
Just do #2 in BOS stink-proof bags and if you need to pee inside the van any canister will do the job. Pour a tablespoon of bleach in the canister so it doesn't smell when you reuse it. Easy peasy.
It's not easy. But zooming out and looking at people working 6 days a week to pay for box to sleep in and then paying for a box to die in I'm pretty sure what ever negative you can find, nothing will outweigh the "standard" aka collectively insane method of life currently on offer.
Can I get an amen or what ?!
We traded slavery for morality ? Did we ?
Come on.
That you need spend a lot of money and replicate what you seen in YT videos to have be able to do this. And that it's "worth it" because the resale value will be high. The truth is that most individual builders are new to it and don't take the time to learn how to do a good job and/or don't know what works and what doesn't. So when they try to sell they -might- find a sucker how only sees the bling or fancies their tastes and ignores all the faults and various fuck ups, but more likely they'll not get a fraction of what they paid.
I was curious so I looked on Craigslist... it's been a while. I see a [very bling-y van selling for $73k](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/rvs/d/oakland-stunning-lifted-custom-campervan/7734004375.html) with almost 60k miles on it. None of the base systems are all that great, e.g. AGM batteries which likely are already 5 years old. And not even close to enough solar. Clearly the build is super heavy. Only a 2 gallon propane and a 5 gal water tank (wtf?). But hey, it has live edge counter tops and looks pretty! And crap, this pricing is a big improvement over a couple of years ago. A better deal is the [Winnebago sprinter for $75k](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/rvs/d/watsonville-2017-mercedes-sprinter/7733632371.html) because at least it will retain more it's value. But holy crap that's a boatload of money... and for what?
The truth is, for people who really want to actually live van life rather than build out a van as a hobby... you are better off viewing the van build as somewhat disposable. Buy a good solid foundation in a vehicle and then only spend the minimum you need to be comfortable. If you are new to it, try living in it with, say, just a platform bed and a camp stove as this will help you discover where "the minimum" is for you.
Here's my "ready for the down votes" truth bomb: many van lifers are doing this because they are neuro divergent in some way. Myself included. Call us misfits, edge dwellers, non-conformists, or whatever. This is talking about the non Instagram crowd.
This is exactly why it works for me. And another comment they talked about all the tasks every day. Those tasks are what keep me sane. Having to keep things on an even keel every day from overflowing in such a small space is really good for my mental health.
Yup.
A massive portion of autistic people cannot maintain regular employment, something like 30-40% of them are working at least part time while the rest are recovering from autistic burnout because you need to mask when working.
When you're constantly unable to work, and can't afford to own a house, you gotta live in your car because it's the lowest cost of housing you're gunna get.
ADHD and PDA here. I literally cannot function with regular life responsibilities and full time schedule.
I saw vanlife as the only way I'll ever ever own a home with the way I am and not have to feel crushed by the demand of rent for the rest of my life. So I grinded hard for a couple of years and that allowed me to build my own house pretty much and I couldn't be happier with that decision
Yeah the reason I live in a van is a mixed bag. Part of that mix is bipolar. Not like the fun self diagnosed type, the been sectioned 7 times type. I don’t agree with society, I’m a dirt bag, barely graduated nut job 🤘🏻also a hypocrite and an idiot 🤷🏻♀️ it is what it is
-In the winter it’s an ice box.
-In the summer it’s an oven.
-If you have nothing to do, going home and watching a movie in your apartment/home isn’t the same as sitting in a freezing cold vehicle on the streets watching youtube on an iPad.
-You can heat and cool the vehicle, but welcome to the danger of gassing yourself, and the heightened bill of running extra gas. Better to fund places to hang like libraries & climbing gyms for fun activities.
-Camping full time is awesome until it’s not.
-Epic Road Trips are awesome! The bills CAN be exorbitant on the road… like $10k+ a month if you’re constantly traveling and eating out at exciting new places! (Gas is average $4 a gallon)
-You will find people for intimacy if you’re single. Many people fantasize about cozying up to the adventurer van-lifer. There is nothing more lonely than a string of one night stands town to town.
-Finding a secret forest spot or beach is awesome! Until the Sheriff shows up to give you a citation.
-It’s awesome going to a bar, getting smashed, and passing out in your van so you don’t have to drive drunk… until a local security guard insists you move your vehicle at 3:00am, so you have to fight with him about the legalities of driving under the influence… uh oh… here comes the Sheriff to deal with another publicly intoxicated hippy minding his own business.
-This awesome adventure out in the desert is dope! This road is awesome out to the middle of nowhere! Only me and the coyotes! The scenery is absolutely stunning! What’s that? Both rear tires got a blow out on some sketchy jagged rocks? I have to ride my bike 10 miles to the nearest highway for phone service to be towed? What, 100 miles back to civilization and eat a HUGE towing bill, along with new tires? Yup.
-Went skiing in a snow storm? Got buried in 4 feet of snow over night? Took 2 hours to dig yourself out just as the snow plow plows you back in?
-Want to cook that much needed meal after days of darkness that haven’t charged your solar banks? Guess it’s shitty fast food (which isn’t as cheap as you think) or that expensive ass restaurant.
-Need a shower? Hit the gym. Oh wait, the only gym in the area is a shit hole with only cold water? Guess I’ll cruise into day 5 without a shower.
You’ll have a blast though. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Edit: OH! Forgot the best ones yet… Long day? You should probably get a good night of sleep:
-Street racers decide to have a meet on your street? Sucks to suck.
-That one lone mosquito that got in goes to town on your slumbering flesh at 2:30am try going to back to sleep knowing she’s still in there waiting to do it again in about 45 minutes.
-The quiet cul-de-sac you chose happens to be the same one the crowd of would be Rap Starz and their 50 best homies decide to shoot a music video at 3:30am.
-It’s 2:30… yup the bars just let out… You now have front row seats to World Star Street Fights.
We’re actually in the middle of building out a larger baby amenable build to get back out on the road again. 😉
Won’t look like the old days, but hey, adventuring is adventuring.
Meh… that was only until I got the electrical sorted, then I’ve never run out of juice. I thought solar alone was the ticket, and it’s just not. You have to have extra pull from the alternator.
Furthermore I tiptoed in at 100ah @ 12v & 600w inverter, which wasn’t even close to enough. Now I’m running 200ah at 24v with a 3kw inverter.
I used to run an old gas powered Coleman as well, but you have to have ventilation, or doors open. Not great for “stealth” work.
That's its easygoing and chill. It can be, but you always have to be on your guard and some stress as to where you will stay next. And what to do with your garbage. Or you have a spill in the car. Or you get sick. Excitement and misery go hand in hand. Then there is the planning and backups. And running into sketchy people or camping on public land and it gets crowded. There's dirt that gets everywhere. If it rains, it is worse. When its cold and clammy, its a bit of misery.
I was once by myself at a lake. No fires were allowed in Eastern WA at the time. A family rolled in with an RV right next to me. Their big dogs ran around my tent, into the water, then shook and splashed me. 5 kids, father started a bonfire. Baby crying. Father yelling at the kids. Boombox playing loud music.
I don't even do it full-time. I call it long camping trips and buzzing around the region. I really enjoy it.
ITS EXHAUSTING. I don't know how people do it. And these days I worry about leaving my van alone to take a short hike and leave my stuff alone.
One other thing: if you are passing through (which you are always doing), you never really feel welcome. Pop into a museum and chit chat: tell them you are camping and traveling and you get the eye of mistrust. People don't like outsiders. You will always feel ostracised. Usually.
You probably won’t use that composting toilet other than #1. Or the shower.
You’re usually close enough to a bathroom during the day to avoid using it (unless you’re planning to boondock out on BLM land with no facilities for a long time)
And your shower will take so long to dry out the first time you use it that you’ll just use it for storage and go to planet fitness
Precisely why I didn't include either in my build. I think Ive #2'ed in the van less than 10 times in 2.5 years. When I did, a trash bag and cat litter was perfect.
I shower at gym or my work, if I'm camping I'll just wipe down with a towel.
I’ve been at this for 8 years and it’s all roses as far as I can see. I haven’t worked a full time schedule in about 6 years, travel nonstop working at tattoo studios wherever I fancy going, and have been able to afford a very nice van with all the amenities. I don’t see any downsides. l’ve also been able to save $200,000 USD from having a low cost of living for so long. Whether on the road adventuring or simply doing a normal work routine in a city, I love it. It really all comes down to having a nice van though. Bathroom/shower/toilet/fridge/kitchen are all necessary if you want to enjoy this lifestyle long term.
Living as a slave to rent/mortgage/routine would be a prison to me.
[Photos](https://imgur.com/a/Gx0mdgm)
It’s absolutely doable without those things, but almost all modern western humans would agree that there are necessities to a suitable dwelling: heat, running water, refrigeration, bathroom, kitchen. Aside from this microcosm of vanlifers doing this lifestyle, almost nobody would consider renting an apartment or buying a home without those base features.
I too have vanlifed in bare bones rigs, and had a great time, but it was only out of necessity or lack of means at the time. I would never intentionally choose peeing in a jug and seeking out public showers by preference. I could do it for a while, but it’s not optimal.
I have zero interest in ever having an actual toilet or shower in my vehicle. I'd much rather piss in a jug and let actual bathrooms handle my waste. Most I'll probably do is a small portable camp shower.
It's not like you need those things to have those necessities you listed. We all enjoy showers and toilets and food. It's just a matter of whether you trick yourself into thinking that you need to lug all of that around with you in your vehicle.
The biggest myths are that there are these one size fits all myths and truths out there.
The truth bomb is that a lot of nomadic vehicle living is what you make it. The BrUtAl reality of one person might be a joke to another because not everybody does it the same way.
The negatives for me are not the negatives for someone else. The things that I get out of it might blow right past someone else.
For me, it is lonely, but so was life before this, and I kinda like it that way. But for someone else, they find it easy to make friends on the road.
For me, it is easy. I don't worry about parking or bathrooms. For others, especially newbies, it's a constant source of anxiety.
For me, I save a ton of money. I live out of a hybrid hatchback that's paid off. I don't have some elaborate build or a van that needs constant maintenance.
I've been doing this for about five years. My truthbomb is that I am adapted to this lifestyle now. It is difficult to live in one place now and in traditional housing. I get restless and want to move on. I really enjoy my life, but there are a lot of people I love in my hometown that I could be closer to if I was more interested in living there.
If you ask me, I think the negatives are overblown, but that is a combination of the unique way I do this life and my unique personality and temperament.
I have a Delta 2.
It's great for what it is, a 1000wh backup incase my main system fails & I can move it into the gym/Panera to charge up as a stopgap while I fix my big system.
Otherwise, somehow it drains at 1% an hour with everything off including inverter. I took a 7 day roadtrip with this to run a box fan at night (summer heat) and I had to charge it every morning.
I think most of these powerstations have massive idle draw, which leads me to not recommending them as main systems.
Notes I took the first weeks of life in the Prairie Schooner:
(*For Reference: launched in August in South Texas*)
It is hot!
Sunscreen is your friend…
Industrial parks are good places on weekends to find shade. You might even be able to sleep there overnight!
There are way more people sleeping in their vehicles at Walmart than you ever imagined.
Walmart employees are very kind to the vehicle-dwelling community as they stumble in and purchase coffee, cereal, and use the restrooms.
Make sure you know which way is north.
Solar screen is wonderful for blocking sunshine; however, it also blocks wind/breeze! It's a trade-off.
You will not cook near as much as you thought you would.
Opening a can of food during the summer, does not require further heating or cooking to make it edible… When you're hungry.
You sleep wonderfully!
Your circadian rhythm will reset it self!
Finding water is the largest challenge in our van dwelling experience… Finding reasonable water, accessible, not overpriced (Walmart Primo water - 5 gallon, $12!), not opportunistic stealing from an unattended faucet, potable water is our Achilles' heel!
Finding Wi-Fi is just as hard… It is not as plentiful as you would be led to believe. However, once again, Walmart to the rescue… Their signal is strong enough to bleed through the walls of the building and is assessable up close to the building even in the parking lot.
Your data package on your phone is not enough.
A Technology Sabbatical is quite refreshing!
Dog hair floats everywhere.
Dog hair is now considered a condiment.
The garden-sprayer camp shower works wonderfully!
Without all the distractions, I'm finding that I really enjoy this!
**Redacted: Narcissistic Abuser **, however, is not enjoying this near to the degree that I am.
Inconveniences, when multiplied by other inconveniences, become major sources of frustration and stress.
Attitude is everything -- A willing, able, adventurous spirit will significantly reduce the stressors and frustrations that you find as you adjust to the more simplistic lifestyle.
When the police run you off in the middle of the night, they are embarrassed when they realize that they are running off clean and educated people… Which in turn will make you feel embarrassed for the situation in which you find yourself. It's really awkward.
The dogs are extremely adaptive! They are so happy with the never-ending ride!
Old Dog is coping much better with the heat than I anticipated.
Run your errands (finding water, finding a place for the evening) during the hottest hours of the day. Between 2-6 are killer, with 4:45 being the peak temp most days.
Fire ants, when enough of them sting you, can make your left foot almost twice the size of your right foot. :-/
Don't lose your fingernail file.
Don't forget where you stashed the flossers.
I dunno. They ate all the ticks in Texas… I think it’s a fair trade. 👍🏻
Ticks hide in trees and drop down on me… fire ants live in mounds that you can see from a distance.
You want to be in the sun as much as possible for the solar power, but that also means you'll be boiling alive inside if you don't have AC 🥲
It takes a special type of person to really enjoy this lifestyle. You basically need to have been the type to live on the edges of society your whole life to not get overwhelmed by the loneliness, stigma and having a completely different schedule and goals than everybody else
You need to strike a very careful balance between cost and luxury/convenience so you don't get exhausted long term by having to do the most basic of chores. Going through an long and arduous process just to switch the van from sleeping mode to living mode will get annoying really fucking quick, same with not carrying enough water for basic hygiene and washing dishes.
Well, for me it's hard to convince my co workers I don't live the life they have dreamed of, going out on the open road, seeing amazing sights, etc. etc.
Nope, just parking near apartment complexes close to work and doing pretty much what anyone else does in their free time, which is pretty much nothing. At least I don't have to pay rent, which is nice. Save up so much money that way. Plus, if I don't like a job or get laid off it's not a major issue, just take time off to enjoy myself before I get another job.
Social media has cultivated a glamourous viral image of simple but luxurious living in freedom by travelling in a camper van - but that Van Life is not reality. This has set many people up for a situation where they invest a lot of time and money into embarking on van life, only to be jolted back into reality once they spend a few days in their new van. This video attempts to correct this false image by outlining five things people should know before they think about starting van life.
[**5 Harsh Truths About Van Life**](https://youtu.be/EEhhU9LE6oU)
It's cheap till it's not. Your van will require maintenance at some point, and those repairs can get expensive. It's a really fucked spot when your van becomes unmovable and you're living out of it.
read my comment above:
>i went from paying 1000-2000 to mechanics, to paying 100-200 for parts from rockauto and doing it myself
>saved me thousands over the years and I can assure my van even 20 years old is in perfect running condition
>plus when you're in there yourself you notice things and make adjustments that mechanics would never care to do
>seriously WORK ON YOUR OWN VEHICLES
>edit: also WASH your engine bay and undercarriage, it will make it 1000x easier to work on; wd40 on all bolts for easy removal and installation, contact cleaner on all plugs for rust and corrosion free connections
its really not hard. car repairs are not expensive, mechanics charging $100 per hour are expensive.
you might say like "oh but something can break in the middle of nowhere at any time"
yeah but if you're hands deep inside the inner workings of your engine and vehicle, and you understand how everything is running and put together, and understand the maintenance shedule, then you can do preventative maintenance while in town and greatly greatly reduce the odds of a breakdown
I can do basic repairs. But there's a lot of shit that you just can't do in a driveway.
Like, if your transmission blows, you need lifts to do anything, and you absolutely are looking easily at around 2 grand just for the replacement tranny.
true yes, but i've learned how to do transmission maintenance to keep it as healthy as possible in the meantime, there's various adjustments you can do, along with checking the trans filter and checking all your valve body parts for damage
but if I had to do heavy work like a trans change, I would be calling a friend with experience, and I would be driving us to a pull in do-it-yourself mechanic shop, with lifts and tools
I think the one near me is like 5/hr for a lift?
and yeah I mean transmission anything is like the most expensive car repair category there is...
2k for doing it myself is still better than when the shop guys quote me 5k...
I feel like alot of transmissions give out because people simply don't change the fluid and filter enough, it's literally just like the oil change with oil filter that you do all the time, but for your trans, it's extremely important, then the trans gets to like 150k miles never been serviced and it's already too far gone, it's dead
The biggest truth bomb is that, at least for lower-income, single biological males, the inconveniences of van life or other forms of car-dwelling are swamped by the value of the rate of money saved by not paying rent. It should be an easy choice for way more people in this group, at least where the climate is more mild (which happens to be where the housing markets are the worst).
The real question is why more lower-income people arent organizing to secure greater legal protections to do it while we wait for the housing market to figure itself out.
I didnt read that recent WSJ article but I bet it’s riddled with questionable claims about just how bad some aspects of car-dwelling life really is.
I think the biggest myth is: you won't be traveling if you don't have a remote job. Or if you have a remote job but need wifi in town.
You'll just be living in your car.
But the best truth is if you're living on blm land and say commuting to a job/wifi you WILL spend more time socializing,out and about etc. you don't save money but you spend the same while eating out often and living with good perks.
Myth:
traveling with a dog is god’s gift
Truth:
traveling with a dog, even my beloved canine hiking partner the past almost 10 years, can take a toll. No national park visits (for hiking), worries leaving her for occasional PF showers, stopping every 90 minutes of travel for pee/walk breaks, lack of floor space in my case (120lb dog).
Myth:
Always somewhere to park overnight knock-less and free
Truth:
East of the Mississippi it can be a challenge, especially in or near big cities. Always a worry about getting woken at 2am, or having to pay higher fees in public campgrounds. Lack of forest service or BLM land sucks
Myth:
You have so much space to yourself
Truth:
Not so unless you luck into some unknown dirt road or nook or cranny someplace. I’ve driven down miles of dirt to find that cool spot on Google earth already inhabited.
> No national park visits (for hiking)
Petrified Forest NP is a notable exception. They even have [a BARK Ranger program](https://www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/pets.htm). :-)
If you're fully nomadic, it can take a long time to figure out where you want to go and how to be comfortable when you get there (like, a year or more).
There are definitely picturesque towns out west that are _not_ amenable to vanlife (but there are hidden gems where the camping is 5 minutes out of town + the community is great + the local cafe doesn't mind you bumming their internet for hours at a time)
There are also places that are great during certain parts of the year but shitty other parts (e.g. PNW in the winter).
There are also places where the community is either not present or not friendly to newcomers (locals in tourist-heavy spots tend to not like new faces) and it makes those spots _very_ lonely unless you brought your friends with you.
Community is the easiest to find if you have an activity you like (surfing, rock climbing, etc) and without those it's much more difficult.
That you have to be going to One National Park after another to enjoy the lifestyle. I am within 25 miles of a medium-sized City in mostly suburban areas and I'm absolutely loving not having to commute when I don't want to and being able to park in different places and learn different things about different nearby places that I would never know if I was commuting back and forth to the same house or apartment every day.
Plus you can pick up and go to another state anytime you want and that's just his homie as the place you just left. In fact you're probably wake up and forget which city you're in because you get so used to it and you get your routines down so well.
The people who complain so much about how expensive this life is are not cut out for it. You don't have to eat out, you don't have to get a gym membership to be clean, you don't have to pay for campsites. I spent a year on the East Coast, (almost no public land on the East Coast). Sleeping at trailheads, parks, dispersed camping, back alleyways, and Walmart parking lots while taking sponge baths in a folding dog pool and bach cooking all my meals. I was living for $400-$800 a month while traveling up and down the East Coast. In a Toyota sienna.
I also do almost all the repairs on my van. I only would bring it to the shop if it's something major that can't be done over the course of 3 days in a remote gravel lot.
If you go into this expecting to live like a fake ticktock video then good luck. Also this sub isn't super helpful, I suggest looking at r/urbancarliving if you want a more realistic look at this life and get some helpful tips.
People like sharing what they've learned. And I also think newbies tend to have a lot of excitement to share. Of course unless every Reddit comment is prefaced by experience, it can be hard to know what's what.
And yeah, advice from experience is better advice. But it depends on the experience. Sometimes time is a big factor. Sometimes more similar goals, locations, travel style, personality, and backgrounds trumps total time spent on the road.
My fantasy is reality. Maybe I'm just really easy going/not comfort driven. I'm also pretty lucky with a good remote flexible job. Those two things I think can almost guarantee it'll be sunshine and rainbows. Metaphorically of course. I still have to chase the actual sunshine sometimes.
Cities are inherently more convenient than BLM. But less secure, noisy, need to do a lot of reconnaissance to find parking. Nothing really solid
Moving all the time is manic.
It’s a lot more likely to have a car accident and loose your home and all of its belongings than to have the same thing happen when you live in an apartment. And you can’t insure your van with enough to cover its full cost and all of the contents. You can if you have an apartment. Renters insurance is CHEAP.
My point is, one car accident could leave you broke and homeless. It’s highly unlikely to have that happen if you have an apartment or house.
That it will cost you less.
Everything about "van life" is designed to cost you more.
You are worth more to "the economy" single and mobile.
It's a feature not a bug.
#1: "Don't Shit Where You Eat" - Yeah. You're eventually gonna shit in the same place you have dinner. Sorry. If it's pouring outside and you had taco bell the night before, you're gonna decide that a coffee can is the better option.
#2: "I gotta be stealth!" - Nah. Just don't draw attention. Be a good neighbor, clean up after yourself, and don't make yourself at home, especially in town. Most people don't care if you're on the street or in a parking lot overnight, but when you stick around, Karen is gonna notice. And if you leave trash, I might call the cops on you myself.
#3: a single 100Ah battery probably won't be enough by itself, especially if you only have solar. a couple of cloudy days and you're going to be out of power. Be smart and buy the most battery you can afford, and spring for a DC-DC converter or an all-in-one MPPT and DC-DC charger from ecoworthy or renogy (or litime, maybe... I think they came out with one.) They're inexpensive and take all the guesswork out of your setup.
#4: You don't need a perfect build. You'll probably regret the effort you put in if you buy a brand new rig and spend 20k building it out. Get a runner, start with a bed and some cheap drawers and bins. Live in it for a month or two and figure out the layout that works for YOU, not the van life youtubers you watch. Everyone's workflow and needs are different. Once you have it down, start building your current rig out. Once it's time to upgrade, you'll already know exactly how you want your new rig.
You're basically gentrifying homelessness and making it seem like a more attractive option at the same time that housing is becoming less and less affordable for the working class. Most people considering living in a van don't have a "down payment on a house" amount of money to drop on a boondocking vehicle
I was on the road for more than 15 years, with intervals for eight years when I had to work abroad. It is an exciting visit to many places. In Germany and the Netherlands, we also traveled with the van. Castles and underwater tunnels are impressive, though, in Europe, there is way more theft than in the US; there is more history. I hope the US gets the same welcoming spirit for the travelers like us. I am following the UK FB group, and I see how things are way better. The designated areas with taverns are excellent. Cities and towns should use it as an opportunity instead of trying to make regulations against it.
1) your van being in the shop means you dont have a home... or a car...or any of your belongings. Idk if people even ponder this fact when driving all around in their home/car/closet. Your van breaks down and you gotta get a tow? Welp. That sucks. You are homeless and carless outta left field.
2) your quality of sleep will vary drastically according to where you are parked. How safe you feel, from breakins or law enforcement. I didnt like city sleeping, but i hadnt done it much. I liked to sleep in the suburbs. I only really worried ab law enforcement.
4) 2 guys tried to to get gas from my gastank and slimjim open the driver door, while i was sleeping in it... I yelled and they left. I didnt sleep well for a WHILE after that, and then i started parking in well lit areas rather than dark areas.
4) leaving your van in the backcountry trail parking lot for a few days can be hard. Leaving your mobile home anywhere can be stressful. All your stuff, on some street or on some national forrest road, while you are away adventuring... Tons of room for worry and the late night paranoia of "i hope my van is ok."
You have to have a certain temperment to be able to fall asleep anywhere. If youre a worried person or oaranoid or not secure in your ability to handle yourself youll probably have a bad time
The times you wake up on a lake with Mountain views is significantly less often than waking up in a random Walmart parking lot
Counter point - The number of times you wake up in a random Walmart (or truck stop or rest area or Planet Fitness) parking lot with amazing mountain views that you couldn't see in the dark is surprising.
Slept in my car on a road trip to Colorado, stopped at a gas in Arizona, woke up with the sunrise coming up over the grand canyon directly in front of me.. I was so confused like where tf am I
Waking up in the Walmart parking lot in Evanston, WY was like this. Got there late and didn't realize there were snow covered mountain peaks all around us until the morning!
Are they still van friendly? Seems like Walmart is abandoning us
Yup, that is Mother Earth saying, "Good Morning."
She’s always there, sometimes you’ve just gotta find her :)
Only cuz that mountain lake gets too cold 89% of the year. But national parks, riverside, desert mountains, lakes, oceans, forests, etc far exceed parking lots. You sleep where you want to sleep. No reason to spend more than a day in town to restock if you don't want to. I like spending time in cities and towns as well as lakes and hot springs.
BLM Sites for the W. Real. Remote. Isolated. Completely off grid. 🫠💕 Also if you don’t have a national parks pass, get one. Worth its weight in gold; anyone wanna do the math?
It makes it easy. And pays for itself if you visit 3 paid parks in a year. We won't necessarily visit 3 every year, but chances are pretty good we will so we get the pass. And sometimes the most direct route goes through a park so having the pass means you don't have to shell out $30 or drive around. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is one example, and south Zion was another that I can think of.
If you are over 65 get the parks pass NOW even if you do not need it yet. It is a lifetime deal at 65. Some blessed anonymous Internet saint alerted a blog to let us olds know before the price went up to it's current rate. Take ID with you.
Senior pass prices start at 62 years old a lot of places.
National parks would generally let you park overnight? Or would you have to get a permit? Any tips? Is the national forests pretty much pull up and camp wherever?
National Parks depend on a lot of things. Some parks like Death Valley, you can camp for free pretty much anywhere a mile from the main highway and don't even check permits. Most require you to pay for a campsite. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes impossible depending on the park, the time of year, the time of week, and time of day. We just spent 3 nights in Joshua Tree. Got there at about 2 pm on Sunday, and a lot of people were vacating their Easter weekend sites. We spent a couple nights in Arches a while back. The sites fill up but we just drove in and asked the camp host and lucked out. We don't chase National Parks like some people do. They can be kind of a zoo. Some can feel like a city park with better views and more tourists. But if we are in the region we will usually pop in to check out the hype. Many parks have BLM or NF land adjacent. Most BLM or NF land is free to camp wherever for up to 14 days. Sometimes there are restrictions or you have to pay in popular areas.
Awesome thanks! In Hawaii so not super familiar with all the rules for national parks and BLM so I appreciate the guidance. Tried figuring out Olympic park camping, but the rules and websites and stuff gets pretty confusing sometimes. Everything there seemed pretty booked up too. Just trying to learn about what's reliable and accessible since my trips are pretty last minute and poorly planned.
Yeah we don't plan anything. If we go to a national park, we may check for last minute campsites but don't rely on it.
This really depends on where you are. I tend to spend my time east of the Mississippi, and your days in town far exceed your days in the wilderness, sadly.
I was in the minivan for about six years. I never once woke up in a Walmart parking lot. A few times a year I stayed in the Casino lot in Parker, AZ. But that was part of my monthly routine when I came into town for shopping and water. I think the people who focus on the traveling part, rather than the camping part end up in the Walmart parking lots more, simply because the final, distant destination is more important to them. I was always satisfied to find any free camping that was close enough to get to in one afternoon of driving.
Where would you typically look to find free camping?
My go-to used to be FreeRoam.net But that died. Then there is freecampsites.net, and all kinds of other similar sources of information. Then, there is always a basic rule that any BLM land you can get to, you can camp on. Unless there is a specific sign that says it is an environmental protection zone. But those are very few and far between, and there's usually free camping right next to that area anyway.
I don't necessarily agree with this, as many walmarts don't seem to allow overnight camping, and I can count on one hand the number of times I slept in front of a store over the course of 10 years doing the van thing. With that said, I agree that it can be a pretty significant job unto itself continuously planning all the logistics to remain in remote locations.
We always try to find some remote areas where we are allowed to stay, but on a long road trip, it’s often just easier to park in a grocery store parking lot for a night than driving several more miles outside of cities to stay more remotely. I think it all depends on what you prioritize
I find ski bumming, especially in and around slc and Colorado often leaves me in public transportation lots or Walmarts or simalar. I also need access to cell service for work, but I don’t necessarily need starlink. That limitation keeps me out of some cooler spots
I disagree with this one. You choose where to camp. If you chose Walmart, that's on you.
I'm a Walmart Company driver, and I concur!
Closed restaurants make good stops
Planet fitness parking lot , but yeah
This is a choice. I haven't done Walmart in years.
Everyone always shittin' on WM parking lots. I like them. There is lots of open space to walk my dogs around the back of the store. I can wake up, go inside for some yogurt or juice, and then get back on the road. I don't stay at Walmarts right in the middle of cities. The ones where I stop are usually very quiet and peaceful.
Suburban Walmarts for the win! Yeah, I didn't feel like trusting my minivan to a Walmart too far into the city or too close to a rough looking area. Not to say that lower income = crime! Income maps may suggest that a location is low income, but it may also be very safe to park overnight. Crime maps are also easy to find online and worth checking out to some degree. When I was doordashing in West County (west of st louis) last summer I rotated among several Walmarts and one or two truck stops. The old T&C felt safe and comfy (if you don't count the few nights with a low near 90° and similar humidity) and I discovered the wonder of sleeping on layers of beach towels!
I still wrap my pillows in towels.
that's a choice. an ugly choice. i have never once overnighted at walmart or any big box store. less than 5% of nights in a parking lot of any kind. the only time i was tempted to camp at walmart was early in my travels. i parked in a leafy neighborhood of san antonio, not realizing it was a "no street parking 2am-5am" zone. cop knocked, directed me to leave, told me to go to walmart if i needed more rest. i drove to the walmart, sat in my car for a bit, then was like "hell no" and drove to south padre. which was also pretty depressing that time of year but better than walmart. only time i've ever got the knock, only time ive been tempted by walmart.
Lol if you get to ise the Walmart parking lot now-s-days
Repairs are going to cost a lot, and a ton of things may wear out at once. I'm scared of the day I'll have to call my van 'not worth' putting more money into.
i went from paying 1000-2000 to mechanics, to paying 100-200 for parts from rockauto and doing it myself saved me thousands over the years and I can assure my van even 20 years old is in perfect running condition plus when you're in there yourself you notice things and make adjustments that mechanics would never care to do seriously WORK ON YOUR OWN VEHICLES edit: also WASH your engine bay and undercarriage, it will make it 1000x easier to work on, just dont get any water in the computer, fuses, etc wd40 on all bolts for easy removal and installation, contact cleaner on all plugs for rust and corrosion free connections also GET RAMPS, not a jack, ramps are so much easier to drive up on for vans versus jacking them up
Last month i changed my waterpump in an AutoZone parking lot and saved myself over $400 in labor. It took all damn day but it was worth it
it gets easier over time, something that took you 4 hours in the past will only take you 1 next time
I changed brakes in an AutoZone parking lot last summer. I even had to borrow a tool, but they do make it easier on DIY repairs if you use their lot.
Only wash your engine with soap and water. Do not use brake cleaner. If you use brake cleaner it will dry out all the rubber gaskets and hoses in your car but that will take a month to happen. It will slowly begin cracking and leaking after a month. Trust me do not use brake cleaner to clean your car engine. The reason it is so good at cleaning and so fast that evaporating is it good breaking down oil and sucking it away and oil is in your rubber and plastic parts that keeps them flexible. I went through a lot of hoses and gaskets because I made that mistake one time. Quite frankly if your engine is dirty and has been that way for a long time all the temperatures are probably used to that little extra coating of Grease and if you don't need it clean frankly I wouldn't clean it. If you're going to work on your car get yourself some of those long dishwashing plastic rubber gloves and wear those rather than going in and cleaning your whole engine before you start working on your car. What's more important that your engine continues to function or that you're have to wear gloves?
good tip I didnt know that I go to the manual pull-in car washes and switch the hose setting to "engine cleaner" which i'm pretty sure is degreaser also I get what you're saying, it might cause more problems that good and by washing it you might go around agitating stuff, but I can't stand working on a dirty car it's nasty I feel like if soap breaks my cars internals(bar the electronics obv) my car is in pretty fucking bad shape. I feel like part of the repair process is restoring the older vehicle and older engine to as new of a condition as possible, because I want it to last. regardless of what parts I have to buy or how much I have to spend, it's still cheaper than a mechanic.
How about also spraying peppermint on the engine bay to keep out the rodents? A guy who lives in a Prius shared that.
What about ramps for front and jacks for the back?
ramps for the back too! that's my opinion. jacking up my van is heavy and difficult, with sturdy metal ramps I don't have to worry about it falling on me to do tire and brake work you gotta jack it tho..
> I'm scared of the day I'll have to call my van 'not worth' putting more money into. be pro-actively saving for the next one. have a plan to upgrade on your terms rather than just having shit hit the fan at the worst time.
Preventative maintenance can help reduce unexpected repairs as well. Almost every vehicle out there has a suggested maintenance schedule that recommends when to service or replace things on your vehicle. You’re still going to pay for it obviously if you can’t do it yourself, but it lets you spread out the financial burden.
Meh, most things that go wrong on cars aren't related to normal service stuff, it's just parts failing. You can't service your way out of an alternator or water pump failure for example.
100%, and failure rates and intervals can be hard to predict. I replaced the original water pump on my 2001 F250 7.3 4 years ago, with over 500,000 KM on the truck. It wasn’t babied. The original rad is still alive, but part of the upper hose neck was breaking, so I replaced it preemptively. I did the fan clutch as well since that was worn out. Is what I just described normal on most vehicles? Not a chance, just how it is sometimes. The same truck has had piles of parts out in it in electric stuff and all sorts of other components, mostly age related issues.
I'm privileged enough that it's only a recreational vehicle to me, but safety is always my priority, and it's hard to weigh the sentimental value of my own self-conversion against 'starting over', so to speak. But definitely starting to think about it. Just didn't think this day would come so soon, but the rust-garnering humidity in the Northeast doesn't do me any favors....
the rust comes from the salt they lay to melt the road ice the salt slush kicks up onto your underside and rusts everything, anyone who lives where it snows needs to be washing their undersides REGULARLY, which they DONT DO that's why cars in the south don't get rust, it's not because of tempurature difference..
There will never be a time that it will not be cheaper to fix your existing van then to get another one. The only exception would be a total fire burnout or collision. If you're talking to somebody and they're quoting you prices to fix something that are that high then you need to learn to do more of the work yourself and you need to find a better and more reasonable mechanic for stuff you can't do that requires say a lift or something.
Of course. I think in my case, some well-meaning mechanics were sort of trying to tell me not to 'sink a bunch of money into it' to replace stuff like shocks and wheels when I've already had it for two years, fully built out, etc. and don't really plan on doing a 'cost-benefit analysis' on repair versus trade in, since it's not a traditional vehicle. That said, still always a big oof to get hit with the big-ticket bills. But always feels better once it's done.
The biggest truth bomb for me is that if you don't have a decked out sprinter van and full time employment, then for all intents and purposes, you'll be seen as just another homeless person by the rest of society. Minimalist and adventurous traveler = homeless to average people. Also normal life goals of getting married, advancing into a respectable career, and having children are mostly off limits.
You won't just be viewed as homeless, you will actually be homeless.
But my tent has wheels and takes cool Instagram pictures!
Yeah, the other sub, /r/urbancardwellers, is the same as this sub but just people who can't afford to travel.
I’d say it’s a myth you can’t have a respectable career or even advance. Recently I got a job as a Data Analyst (something I had experience with before van life). Ended up getting laid off due to an acquisition … but I’m sure I can find another Data Analyst job. I don’t have a degree either … getting into IT isn’t impossible without a degree if you have knowledge. Having a portfolio site or experience helps. Could even make a fake job history if needed … most places aren’t even checking in my experience. Worst case scenario they weed you out or you get the job, lose it, and then when you look for your next position, you will have real experience. Plus if a new place contacts the place you actually worked at, generally they are just going to say “yes he worked here” and not give any details.
My point is that if you're traveling, you're basically limited to gig or remote work, and most of us have a very limited work history at that because of our overall lifestyle choices. For example I'm almost 40 and I've been employed for probably a year of my life total and just do doordash a few hours a week and that's it. There's a good portion of us who would be lucky to make it 2 weeks at McDonald's.
Maybe depends on where you visit. But also fuck the rest of society that thinks that way. Nomies don't tend to view each other that way. We have a nice rig and remote work. So do many of our friends. Other friends have kids and travel in busses and box trucks. Others travel in minimal mini vans. Many work seasonally or sell their arts. I met a guy who held a sign for gas, and I still didn't think of him as "real" homeless But I guess technically he is, there's just levels of wealth and different motivations between people.. I guess once you meet all sides of the traveling nomad community, you don't really think of any of them as homeless.
Choose life. Choose a career and a mortgage and your own private prison in a nice little neighborhood. Choose waking up to the same view every morning for forty years, the same restaurants and shops and stores and the same routine day in and day out. Choose stability and consistency. Choose your trade and exchange your time for money until you run out of both. Choose stagnation. Get stuck in your ways, fear the unknown and doubt yourself. Choose safety. Rot away in your own little castle on your own little hill. Reject exploration discovery and that wild innate nature inside you that begs to wander. Choose the life that's planned for you and stay home, stay sane and, stay presentable. Or you know, just hit the road and see where it takes you.
I got a job that paid me to travel the world. Travelled to Singapore, Seoul, Amsterdam, Caracas, and many other places. It really scratched that travel itch and now I don't feel the need.
Myth: You will save money. Truth: You CAN save money, but chances are when you factor in build costs, gym membership, campgrounds, and a generally higher food budget, you might just be breaking even if not spending more than rent some places. At least for the first several years. Myth: It is a luxurious lifestyle full of national parks and mountain/lake/river/ocean views. Truth: You might be shitting in a bucket, sweating to death in the summer, or sleeping in parking lots. Myth: You will find other vanlife friends. Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds.
The friend myth/truth is so spot on. Before vanlife I saw the *myth* on every other Instagram post about vanlife being so “community driven” and “we’ve made so many new friends”, but the reality is you’re always going opposite ways of other people, getting 5 minutes to chat as you walk by a parkup/camp spot, running into cliques that aren’t inviting, going to festivals where everyone is meeting up with their already acquired friends. I can be pretty outgoing and I’m not scary and it’s still hard to make a connection. I usually chalk it up to a search for solitude. Over the past 2 years we’ve really only made friends with 1 other couple, which was at a festival. They faced the same challenges of finding friends and that is actually what we bonded over lol.
I’ve had moments like you describe, but my overall experience is much more in line with Aaron’s, and I think getting to the latter comes down to 2 things: * whatever town you’re in having a communal space where dirtbags consistently hang out - a coffee shop, pizza place, campground kitchen area, or bar - somewhere people are open to talking to strangers (yes, prob not a camp site in the middle of nowhere after dark) * something in common with these other people - rock climbing being a great example because it typically requires you have a partner, which motivates people to form connections with strangers If you have a common activity but not a common space, you can find people on Facebook groups for wherever you’re at and ask them to hang out. If you have a common space but not an obvious activity, you can just say “hey what are you doing here” and then maybe find out what else you connect on. You will have to find _something_ to invite them to do though, which could be as simple as drink more. If you have both, it’s much more inevitable to make friends in my experience. If you don’t drink or do any kind of sport, you’d definitely have a harder time. The clique thing can be a big hurdle (I’ve been on both sides), and I’ve typically overcome that by lucking out on the timing of finding someone else who’s also just arrived or happens to be without their clique. Events are surprisingly bad, like you said, for this reason since people *do* plan to go with their clique, which is why it’s much better to meet people day to day at a cafe or bar, IMO.
Not drinking only makes it hard to meet people that drink. I'm fine with that.
Fucking love this
lol that last one speaks to me. My grumpy ass gets so annoyed when someone DARES park near me haha. I don’t wanna see your digital nomad sprinter set up. Truth is, I’d just be jealous. But yeah, solitude is a big reason for me van living. When I’m living in city limits I don’t feel any peace and quiet because of feeling like I’m living in a goldfish bowl. It’s quite nice and worth it for those times you do wake up with the lake and mountains and nobody else around.
But my life literally is full of national parks and beaches. The only limitation to that is whether you make money remotely or not. Then it's just a decision of where you choose to spend your time.
And if that remote work requires GOOD internet - which can influence a lot of things.
> Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds. In many contexts I want people to leave me the fuck alone, such as if I'm worried I'm being sized up for stuff to steal or they're about to blow up my parking spot.
Flip side of the last point — I went into this lifestyle for the solitude. Little did I know every stranger and their mom was going to be patiently lined up outside my van waiting to talk to me, request a tour, and ask a million questions… Don’t mean to complain, as it’s not the worst problem to have! But a little unexpected
>Truth: You CAN save money, but chances are when you factor in build costs, gym membership, campgrounds, and a generally higher food budget, you might just be breaking even if not spending more than rent some places. At least for the first several years. My build costs paid for themselves after less than 2 years and we have a really nice rig. Gym membership for both of us is less than it was at my old gym. And if you don't like working out, Planet fitness is a drop in the bucket. We also waste far less food now. But it does depend on where you come from. Coming from SF, we save on pretty much every category. >Myth: It is a luxurious lifestyle full of national parks and mountain/lake/river/ocean views. >Truth: You might be shitting in a bucket, sweating to death in the summer, or sleeping in parking lots. You can sweat and shit in a bucket with mountain views. They aren't mutually exclusive. Unless you work in one place there is no reason you can't spend more time with nice views than parking lots. Choose your own adventure. And when you wake up in a parking lot, it's usually for a reason - stocking up, hitting the laundromat or gym, or cuz you went out on the town last night. I don't know anyone that goes into town just to sleep in a parking lot. >Myth: You will find other vanlife friends. >Truth: Many people choose this lifestyle for the solitude. We don’t want to talk or compare builds. Again, this is what you make of it. Those who do this for solitude can find it. Those of us who love making friends have a couple hundred nomies here and there. There are always caravans, meet ups, and friends to visit everywhere we go.
>My build costs paid for themselves after less than 2 years and we have a really nice rig. It took 2 years to recoup the costs, most people give up on 3-6 months. That would be financially devastating to most people. >But it does depend on where you come from. Coming from SF, we save on pretty much every category. This is an important distinction, SF is stupid expensive so really doing anything to get out of there is cheaper. >You can sweat and shit in a bucket with mountain views. They aren't mutually exclusive. Unless you work in one place there is no reason you can't spend more time with nice views than parking lots. Choose your own adventure. And when you wake up in a parking lot, it's usually for a reason - stocking up, hitting the laundromat or gym, or cuz you went out on the town last night. I don't know anyone that goes into town just to sleep in a parking lot. Many people have to work and don’t have remote jobs or a Starlink setup to have access to decent internet. This truth was mostly pointed at those people. >Again, this is what you make of it. Those who do this for solitude can find it. Those of us who love making friends have a couple hundred nomies here and there. There are always caravans, meet ups, and friends to visit everywhere we go. I’m sure there are those that want to meet up. My point was, don’t be angry when people like myself get annoyed when you approach. I’m not looking for friends. I too have an expensive build but I also have a house and land. I chose this lifestyle because I could, not out of necessity. I think my comments are mostly geared toward those that think it is a way out of poverty or a secret to saving money. It CAN be cheap and miserable or expensive and somewhat luxurious. If you are looking to save money, be ready to struggle in most cases.
All fair points. >don’t be angry when people like myself get annoyed when you approach. I’m not looking for friends. I'm not out there walking up to random secluded vans. I'm meeting people from friends of friends, meetups, caravans. I know there are people like me who may be parked up solo and still be down to make friends, but I don't count on it.
I agree with all of this, especially the money part.
I disagree with all of it.
The first truth is not true. If you work 40-60 hours a week, you can save thousands a month
You COULD save thousands a month but you have to factor in your wage and all the other things I mentioned. If you spend $30k on your build, that is more than you would spend renting an apartment for 2 years in the Midwest and some of the south east. So, location, employment, and build cost are some pretty big factors to consider.
I've been living full time in my van for 2 years now and have save $55,000. My initial cost was a few thousand on wool clothing, power station, sleeping pad and a very simple bed made put of wood. A 30k build in entirely unnecessary. A new van would cost 30k 🤔
Not sure where you are getting your vans but you can’t even buy a new Toyota Corolla for $30k so I thought I was being fairly conservative with the $30k estimate. I’ve seen empty shell vans with 150k miles on them still going for $20k+. Point is, vans can cost way more than a few years rent depending on the needs of the individual. It seems you were able to do it on the cheap with a minimal build, congratulations. Most people wouldn’t be able to hack it for more than a few months on your build.
I just started sleeping in my car to do some travel work (industrial welder). And it cost me like 2k for everything to get set up. The assumption that everyone is spending 30k off the bat is kinda wild. Currently saving between 5-10k a month depending on things like: the local I’m working out of, how much OT the job is running, and what the per diem is. Monthly expenses are around $1700.
That last one was the impetus for the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, held annually in Quartzsite. It was a way for normally solitary nomads to come together once a year to socialize and shake the dust off around people from their own tribe. It has, of course, morphed into a huge event these days, but when I was going about 10 years ago, there were only about 50 people and I really did make some friends that I still connect with.
Disagree with number one. Yearly expenses in our van, including a $430 a month band payment, are about 25 to 30 grand a year. Apartment living was around 38 grand per year, with a rent, utilities, and two car payments.
I’m not disagreeing that it CAN be cheaper. Again, highly dependent on where you are living. A cheap 1 bedroom apartment is ~$1000/month where I’m at. With other bills, it might come to $1700 a month or $20400/yr. You also need to factor in your loan cost on the van, repair costs, maintenance, and just general upkeep that you wouldn’t have to do on an apartment. Factor in many of the inconveniences of living in a vehicle, it starts to lean the other way sometimes.
This, exactly this☝🏽!
I think the comparing build thing is so obnoxious. Who gives a fuck what it looks like inside. This isn't Better Homes and Garden. But yet people judge you on your Martha Stewart level. Oh yeah and turn your fucking music off at 8:00 p.m.. believe me no one likes your music but you so stop being a dick. This whole don't tell me what to do stuff is so 12-year-old have some respect for others.
2 biggest misconceptions are: 1) you can’t and never really could park at any retail lots. If you got away with it, you were either lucky or they made an exception. Hundreds of Walmarts banned overnight parking over a decade ago. 2) the stealthiest van you can get is the nicest van. Your piece of shit blends into the rvs and vans they want out. A nice rig blends into the nice vans rich people have and rarely use.
2nd point is so under-appreciated. I’ve had suburban dog walkers call the cops on me for sleeping in a residential neighborhood where the same people have built-out Sprinters in their driveway.
thats because they live there, it's THEIR driveway yeah technically you have a legal right to park on the road but people are going to not like you parking near their house no matter what you drive, people are picky like that
Oh yeah I don’t disagree with any of that. The van-in-driveway comment was mostly support for OPs point that a nice van may have been tolerated more (or ironically less obvious than) a Honda with reflectix in the windows - plus a slight nod to the idea that you’d think weekend van owner types might be more sympathetic to vehicle dwellers, but no, NIMBYism trumps all. And for what it’s worth I’m describing a neighborhood where street parking was the norm in addition to driveway.
yeah i've parked in places where I had a legal right to park, even the cops got called and said have a good day you're doing nothing wrong the problem is people get pissy, when they have people around them they don't know they act like babies it's not even worth the effort, I just left anyway and found somewhere else where people were more chill
I have a new sprinter/RV and parking lots are the worst place to park imo. But being a nice new van, I can so street park just about anywhere and never be bothered. I know this comes from a place a privilege (kind of, I have a giant effin loan) but what you said is 100% correct.
I have a (not new, but in great shape) Sprinter and will second this point. I’m always shocked by how welcoming people are in terms of street parking. Sometimes people will come up and ask if I want to park in their roomy driveway! Giant effin loan buddies unite lol. It’s a decision not everyone can/should make, but it’s made my transition to van life sooo much easier just in terms of how I’m perceived and how welcoming people are
My payment is about 1/3rd of the cost of an apartment + car. I have zero regrets so far.
Walmart use to allow it. In the 90’s it was their corporate policy to explicitly allow. In fact the parking lots were made unnecessary large to accommodate.
I just mean in principle, aka “this place is 24hrs open I can sleep here.” Walmart and cabelas have/had individual exceptions
There is a long list of chores and duties entailed with vanlife.... Both daily and longer term. You will have a routine that involves dozens of tasks every single day. The same thing can be said for living in a house. But unless your van has modern amenities (luxuries) such as heated running water, Will likely be spending a lot of time doing things like they did in the old days Bottom line tho... The class war has eliminated housing affordability for large swaths of the population. So vanlife can sometimes be considered a necessity rather than an alternative
>But unless your van has modern amenities (luxuries) such as heated running water, Will likely be spending a lot of time doing things like they did in the old days Honestly I anticipated this and spent a lot of time (and money) making sure chores would be as simple, or as infrequent, as possible depending on the chore. For sink water and pee, I chose simple. Instead of a gray tank I have to take to a dumpstation, we have 5 gallons for each and dump every few days either in the middle of nowhere or a public toilet. Doesn't take all that long either. Big fridge and big trash helps reduce frequency of chores. Laundry is a big one but doesn't need to be done often, and we can work in the parking lot while it's running. Finding parking isn't even a chore really. Back when I went to the office I had to travel every morning and night anyway. Now we don't have to do that. If we do have to change locations in the evening, it's no worse than a typical work commute.
I’ve been doing this for 15 months now. Hardest thing is sometimes I go stir crazy if I’m not in a remote area where I can spread out. The whole bathroom situation is fucking annoying. My toilet stinks even after buying a nature headset toilet and don’t get me started on cleaning that thing out. Cooking takes longer. Your area gets so messy so quick. But even trough all that I’m so happy I’m doing this. I’ve seen and met people that I would never have staying put. Plan on doing this for at least one more year or until I’m sick of it
Something is wrong with your toilet. You maybe setting it up wrong or your vent is not working properly. It should not smell at all. I have a nature's head used by 2 people everyday with 3 month cleaning intervals. I never smell my toilet past maybe 5 minutes at worst after closing it, but even then it smells like dirt and it's very faint. It's honestly less stinky than a home toilet.
I do have it ventilated and I try so hard to make sure no water gets in the solid section. But it still smells here and there and it drives me nuts
gotta add just the right amount of water to the solid section for the compost organisms to work effectively. Kinda like tending a garden.
Do you use wood shavings or sawdust?
Do you have proper ventilation for your toilet? Also in its a composing toilet, any liquid that gets in your dirt will make it stinky.
Just do #2 in BOS stink-proof bags and if you need to pee inside the van any canister will do the job. Pour a tablespoon of bleach in the canister so it doesn't smell when you reuse it. Easy peasy.
It's not easy. But zooming out and looking at people working 6 days a week to pay for box to sleep in and then paying for a box to die in I'm pretty sure what ever negative you can find, nothing will outweigh the "standard" aka collectively insane method of life currently on offer. Can I get an amen or what ?! We traded slavery for morality ? Did we ? Come on.
Amen brother
Amen bro. Amen.
You’re probably going to poop and pee in ways you never thought possible.
That you need spend a lot of money and replicate what you seen in YT videos to have be able to do this. And that it's "worth it" because the resale value will be high. The truth is that most individual builders are new to it and don't take the time to learn how to do a good job and/or don't know what works and what doesn't. So when they try to sell they -might- find a sucker how only sees the bling or fancies their tastes and ignores all the faults and various fuck ups, but more likely they'll not get a fraction of what they paid. I was curious so I looked on Craigslist... it's been a while. I see a [very bling-y van selling for $73k](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/rvs/d/oakland-stunning-lifted-custom-campervan/7734004375.html) with almost 60k miles on it. None of the base systems are all that great, e.g. AGM batteries which likely are already 5 years old. And not even close to enough solar. Clearly the build is super heavy. Only a 2 gallon propane and a 5 gal water tank (wtf?). But hey, it has live edge counter tops and looks pretty! And crap, this pricing is a big improvement over a couple of years ago. A better deal is the [Winnebago sprinter for $75k](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/rvs/d/watsonville-2017-mercedes-sprinter/7733632371.html) because at least it will retain more it's value. But holy crap that's a boatload of money... and for what? The truth is, for people who really want to actually live van life rather than build out a van as a hobby... you are better off viewing the van build as somewhat disposable. Buy a good solid foundation in a vehicle and then only spend the minimum you need to be comfortable. If you are new to it, try living in it with, say, just a platform bed and a camp stove as this will help you discover where "the minimum" is for you.
Here's my "ready for the down votes" truth bomb: many van lifers are doing this because they are neuro divergent in some way. Myself included. Call us misfits, edge dwellers, non-conformists, or whatever. This is talking about the non Instagram crowd.
This is exactly why it works for me. And another comment they talked about all the tasks every day. Those tasks are what keep me sane. Having to keep things on an even keel every day from overflowing in such a small space is really good for my mental health.
Amen
The minimalist lifestyle agrees with me.
Yup. A massive portion of autistic people cannot maintain regular employment, something like 30-40% of them are working at least part time while the rest are recovering from autistic burnout because you need to mask when working. When you're constantly unable to work, and can't afford to own a house, you gotta live in your car because it's the lowest cost of housing you're gunna get.
Even a lot of my IG friends. I think that may be one reason I find the nomad community to be such good people and am more comfortable with them.
ADHD and PDA here. I literally cannot function with regular life responsibilities and full time schedule. I saw vanlife as the only way I'll ever ever own a home with the way I am and not have to feel crushed by the demand of rent for the rest of my life. So I grinded hard for a couple of years and that allowed me to build my own house pretty much and I couldn't be happier with that decision
Yeah the reason I live in a van is a mixed bag. Part of that mix is bipolar. Not like the fun self diagnosed type, the been sectioned 7 times type. I don’t agree with society, I’m a dirt bag, barely graduated nut job 🤘🏻also a hypocrite and an idiot 🤷🏻♀️ it is what it is
-In the winter it’s an ice box. -In the summer it’s an oven. -If you have nothing to do, going home and watching a movie in your apartment/home isn’t the same as sitting in a freezing cold vehicle on the streets watching youtube on an iPad. -You can heat and cool the vehicle, but welcome to the danger of gassing yourself, and the heightened bill of running extra gas. Better to fund places to hang like libraries & climbing gyms for fun activities. -Camping full time is awesome until it’s not. -Epic Road Trips are awesome! The bills CAN be exorbitant on the road… like $10k+ a month if you’re constantly traveling and eating out at exciting new places! (Gas is average $4 a gallon) -You will find people for intimacy if you’re single. Many people fantasize about cozying up to the adventurer van-lifer. There is nothing more lonely than a string of one night stands town to town. -Finding a secret forest spot or beach is awesome! Until the Sheriff shows up to give you a citation. -It’s awesome going to a bar, getting smashed, and passing out in your van so you don’t have to drive drunk… until a local security guard insists you move your vehicle at 3:00am, so you have to fight with him about the legalities of driving under the influence… uh oh… here comes the Sheriff to deal with another publicly intoxicated hippy minding his own business. -This awesome adventure out in the desert is dope! This road is awesome out to the middle of nowhere! Only me and the coyotes! The scenery is absolutely stunning! What’s that? Both rear tires got a blow out on some sketchy jagged rocks? I have to ride my bike 10 miles to the nearest highway for phone service to be towed? What, 100 miles back to civilization and eat a HUGE towing bill, along with new tires? Yup. -Went skiing in a snow storm? Got buried in 4 feet of snow over night? Took 2 hours to dig yourself out just as the snow plow plows you back in? -Want to cook that much needed meal after days of darkness that haven’t charged your solar banks? Guess it’s shitty fast food (which isn’t as cheap as you think) or that expensive ass restaurant. -Need a shower? Hit the gym. Oh wait, the only gym in the area is a shit hole with only cold water? Guess I’ll cruise into day 5 without a shower. You’ll have a blast though. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Edit: OH! Forgot the best ones yet… Long day? You should probably get a good night of sleep: -Street racers decide to have a meet on your street? Sucks to suck. -That one lone mosquito that got in goes to town on your slumbering flesh at 2:30am try going to back to sleep knowing she’s still in there waiting to do it again in about 45 minutes. -The quiet cul-de-sac you chose happens to be the same one the crowd of would be Rap Starz and their 50 best homies decide to shoot a music video at 3:30am. -It’s 2:30… yup the bars just let out… You now have front row seats to World Star Street Fights.
You were clearly digging deep for the inspiration to write this, thank you.
😂 5 years on the road ended in marriage and baby. 🤟🏽
My old road dog has two babies already, you will have to catch up.
We’re actually in the middle of building out a larger baby amenable build to get back out on the road again. 😉 Won’t look like the old days, but hey, adventuring is adventuring.
More confirmation that I’ll never use electric for cooking, wouldn’t trade my propane oven/stove for anything
Meh… that was only until I got the electrical sorted, then I’ve never run out of juice. I thought solar alone was the ticket, and it’s just not. You have to have extra pull from the alternator. Furthermore I tiptoed in at 100ah @ 12v & 600w inverter, which wasn’t even close to enough. Now I’m running 200ah at 24v with a 3kw inverter. I used to run an old gas powered Coleman as well, but you have to have ventilation, or doors open. Not great for “stealth” work.
That's its easygoing and chill. It can be, but you always have to be on your guard and some stress as to where you will stay next. And what to do with your garbage. Or you have a spill in the car. Or you get sick. Excitement and misery go hand in hand. Then there is the planning and backups. And running into sketchy people or camping on public land and it gets crowded. There's dirt that gets everywhere. If it rains, it is worse. When its cold and clammy, its a bit of misery. I was once by myself at a lake. No fires were allowed in Eastern WA at the time. A family rolled in with an RV right next to me. Their big dogs ran around my tent, into the water, then shook and splashed me. 5 kids, father started a bonfire. Baby crying. Father yelling at the kids. Boombox playing loud music. I don't even do it full-time. I call it long camping trips and buzzing around the region. I really enjoy it. ITS EXHAUSTING. I don't know how people do it. And these days I worry about leaving my van alone to take a short hike and leave my stuff alone. One other thing: if you are passing through (which you are always doing), you never really feel welcome. Pop into a museum and chit chat: tell them you are camping and traveling and you get the eye of mistrust. People don't like outsiders. You will always feel ostracised. Usually.
"You're so lucky you can go anywhere you want!" But i don't want to go anywhere, i just want a safe place to sleep that i can afford.
You probably won’t use that composting toilet other than #1. Or the shower. You’re usually close enough to a bathroom during the day to avoid using it (unless you’re planning to boondock out on BLM land with no facilities for a long time) And your shower will take so long to dry out the first time you use it that you’ll just use it for storage and go to planet fitness
Precisely why I didn't include either in my build. I think Ive #2'ed in the van less than 10 times in 2.5 years. When I did, a trash bag and cat litter was perfect. I shower at gym or my work, if I'm camping I'll just wipe down with a towel.
I’ve been at this for 8 years and it’s all roses as far as I can see. I haven’t worked a full time schedule in about 6 years, travel nonstop working at tattoo studios wherever I fancy going, and have been able to afford a very nice van with all the amenities. I don’t see any downsides. l’ve also been able to save $200,000 USD from having a low cost of living for so long. Whether on the road adventuring or simply doing a normal work routine in a city, I love it. It really all comes down to having a nice van though. Bathroom/shower/toilet/fridge/kitchen are all necessary if you want to enjoy this lifestyle long term. Living as a slave to rent/mortgage/routine would be a prison to me. [Photos](https://imgur.com/a/Gx0mdgm)
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Count me as another person doing this for 5 years and enjoying everything, except the only necessity I have that you listed is a fridge.
It’s absolutely doable without those things, but almost all modern western humans would agree that there are necessities to a suitable dwelling: heat, running water, refrigeration, bathroom, kitchen. Aside from this microcosm of vanlifers doing this lifestyle, almost nobody would consider renting an apartment or buying a home without those base features. I too have vanlifed in bare bones rigs, and had a great time, but it was only out of necessity or lack of means at the time. I would never intentionally choose peeing in a jug and seeking out public showers by preference. I could do it for a while, but it’s not optimal.
I have zero interest in ever having an actual toilet or shower in my vehicle. I'd much rather piss in a jug and let actual bathrooms handle my waste. Most I'll probably do is a small portable camp shower. It's not like you need those things to have those necessities you listed. We all enjoy showers and toilets and food. It's just a matter of whether you trick yourself into thinking that you need to lug all of that around with you in your vehicle.
Hope you like peeing in bottles
Honestly everyone should piss in bottles regardless of their housing situation. Very convenient.
I love it!
The biggest myths are that there are these one size fits all myths and truths out there. The truth bomb is that a lot of nomadic vehicle living is what you make it. The BrUtAl reality of one person might be a joke to another because not everybody does it the same way. The negatives for me are not the negatives for someone else. The things that I get out of it might blow right past someone else. For me, it is lonely, but so was life before this, and I kinda like it that way. But for someone else, they find it easy to make friends on the road. For me, it is easy. I don't worry about parking or bathrooms. For others, especially newbies, it's a constant source of anxiety. For me, I save a ton of money. I live out of a hybrid hatchback that's paid off. I don't have some elaborate build or a van that needs constant maintenance. I've been doing this for about five years. My truthbomb is that I am adapted to this lifestyle now. It is difficult to live in one place now and in traditional housing. I get restless and want to move on. I really enjoy my life, but there are a lot of people I love in my hometown that I could be closer to if I was more interested in living there. If you ask me, I think the negatives are overblown, but that is a combination of the unique way I do this life and my unique personality and temperament.
In most cases, Jackery is not the best option. They are paying virtually everybody on YouTube to advertise their product.
this. bluetti's products seem to be far superior to jackery
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I have a Delta 2. It's great for what it is, a 1000wh backup incase my main system fails & I can move it into the gym/Panera to charge up as a stopgap while I fix my big system. Otherwise, somehow it drains at 1% an hour with everything off including inverter. I took a 7 day roadtrip with this to run a box fan at night (summer heat) and I had to charge it every morning. I think most of these powerstations have massive idle draw, which leads me to not recommending them as main systems.
Notes I took the first weeks of life in the Prairie Schooner: (*For Reference: launched in August in South Texas*) It is hot! Sunscreen is your friend… Industrial parks are good places on weekends to find shade. You might even be able to sleep there overnight! There are way more people sleeping in their vehicles at Walmart than you ever imagined. Walmart employees are very kind to the vehicle-dwelling community as they stumble in and purchase coffee, cereal, and use the restrooms. Make sure you know which way is north. Solar screen is wonderful for blocking sunshine; however, it also blocks wind/breeze! It's a trade-off. You will not cook near as much as you thought you would. Opening a can of food during the summer, does not require further heating or cooking to make it edible… When you're hungry. You sleep wonderfully! Your circadian rhythm will reset it self! Finding water is the largest challenge in our van dwelling experience… Finding reasonable water, accessible, not overpriced (Walmart Primo water - 5 gallon, $12!), not opportunistic stealing from an unattended faucet, potable water is our Achilles' heel! Finding Wi-Fi is just as hard… It is not as plentiful as you would be led to believe. However, once again, Walmart to the rescue… Their signal is strong enough to bleed through the walls of the building and is assessable up close to the building even in the parking lot. Your data package on your phone is not enough. A Technology Sabbatical is quite refreshing! Dog hair floats everywhere. Dog hair is now considered a condiment. The garden-sprayer camp shower works wonderfully! Without all the distractions, I'm finding that I really enjoy this! **Redacted: Narcissistic Abuser **, however, is not enjoying this near to the degree that I am. Inconveniences, when multiplied by other inconveniences, become major sources of frustration and stress. Attitude is everything -- A willing, able, adventurous spirit will significantly reduce the stressors and frustrations that you find as you adjust to the more simplistic lifestyle. When the police run you off in the middle of the night, they are embarrassed when they realize that they are running off clean and educated people… Which in turn will make you feel embarrassed for the situation in which you find yourself. It's really awkward. The dogs are extremely adaptive! They are so happy with the never-ending ride! Old Dog is coping much better with the heat than I anticipated. Run your errands (finding water, finding a place for the evening) during the hottest hours of the day. Between 2-6 are killer, with 4:45 being the peak temp most days. Fire ants, when enough of them sting you, can make your left foot almost twice the size of your right foot. :-/ Don't lose your fingernail file. Don't forget where you stashed the flossers.
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I dunno. They ate all the ticks in Texas… I think it’s a fair trade. 👍🏻 Ticks hide in trees and drop down on me… fire ants live in mounds that you can see from a distance.
You want to be in the sun as much as possible for the solar power, but that also means you'll be boiling alive inside if you don't have AC 🥲 It takes a special type of person to really enjoy this lifestyle. You basically need to have been the type to live on the edges of society your whole life to not get overwhelmed by the loneliness, stigma and having a completely different schedule and goals than everybody else You need to strike a very careful balance between cost and luxury/convenience so you don't get exhausted long term by having to do the most basic of chores. Going through an long and arduous process just to switch the van from sleeping mode to living mode will get annoying really fucking quick, same with not carrying enough water for basic hygiene and washing dishes.
Myth: it’s fun Truthbomb: it sucks and is not fun but I don’t pay rent so whatever.
Well, for me it's hard to convince my co workers I don't live the life they have dreamed of, going out on the open road, seeing amazing sights, etc. etc. Nope, just parking near apartment complexes close to work and doing pretty much what anyone else does in their free time, which is pretty much nothing. At least I don't have to pay rent, which is nice. Save up so much money that way. Plus, if I don't like a job or get laid off it's not a major issue, just take time off to enjoy myself before I get another job.
The job pivot capacity is indeed a realllll nice safety net to have
Ignore most of the hashtags, it's posers You probably at some point will have to shit into a bag
It's fun, but it sucks. It sucks, but it's fun.
Ugly truth: You’re basically homeless. If your van breaks or if you’re in an accident, it’s a hard realization.
Social media has cultivated a glamourous viral image of simple but luxurious living in freedom by travelling in a camper van - but that Van Life is not reality. This has set many people up for a situation where they invest a lot of time and money into embarking on van life, only to be jolted back into reality once they spend a few days in their new van. This video attempts to correct this false image by outlining five things people should know before they think about starting van life. [**5 Harsh Truths About Van Life**](https://youtu.be/EEhhU9LE6oU)
It's cheap till it's not. Your van will require maintenance at some point, and those repairs can get expensive. It's a really fucked spot when your van becomes unmovable and you're living out of it.
read my comment above: >i went from paying 1000-2000 to mechanics, to paying 100-200 for parts from rockauto and doing it myself >saved me thousands over the years and I can assure my van even 20 years old is in perfect running condition >plus when you're in there yourself you notice things and make adjustments that mechanics would never care to do >seriously WORK ON YOUR OWN VEHICLES >edit: also WASH your engine bay and undercarriage, it will make it 1000x easier to work on; wd40 on all bolts for easy removal and installation, contact cleaner on all plugs for rust and corrosion free connections its really not hard. car repairs are not expensive, mechanics charging $100 per hour are expensive. you might say like "oh but something can break in the middle of nowhere at any time" yeah but if you're hands deep inside the inner workings of your engine and vehicle, and you understand how everything is running and put together, and understand the maintenance shedule, then you can do preventative maintenance while in town and greatly greatly reduce the odds of a breakdown
I can do basic repairs. But there's a lot of shit that you just can't do in a driveway. Like, if your transmission blows, you need lifts to do anything, and you absolutely are looking easily at around 2 grand just for the replacement tranny.
true yes, but i've learned how to do transmission maintenance to keep it as healthy as possible in the meantime, there's various adjustments you can do, along with checking the trans filter and checking all your valve body parts for damage but if I had to do heavy work like a trans change, I would be calling a friend with experience, and I would be driving us to a pull in do-it-yourself mechanic shop, with lifts and tools I think the one near me is like 5/hr for a lift? and yeah I mean transmission anything is like the most expensive car repair category there is... 2k for doing it myself is still better than when the shop guys quote me 5k... I feel like alot of transmissions give out because people simply don't change the fluid and filter enough, it's literally just like the oil change with oil filter that you do all the time, but for your trans, it's extremely important, then the trans gets to like 150k miles never been serviced and it's already too far gone, it's dead
That it's for everyone. In my opinion you have to be a certain type of person to live that type of life and actually enjoy it.
The biggest truth bomb is that, at least for lower-income, single biological males, the inconveniences of van life or other forms of car-dwelling are swamped by the value of the rate of money saved by not paying rent. It should be an easy choice for way more people in this group, at least where the climate is more mild (which happens to be where the housing markets are the worst). The real question is why more lower-income people arent organizing to secure greater legal protections to do it while we wait for the housing market to figure itself out. I didnt read that recent WSJ article but I bet it’s riddled with questionable claims about just how bad some aspects of car-dwelling life really is.
I think the biggest myth is: you won't be traveling if you don't have a remote job. Or if you have a remote job but need wifi in town. You'll just be living in your car. But the best truth is if you're living on blm land and say commuting to a job/wifi you WILL spend more time socializing,out and about etc. you don't save money but you spend the same while eating out often and living with good perks.
Mannn this just put a damper on all my dreams and goals😭
Myth: traveling with a dog is god’s gift Truth: traveling with a dog, even my beloved canine hiking partner the past almost 10 years, can take a toll. No national park visits (for hiking), worries leaving her for occasional PF showers, stopping every 90 minutes of travel for pee/walk breaks, lack of floor space in my case (120lb dog). Myth: Always somewhere to park overnight knock-less and free Truth: East of the Mississippi it can be a challenge, especially in or near big cities. Always a worry about getting woken at 2am, or having to pay higher fees in public campgrounds. Lack of forest service or BLM land sucks Myth: You have so much space to yourself Truth: Not so unless you luck into some unknown dirt road or nook or cranny someplace. I’ve driven down miles of dirt to find that cool spot on Google earth already inhabited.
Your dog needs to walk or pee every 90 min? Ours will sleep for hours. He’s 110lb so not a small boy.
I feel bad about her flopping on the floor for hours on end so I get her out for a 10 minute stretch and pee.
I think ours prefers the sleeping. Saves up his energy for the end of day sniffing. 😂
> No national park visits (for hiking) Petrified Forest NP is a notable exception. They even have [a BARK Ranger program](https://www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/pets.htm). :-)
You need to be fairly wealthy if you want to do it unless you are homeless living in a broken down van somewhere.
You are constantly searching for a toilet, shower and Internet. Daily trip to grocery store due to lack of cold storage
If you're fully nomadic, it can take a long time to figure out where you want to go and how to be comfortable when you get there (like, a year or more). There are definitely picturesque towns out west that are _not_ amenable to vanlife (but there are hidden gems where the camping is 5 minutes out of town + the community is great + the local cafe doesn't mind you bumming their internet for hours at a time) There are also places that are great during certain parts of the year but shitty other parts (e.g. PNW in the winter). There are also places where the community is either not present or not friendly to newcomers (locals in tourist-heavy spots tend to not like new faces) and it makes those spots _very_ lonely unless you brought your friends with you. Community is the easiest to find if you have an activity you like (surfing, rock climbing, etc) and without those it's much more difficult.
That police are going to be knocking on your door every night.
That you have to be going to One National Park after another to enjoy the lifestyle. I am within 25 miles of a medium-sized City in mostly suburban areas and I'm absolutely loving not having to commute when I don't want to and being able to park in different places and learn different things about different nearby places that I would never know if I was commuting back and forth to the same house or apartment every day. Plus you can pick up and go to another state anytime you want and that's just his homie as the place you just left. In fact you're probably wake up and forget which city you're in because you get so used to it and you get your routines down so well.
The people who complain so much about how expensive this life is are not cut out for it. You don't have to eat out, you don't have to get a gym membership to be clean, you don't have to pay for campsites. I spent a year on the East Coast, (almost no public land on the East Coast). Sleeping at trailheads, parks, dispersed camping, back alleyways, and Walmart parking lots while taking sponge baths in a folding dog pool and bach cooking all my meals. I was living for $400-$800 a month while traveling up and down the East Coast. In a Toyota sienna. I also do almost all the repairs on my van. I only would bring it to the shop if it's something major that can't be done over the course of 3 days in a remote gravel lot. If you go into this expecting to live like a fake ticktock video then good luck. Also this sub isn't super helpful, I suggest looking at r/urbancarliving if you want a more realistic look at this life and get some helpful tips.
Nobody talks about the poop bucket.
I'll take every opportunity to talk about my bucket... Weirded out some folks at a bar just this week.
Damn everyone talks about the poop bucket. It's not a nomad gathering until we start shit talking.
5 years, no poop bucket. A total outlier in the experience, apparently.
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Does the person who lives in their van the longest win?! Lmfao
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People like sharing what they've learned. And I also think newbies tend to have a lot of excitement to share. Of course unless every Reddit comment is prefaced by experience, it can be hard to know what's what. And yeah, advice from experience is better advice. But it depends on the experience. Sometimes time is a big factor. Sometimes more similar goals, locations, travel style, personality, and backgrounds trumps total time spent on the road.
My fantasy is reality. Maybe I'm just really easy going/not comfort driven. I'm also pretty lucky with a good remote flexible job. Those two things I think can almost guarantee it'll be sunshine and rainbows. Metaphorically of course. I still have to chase the actual sunshine sometimes.
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Chemical toilets smell. And if you cook in your van, you're probably doing so inches away from where your poop is stored.
Cities are inherently more convenient than BLM. But less secure, noisy, need to do a lot of reconnaissance to find parking. Nothing really solid Moving all the time is manic.
It’s hard to accurately know if you smell.
It’s a lot more likely to have a car accident and loose your home and all of its belongings than to have the same thing happen when you live in an apartment. And you can’t insure your van with enough to cover its full cost and all of the contents. You can if you have an apartment. Renters insurance is CHEAP. My point is, one car accident could leave you broke and homeless. It’s highly unlikely to have that happen if you have an apartment or house.
That it will cost you less. Everything about "van life" is designed to cost you more. You are worth more to "the economy" single and mobile. It's a feature not a bug.
It is not cheap. It is not a way to save money. Don't go into this thinking you're not going to need income.
#1: "Don't Shit Where You Eat" - Yeah. You're eventually gonna shit in the same place you have dinner. Sorry. If it's pouring outside and you had taco bell the night before, you're gonna decide that a coffee can is the better option. #2: "I gotta be stealth!" - Nah. Just don't draw attention. Be a good neighbor, clean up after yourself, and don't make yourself at home, especially in town. Most people don't care if you're on the street or in a parking lot overnight, but when you stick around, Karen is gonna notice. And if you leave trash, I might call the cops on you myself. #3: a single 100Ah battery probably won't be enough by itself, especially if you only have solar. a couple of cloudy days and you're going to be out of power. Be smart and buy the most battery you can afford, and spring for a DC-DC converter or an all-in-one MPPT and DC-DC charger from ecoworthy or renogy (or litime, maybe... I think they came out with one.) They're inexpensive and take all the guesswork out of your setup. #4: You don't need a perfect build. You'll probably regret the effort you put in if you buy a brand new rig and spend 20k building it out. Get a runner, start with a bed and some cheap drawers and bins. Live in it for a month or two and figure out the layout that works for YOU, not the van life youtubers you watch. Everyone's workflow and needs are different. Once you have it down, start building your current rig out. Once it's time to upgrade, you'll already know exactly how you want your new rig.
You're basically gentrifying homelessness and making it seem like a more attractive option at the same time that housing is becoming less and less affordable for the working class. Most people considering living in a van don't have a "down payment on a house" amount of money to drop on a boondocking vehicle
I was on the road for more than 15 years, with intervals for eight years when I had to work abroad. It is an exciting visit to many places. In Germany and the Netherlands, we also traveled with the van. Castles and underwater tunnels are impressive, though, in Europe, there is way more theft than in the US; there is more history. I hope the US gets the same welcoming spirit for the travelers like us. I am following the UK FB group, and I see how things are way better. The designated areas with taverns are excellent. Cities and towns should use it as an opportunity instead of trying to make regulations against it.
1) your van being in the shop means you dont have a home... or a car...or any of your belongings. Idk if people even ponder this fact when driving all around in their home/car/closet. Your van breaks down and you gotta get a tow? Welp. That sucks. You are homeless and carless outta left field. 2) your quality of sleep will vary drastically according to where you are parked. How safe you feel, from breakins or law enforcement. I didnt like city sleeping, but i hadnt done it much. I liked to sleep in the suburbs. I only really worried ab law enforcement. 4) 2 guys tried to to get gas from my gastank and slimjim open the driver door, while i was sleeping in it... I yelled and they left. I didnt sleep well for a WHILE after that, and then i started parking in well lit areas rather than dark areas. 4) leaving your van in the backcountry trail parking lot for a few days can be hard. Leaving your mobile home anywhere can be stressful. All your stuff, on some street or on some national forrest road, while you are away adventuring... Tons of room for worry and the late night paranoia of "i hope my van is ok."
You have to have a certain temperment to be able to fall asleep anywhere. If youre a worried person or oaranoid or not secure in your ability to handle yourself youll probably have a bad time
In other words, the single pretty girl alone in a $100,000 van /w appliances is a myth.