Van Travel

To begin, I originally came upon the idea of van living and travel as a way to see the things I’ve always wanted to see, but to do it for far less money that a typical travel routine might cost.  I mean if you drive your van somewhere, you’ve got a bed for the night anywhere you go.  Plus, no airfare costs equals a big savings.  Then, there is the fact that you can bring food with you and have a way to prepare it easily.  That’s definitely cheaper than eating out all the time and also healthier for you.  So, I plan to use my van for travel around North America for part of the year and then I will park it somewhere in storage and I hope to live as an expat in another country for part of the year.

Earning Money While Full Time Van Living

Now, I plan to use a van for travel, but many van dwellers use their van to live in fulltime while they stay and work in an expensive city somewhere.  This is really a good plan for earning good money and being able to save a lot of it.  Especially, if your van is fully equipped with a bathroom, shower, stove, etc.  It’s like having a little studio apartment on wheels.  So, these full timers seem to have it down, but are there any disadvantages to trying to stay in the city with your van?  Yes, I think one big one is the need to stay stealthy.  You have to relocate parking spots frequently, stay camofluaged, be quiet, and avoid trouble. 

Other people manage to generate an online income from their van with things like blogging and affiliate marketing, and this can work out well, if you can maintain good internet access when you are out and about.  However, it’s hard to stay focused on your work, when there are so many amazing things to see just out your van door.

My wife and I have been saving for many years and have done a good job with our investment portfolio.  I’m hoping that I won’t have to work much while I’m traveling, but I can pick up the odd contract job now and then if necessary.  Plus, if I spend most of my time either in the van or living in a much cheaper country, my nestegg should go even farther.

Tell me what you think about full time van living and what your plans are for the future, or even what you are doing right now to make the most of your life on the road.

What is it about people that live and travel in their vans that makes everyone, even people that are more nonconformist than usual, look down on us? 

Tell me what you think about people living in vans.

A new day begins for this blog. Credit: Michal Mogmil

That’s a question that I try to ask myself before I put any kind of new article up on my blog.  I try to think about what my readers want to know about van living and what my blog can offer to thopse that are interested in this type of nomadic lifestyle.  Therefore, I have decided that I will try to focus my future blog posts on a few key points related to living in a van for work or travel. 

Here we go with a few of those focus points:

Financial Aspects of Van Living

• Saving money by cutting your expenses.
• Work or business that you can do from the van.
• Travelling in your van to save money.

Practical Side of Living in a Van

• Heating, Cooling, Lighting, Ventilation
• Cooking, Food Storage and Eating
• Communication, Phone, Internet
• Bathroom Facilities and Bathing

Anyway, that is just a basic guideline of what types of resources that I want to offer my readers.  Please bear with me, as I learn and research, and live, and I promise that you will be rewarded with some of the best posts you will find on any van living blog.  Plus, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below and I’ll be more than willing to share my thoughts.

Larry

Van travel is a great way to explore the country for less money. Credit: Benjamin Earwicker

Travelling can be one of the most exciting times of your life, and once you start doing it you will never want to stop. The only real problem with travel is that the costs add up and you end up going away for less time than you would like to. However travelling in a van is a great way of saving money. You can even stay in the van which ends up saving on accommodation – often the most expensive part of travel besides airfares.

Van travel really is a simple form of travelling around, all you need to do is pack a decent kit and you are set to go. When packing for travelling in a van, you need to be sure you have everything you need or you may find yourself overpaying at tourist spots. The first thing you need is some form of bedding. Some people prefer to use a real mattress, while others may use a blow up one. You will also need blankets, although sleeping bags will take up less space. You will need food supplies, canned foods and other dried items are great for extended trips, however if you have somewhere to cook food you can use a chilled box to carry meat and other fresh items.

Fuel is an important aspect to van travel, you need to make sure you always have enough to make it to the nearest gas station; sometimes people will carry spare gas in some sort of container. Gas stations usually have toilets which is a great spot to relieve yourself if it’s required.

Travelling in a van can be boring for the passengers on board, especially if they are children. Because of this you need to look into ways to keep your passengers occupied. Although they may like to sleep for some of the trip they are likely to be awake for much of it. You can always take the more scenic routes so your passengers have something to look at or bring along activity books for them to work through. Playing small games are also a great way to occupy time as is taking photos along the way.

Van travel is a great way to see the country and ultimately the world. Your trusty van is not only your transportation, but even where you live. You will see the sights, and come home with a whole lot of new stories to tell. When you have done it once you will want to do it over and over because it really is a great way to see the world around you.

If you’re interested in learning more about the van travel lifestyle, be sure to check out a great van living resource guide called Vanabode.

Van Living Tips for life on the road. Credit: Benjamin Earwicker

Van living is a great way to see a country, and it is a lot more cost effective then paying for accommodation. Below we will outline a series of van living tips that will make your trip a lot easier and more comfortable. These tips are coming from a veteran van traveller who has made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.

Van living tips for bathroom use:

Rest stops on highways and tourist attractions almost always have free public toilets.

If you must go to the toilet in nature itself, dig a hole and do it inside there, don’t forget toilet paper otherwise you will have to use leaves.

If you park inside a camping ground (please note that this may cost money) you will have access to public toilets, which are generally the best maintained out of all the options.

Van living tips for showers:

Public beaches will generally have showers available for free; the water comes out at a cold to warm temperature, which is a relief in the hot weather you encounter at a beach.

Public swimming pools will usually have a low cost entry for basic swimming, however they also have many hot showers which swimmers are able to use. You also have the added bonus of using a pool or even spa.

Van living tips for cooking:

Many public parks/national parks will have gas barbecues which can be used for free. This allows you to cook meat and other canned items in a saucepan (which you should always carry in your van).

Having a portable gas cooker is a great way of cooking while you live in your van. You can purchase the refills for the cooker almost anywhere which means you don’t need a large stock of flammables in your van.  Because it has an element you can use various cooking utensils such as pots and frying pans to cook almost any type of meal.

General van living tips:

Make sure to cover the windows in the back of the van for privacy, you wouldn’t want someone looking in on you.

Always leave your van locked when unattended, you would hate for your house/belongings to be stolen.

Build a wooden base for a mattress in the back of your van and you can add extra storage space in for linen and other belongings.

Overall van living is an exciting way to live, which although has many challenges, the rewards you get are well worth it. Anyone who has lived in a van for some length of time will always have great stories to tell. It’s such an exciting lifestyle and once you have done it will always look back upon it fondly.

Camping stove:

Browse Low Cost Camping Stoves 

 12 Volt Cooler:

Browse 12 Volt DC Coolers

Camp Cooking Pans:

Browse Camping Cookware

Now, that’s a good selection of the equipment you might require for an extended week of camping, but what about supplies? I like to have the basic staples when I camp and plan to cook.  Here’s a list:

Canned foods ( just grab a variety of stuff that you normally eat like, beans, corn, green beans, sliced potatoes, etc.)
Pancake mix (homemade or store bought)
Peanut Butter
Drink Mix
Bread
Eggs
Milk (powdered is easier to keep)
Cheese
Boxed Cereal
Oatmeal
Bacon Bits
Canned meat (tuna, chicken breast)
Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Lunchmeat

That’s a good start.  Try to get enough supplies together to allow you some variety in your meal planning.  Plus, don’t forget that you will need either potable water at the campsite, water filtration for the avaliable water, or bottled water for many of these food items to be properly prepared.

Would you like to park your van here? Credit: Benjamin Earwicker

Whether you want to travel or are just looking for a cheap form of accommodation, van living may be the right thing for you. Living in a van may be undesirable for some people, but for those who have actually tried it they would happily do it again.  It allows you to park your van up almost anywhere and take in the sights as you go off to sleep.

Van living in its most simple form is when someone lives out of their van.  The van will almost always be road worthy and running, and sometimes people even specifically convert them for living in.  The most common method for people who choose living in a van is to cover the windows with some sort of material on the inside or tints in the windows themselves to provide privacy.  A mattress can then be put into the back for sleeping on, although other methods such as a fold out bed in a couch may be used.

When it comes to using a bathroom there are several options available to those who take part in van living.  They may choose to use some sort of portable toilet bowl, where the contents can be emptied in a suitable location.  Public toilets are always a great option as they have free toilet paper along with facilities for washing your hands.  Although some people choose to go to the toilet naturally in a bush, however this is often frowned upon by others so should not be done unless it is necessary.

There are also several options for showering when you are living in a van.  The most common is to use natural pools of water (lakes, rivers, the beach etc.) although one can find actual showers at locations such as pools or beaches which can be used free, or in some cases for a very cheap price.

Cooking is a whole other story, as there are endless opportunities here.  For those who wish to cart around their own cooking equipment, portable gas stoves are the most convenient, although you should never use them in a confined space (inside the van).  Public barbecues are also popular because they are free and are often near areas in which one would want to park a van up to sleep.  Another option is to rely on foods which do not require an open flame, and although this means you have less food options, you may find it easier to go long periods of time without having to restock your food.

Van living really isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy camping then it may be for you.  There is nothing more exciting than exploring a country inside a van, seeing all the sites and not having to worry about paying for accommodation.  You can usually sleep wherever you want, and it all comes down to where you feel most comfortable.  Just make sure you come well prepared and always leave your camp spot as you found it, and ensure you don’t leave your trash and garbage laying around.

Van Living View. Credit: Daniel Battiston

Living in your van, sometimes called van dwelling, is one of the cheapest ways to live and travel that you can find. Basically you just find a place to park, and use the resources that you have with you. It can be done in the middle of a large city or the wilderness realm of a national park or forest. However, before you start living in a van, it’s a good idea to do a little research and adaptation to make it a success. For starters, there are a few basic things that every van dweller needs to be able to handle. These basics include food preparation and cooking, lighting and electricity, using the bathroom, and sleeping.

Food prep and cooking in your van can either be really simple, such as sandwiches, cereal, and other easy to fix convenience foods, or complicated involving stoves, grills, and refrigerators. The choice is yours, but, like many aspects of van life, the type of foods you eat while you’re out on the road will depend on just how much trouble and expense you are willing to go to. I think it’s good to have a balance of easy to fix stuff and maybe just cook a “real” meal on the stove or grill once a week. Eating out is another option to factor in, but of course, this will add to your monthly expenses.

Lighting and electricity can be as simple as using a flashlight, just when you need it, to having a 12 volt electrical setup in your van to run the things that require electricity. Once again you can keep this really simple and cheap, AKA: flashlight, or more advanced and expensive, AKA: solar powered 12 volt electrical system with an inverter to run all things electrical. The choice is yours, and you’ll have to decide if the extra modification and expense of an advanced power system is worth the cost.

Now, having bathroom facilities available is one key benefit of using a bigger class A recreational vehicle instead of just living in a converted van. But, since we know all the potential downsides to living in a bigger RV, we are more willing to accept the trade offs that come with full time van living. One way to handle the bathroom thing is to just park in the parking lot of big 24 hour a day businesses like, Wal Mart, and use the facilities that they provide when the need strikes you. This is a good option and one that many full timers use. Next, you can use a porta potty or some other “bucket” type system in the van. A good plan is to have both options available. In other words, attempt to locate your parking close to somewhere with bathroom facilities and keep some sort of bathroom option with you in your van for emergency situations when you have no other choice.

Sleeping arrangements in your van can range from a simple blow up air mattress that you inflate and lay on the floor each night, to a complete built in bed platform with foam mattress intended for a more permanent situation. I think that your choice of sleeping arrangement depends on how much money you have to equip your van and how many nights a month you will need to sleep in it. If you’re planning to sleep in your van every night of a six month road trip, then you will definitely want to invest the money and time into creating a comfortable and easy to maintain sleeping space. If you’re only going to sleep in the van occasionally, then an inflatable mattress may be just fine for your limited needs.

All in all, van living presents a different set of challenges than other types of travel and living, but the benefits often outweigh these challenges and make it a good way to experience an adventurous, exciting life without all of the problems associated with a “normal” and “regular” lifestyle.

It’s true that this life choice can have so many beneficial impacts on your way of life. You get to travel around whenever you want and you get to take your home with you. You can reduce your living expenses down to the very minimal amount, therefore allowing you to work much less, perhaps even allowing you to take off part of the year for full time van travelling. But, it is true that van dwelling carries a certain stigma with the general population that are not near as open minded as you and I have become. So, what do you do about the fact that many people will look down on your choice of living in your van?  Keep it a secret or tell the truth?

Perhaps, one of the easiest steps to take is to find a like minded group of other travelers and full timers who understand what your style of living is all about. Now, you may not be able to find a whole lot of fellow van dwellers in your local community, especially if they are trying to stay out of the public eye. But, with the advent of the internet, connecting with like minded souls is easier than ever. By joining a van living user group or mailing list you can find others interested in the same things you are.

Do the best you can to blend into the general public and keep your living arrangements a secret from others around you. While it’s true that many of us are super excited about living the van lifestyle, don’t be too anxious to share your van dwelling secret with everyone you meet. Many people will simply not understand what you are trying to do, and the constant negativity can really bring you down. Now, I’m not saying to never share your lifestyle with anybody, but just be selective with who you tell. Make sure you know them well enough that you won’t lose them as a friend, because they won’t accept your idea of the ideal living situation.

Investigate the possibilities of attending RV and Van Living rallies. These are a great way to make lifelong connections with other over the road full timers that are sure to be open minded and accepting of your methods. Meeting people online is good for starters, but at some point, I’m sure you’ll want to make some real life connections with others that share your nomadic lifestyle. A good example of these gatherings is Burning Man, held in Nevada, each year.

In the end, you have to realize that the stigma of van living comes from dealing with a population that is not very comfortable in dealing with a way of life that is seen as different from their own. People are sometimes ignorant and will quickly jump to conclusions about your choices without ever taking the time to analyze the upsides and potential that you have discovered. If you are the kind of person that is easily hurt by the disapproval of others, including occasional friends and family, then exposing your desire to start van living may not be the best choice.

Think about the intense sense of freedom that is found in being able to go anywhere in America for just the cost of gas.  Think about the beauty of never having to live through another hot summer or bone chilling winter in your home state.  Plus, think about how much of your income you can save, when you don’t have to pay rent every month.  It really starts to add up.    

An inspirational story…   

Once the realization hits you, that this type of nomadic lifestyle can be very exciting and rewarding, you may never stay in one spot again.  After all, with all the benefits, why would you?

Explore the Benefits of Van Living:

These days there are lots of jobs that can be done anywhere that you can get an internet connection.  There’s no need to have to sit in an office for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, just to make enough money to survive.    

Examples of jobs suitable for fulltime van life: 

• Programmer 
• Consultant 
• Accountant 
• Planner 
• Sales 

And, even if you have a job in the service industry, that requires hands on work with others, you can still enjoy the benefits of van living.   

More Examples: 

• Construction:  Never experience the frustration of being laid off when the project is over.  Just load up the van and go where the work is. 
• Nursing:  Travel anywhere in the country and work.  Increase your income by going where the good paying jobs are found. 
• Teaching:  Same as above.  Work more.  Earn more. 
• Food Service / Cooking:  Diversify your skill set and learn something new by exploring the cuisine and cooking styles of each region of our country. 

With van living, you can lower your expenses and save money.  One key benefit of the van lifestyle is the lower cost of living, when compared to a traditional setting.  If you continue to work full time and earn a good living, but only spend one third to one half of what you currently spend, then it won’t take you too long to build a sufficient financial nest egg to support your needs and wants.   

Here’s a sample monthly budget for a couple of fulltime van dwellers showing the major items of expense: 

1. Gas:  $300  (100 gallons at $3.00 per gallon) 
2. Food:  $400 ($50 per week per person) 
3. Van Insurance: $40 (liability only) 
4. Cell / Internet: $20 (prepaid cell and free wifi) 
5. Miscellaneous: $240 (laundry, maintenance, personal needs) 

Total:  $1000 per month for two people.   

Think about the possibilities of only needing $1000 a month to live. 

You could:  

• Pay off debt and be free from the stress and worry. 
• Save 80% of your income and achieve the financial independence, that grants you freedom. 
• Work part time and spend your time doing what you want.  Write a book, learn to paint, explore the country.  Anything goes. 

It’s all a possibility when you keep an open minded approach to life and give a van living life  a chance.   

Van Image Credit: Hunterrrr

Affiliate Disclosure: Author may have a financial interest in products linked to from this page.