10 Mistakes

[eDJ_]

I was just reading thru this site titled, "10 Mistakes People Make When Going Off Grid" and I wondered if any of the more experienced members would wish to pursue such a thread here for: "10 Mistakes People Make Before Van Dwelling".  (with this said two or three of them could carry over from the "Off Grid" site.

10 mistakes site:

http://www.truthsurvival.com/going-off-the-grid-mistakes/

Their list:

• Mistake #1: Not using solar power.
• Mistake #2: Not enriching soil with organic material.
• Mistake #3: Not taking advantage of elevated water sources.
• Mistake #4: Not setting up a proper waste disposal system.
• Mistake #5: Not bringing a gun.
• Mistake #6: Not understanding local zoning laws.
• Mistake #7: Not investing in production animals (bees, chickens, etc.).
• Mistake #8: Not having basic gardening knowledge.
• Mistake #9: Not being physically and mentally prepared.
• Mistake #10: Not having fun.

What would anyone want to offer ?  I figure this would be helpful to a lot of new members who are here out of curiosity or are seriously wanting to do this but don't have much of a clue about how to go about it.

 

[Canine]

Mistake #1: Not doing it sooner!

 

[wagoneer]

How old are you? Cause I made the same mistakes, it's ok

 

[Tiny Metal Tube]

Bringing a gun, but not first studying the gun laws in the states you plan to go to / through.  They're very inconsistent.

 

[Tiny Metal Tube]

1. Not insulating according to the climates you plan to spend most of your time in.
2. Buying too much stuff (I probably won't need that tree winch, but I'm buying it anyway.)
3. Not buying enough stuff (Yeah you probably do need that heater, first aid kit, and sub-zero sleeping bag.)
4. Not sizing your solar to your energy demand.
5. Not sizing your battery bank for multiple bad-weather days in a row.
6. Not ventilating, or not ventilating enough. I see way too many stories about mold.
7. Going into the middle of nowhere with no way to self-rescue
8. Under-preparing or over-preparing
9. Jumping in all at once without doing a few trial runs first. Ease into it.
10. Setting up camp without checking into the law. Where are you camped? Is this location even legal?
11. Getting into vanlife just because it's trendy, and not for the underlying reasons that made it trendy.

 

[Annie W]

Thank you so much for starting this thread.
Why ?
been meaning to say somethings, that are OFF-topic in other threads, but okay in here, as you'll see in a second
okay Annie get with it already :

• Mistake #1: Not using solar power. - Funny you should ask, as just yesterday I asked at the annual Power-company mtg: "How much of a REBATE would us customers get, for Switching to SOLAR instead ?" - They just laughed, & said "in your dreams" 

• Mistake #2: Not enriching soil with organic material. - Goody, I get A+ as entire acreage is 100% "organic soil"
  
• Mistake #3: Not taking advantage of elevated water sources. - Well, since we thrive... in a rainForest, it really doesn't matter IF you wanna take "advantage" or not. It's gonna  RAIN 369 days a year, give or take. LOL
  
• Mistake #4: Not setting up a proper waste disposal system. - can hardly wait for our RESURRECTED  earth (no more damn sewer). yes,
• YES!
• Mistake #5: Not bringing a gun. - having 1 is not the problem, but being willing :-/ to USE it, is a different story. - Now where are we?
• oh yeah,
• Mistake #6: Not understanding local zoning laws. - They're  :dodgy:  intentionally  written so as not to be understood. That's how gov't. gets its trillions, plus some.
• Mistake #7: Not investing in production animals (bees, chickens, etc.). - yeah, how many Bees, & Chickens does the average "van-dweller" cart from State-to-State ?  
• Mistake #8: Not having basic gardening knowledge. - Goody, I get more A+'s as been practicin' & demonstratin' & earnin' Rewards in gardening fer decades... that's Right
•  
• Mistake #9: Not being physically and mentally prepared. - fer what ? been mentally prepared fer *heaven* in fact i live in... it,
• (until some fool temporarily jars me loose) Fortunately i fix that real quick.  
• Mistake #10: Not having fun. - are you for real ? - YOU KNOW GOD created... us to have Fun... in the mornin', in the afternoon, &  so on & so forth.

 
Wait ! - is that it? - Already ?? we just barely got Started ... Come back here ... right now this second ... for MORE Fun... this very instant ... PWEASE  :heart:  ...

 

[MrNoodly]

#1: Worrying too much about the things going into the van and not enough about the van itself.

 

[waldenbound]

Buying too much stuff. Oh yes, I've spent a small fortune on my gear, and I have too much of it. I've almost had too much time to prepare. I'm more outfitted than the Lewis and Clark expedition (and believe me, those boys had gear.)

On the other hand, I did right by buying the van early, time to get it in top mechanical shape.

 

[eDJ_]

Well,  we're having some fun with this I see.    

I have to agree with MrNoodly on the first consideration being a solid rig that can be depended on.  It's been pointed out in the past if a Van that you live in has to be in the shop to be worked on for a few days....where are you going to stay ?  (and if it's bad weather can you afford a place while the repairs are done)  If you're towing a trailer will your tow vehicle be up to the task.

This would be my thoughts for #1 mistake or oversite.

 

[frater secessus]

7. Going into the middle of nowhere with no way to self-rescue

I needed to hear that, thanks.

 

[Almost There]

The absolute most common mistake I see happening out there:

Not  having a solid financial plan in place - that is - not enough emergency fund to start with; not having a plan to rebuild the emergency fund when you have to use some of it; relying on credit that you don't have a plan in place to pay for; continuing to live at the bare edges of your income.

The rest of the mistakes are bad enough, but this one is a biggy!!

It makes living this way uncomfortable for some and downright anxiety ridden for others.

 

[Annie W]

Well,  we're having some fun with this I see.  

I have to agree with MrNoodly on the first consideration being a solid rig that can be depended on. 
It's been pointed out in the past if a Van that you live in,
has to be in the shop to be worked on for a few days....where are you going to stay ? 
(and if it's bad weather can you afford a place while the repairs are done) 
If you're towing a trailer will your tow vehicle be up to the task.

This would be my thoughts for #1 mistake or oversite.

Thank you so much eDJ_ for allowing... me some *good-natured fun*.
imho, this site needs more of it, on a regular...basis; just doing my part, lol - Thanks for being Kind about it.
&
re Having a PLACE to stay (while Car-maintenance takes days), folks either still own a speck of ground, or a house, or
can stay with relatives, or travel with a group, or - well a tent is out. So where else to spend some nights ?

All such complications make the "Vandewelling" so daunting...,  maybe too risky is more accurate