16 years from now

[user 12892]

Hey

I'll be vandwelling 16 years from now when I retire. Why such a long wait? I moved back in with my parents instead of living in the woods. Not long after this dad developed emphysema and he retired. Him and mom bought a mobile (not sure why as we were never well off financially). I was unemployeed and was doing a few small renos on the trailer while looking for a job. Several months later mom got cancer. She quit her job after the first kemo treatment and I went back to dishwashing.

They are both still alive encase you are wondering.

I'll be staying with mom and dad until they die so I may hit the road sooner. Not hoping for such a thing but I'm a planner.

My plans are an open slate as I don't have a vehicle of any kind. Leaning toward a non hightop van.  

Recently I read two blogs: hotelprius and van-life crisis. 

Looking forward to getting to know many here.

 

[djkeev]

Welcome to the site!

Just keep in mind that life is what happens while you are making other plans.

Don't overlook today while being so focused on tomorrow.

Go get that Van now and start taking weekend trips as life events let you get away.
It will be good mental health as well during this stressful time. Also you will get a good idea of what works for you on the road as youmplan for that ultimate trip.

Dave

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forum    

Sorry to hear about your folks ill fortune and the position it places you in. 

One of the things it may have for you is time to read here, learn, research, and plan.   It may also help your mind escape at times when you visit this site.   Then you may be able to get away and shop some yard sales & flea markets to find some gear you'll need cheap.   Perhaps a Weather Radio with alert,  cook stove, and other such things to outfit your rig.  Thus you can do a little at a time. 

Your surviving parent will likely understand that in his/her passing you'll need to hit the ground running and have a life to pursue.  Rather than sit around and flounder in their wake for a few years with real direction. 

You would also have time to think about learning a skill you could use to support yourself with (if you need supplementary income) once on the road.  Some of these could even be attained through correspondence online.   These may be basic skills or very specialized ones suitable to the area you will travel and in demand.
Being able to run a cash register and operate a fork truck are always in demand.   Likewise accounting, bar tending and welding.   You could live out of a Van or RV and work any of those jobs.

Plan now and benefit later !

 

[cyndi]

Scott!! Welcome to the CRVL forums! I give you a lot of respect for taing care of your parents. It's not an easy task. I hope you'll look back on this time you spend with them with love and gratitude. I also hope you have some support to back you up and give you some relief. We need to have some time to ourselves. That's not always an easy thing to do.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[JeriLynn]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for sharing your story and the blogs. What comes to my mind is that you surely have a long time to work on getting the best rig set up for retirement. I have a Ford Windstar minivan that works find for short road trips, but I would definitely not want to live in it. My dream van would be tall enough to walk in. I am going to be 65 next month and my knees ache when crawling around. In 16 years you may experience body issues from aging.  I like cooking and so being able to stand and having room for a stove is a must. I have been researching van life for less than a year and there is so much to learn. Anyway welcome and good luck. 
Jeri Lynn

 

[user 12892]

Hi Dave
Getting away for short trips isn't an option right now due to my parents health issues. Van dwelling for me is more about cheap living with the side benefit of travel. If it happens awesome but not going to be brokenhearted if it don't.

 

[user 12892]

Hi eDJ

Good advice but I just wouldn't feel right leaving unless the surviving parent was in a nursing home. 

As for income I'll be waiting until I retire, unless life bends me over, LOL. With the Canada Pension and Old Age Security I should be fine. 

One of the topics I follow online is automation. In the not too distant future many of us will be out of work.

 

[user 12892]

Hi cyndi and Thanks

No regrets about taking care of my folks. I do regret moving in with them though. The reason I say this is because I doubt they would have bought a trailer without me. They would be financially better off living in an apartment in town.

Well that's life... full of "if I had only known"

Thanks, glad to be here.

 

[user 12892]

Hey Jeri

I'm right with you about the aging body and crawling around or bending over.

I used to work in a restaurant and their store room was a 4 foot high crawl space in the attic. We used a shop stool to get around in there. I'm still debaiting hightop versus a shop stool. Each has their pros and cons.

http://www.carguygarage.com/blacklowbaselab.html

Thanks and good luck to you as well.

 

[eDJ_]

I thought I'd throw this Youtube video to you to inspire your quest to learn how to live in the future you describe.      I think you'll like it.

It is about a Scottish couple who moved to Australia and live an alternate housing lifestyle.  Many of the things
they have done are adaptable to Van building and the nomadic life style. 

I could see a person in advancing years putting something like this together for a home base in a moderate climate where they could take the Van north in the summer and south in the winter.  Thus allowing a few months each year at home when the temps are in a 20 degree range from the 60's F to 80 degrees F. 

If a guy were single he may only need one ISC 40' long fixed in this manner.  An extra tall one would be optimal.
It could be moved if necessary or a better location is found later which would be a great advantage over the typical stix & brix home.  Understand that this is "off grid"  so Stealth Living would be the key to enjoying it.

 

[mdoverl]

MythGyver: I'm currently living out my Prius, send me a message if you want to talk

 

[wagoneer]

A warm welcome from the west coast, no advice from me having gone through parents passing, mom was the hardest, stay strong be well and stick around you will like what you read.