Am I as well-positioned for vandwelling as it appears?

[ganchan]

I've been planning to sort of part-time my vandwelling (well, minivan technically) by doing a year or so of extended road trips through various parts of the U.S. while maintaining my apartment, as sort of a dry run for considering full-time road life. But every time I pay my $900 rent (which will only go up, of course, when it's time to renew the lease), I think about how much that monthly deposit could be doing for my savings, and boy, does full-timing start to look tempting..... What's more, my particular situation would appear to make vandwelling easier for me than for most. For instance:

• I earn my full-time living as a freelance writer, which I can do from anywhere via a laptop and a mobile hotspot
• I have no strong personal/social ties to my present location
• I'm OK with spending lots of time alone (a hermit by nature anyway)
• I'm not picky about "all the comforts of home," and I can eat well enough to suit me (even without refrigeration/cooking)
• I will be in urban semi-urban areas often enough that I don't need to carry tons of provisions, etc.
• I like driving
• I'm used to commercial laundry machines
• I'm OK with cold showers, sponge baths etc when the real thing isn't available
• I could afford the occasional motel room if weather got horrible/dangerous 
• I don't watch TV (aside from Netflix/YouTube), so no need for dish or other paraphernalia
• I'm kind of sedentary, so a folding recliner/cot in a van would pretty much replicate my current home life

I'm talking myself into this, aren't I?

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Looks good to me. Your key, according to me is how much money you can make on the road. If you are paying 900 in rent, you are paying out more than I bring in and I do just fine.
You mentioned you can be alone. This life lends itself well to tight knit or loosely traveling with others. This does not need to be a solitary existence.
With the money saved on rent, you can do a heck of a van upgrade.
Decide you want to move back to an apt? Just do it and know you stepped out more than most.

 

[rvpopeye]

You are actually most of the way there.
So , what RU gonna do ?

 

[Headache]

You can always get another apartment in the city or town of your choice if you decide later you don't like full timing. Me, I wouldn't like shelling out for an apartment when I wasn't actually living there most of the time as I would take the rent and divide it by the days I actually lived there. If it's more expensive to stay in your apartment than it is to rent a motel room once in awhile then just think of how much money you'll have if you don't carry the weight of that apartment.

 

[cyndi]

As long as you have the $$$ to stream Netflix and you tube. The rest looks good

 

[MrNoodly]

You are. Now just go do it.

 

[rvwandering]

It looks good to me too but have you tried it out yet -just for a weekend and then a week or two? I think you should get a little bit of experience before you sell all of your stuff and let the lease go on your apartment. You'll discover very quickly whether you're suited for a full-time vandwelling life.

 

[Almost There]

I'm talking myself into this, aren't I?

Do you want us to talk you out of it or what...

I decided not to keep the  home base because what I was paying for 6 months worth of rent and utilities added up to more than the value of all the 'stuff' I wasn't taking with me. I figured I could bank the money and if I wanted another apartment I could rent one and use the money saved in that 6 months to buy some newer better stuff than what I already had.

Course most of my kitchen came with me anyways but other than that, not much was worth paying the rent to house things while I wasn't there.

Just make sure that all that rent money goes in to savings until you have at least enough to outfit a full size van. While some people do it, I can't imagine full-timing in a mini van...well I can, I lived out of an Astro for a while but I was living OUT of it, not in it and I had a 10x10 show canopy that I used as a kitchen/living room during the week when I wasn't using it for art shows. The van was only the bedroom most of the time.

 

[user 2252]

I say.....LETS GO THERE!

 

[Cheli]

Go for it!

You sound like me on all those bullets you pointed out. I rent a 900 sq ft apartment and spend $1,500 a month on rent and utilities and I am barely home. When I am home I basically only use my kitchen to make a quick dinner (which is basic) and then I retreat to my bedroom where I either watch some tv, read a book, crochet or go right to sleep. The rest of my apartment, and money spent on it, is such a huge waste. I haven't done "trial runs" on the road but I just know it's for me and I will be totally fine with the small space because the freedom is worth it.

So go for it, enjoy it, and if it doesn't work out then go back to a sticks and brick place and at least you know you tried it.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Totally go for it dude. To me a source of heat and a super comfortable bed are top priority. Everything else is just a matter of convenience.

 

[ganchan]

As long as you have the $$$ to stream Netflix and you tube. The rest looks good

Well, I might have to say goodbye to Netflix -- and get my YouTube fix at local coffee shops.   But yeah, I would get a reasonably beefy data plan. But the biggest new expensive will be automotive stuff. As much as I'm paying for rent, I don't have any automotive expenses right now because I've been living the car-free lifestyle. I'm saving up the cash to buy a used minivan upfront, so I won't have monthly payments, but I still need to be ready to sink some serious dough into repairs, maintenance, gas, insurance etc. 

Of course, it's nice to be spending money on something that's actually mine (my "home on wheels"), as opposed to spending it on someone else's equity (apartment rent)....

 

[mothercoder]

Sounds like we are somewhat in the same position although I'm older (62 in January) and will have a small retirement income which I hope to supplement with web development and some crafty stuff I do. I've been planning this already for over 18 months. First I made sure I was debt free and that includes my current vehicle (not a van, sadly). Like you, I don't need cable but I do need internet and hope I can get some time with Netflix and Sling. I don't need fancy digs - I'm all about being cozy and having basic needs: porta potty, some sort of solar shower arrangement, a way to keep food cool and cook it and a very comfortable bed. Unlike you, I won't be staying in urban or suburban areas. I'm all about getting away unless there's some funky town I want to visit or I need a supply run.

So right now I'm saving every penny so that I have plenty for the van purchase, build and mechanical needs and still have a sizeable emergency fund. For that reason, I'm not going big on anything - pretty much basic stuff.

I have a Plan B if I should find that I just don't want to do this. But I have promised myself to give it a year at least. Regardless of whether or not I did this, I would still be moving. I've worked long and hard for 44 years and I'm ready to stop. To that end, I would have to change my living situation because where I am at is too much room for me alone and too expensive. Plus once my son finishes college (he's older and lives on his own - not with me), he won't be staying in the area and there are no other ties to this part of the country (which is NOT home to me - Colorado is). I have family who live in an area that I find very appealing and which is inexpensive to live in (compared to the DC area). I could manage quite well there. And that would be my Plan B. I am quite content with both options and it feels good to know I have an option I'm nearly as happy with if this doesn't work out for whatever reason.