Beginner

[Georgina538]

We sold our home in 2015, February, before it was foreclosed. We were both laid off and went through our 491's to keep the house as long as we could-bad move. Then we bought a trailer for $5000 and we only made $4200 on our home.. Well I went through bus driving training only to discover there were no routes for me when the school year started! Without work, we lost that..
So we moved in with one of our sons who lives in California..(we've been here for almost 10 months. Our son is in Iraq most of the year and comes home every six months. Needless to say, his wife doesn't want us there. There's a lot going on with that right now :-(
So I've talked to my Dad about moving in-and he said ok, but I'm afraid there will be friction there? My Dad is very difficult to be around...
We have a 2004 Xterra that's in decent shape and I'm thinking that's where we are going to live. I was looking for information for that and was very happy to find you!!!?? Whoever decides to read this and offer words of wisdom, we would really appreciate it?
Thanks for all the great information!!!

 

[ghost]

Hang in  there Georgina.   There are many people out there that are in a similar situation as you.  Know that you are not alone.  It sounds like you have a partner so never underestimate or take each other for granted.  Remember... 2 is 1 and 1 is none.  Best of luck to you.  PM me if you have specific questions but I would say the Xterra may be the next move.  Just keep it stealth.

Peace,

Matt

 

[SUV_RVing]

Sorry to hear that you're having a tough time. I have a RAV4 that I have spent 100+ nights in, so an Xterra is definitely doable. First you'll want the basics, namely (1) sleeping comfort, (2) privacy, and (3) temperature comfort. 

For #1, you'll probably want to build a simple sleeping platform, essentially an elevated table (plywood and 2x4's) that you can put your bedding material on and that you can store stuff underneath. I did a Google image search for "sleeping in Xterra" and a bunch of good results came up to show you what can be done in that regard.

For #2, you'll want curtains or something. You can make curtains out of sheets or towels, or you can simply cut a piece of black poster board to fit the windows. Or use cardboard that you've spray-painted black. You might also want to use Reflectix (essentially thin bubble wrap with a reflective layer on both sides) if it's hot where you are. 

For #3, get some fans. You can get D-cell battery-powered ones, or there are some rechargeable ones that you can charge during the day and then run at night. 

A gym membership will make it easy to stay clean. Anytime Fitness is a good one if you plan on traveling a lot (they have thousands of locations all around the country), or something like Planet Fitness will be cheaper if you just plan to stay in one area and use just one gym.

 

[JeriLynn]

Hi Georgina and welcome to the forum.  I am new also. I am not sure if this will be helpful as I do not know where you want to live. I have been doing a lot of research on cheap places to live as I am going to retire within a year and my ss will be a paltry sum. I am searching for a van to live in part time, but I want to have a home base, possibly a trailer, and storage shed. As you may have noticed on Bobs videos, he often mentions the Quartzsite area. I found a couple of rv parks near there that have space rents as low as 200 a month. I know nothing about them however, only what is on the Internet.  http://www.rvparkreviews.com/

As you well know the American economy has been going downhill with no recovery in sight. Many people are finding themselves in unforeseen financial difficulties. 

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and I am sure you will find a lot of good advice here.

 

[cyndi]

Georgina! Welcome to the CRVL forums! I'm sorry you'vegone through such hard times and they haven't let up on you yet. You deserve a break and a life you can enjoy. Vandwelling (just a state of mind) is definitely a viable option. We're here to help.

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.

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard Georgina !
You just found a place to answer all your questions and more !
We just call it the Tribe................

So don't be shy , ask away .

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Welcome and I'm sorry these events have been happening to you. Jerilynne made a good point about the quartzsite area. Don't over look a nm parks pass. It sounds expensive but its less than a dollar a day, if you need electric, it will be four more dollars a day. They have showers and water available. I can't make links with this tablet for you, sorry.
Many of the parks ate close to towns, potential for work.

 

[DannyB1954]

Welcome to the tribe. You say we and us a number of times, are there one or two of you? Living in an xterra may be a bit tight for more than one.

I had a friend that would stealth camp in his car by putting a car cover over it when he parked. He would leave one window rolled down, and would re enter the car when he thought it safe by getting under the cover and going in through the open window. He spray painted his car license number on the outside, so people would not try to steal it. He did this for years.

Youtube is a good place to look for ideas on how to make beds etc. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Xterra+camper

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Unless I missed it, I didn't see where stealth is a requirement for you. Go to free camp sites.net.

 

[Georgina538]

Welcome aboard Georgina !
You just found a place to answer all your questions and more !
We just call it the Tribe................

So don't be shy , ask away .

Thanks so much!! I'm in Michigan now visiting my father. Been here trying to sense whether we could live here and, well, that's not going to papoen. When I get back to California I'm going to go through what we have left to sell. There's so much info in this site!! If I'm not mistaken, a lot of people in this group are in Arizona, not sure where yet. And Arizonas not that far from where we are. So I need to find out where that is and go from there. Thank you for the reply?

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Several of us are in the Flagstaff area. 2 nights ago a new by from Florida was led into our site and set up. When you are ready start networking, most here are friendly and will help you into their sites. Remember to be respectful and not expect groups to change to meet your needs. We are spread out and often have different types of tribes we stay in. We also move to be legal as well with the seasons and temps and even altitudes.

 

[ArtW]

Welcome, sorry to hear about your woes, but you have found the best place to find in those circumstances
I thin Arizona is a great choice for someone with no home base, based on my very limited understanding of 'how you do it'

 

[Georgina538]

Welcome to the tribe.  You say we and us a number of times, are there one or two of you? Living in an xterra may be a bit tight for more than one.

I had a friend that would stealth camp in his car by putting a car cover over it when he parked. He would leave one window rolled down, and would re enter the car when he thought it safe by getting under the cover and going in through the open window. He spray painted his car license number on the outside, so people would not try to steal it. He did this for years.

Youtube is a good place to look for ideas on how to make beds etc. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Xterra+camper

There is myself and hubby. I've been watching videos and reading a lot about car living. I can definitely do it!! When I left home I slept/lived in my car so I'm no stranger to it. Can't thank you and everyone else enough for the tips, advise, and support! What a great group!!!!

 

[Georgina538]

We're both sixty so maybe this is what we are supposed to be doing?

 

[Georgina538]

Welcome, sorry to hear about your woes, but you have found the best place to find in those circumstances
I thin Arizona is a great choice for someone with no home base, based on my very limited understanding of 'how you do it'

Flagstaff,never been. When we make our departure I think that's where we'll head.
Thanks so much for the post and the information?

 

[TrainChaser]

Many/most of the places in AZ honor the Federal Senior Pass if there's a charge. The price is usually cut in half: $19 per night = $8 per night w/Senior Pass.

Flagstaff is at a higher elevation and cooler in the summer.