Considering the Van life

[outlander]

I have been researching a lot but can't seem to find any good answers. Hopefully some of your experienced souls can guide me in the right direction.

Questions:

Where do you go when van dwelling? Since it's illegal I figure most people stay out in the sticks, but are there more popular areas people go that are safe/ away from the law or tourists?

How do you earn an income while on the road? I've noticed most people are self employed designers of some sort. They work from their computers and are lucky enough to have the experience needed to work wherever, unfortunately I don't have those skills and my money will eventually run out. 

It'll my my husband and me going across the country in a stealth van, since it'll be easier to get around the city. Any advice, tips, or websites you can direct us to would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you,

Outlander

 

[BradKW]

Hello!

Workcamping is a viable way to travel. There are all sorts of variations, from just a discounted campsite, to free spot + hourly wages. I first learned of this by doing it at a KOA and met a number of others that do it full time. Some of them seem to stay exclusively within the KOA ecosystem (which does have some benefits), but there are many many other options...

Here's some other good ideas: https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Ideas-for-Making-Money-On-The-Road

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums outlander! Many of the members on the forum are retired but others work seasonally and save enough for the times when they're not working. The most common jobs are working for Amazon, campground hosting, working the sugar beet harvest and working at seasonal venues.

There are a lot of places to stay in cities - walmarts and other big box stores, casino lots or on the street near apartment buildings or in industrial areas. After a while you'll develop a sense of where you can park without being disturbed.

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.

 

[outlander]

Forgot to ask:

How dangerous is it? That's my main concern. It'll be me and my husband, we're both 25. Of course we know to stay away from bad areas and use our best judgment, but is it often that crime happens to those that seek this lifestyle? Do you have health insurance or anything of that nature?

 

[nobodyG17]

I would say that's it not dangerous but anytime you operate a motor vehicle you are doing the most dangerous activity that most people do every day.   Crime when you are out in nature is statistically very small.  So I'm going to go with it depends.  Make smart choices on where you stay, be aware of your surroundings, and don't be out after midnight(teasing on that one)!

Best of luck with everything and keep us updated on any future plans.

 

[rvwandering]

We've lived and traveled in our little RV for over 20 years which includes parking on city streets during the day, Walmart lots at night, camping in forests and other public campgrounds and boondocking in the middle of nowhere. We had a few CDs stolen when we left our door unlocked while the RV was parked near our daughter's house in Seattle. Another time it looked like somebody tried to pop our door opened while we were in a museum in Massachusetts. That's the extent of the crime that we've encountered so I think it's really safe. RVs may be slightly safer than vans because it's harder to tell if somebody is inside which may deter thieves.

At the least you should have high deductible catastrophic insurance. Accidents can happen at any time and it's best to have some type of insurance.

 

[eDJ_]

There are a lot of young people who shop around and find an older Class A motor home with reasonable mileage on it.  Some of these were purchased new and only used for the family summer vacation trips but otherwise
sit home in a shed or under a cover.  These can be purchased surprisingly cheap.

Often these tow a small car of some kind behind them.  

The couple or individual will go seeking work in a better place than where they live.  Once they find it,  they will find a "Nice" trailer park and secure parking for it there on a monthly basis and live there while operating the car
to work and back.   Thus they can build up their money supply and continue to look for better work environment in other parts of the country. 

Much will depend on your skills when doing this.  Say you don't have much skills, then you may find a VoeD
school to learn to be a welder, machinist, or whatever where you can easily find work as those skills are always in demand.  Wife could pursue training as a Pharmacy Tech and get certified to work in all 50 states while working.

The main thing for the traveling life is having job skills that are always in demand.  Or being self employed.  If you have that you can travel more often and more quickly.  Lets say  that you are a school teacher,  then in an occupation like that it may be more difficult.

You may want to look at the Trading Post forum to see some of the vehicles members find and post occasionally.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Forum-Trading-Post

 

[eDJ_]

More on the subject of supporting yourself while on the road.

Below are some links that follow the order of these thoughts.

One.  get yourself a Library Card.  It is simple to do and can help you to free yourself as much as an RV.


The  2016 list of most in demand jobs professional & Trades

The occupational Outlook Handbook.  In the Library reference department and online.

25 Well paying jobs most people overlook and why.

Those who travel will see things in other parts of the country or world that they may have never dreamed of
before.  If they read and research they may learn from others who have traveled and learned.  Just reading
this forum Cheap RV Living can be a start on that and getting prepared to be successful once they are on the road.




http://advice.careerbuilder.com/posts/these-are-the-most-indemand-jobs-for-2016

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/

http://www.businesspundit.com/25-well-paying-jobs-that-most-people-overlook-and-why/

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

Hello and welcome!