Costs of Vanlife Long Term?

[TortoiseAvenger]

Hi there!

I'm considering doing the van life thing, but want to make sure it's a financially responsible decision. I hear people talk about the day to day, and saving money, but something I haven't heard people discuss with this lifestyle is...

What happens when your van dies? Cars in general aren't good investments. And what about all the money dumped into the van for furnishings and such? Buying a van and converting it is certainly cheaper than a house, but perhaps not if you're doing it every 10-15 years...

One idea I had to mitigate this was to put things in the van that could easily be removed and put into any van, but this will likely result in wasted space.

Any thoughts?

 

[maki2]

Do what makes you feel financially secure but just remember nothing last forever and it all requires time and money. There is a lot of annual expense with home ownership. It does require a lot of maintenace and repairs to keep it up. Plus don't forget ongoing expenses such as propery taxes, home owners insurance, utility bills. On top of all that out-going money you still have the expenses for a vehicle. Do the math, the real math, the ongoinng expenses math,. Then compare that to the cost of nomadic van dwelling.

Both choices are valid ways of life. Do what makes it a good life for you. Dont worry about what I choose to do or why I chose it.

 

[MrNoodly]

Unless the building you live in is in a place where you can rely on public transportation/bicycling/walking for all your transportation needs, you will probably own a vehicle. You would be replacing the vehicle every 10-15 years anyway. And you would also be paying rent or a mortgage. When you live in a vehicle, some of your former housing money goes toward a vehicle replacement fund.

 

[bullfrog]

Every individual has a comfort zone of security. It is more than just survival but it varies with each individual and changes over your lifetime. Living simply allows you to have more choices of how you live. For me there have been several different ways to stay in that comfort zone and really the less I spend the more secure I feel. For me it is more a question of how much I can save each month than how much I spend at this point because of the way I live my life I have little or no debts and at the end of the month I am able to put some in savings. If the way you are living now doesn't allow you to do that change it. We started out with a tent 45 years ago and progressed to something more easy to maintain with more room and currently use a 25' trailer a few months, a 28' motorhome a few months, tent and small trailer or truck camper when traveling and soon I hope to have a Suburban for towing that can be used for short trips. We haven't owned a house for almost 20 years. The reason we sold the house was we wanted to not be tied to one place that would be a struggle to survive to keep. Moving out of the house required we learn to live simply and save it has worked well for us, how it will work for you depends on you as an individual and you needs and abilities to change.

 

[RoamerRV428]

you are either a person who must live in a van with no financial backup as in 'forced' to be there and deal, or either embrace it or fight it and then you can be one who has some backup money financially who WANTS this wandering/roaming lifestyle or you are ??? We all deal with this and it becomes extremely personal to each of us.

this is all about you. I don't think anyone can make your decision to move forward on what financials you have so...

if you want this life ya go in, if you are SO iffy on what ifs, then you will forever wonder so again, this is all about you and your personal jump forward...no one can make it for you ever.

just kinda how it boils down for everyone on wondering the what if I do this...........for me there is a desire to be on the road, be more secluded, I want this lifestyle and I am going there very soon as my life warrants me to achieve this and I am not caring about what ifs, I am just 'gonna do and pray it all out' LOL but again, we are all so diff on our life approach and like Bullfrog said, comfort zones we push....so?

decide what ya want....do it or leave it and be smiling while you make that decision and hang the BS of what if this goes down or that goes down cause one of the best things people can do is bob and weave, adapt and change and deal with what ifs when they slap us in the face and keep putting that forward motion toward what you want as #1.....you will find ways to always make it work...everyone does just that thru life....we all get slapped and we all have big smiles and tons of inbetween. Your post is about you, not us ya know...so do you.

 

[TortoiseAvenger]

I didn't think to mention that I currently live in a downtown urban area, and don't have a vehicle. I live in a studio, and my life is quite simple as it is. I own an internet based business, so as long as I have internet, I can work from anywhere. Adventure sounds nice, I have to admit.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

The freedom of going where you want, when you want is a huge bonus.

 

[GypsyJan]

"The freedom of going where you want, when you want is a huge bonus."

...and gravy on top of that, is the ability to park whenever you wish and slide into your berth on board your land yacht and nap or spend the night.....with no motel fees.

 

[crofter]

What they said.

Plus, dwelling you do not have to put up with bad neighbors ever.

And the view is always great.

I found that many items are reused from one build to the next. For example, HDR did not buy all new refrigerators for his latest build. ( he has like five of them, but not five new ones in his new space. Foodie.)
-crofter

 

[NctryBen]

Your concern about reusing or rebuilding. Part of your lifestyle should be saving enough for your next vehicle or a sticks and a bricks situation.

 

[lab_nomad]

"The freedom of going where you want, when you want is a huge bonus."

...and gravy on top of that, is the ability to park whenever you wish and slide into your berth on board your land yacht and nap or spend the night.....with no motel fees.

Tru dat. When I was on the road for 5 days/4 nights, I got a motel one night and it cost me 199.00. Imagine if I had gotten a room every night! I noticed as well that I drove more miles b/c there was no point in stopping until I was ready for bed. When I get a motel, I know I’ll be spending good money, so I don’t want to roll in late and roll out early. I want to get my money’s worth, so I’ll stop around dinner time and hang out in the room watching videos and whatnot. When I slept in the van, I got 3 to 4 more hours of driving in.

 

[crofter]

Also I forgot to include in above post, there is a GREAT DANGER of having too much fun with your van, and possibly saving too much rent money while dwelling.

To save on build costs, do a no-build build, costs around $300.
-crofter



Or $200 thrift store build