Fulltimers, what would you do if...

[Gump]

Your home was stolen? Its been stressing me out a bit. I have no other place to go, no money to start over... Someone else on this forum had their van stolen like a week ago, so its made me think.

I ran into this wretched homeless couple tonight and talked with them for a bit. They were broke, suicidal, hungry and lost. Ending up like them is my greatest fear.

So what would you do if you were suddenly faced with being on the street?

 

[Pikachu711]

Gump, this&nbsp;question is along the same lines&nbsp;as yours. What if your home was involved in a motor vehicle accident. If the vehicle is "totalled" what would be your next course of action? Your "home" is now a thing of the past. What do I do next?<br /><br />The primary reason I ask this is that I'm considering becoming a "van dweller" in a year or two. I'll have a few questions along the way. This one does concern me to some degree.

 

[Les H]

Both of you may want to look up Brenda Curtis ( Blessed Vandweller) on thhe vandwellwers yahoo site or follow her on the vandwellwers facebook page. She was in a catastrophic accident kast year in which she lost her van and most of her possessions, and how she has recovered and rebuilt her life.Some of it is very spiritual and religious, but very inspirational.

 

[Guest]

Good question! At the summer RTR I was discussing Mexico with a friend who would very much like to spend some time there, but he lives in an old van with everything he owns in it.&nbsp; The main problem is that any of the Mexican insurance companies you need to insure with wont insure any vehicle more than 20 years old for anything more than liability. So he can't go and take his home with him...or won't take the chance.<br /><br />This brings me the memory of my years in Alaska and our last home there...we lived in a cabin on an acre and we owned it. Just a 20' by 30' plywood cabin.<br /><br />We never had insurance on it...none. Mostly because without it being built to code, no one would insure it. Well, it could get 30 below and everything we owned was there. We had&nbsp; a local VFD but they would usually make it to a cabin fire in time to hose down the embers....<br /><br />So, what to do?&nbsp; Well, the old trappers and miner's had an even worse problem...there were NO FD's, even volunteer and they lived out in the bush. That is where the "cache" comes into play...probably going as far back as the ancients....<br /><br />You NEVER have everything you own in one place! The oldtimers would build a little cabin on stilts to keep the critters out of it. In the cache would be another complete outfit. And plenty of pemmican and other foodstuffs.<br /><br />That was their insurance....a complete outfit so if one burned they had another. Everything they needed to live in that environment....<br /><br />In our case we built two buildings (cabin and shop/studio) as well as had our old bus completely outfitted parked on the land a ways away from the cabin. It served as a guest house if anyone came to visit including one of my sons who came to be with us in the summer.<br /><br />Now I own a home in a little town and even though it is well insured, we still have several buildings and vehicles with complete outfits in them...old habits die hard. I dread the thought of being homeless and be competing for begging space at the Walmart exit. <br /><br />My wife and myself have almost never owned a vehicle we couldn't live in...even separately....We never had a cool buzzword to call it, like "prepper" or "survivalist", it is just made sense.<br /><br id="tinymce" class="mceContentBody " />Don't forget it has only been at most a couple generations that the common man in this country had anything like a middle class....that is something the unions helped provide and once their backs were broken by those whose interests were threatened, and the jobs fled the country, it is not looking promising for another middle class to emerge.....not without the same blood and guts that earned the right to a living wage. It won't happen in our lifetimes.<br /><br />So what does someone who lives on the road do? When I am living or traveling in my rig, I have some of my money, my passport, shot record, dog's papers and etc. on me somewhere....an Everyday Carry Bag (EDC) is <br />good, but I have other ways to carry some cash on me. I am a big fan of the EDC and in it I try to have everything I need to at least survive.<br /><br />I have some money and copies of papers stashed in the rig...no matter what rig. I have absolutely nothing against plastic money so I use a credit card and debit card and have a couple of each from different accounts and they are kept separately so I always have one if one is stolen, lost or doesn't work.&nbsp; I travel a lot so even on public transpo I have everything excepting a knife which I buy when I get where I am going and give it to someone before I leave.<br /><br />I think as nomads we need to use any tools at our disposal and the first thing that will screw you up is some rule you made up about what you do or don't do...flexibility and adaptability are the keys.<br /><br />Since we live in an uncertain time and have this agreement that we can "own" land, I am a believer in owning a piece of land of some kind....it can even be a sliver of land or something jointly owned with someone else or a group so you always have a place to light and regroup.&nbsp; There are many, many places in the country esp. the west that you can find a small piece of land for a couple thousand dollars...even make small down and small monthly payments on it, for a couple years. Then you can park for as long as you need to until things catch up...you can even set up a tarp and be home. <br /><br />I have a friend who owns a half dozen various slivers of land , both in Minnesota and New Mexico, mostly unusable for building anything but great for parking a few nights on. I don't think he gave more than a couple thousand bucks for any and way less for a couple...he traded vehicles and/ or body work for one or two. He built a shed on two and can sleep there whenever he wants...<br /><br />This is also where I am glad I am a dog person and not a cat person....my dog is really not going to let someone drive my van away...she is pretty possessive and protective of this ol' boy. I love having her along and she loves to travel.<br /><br />I won't go on but this is a great topic and a very real concern....on the other hand, if you aren't a survivor, you won't last long at this.<br />Bri

 

[rvwandering]

&nbsp;Excellent post Brian. I like the idea of having small pieces of property. With a little land and a tent there will always be a place for you to go and regroup whatever happens.<br /><br />&nbsp;I believe that fear of the unknown and imaging all of the things that could go wrong stops many people from experiencing any type of real freedom. It's good to come up with emergency plans and ,if all possible, to have some money set aside.<br /><br />&nbsp;We've never had our RV stolen but we did have two periods where we either couldn't live in it or travel safely. The first time I had an accident which made it impossible for me to use the RV and we needed to find another place to stay while we got another one that worked out for me. For about a year we stayed with friends ,family and in motels. The second time our RV was hit from behind and although it was possible to still live in it ,it wasn't safe to drive for long distances. We stayed in a relative's driveway until the insurance came through and we bought another one. Having a few good friends and relatives goes a long way when you need a little help.

 

[Rollin]

I have now and plan to&nbsp;continue&nbsp;carrying&nbsp;full coverage insurance. That way I will be covered in case of accident, fire or&nbsp;theft. As far as the contents in the van....I only plan on&nbsp;carrying&nbsp;replaceable&nbsp;item. And the items I do carry will be secured. Any sentimental items will be kept in storage. Money will be kept in bank.&nbsp;<br /><br />&nbsp;If you can't&nbsp;carry&nbsp;full&nbsp;coverage&nbsp;insurance there are cheep ways to prevent theft. One way would be to interrupt the&nbsp;ignition circuit by adding your own switch in a hidden place. Or a battery&nbsp;disconnect&nbsp;switch. If you have no other&nbsp;alternative&nbsp;but to carry cash and&nbsp;important&nbsp;documents with you, you could buy one or those fire proof lock&nbsp;box's and bolt it to the deck.&nbsp;That would help with fire and theft.<br />Another idea would be to bury your&nbsp;valuables in a pvc pipe in a undisclosed&nbsp;and remote spot.<br /><br />Above all else I think it is important not to&nbsp;worry&nbsp;to much about&nbsp;something&nbsp;that may never happen. Having a plan and&nbsp;preparing&nbsp;for the worst is a good idea though.<br /><br />Lot's of good advice has&nbsp;already&nbsp;been given above.

 

[sl1966]

<p>Full timers full coverage insurance is how I plan on dealing with theft, but I am investing in a boot for my travel trailer. It's for those times I need to leave it completely alone to get groceries or work. I know it won't stop them if they're dead set on stealing from me, but at least I won't be making it easy on them.<br /><br />The stuff in the trailer is all replaceable. Anything of value that I need to live with (my laptop for example) comes with me in my truck which has an alarm and is guarded by a large dog (whose life was spared by an Asian so it is forever in my debt and will serve me until the end of it's days. too mellow dramatic? nah!).&nbsp;I've also got family and friends to crash with, and have a piece of land if there's no where else to go. I've got extra belongings stashed away with family for emergencies like this too.<br /><br /></p>

 

[McBe]

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">bk2valve -&nbsp; That was an excellent post!&nbsp; Very good advice and worth implementing.&nbsp; Keep posting if you have more to say.&nbsp;<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Along the same lines, I'm reminded of a friend with spouse and kids&nbsp;who lost everything in a truck/travel trailer fire a few years back and no insurance.&nbsp; Basically, without *papers* they didn't exist and had to *reconstruct* identities.&nbsp; For example, no birth certs on the kids or ss cards, so they had to contact former&nbsp;schools and dr. offices to establish history in order&nbsp;to get everything reissued.<br /><br />Social equity, insurance, and back up plans ---- all good stuff.<br /><br />I don't know if anyone is familiar with a book called "Rancho Costa Nada" by Phil Garlington.&nbsp;&nbsp; It's basically the story of what he did when hard times hit and is full of good information.&nbsp; For the most part he recommends camping&nbsp;on a&nbsp;piece of junk land in a junk trailer. The guy is really funny too.&nbsp; I find myself reading the book again and again.&nbsp; He has a website at <a href="http://www.ranchocostanada.itgo.com/">http://www.ranchocostanada.itgo.com/</a><br /><br /></span>

 

[Guest]

Thanks Tony and Karen and McBe,<br />I don't have a lot more to say about losing your home on wheels.....I think it is pretty much common sense stuff.&nbsp; <br /><br />Rollin has some good ideas for theft prevention and that seems like the best bet.<br /><br />I have a several places in each rig I have to stash things...I like the idea of a fireproof stash though...<br /><br />I never carry full coverage on a vehicle but all my stuff is really, really old....the best insurance I know is Preventive Maintenance for mechanics and being careful for the rest...hey, life is pretty much a crap shoot and hazardous to your health....most folks die from it...LOL<br />Bri

 

[sidat202]

I like all the ideas on here and I learned some things. There have been two times in my life when I was pennyless and had nothing. When this happens, you have two choices. You can give up or&nbsp;you can do what ever it takes to recover. Remember, whatever happens it is your choice how to deal with it. I think the biggest thing is to have a backup plan in place and some money put away. That will go along way to relieve the fear.<br />I dont have anything with me that I cant replace. The vehicle would be my biggest loss, but I never pay that much for them and can replace them without to much hassle. I would suggest you join AAA. At least that would get your vehicle off the road if it breaks down.

 

[yesican]

Boy...so much good useful info.&nbsp; I knew there was a good reason I joined this sight!<br />Rae

 

[Seraphim]

Good posts. &nbsp;They cost, but a small lockbox at a bank for important papers might be worth the cost, compared against the difficulty of replacing them.

 

[Pikachu711]

Another&nbsp;method of carrying copies of important documents/photos is to store them on a "Flash Drive" and put it on a key ring. In the event you need copies just plug the flash drive into a USB enabled computer.

 

[angeli]

Bri<br /><br />Thank you for the really excellent info. &nbsp;After living in my Scotty and breaking down on the road as often as we did, I always managed to have something stashed somewhere else, just in case.&nbsp;<br /><br />Having a safety deposit box can be an excellent idea, except if you are 2000 miles away when crisis hits. &nbsp;But at least you have recourse in case of theft. &nbsp;I've set up a SDP and a commercial PO in the city where my family lives, so that I can have a backup. &nbsp;A family member I trust has the keys, in case something awful happens.<br /><br />I'm currently in hurricane alley, and have a complete set of survival necessities and some personal basics in a storage building on my property away from the main trailer. &nbsp;I also have a good survival duffel in my car, and one in the house near my door.<br /><br />Although by nature, I always fling everything everywhere (!!) when I leave the house for anything longer than a few hours, I bag my laptop in it's case with the cord, surge protection, and my little cases full of flash drives.... &nbsp;I leave it on a chair near the door where it can be grabbed fast in case of problems, or picked up and set up when I get home if all is well (and it usually is).<br /><br />I learned my lesson living in L.A. when the house we were renting was destroyed in the Northridge earthquake. &nbsp;We lost everything. &nbsp;In my art studio, my cans of Gesso literally exploded and coated my paintings, AND my books. &nbsp;AAAARRRRGGGGG!<br /><br />At that time I had an old VW van with a fiberglass hightop. &nbsp;I had all sorts of camping supplies in it, but no bugout survival supplies, no copies of papers, no extra food or water, etc. &nbsp;For two months, my DH and I were living in it with my two dogs, our two cats. &nbsp;Think Noah's ark! &nbsp;<br /><br />We&nbsp;were able to drive around the city, even though a lot of it looked like a bad Mad Max film. &nbsp;Although we could still park in our own driveway, the aftershocks were so bad that we'd go to sleep in the night, have a big one, and the van would bounce out of gear and roll to the bottom of the driveway while we slept. &nbsp;It was wild! &nbsp;<br /><br />But it was a good education as well. &nbsp;That experience plus a decade of hurricanes and tropical storms have made me really conscious of not being afraid of what MIGHT happen, but being prepared just in case. &nbsp;There is enough chaos in simply dealing with the disasters. &nbsp;Being well prepared means having a lot less personal stress while having to deal with the chaos and make decisions.<br /><br />JMPO

 

[Seraphim]

<p>One can carry 'certified true copies' of most documents in lieu of originals (it's been awhile). The reason I mentioned a safe deposit box. Some originals, such as our son's naturalization papers can't be replaced (so we were advised when we were given it).&nbsp; Givng someone else access to the SDB is important, I think.</p>

 

[josephusminimus]

Gump:&nbsp; Such things happen to human beings in life, theft, fire, political chaos, famine, human failure.&nbsp; I hate to be the one to say this here, because a lot of people will find it objectionable most likely, but when the crutches of civilization and all the material evidence of it is removed, we're still alive.&nbsp; It's just a new challenge, a new adventure.&nbsp; Probably more difficult than we're accustomed to, but almost certainly either a growth opportunity, or a personally destroying one leading to depression, grief, self-pity.<br /><br />A person can take all the precautions any reasonable individual can do, but when the Coincidence Coordinators decide it's time for a challenge, looking it in the eye, weighing what's left, and leaning into the potential of the future stands the best shot.<br /><br />I was a Y2K fanatic, cashed in my two retirements, built a cabin and refugee camp in a remote location, had my money in plastic bags under the floor joists of the cabin.&nbsp; When Y2K didn't happen I reached under there to get it out and pack rats had been at it, left greasy confetti.&nbsp; I sent it off to the US Treasury and they managed to recover a couple of thousand bucks, the rest was gone.<br /><br />All I can tell you is the years hence have been the most difficult, the most challenging, sometimes the most frustrating of my life, and I wouldn't give up a minute of it for whatever my life would have been if it didn't happen.<br /><br />If what I have today collapsed today and I had to struggle through whatever comes next, I'm confident a year from now I'll feel the same about the coming year as I feel today about the years after Y2K.<br /><br />Just saying.