Hard knock life - harder than thought
- Thread starter offroad
- Start date
Help Support Van Living Forum:
cyndi
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2011
- Messages
- 5,731
- Reaction score
- 16
Sounds like someone didn't do his homework. I looked at a lot of mohos. When one ticked most of the boxes it was gone through by an RV tech and a mechanic. It cost some dough but in the end I got a rig that needed some work but is still running after two very round about trips from the west coast to the east coast and the southern border to the northern border.
$hit happens, all day long; thus the sage advice to have an emergency bank roll at all times.
$hit happens, all day long; thus the sage advice to have an emergency bank roll at all times.
Patrick46
Well-known member
Sounds like someone went into this rather naively...WITHOUT doing his proper research.
now he's stuck and is grumbling about it...'cause if HE did it wrong, then it won't work for anybody!!
sounds like the kinda guy who wouldn't be happy no matter where he was.
now he's stuck and is grumbling about it...'cause if HE did it wrong, then it won't work for anybody!!
sounds like the kinda guy who wouldn't be happy no matter where he was.
caseyc
Well-known member
A whole lot of crying. We've all made mistakes like that. Consider yourself lucky if your first purchase was everything you expected and more from an old/used vehicle. I also made the same mistake with my first vehicle purchase of an old Class C RV which I ended up selling at a loss. That was a learning experience for me.
simply lesa
Well-known member
I think it was nice of him to state what he learned about himself and his wants and needs. In his writing I didn't read a lot of negativity. It's good to be reminded that we all have different reasons for what we choose.
Keep sharing the good, bad and ideas it's how we learn more from others.
BTW I would do things differently if I could know what I do now and go back a couple years. ..but hey I did what I did and today is another day.
Keep sharing the good, bad and ideas it's how we learn more from others.
BTW I would do things differently if I could know what I do now and go back a couple years. ..but hey I did what I did and today is another day.
Patrick46
Well-known member
simply lesa said:
I think most (not all) of us would do things differently if we could go back in time...hindsight is everything
...but this is how we learn
I think he was very negative. he sounded bitter, like he had this great idea, and it didn't pan out for him (because he didn't prepare himself properly, and ended up impatiently buying something that wasn't right for him)
Now he's mad because he has to alter his original plans and come up with a Plan 'B'.
Pfffffffffffft.....who hasn't???!!
AltTransBikes
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2013
- Messages
- 368
- Reaction score
- 0
simply lesa said:
Yeah, I agree, good to see and learn from all sides of a situation. I see the kid's post sort of a reality check, 'van life' will not be all peachy all the time. I also think a certain amount that is written, said or speculated about the nomad/road lifestyle, particularly online, gets done by people who really are not living it full time. Different ball of wax to sever the ties and head out into the wild blue yonder.
wagoneer
Well-known member
I like the Whine fridge part.
The best advice I ever got was to treat my van like a tent, build nothing in and wire nothing in, keep everything portable. By following that one simple rule, everything is cheap and easy to repair/replace almost anywhere.
I learned the hard way when my 3 way fridge went out and I lost $200 worth of groceries. If my ice chest fails it's MY fault!
I learned the hard way when my 3 way fridge went out and I lost $200 worth of groceries. If my ice chest fails it's MY fault!
sephson
Well-known member
Patrick46 said:
And when plan B doesn't work, move on to plans C, D, E, and F.
More often than not though, the following sums it up nicely:
[video=youtube]
simply lesa
Well-known member
OffGrid - after 2 years on the road as a Vandweller. And after 2 'builds' I sooooo agree with you and the advice you were given.
For me - it was a mistake in thinking to try and make the van my 'home'. Defining the term home has been more helpful along my personal path....
Not trying to get off topic
Simply
Moi
For me - it was a mistake in thinking to try and make the van my 'home'. Defining the term home has been more helpful along my personal path....
Not trying to get off topic
Simply
Moi
WheelEstate USA
Well-known member
We meet a lot of folks who are disillusioned about this lifestyle. We try to offer encouraging advice as they whine about not being able to afford to live in the home they used to have. They are usually amazed to hear we chose this lifestyle and are quite happy with that choice.
Granted, I had experience, but Margie didn't. After a couple years, (5 months in the van) she is happier than she's ever been.
Some people are suited for life on the road and some aren't.
Granted, I had experience, but Margie didn't. After a couple years, (5 months in the van) she is happier than she's ever been.
Some people are suited for life on the road and some aren't.
Patrick46
Well-known member
bindi&us said:
X 200,000,000!!!
Me, absolutely YES!!!
wife......NOPE!! :s
compassrose
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2013
- Messages
- 952
- Reaction score
- 1
Why are so many folks so enamoured with WorkKamping or being a campground host in return for a campsite. My site (full hookups, cable, wifi) in the RV park is $425 per month. My job pays much more than that in take home pay. Even when I was only working 20 hours per week, we still had 10% taken out to buy stock (better "interest" than a bank pays on a savings account), paid my gas, bought groceries and bought David's meds. It was tight but we did it. Getting extra hours really helped. I can always get a job running a cash register. Any job will result in more money than workkamping will yeild. I would rather keep where I work and where I live seperate. If one doesn't work out, I always have the other.
caseyc
Well-known member
Compassrose,
I have the same feeling about workamping. Doesn't make economic sense...at least not to me. I don't get it. But I'm happy for others if it floats their boat.
I have the same feeling about workamping. Doesn't make economic sense...at least not to me. I don't get it. But I'm happy for others if it floats their boat.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2010
- Messages
- 7,706
- Reaction score
- 55
What you are saying is true in some cases, but not all. In fact my guess is more are paid than are not.
Many RV Parks work the way you describe, but not all. I joined Workcamper and my first job offer was on the Oregon coast at a Private RV park with a free site and pay of $8.50 for every hour worked.
As far as I know all National Forest campgrounds give you a free site and pay for every hour worked. At least every one I've ever heard of did. I did it for 4 years and I loved it.
On the other hand, I would rather beg on the corner than work in a big box store again. That's a fate worse than death!
Most State campgrounds are not paid. It's not something I would do but I might can offer some insight though why some do. My first year as a campground host I worked for a very nice couple who were in charge of our area. They were paid well and did a very good job. But they decided they didn't like the pressure so they switched to being volunteers at a state park. They went from being stressed out to being relaxed and happy. It worked for them.
I also follow a blogger who works as a volunteer at lighthouses in exchange for a free site. I don't think money is an issue to them, my guess is they live in a $500,000 motorhome. They just do what makes them happy.
Were all different, no two of us need or want the same things. The things that make you happy would be an absolute nightmare for me.
Bob
Many RV Parks work the way you describe, but not all. I joined Workcamper and my first job offer was on the Oregon coast at a Private RV park with a free site and pay of $8.50 for every hour worked.
As far as I know all National Forest campgrounds give you a free site and pay for every hour worked. At least every one I've ever heard of did. I did it for 4 years and I loved it.
On the other hand, I would rather beg on the corner than work in a big box store again. That's a fate worse than death!
Most State campgrounds are not paid. It's not something I would do but I might can offer some insight though why some do. My first year as a campground host I worked for a very nice couple who were in charge of our area. They were paid well and did a very good job. But they decided they didn't like the pressure so they switched to being volunteers at a state park. They went from being stressed out to being relaxed and happy. It worked for them.
I also follow a blogger who works as a volunteer at lighthouses in exchange for a free site. I don't think money is an issue to them, my guess is they live in a $500,000 motorhome. They just do what makes them happy.
Were all different, no two of us need or want the same things. The things that make you happy would be an absolute nightmare for me.
Bob
