Hello Everyone!

[introverting]

I resigned from a job that I absolutely hated a few years ago.  I've attempted to re-enter the job market, but so far I'm not having much success.

I began to desire a simpler life after the financial meltdown in this country back in 2009.  I read a compilation of newsletters called the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.  A few years later, I read a book called Trailersteading by Anna Hess.  I've actually read Anna's book 3 times and living in a mobile/manufactured home is still an option in my mind.

With lack of success of finding a job, the thought has come across my mind numerous times, what happens if I can't afford to live in a home any longer?  I've even searched the Internet about what it's like to be homeless.  I read Bob's book last year, but it didn't phase me that much.  Perhaps I didn't think the lifestyle was for me at that time.  However, I've now read through it 3 times.

This year, I read a similar book by Romana Starfield and am on my second read.  That book started my interest in vandwelling.  However, the documentary Without Bounds mesmerized me and now I'm fascinated by the concept of living in a van.  I have a lot of questions and concerns.  I'm a subscriber to a few channels on the subject at YouTube, including Enigmatic Nomadic.

Vandwelling Appeals:
01) cheap and simple
02) freedom
03) reduced stress

Vandwelling Concerns:
01) I'm a bit of a neat freak.
02) Camped out only a few times in my life and didn't really care for it.
03) Income
04) Pretty sure I will not want to cook everyday, so how and what am I going to eat?
05) Will I get bored with so much free time?
06) What happens if I encounter health issues that prevent me from living the lifestyle?
07) Similar concern as #6, what happens if and when I become too old to live the lifestyle?
08) I'm tall, so will I quickly tire of not being able to stand up in a cargo van?

I posted concern/question #7 in another forum here already.

 

[Txjaybird]

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME!  I THINK EVERYONE ELSE IS ASLEEP   

Vandwelling Appeals:
01) cheap and simple  I THINK THIS DEPENDS ON CHOICE OF VEHICLE AND OUTFITTING IT
02) freedom   YES
03) reduced stress  YES

Vandwelling Concerns:
01) I'm a bit of a neat freak. WELL IT'S UP TO YOU HOW NEATLY YOU LIVE IN YOUR VAN etc.
02) Camped out only a few times in my life and didn't really care for it.  COULD BE A PROBLEM ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THIS
03) Income...WELL YOU GOTTA EAT
04) Pretty sure I will not want to cook everyday, so how and what am I going to eat? WHAT DO YOU EAT NOW WHEN YOU DON'T COOK
05) Will I get bored with so much free time? THAT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU
06) What happens if I encounter health issues that prevent me from living the lifestyle? THEN YOU WILL JUST MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO HOW YOU LIVE, AFTER ALL NOTHING IS FOREVER
07) Similar concern as #6, what happens if and when I become too old to live the lifestyle?  SEE # 6
08) I'm tall, so will I quickly tire of not being able to stand up in a cargo van? LOOK FOR A HIGH TOP,  I'M ONLY 5ft 5in AND I WANT A HIGH TOP OR A TINY TRAVEL TRAILER SO I CAN STAND UP STRAIGHT

I posted concern/question #7 in another forum here already.

YOU ASK MANY OF THE QUESTIONS I'VE ASKED MYSELF...I HAVE FOUND A LOT OF THE ANSWERS BY READING JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE INFO UNDER THE HEADINGS AT THE TOP OF THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS SITE..........ALSO READING THE POSTS UNDER THE DIFFERENT FORUM THREADS..... I BEGIN WITH THE MOST RECENT AND WORK MY WAY BACK

ON YOU TUBE I ALSO WATCH VIDEOS ON ANY TYPE OF VEHICLE LIVING AND ANY RELATED SUBJECTS THAT PERTAIN TO OFF GRID LIVING

WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS LIKES AND DISLIKES.......INTERESTS......BACKGROUNDS    WANTS.....NEEDS

WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WILL SUIT US THE BEST AS INDIVIDUALS AND GO FOR IT AS BEST WE CAN. 

I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING THAT SCARES ME IS THE THOUGHT OF BECOMING HOMELESS WITH NO OTHER CHOICE OF A WAY TO LIVE.......THE VIDEOS ON YOU TUBE OF HOMELESS CAMPS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN NONE RUNNING VEHICLES WAS AN EYE OPENER FOR ME.

GOOD LUCK WITH WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO ABOUT SHELTER/VEHICLE CHOICES.
                                                                       TJB

 

[Yogidog]

Welcome!
 like u did with the question of getting old, I would take each of these questions, topics  and search them and try and figure out the.forum they will go in. While people want to try and address them we could write a mini dissertation on them!
I learned i got way better help when I asked one clear question in the topic header than figured out where to post it. And I learned alot reading.

So homeless fears could go in matters ofnthenheart
When u get old could go in solo vanndwellers
Eating in cooking forum
Tall issue modifications

I am a.reader also! 

Hope that helpsn

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums introverting! Some of your con points are a concern. This lifestyle isn't for everyone and you may be one of the people who is much happier living in a stationary, conventional dwelling. Living in a van is very similar to camping. You'll be spending a lot of time outside. Staying in cities will solve the cooking, entertainment and income problems to a degree but city living brings it's own set of problems such as where to park at night. Some people find that they feel stigmatized and homeless when they stay in cities. It's a matter of perception on their part and can be overcome with a little positive thinking. This usually isn't a problem if you live a public land.

If possible rent a van and try out the lifestyle. You'll need some type of mattress, a sleeping bag, a stove and a few containers for water and to keep your rest of your stuff a bit organized. Keep in mind that if you do decide to buy a van after you fix it the way that you want you'll be much better organized and more comfortable.

A RV is also an option because it will give you standing room and will be more like a tiny conventional dwelling. You'll have all of the normal conveniences inside as opposed to a van where many activities are more easily accomplished outside.

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]

Again welcome aboard and I'll take a couple more of those concerns on.....

Neat Freak

Easy one , less is best !
Only have what you NEED, keeping less stuff neat is way easier .

Income ( and not cooking all the time)

Check out working for a concessionaire at one of the nation's awesome National Parks.
Campsites OR dorm rooms and employee meals are offered at really low cost deducted from your PAY .

One of my favorite group camping activities ,,,,, pot luck feeds ! YUM

Other income or cost saving ideas... short term jobs (some including a campsite)

Workamping , Amazon workforce , the beet harvest , pumpkin and Christmas tree lots , fireworks tents , festivals and other large gatherings (Quartzsite , Fairs and Circuses , Nascar . are just a few ...) Theme Parks .
Volunteering at places like State Parks , ACOE army corps sites , National Forests , Fish Hatcheries , Hunter Check Stations etc etc ......

If you're good at sales , and have a craft or just buy wholesale Swap Meets/Flea Markets.

Really Tall

Well at 5'1" I just gonna pass on that !
Skuh kuh kuh kuh kuh

 

[Cat Lynn]

Hey there....I am new here but I have thoughts on some of your concerns: 
I planned for this for about 6 weeks. I also love canning food. I have chicken, pork roast, bacon, potatoes, red beans and black eyed peas. All seasoned and requires no fridge until you open a jar. I have tried fast food but wasn't what I paid for and threw most of it away. Oooh a chicken fried steak does sound awesome. I have a little sterno camp stove but it has been too windy to use it. 
I am also a neat freak and my suv has never been cleaner! 
Take one problem at a time and solve it! I was just like you as far as work goes. I weighed my options....now, my idea of roughing it is less floor space. I feel free and relaxed!  No stress. Unless you count right now that I can't find my bag of tootsie rolls. It couldn't have gone far!!!!

 

[cognitive dissonance]

Hello and welcome!

I would echo what Cat just said - don't try to solve everything at once.  Tackle one thing at a time. You can decide up front that this will involve trial and error, and you can decide that you will adapt. We all can adapt.

A lot of people are having trouble finding decent jobs. The economy is still changing, and not for the better. To me, the real attraction of the CRVL concept is the low overhead, although whenever I really think about it the freedom comes in tied for first!

The economy you knew a decade ago is never coming back.  Times will almost certainly get tougher.  Whatever money you manage to earn will go a lot further when you don't have the overhead of a house.

Here are some thoughts on your list of concerns:

04) Pretty sure I will not want to cook everyday, so how and what am I going to eat? See #5.
05) Will I get bored with so much free time? Learn to cook! What cuisines do you like, and what can you adapt from them that can be prepared on the road?
06) What happens if I encounter health issues that prevent me from living the lifestyle? Best way to prevent that is to eat a healthy diet. See #5.
07) Similar concern as #6, what happens if and when I become too old to live the lifestyle? Don't know, but why worry? I was in financial planning for a long time, and in this economic climate I don't believe it is possible to plan for old age/infirmity.  Every western nation is beyond bankrupt, and every western nation is undergoing a slow-motion collapse.

This doesn't just include the USA - we're leading the pack!

It's hard to do, but try to forget about it. There's nothing you can do about it anyway.

I'm pretty new around here, but I can already tell that there are quality friendships to be had in this community.  CRVL is a really neat lifestyle for the present and the future.  Success at this isn't measured in garages and storage units full of stuff - it's measured in experiences and friendships! 

Just do it. Enjoy life while you can, because none of us know what tomorrow brings...

08) I'm tall, so will I quickly tire of not being able to stand up in a cargo van? You can always stand outside the van! That's adapting!

More seriously, plenty of box vans and box trucks have a 7.5' to 8' ceiling height.  Mine does. They're not that hard to find.

Gosh, somehow all that bold type feels like yelling.  It isn't. The people here are great, and will help you through all your concerns.

Stick it out until you experience the liberation!

 

[introverting]

Thank you everyone for the responses.  I really didn't expect answers to the questions/concerns I had.  Just kind of thinking out loud.

@Tjaybird:  I eat mostly frozen organic entrees from Whole Foods Market heated up in a microwave.  When I do cook, I usually make enough for 4 or more servings and then freeze each serving.  I just thaw out a serving and heat it up in the microwave when I want to eat it.  Once-in-awhile, I'll eat something my wife cooks.

High tops...I've considered those, but they can be more expensive and I would only want a high top that was built that way rather than an add-on.

@rvwandering:  The inexensiveness of vandwelling intrigues me, as well as the ability to just get up and go whenever you want without being tied down to your possesions.  On the other hand, I would miss some of the comforts of living in a stationary, conventional dwelling, one being the ability to freeze extra food to be eaten some other day.

RV is not an option form me because of lack of stealthiness, their cost, and the complexity of all the "nice stuff" that they come with.

Thank you for pointing out the Tips & Tricks forum.  I haven't noticed that during my few visits to the site.

@rvpopeye:  Less might cover my desire to be orderly.  Another aspect of my desire to be neat is dirt.  I don't like to be dirty, nor do I like my living space to be that way either.

I came across a possibly useful site for jobs last evening checking out some of the content over at the Nomads with a Van site; www.nomadswithavan.com.  The site is:  www.theprofessionalhobo.com.

@cognitive dissonance:  Not all health problems stem from diet.

We may not be able to control things, but it's best to try and plan for things.  Truth is, some people live to 80 or more and when you hit that age, your body just can't do things that it used to do when you were younger.  I've recently had some minor health issues that required me to temporarily slow down a bit, so that has caused me some concern and consternation.

I guess my concern about growing older is that if you live the vandwelling life, then you may not have the necessary resources (e.g. retirement fund) once you're no longer able to live the lifestyle to say, live in a regular dwelling.

If I'm going to live the vandwelling life, I want to plan as much as possible and not leave anything to chance.

I realize you can stand outside your van, but I think it would get old after awhile having to constantly get in and out of your van, not to mention the fact that you probably wouldn't want to do that if it was pouring rain outside.

Box trucks/vans aren't as stealthy as a regular cargo van and they cost more.

 

[ilovemyvan]

You have very valid questions. You will find a lot of answers on this site, including hygiene tips and tricks.

I highly second the suggestion of renting for a few days at least before you jump right in. It's quite a commitment. There will be wonderful experiences but also some difficult times here and there. So if you're not sure to begin with it will make you questioned yourself when things are not as smooth as you would like them to be.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

Nicole