Hello

[[email protected]]

Greetings everyone,

I am 30 years old and have been living in here Atlanta,Ga for the past few years staying with my parents.I have about 3500 saved up and was thinking about purchasing a van to live in to not escape the rat race but being less dependent on it hopefully being able to work part-time doing something that is bearable and not having to pay rent.I am having a bit of a hard time finding a job here and alot of them pay minimum wage here in GA.Its either going back to california without a car since i have connections to find work having lived there awhile ago or staying here in GA around my parents living in a van or continuing to live with them.I am considering the van option as i do like my independence  however
1)I have around 3500 saved up and i purchase something around 1500-2000 that would leave me with around 1500-2000 left.
2)I am not a handyman at all and don't know anything about fixing cars barely know how to change a spare tire.I
3)I am a comfort person and need a solid 8 hours to function and fear that i will not be able to sleep well and that i would wake up in the middle of the night worrying about being asked to move.
4)Here in Atlanta with the summers being hot and the winter being cool me not being a handyman and being stuck in discomforting situations

I don't want to look back and do something crazy that i would regret.My main motivation for doing it is not the adventure but mostly not having to work 40 hours a week and being less of a wage slave and having more free time which i value.
I would appreciate your input guys

Thanks

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Davsey.
After you have read as much as you feel is enough , then decide if this lifestyle will make you happy.
If yes , then give it a try , get or even rent a van and do a test run , then if it works for you start imagining what you want to do for your mods , then get on it !
Keep reading as you go and ask any questions that come up.....

 

[BradKW]

Welcome Davsey...sounds like you're in a good position in that you have time to consider all your options and don't need to rush into anything.

You're fortunate, as there is so much information available here and across the web, you can spend months fully exploring what you want to do, and learn from the experience of others.

You might consider working a 2nd job for awhile to help expand your financial possibilities...if you're already able to save with one, a 2nd should yield quick results. Plus it keeps ya busy and not spending money... Best of luck

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Davesy! Very good advice from popeye and Brad. Give van living a test run before you cut your ties with your parents. Working a second job to build up a nest egg is good too. You may be able to get a job work camping in one of the national forests if you want to stay in the area. Good luck with your decisions!

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.

 

[[email protected]]

I have a question for you vandwellers 

One of my concerns is that i will be unable to sleep as well as living in a room and 

only get a few hours of sleep leading me to a state of chronic exaustion and depression from insomnia

from the fear of always having to be "on the go" vs living in a room where you are more settled

 

[Yogidog]

Davey's, welcome! I think u are being very realistic about weighing the pros and cons, that is success right there, it is easy to glamorize this life and everything has pros and cons. I am heading back out after two years in house, after traveling for three.

The sleep is a.problem for me, may not be for others but I am on alert when in town. Woods are fine.

THere are probably others here from Atlanta who know more but I had more trouble finding a spot to park there than all of southern US and 1 75. My brother lived there.

U are right about saving money I just saved 800 I would have paid in rent. Freedom, independence, self sufficiency are wonderful!

Great advice with above posts, I am working on emergency fund now, working ect hours and asked m dad if he would help me get back if needed. Bail out plan reduces my anxiety.

Not trying at all discourage u but valadate your thinking is right on! For me the benefits out weigh thendraw backs, great questions.

 

[Iggy]

I had the same concern when I started out a couple years ago. The things that have helped me are 1) Having a vent in the roof to keep the van cooler and provide fresh air at night. 2) Covering the windows, vent, and front pass-thru, with black cloth. It's not 100% dark but way better than wearing a mask. 3) Time. It takes a little while to get used to sleeping at truck stops, rest areas, casinos, next to apartments, in the desert, etc. You're dealing with more commotion, stress, weird little noises, moving headlights, etc. I promise, you do learn to sleep thru a lot.

 

[[email protected]]

so sleep deprivation shouldn't be an issue even if the change in environment from settled housing to being out in the open is a bit of shock to the nervous system?

I know at first the nervous system may be like  shit i am out in the open this isn't like sleeping in a room

While trying to drift into sleep the subconscious will be thinking what if i get stopped by an officer or someone knocks on my door

So long that i stay present with the fear it should pass?

 

[BradKW]

This reminds me of a book I was reading where the company was about to charge into a near hopeless battle and the CO gave a speech telling the soldiers to pretend they were already dead so they wouldn't be afraid... hmm, perhaps not the most motivational thing I could come up with

But seriously, just work through your fears from a realistic viewpoint...a cop waking you up would suck, but its really not a big deal. Worst case (assuming you're legal, have license/registration, and no warrants) is you are asked to move on. When viewed relative to all the other problems in the world, its just not worth losing sleep over.

Also realize that there are other, more ambiguous uncertainties that moving into a mobile life can engender, and since they are harder to put your finger on, they may just manifest as a general fear of having someone knock on your door...

 

[ilovemyvan]

so sleep deprivation shouldn't be an issue even if the change in environment from settled housing to being out in the open is a bit of shock to the nervous system?

I know at first the nervous system may be like  shit i am out in the open this isn't like sleeping in a room

While trying to drift into sleep the subconscious will be thinking what if i get stopped by an officer or someone knocks on my door

So long that i stay present with the fear it should pass?

Hi Davsey27.

Please don't see me as a naysayer (I really despised them), however it must be said that this lifestyle is not for everyone. One way to find out if it is for you is to go out and try it. Rent a van from Enterprise or whoever for a few days. Go and sleep where you think you would if you were full time. Experience what it would be like to spend your days and evenings in and around the van. A few things will reveal themselves to you. Some will be good surprises and others not as good. At least you will know what it feels like. This way it will be easier for you to make a decision about your future sooner than later. It might give you the incentive you needed to turn your ideas into action.

I just read something here today "Paralysis by analysis" that might describe the stage you're at right now. We all suffer from this before we do something new and so one remedy might just be to jump right in. Don't wait too long. The rental will not have insulation and Atlanta will be hot soon, as you know.

You might consider the cost of renting the van a bit high but just think about the peace of mind that it will bring you. Also if, god forbid, you discover that it was not for you, it will be much cheaper than buy a van, convert it and find out you don't like the lifestyle. Just my 2 cents.

All the best to you.

 

[[email protected]]

ok now if i decide to do a trial run for a few days to see what it would be like is it possible to put a mattress in a minivan of a rented vehicle because the passengers seats haven't been pulled out?.I have looked at some of the rates and minivans are cheaper than the larger passenger vans.If it is easier to put one in a larger passenger van.I don't mind sleeping on the floor so long that there is a mattress where i have enough space.

 

[Sameer]

U haul has vans without seats.

 

[[email protected]]

so looks like uhaul is relatively cheap 19.99 per day plus .59 cents per mile 

https://www.uhaul.com/reservations/Schedule.aspx

If i wanted to test this for a few days say monday till friday can i just take the mattress from my room and put in in the back of the cargo van and travel around atlanta getting a feel for what it would be like to do it full time?

No worries about having that uhaul van with the company's logo parked overnight at say a Walmart or low security apartment complex or hotel?

 

[BradKW]

Sure, go for it... Maybe even step it up a notch. I believe Salty's got a spare stripper pole from her party bus, you could set that up and still have enough room to swing a cat by its tail

 

[Patd4u2]

so looks like uhaul is relatively cheap 19.99 per day plus .59 cents per mile 

https://www.uhaul.com/reservations/Schedule.aspx

If i wanted to test this for a few days say monday till friday  can i just take the mattress from my room and put in in the back of the cargo van and travel around atlanta getting a feel for what it would be like to do it full time?

No worries about having that uhaul van with the company's logo parked overnight at say a Walmart or low security apartment complex or hotel?

"If i wanted to test this for a few days say monday till friday  can i just take the mattress from my room and put in in the back of the cargo van and travel around atlanta getting a feel for what it would be like to do it full time?"

I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but if you are asking people if you can take your mattress off of your bed to use in a Uhaul van to see what it is like to this full time it doesnt sound like you are ready to do this kind of life style.

 

[[email protected]]

I don't understand how else am i supposed to sleep?

 

[Patd4u2]

I don't understand how else am i supposed to sleep?

Ok, Yeah you will need something to sleep on in the back of the Uhaul, I think it will be ok to take the mattress off your bed to use and see how it goes. I would wrap the mattress in something as the back of those Uhauls can be dirty and you wouldn't want to ruin your mattress.

 

[[email protected]]

thanks i am still new to this and don't know much about vans.Do i need to crack the window open in the back of a U-haul cargo to avoid CO poisoning?

and as far as parking at night are there any places that shouldn't be suspicious of a parked uhaul cargo van?

 

[akrvbob]

Sarcasm does not read well on the net, let's avoid it here. I deleted that post.
Bob

 

[lterry]

thanks i am still new to this and don't know much about vans.Do i need to crack the window open in the back of a U-haul cargo to avoid CO poisoning?

and as far as parking at night are there any places that shouldn't be suspicious of a parked uhaul cargo van?

I don't think the typical places would be a problem for a Uhaul. But just to be on the safe side, I'd go where it was an accepted practice to park and sleep overnight such as Walmart, Truck stops, Cracker Barrel. Yes, these places might be a little busy, but for one thing you won't be asked to move and another thing, you'll get a real idea on the sounds you might encounter while trying to sleep.
I have been full-time parking and sleeping in parking lots for almost a month now, and I sleep really well. Some of my friends and family think I sleep too well, and they could be onto something but I'm not willing to live in fear. One thing that could be attributed to me sleeping so well in my van is because I slept in it every night for months in my driveway before officially taking off for the blacktop. (Which might be another good idea for you to gradually get used to your new living arrangements once you do purchase a van)
I have to stay somewhat in the city for my job on my working days, so parking lots are the best options for me, and they work.
No, this lifestyle isn't for everyone, but I love my new life. I hope you do too.