How "cheap" are you actually living?

[vanpocalyptic]

Totally cheap.

My van and all renos was about $11,000 cdn... but it is my only vehicle, so I would have to consider both the cost of a vehicle and apartment rental into the equation when comparing vanlife to apartment life expenses.

Food is the same. Even though my van is a gas pig, it still is less than what costs on a smaller vehicle and utilities for an apartment would cost. Mechanical repairs are likely comparable and that I can do much of them with a buddy makes it pretty reasonable with my older van.

That being said, my saved money is going to pay off debt and a mortgage on a house that I do not live in... but this is an investment of sort.

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

[ckelly78z]

Even folks with big budgets aren't looking to be wasteful in their spending, so any penny pinching ideas can be implemented by anyone who is thrifty, and doesn't want to toss money away.

Budget really isn't a concern for me, or trying to work while traveling, but I still have some good ideas for those that do.

 

[Zephyr]

"After being on here a bit and seeing some of the equipment people are using, I've realized some aren't living so "cheap"!

Thanks for this thread Uncle Toto and to Spaceman Spiff for his list of expenses. Lots of learning to do from others.

There's a reason some are living in their cars and camping in a tent. That's my best choice considering my monthly retirement income. Fortunately, my living expenses are reasonable living in an old trailer house on family land. Threads like this prepare me for my eventually lifestyle, if I live long enough. My dream is to be camping next to a mountain creek in Colorado in the summer. Those kinds camping spots aren't good for a big rig.

 

[Travelmonkey]

Just a note on my previous post: the prices for parked rigs with carports is low right now in AZ for economic reasons, and many are for sale. If you have to move it, you should not pay much over $7k, the dealer price. The parks are motivated also, and discounts on the rent can be had. As with everything: prices subject to change, so buy low and sell high.
-crofter

If you don’t mind me asking, is your homebase a mobile home park, RV park (deeded), land with RV port, or something else. Sounds like a good option in the right area.

 

[crofter]

I own the unit and pay rent & utilities at an annual rate (cheaper price) at an RV park. This year not that many perks due to covid closures, but usually music events every week, hobby clubs, DIY craft shops, etc during the winter season. 

The downside, space can be tight. I had to measure the carport to be sure the van would fit (van is about 10 1/2 feet tall). Some carports would have to be reworked for a tall van. You can do it, but that is a project for you. 

 Also you are responsible for maintenance on your unit, 30 plus year old park model or RV.  More DIY projects for you. Good news is if you do not like DIY, there is a very talented pool of workers here and across the border who will do it for you.

Another good alternative for a home base, would be to buy one of the vacant lots out in the neighborhoods that have been used for a mobile home. The hookups and landscaping are already there and you would own the land. I think those lots are more spendy though, and people say they feel more isolated not having a close community. 
-crofter

 

[wayne49]

The thing to remember the Bankers don't make any money from the loan, they are not loaning you THEIR money, they are loaning money others have deposited in the bank, the Bankers make money off the INTEREST from the loan. You pay cash the bankers make nothing, you take out a loan the bankers collect the interest and keep that.

Fractional Reserve Lending.
Banks don't just loan deposited funds, they can legally loan the same deposited money multiple (9x) times, inflating the money supply and devaluing your cash holdings.
Truly, Money for Nothing.
Nothing is how much the dollar will be worth when the tide goes out.

 

[crofter]

If  you compare it to monthly rent and expenses  in a pricey city where you are under employed for income then  it is downright cheap living.

Agree. The purchase price of my home base was equal to one year of hole in the wall rent in Portland OR, where I was living. The purchase price of my rig was more than ten thousand dollars cheaper than the pickup it replaced. And I can live in it comfortably.
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

^^^We are basically doing the same thing except in two different locations at different times of the year. Our expenses are a little less as one is basically a primitive camp site with no utilities on the site but dump and fill available in the park and this year went up to $1,000 a year. Well worth it as it came with a 10’x10’ storage shed and we store our old Jeep truck and camper there to explore with. Our other site with full hook ups, if I worked for the park concessionaire would only be $50 a month but because we work for the National Park Service is $350 a month. I have a friend that lives in Benson Arizona in an RV Park 6 months and visits family 6 months of the year. They have a special deal where he can leave his RV set up there in his space while he is gone to visit family for I believe $2,800 a year. He has full hook ups and a shower and laundry just across the street and a Walmart about 15 minutes away. As we have gotten older dealing with large RVs isn’t any fun so we down sized and use them as home bases.

 

[bullfrog]

My 1978 Jeep truck was running and driving when I bought it 13 years ago cost $1500 ( wheels, tires, upholstery a couple times, transfer case and trans rebuilt as well as suspension cost around $4500 over the 13 years) so a total of $6,000. The light weight camper shell 80” x 80” x 6’ inside standing height cost around $800 with everything like doors and vents. Since there are two of us not so small older people a mini van or even extended van probably would not have been enough room, as it is with the truck and topper we still if staying more than a few days use a 10’ x 14’ Kodiak tent as well.

 

[crofter]

.... full time RV's with Class A pushers can easily spend more every month than some of us make...

If I had a class A I would live in fear of repair bills, mechanic charges, and towing. But thats me.

A truck and fifth wheel TT was a rig I seriously looked at, easy to pull and good layout. I have pulled a lot of fifth wheel miles and they are maneuverable and easy to park. You have more $$$ into it with a truck and a trailer though, that's two items to pay for. If there was two of me I would have a fifth wheel for sure.
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

In the past most of the nomads with little income learned quickly how important it is to be able to learn the skills necessary to fix and maintain what ever they were traveling in. It helped that vehicles were less technical and many models shared mechanical components. My first live in van was purchased at a junk yard with a blown engine for a few hundred dollars. It got a used engine and a backyard paint job for a few hundred more dollars. It was a 60s Ford with fancy Dodge wheels that happened to have good tires that fit. Without at least basic mechanical skills your costs will be much higher. That van cost me 25% of what a new van would have cost me and lasted several years. It was a good lesson for me and served me well, it still applies today but as everything is so costly and technology so advanced maybe not as much.

 

[eDJ_]

To me what makes it "Cheap RV Living" is having loads of skill sets and a creative mind.  As mentioned, having mechanical skills, carpentry skills, electrical wiring skills, and if using solar the knowledge of how to
install and set it up where you are doing 90% or more of the work is what will make it cheap.

Living like this can be done cheap but don't forget "luck" plays it's part.  There are always going to be road hazards that can ruin a nearly new tire, a LEO with an attitude against nomads,  becoming ill while on the road, a hail storm can break the windows out, vandals who would break into your rig, etc.

Being "street wise" is another invaluable skill that must be learned growing up if you're going to be in cities.
Being a skillful outdoorsman/woman if you're going to boondock for extended periods.

If you don't have these skills, life may not be so cheap.  You may want to travel in a group instead of single and independently.

A friend of mine breeds horses & dogs and travels the USA to attend shows.  She was explaining to me
that there are all of these RV repair people who follow the shows as those who travel in RV's are always
having break down issues.  The repair people make quite a good living and many take credit cards for their service.  But for her she prefers to stay in Motels as she has no skills for camping & RV travel.

 

[crofter]

...those who travel in RV's are always
having break down issues....

I have also heard from people with the big RVs that they are money pits.

Lots of fancy buttons to push and what do you do when push the button and nothing happens. Hydraulic system, water system, heating and ac systems, slideouts, refrigeration, etc etc etc.

I did not put systems in the van that involve pushing a button, rather staying low tech with no breakdowns.
-crofter

 

[treesprite]

Yep, I defaulted on 2 Credit Cards some years back, and it took about 10 years before my credit score corrected itself. I leaned my lesson, but on the other hand of you don't have at least 1 loan it knocks your credit score way down. As of right my both my car and house are paid for, but I still own on my RV, I can pay it off, but I need to Credit the keep my score higher, it sucks it be punished for living within your means.

You are so right. I stopped using credit cards for 15 years. Then a couple years ago, I realized that the pipe dream I have, which I have almost zero chance of fulfilling, will be even less than zero if I don't start building credit. So I got a credit card that of course had a low limit with high interest. I was afraid to use it, so after almost 3 months, I used it for something like a $5.00 (five) purchase. A month later, someone totaled my car and got away with it, and I had no money to just buy some cheap car. My only option was to try to get financing, and the only  reason I got that financing, was because I made that single $5 purchase using a credit card. The more credit cards you have that have very low balances, the easier it is to get financing for bigger purchases. I will probably never own a campground like I want, but if I have good enough credit, I'll at least be able to eventually purchase a  nice home on wheels that has a bathroom with a shower and enough power to operate an air conditioner off grid.

 

[treesprite]

I don't lump the start-up costs with living costs, if they are paid in full without owing a monthly credit card payment. Living costs would be food, water, utilities, healthcare, and that sort of thing, plus regular additions to an emergency fund and a routine maintenance fund. Just try not to use credit cards for your startup costs, and don't be willy nilly or impulsive with spending. I keep a detailed budget that I follow to almost a T if there are no unexpected costs, because my income is very low for the cost of living here, but I still manage to get enjoyment out of life.

One thing I do to stay in my budget, is to have a rule that if I decide to buy something on impulse, I can't unpackage or use it for at least a week. At least 75% of those purchases result in returns of unopened unused items. This way is much easier than not allowing myself to enjoy being with friends who enjoy and can afford to shop as a hobby, and I never have to feel bad about not having as much money as they do.

Wealth isn't about having money, it's about knowing how to use what you have in ways that allow you to meet more than just your basic needs. Some basic needs can be met without money. Like a sense of freedom.

 

[Freelander]

I have also heard from people with the big RVs that they are money pits.

Lots of fancy buttons to push and what do you do when push the button and nothing happens. Hydraulic system, water system, heating and ac systems, slideouts, refrigeration, etc etc etc.

I did not put systems in the van that involve pushing a button, rather staying low tech with no breakdowns.
-crofter

I watch some of those RV repair videos, and I am amazed at some of the technology used on some of these. I didn't want a RV with slides, auto levelers, power management systems etc. I wanted something simple and cheap to maintain. I see RV where the owner has replaced the propane/electic fridge with a residential model and all the work they have to go through to make it work. One of the forums I follow the owner had to install 6 Lithium batteries and 1600 watts of solar just to run all his fancy stuff inside.

Me I want to keep it simple.

 

[RoamerRV428]

rvs ain't money pits in general cause if you put 'home land' and time' vs. 'rv and time and maintensance' then ya go that same timeline til the house goes to pot and so does the rv being moved on wheels over the highway etc.
darned if ya do, damned if ya don't on all of it.

what do ya want, how do you want to live? ALL TAKES MONEY.

We are 'not into cheap living' cause we don't have to be just that........but we will easily live within our means.

Just go forward as it suits you and finances and personality and more........life is just that!

 

[Freelander]

Figure the cost of your House and figure the cost of an RV/Camper van, etc.

The cost of the house is MUCH, MUCH, higher, and with an RV/Camper Van, if you don't like the neighbors its easy to move. LOL

 

[WanderFree]

Like founder Bob describes, its as cheap as you make it. I really enjoyed his story and could relate to the divorce part. I also lived in Anchorage a while and in AK for about 12 years. It was difficult and I didn't live in a box van so much admiration there. I am so sorry for his loss of his son. I am off the road now helping my son who I adore and once free of that responsibilty will wander once again. Back to the topic, personally my biggest expense while a wandering is repairs to my truck and trailer. I have an old truck, an 02 7.3 Ford which has been fixed so many times its nearly new. Last thing was a new South Bend clutch, $2200. My 03 Fifth Wheel also needs alot of repair and maintainence, the last thing being the A/C system $1500. The only way to avoid such things is to purchase new wandering equipment all the time and then you wouldnt be visiting the Cheap RV Living site. I have not been to an RV repair place since I dont know when and have become pretty handy with all of it. I nearly replaced the trailer a few years ago but it is modified to match the truck and could not find an RV place that would modify a new one saying it would void the warranty. I like the equipment to be lifted with big tires because previously I would get stuck and break springs and blow tires which is such a bummer especially in remote areas. Really aside from all the repair and maintenence costs, its just fuel and groceries.

 

[bagabum]

For instance, one example, I decided to go LiFePO4 over AGM for more usable AH and less space for said usable AH.

Uncle Todo, I just bought (today) the 24V Lithium battery from Big Battery. Nice  case,   breaker, volt meter, etc.  You will do very well  with a $2500 budget for power. I went with the Newpowa 24V 210 panels because shipping was free. EPEVER 40mp charge controller or Newpowa, (I think it's the same)  Good luck, have fun, be safe!