Living Out of a Van Is the New American Dream

[cyndi]

http://www.vice.com/read/living-out...dream?utm_source=vicefbus&utm_campaign=global

"...We basically felt we were wasting our youth," Murray explained. "Travel, learning about new cultures and meeting new people, having meaningful experiences—that's what is important to us." So they saved up money, quit their jobs, and took the plunge. After traveling for a year in Latin America, they bought a red Kia Sedona minivan and converted it into a camper. Now, they both work remotely—Murray in the communications field as a freelancer, Trenschel operating and promoting e-commerce websites—while they travel around North America and focus on the things that make them happiest..."

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Not to lay too much negative energy on this group, did you ever hear the saying:  "Dog Bites Man isn't News, Man Bites Dog is News!"

I seriously doubt than more than 1% of the American people are actually dreaming about living out of their car or van.  That hardly qualifies as The New American Dream.  Sorry.

 

[Canine]

A dream for a few maybe,Hell for most.

 

[GotSmart]

A dream for a few maybe,Hell for most.

Perception is everything.

 

[RVTravel]

Their youtube video

 

[DimondColorCloud]

I'm dreaming of it anyway.
It's painful to think that there is a chance I'm just falling prey to some hipster trend.
If you have been dreaming of something for 10 years it's likely not that, though.

 

[Wanderer]

There's a discussion on City Data forum and they're discussing the coming collapse of bank loans for those $30K or higher vehicles.

JPMorgan chair says "This is not sustainable" reasoning is that many people are buying those $45K Trucks/cars and the contracts are 6-7 years... $45K /7 is $6,400 a year, $535 a month...Not including interest, taxes and fees.....

I'm so glad to be here and finding out what's a better bargain.....a Chev Express, or a F-350 or  Dodge 3500....Choice is a good thing.

I think also that many young people SHOULD live out of a vehicle for a little while and hopefully they'd appreciate that small apt better...

 

[Wanderer]

Their youtube video

Thing is, I want something where (In case of rain/snow/cold wind) I can cook, clean and read and not sit there and wait till the sky clears and it's warm again to sit outside....

Plus a van that small limits what you can do anyway.

 

[DreamTransit1]

When I tell people that I'm retiring and selling the house they all want to know where I'm moving to.
Most people regardless of age or current status in life are envious when I tell them to a nomadic life in a van.
The majority of them would never really do it, but they still "get" the dream.
Reminds me of Jimmy Buffet being interviewed by Ed Bradly on 60 Minutes years ago.
Asked what was it that made him so popular for so many years he responded:
(paraphrased from memory..) "I sell a dream that people THINK they want. In reality very few of them would be happy living on a sailboat or even being at sea, but I provide that dream for them"

 

[flying kurbmaster]

most people never live the American dream if they did it would be called something else.

 

[Canine]

Livin on pancakes......watching the sun bake.Gotta love the coral reefers.

 

[Txjaybird]

Five years and three months.........that's how long my "American Dream lasted"    Being a "baby boomer" I started my training early to be the "perfect" wife & mother & homemaker.   5 years is not much out of a 60+ years life.   Then there was the over 40yrs. spent trying to recapture it in one form or another.

So I am o.k. if the new "American Dream" is van dwelling...........Hey maybe I can live the "American Dream" twice in my life.......who'd a thunk it        Jewellann

                           In my world living a life driven by dreams is way better than one driven by fears.

 

[DreamTransit1]

Livin on pancakes......watching the sun bake.Gotta love the coral reefers.

They'll be here in suburban Detroit in two weeks. I'll go. Sure think I'll find a lawn seat available at discount at the venue. If not at least I will have enjoyed a great tailgate with all of those Parrotheads covered in oil.
Typically a very friendly fully sharing crowd.
I won't just take advantage and not provide...besides, with my porta potty in the van that gets to park in the regular tailgating lot rather than the RV area I'm always a hit.
Those Porta Jon lines get CRAZY long! 
Sponge Cake/Pancakes what's the difference. I'll stick a fin on the Transit's roof and become a Landshark.

 

[VanGrrl57]

Whether or not living out of one's van is the New American Dream or not, I couldn't say. However, for me, it is. Sure, there are certain issues that I have had to adjust to, but, in my humble opinion, I have gained more than I've lost. I'm happy with not having to shell out money to some landlord because I'm paying my debts off quicker than if I had to pay rent or a mortgage or whatever. 

It works for me. 

VanGrrl57

 

[GotSmart]

The American dream used to be 160 acres of land.  Then it was 40 acres and a mule.  Then ia house and a picket fence.  Now it is a van down by the river?

It seems to me that the banks have taken possession of the land, and raised the prices of a house beyond the means of the average person.

Yesterday I read about a house in South Oakland CA going for $480,000!  (Gang land!) 

When I was born, we had a home on 9 acres in the Napa Valley that cost $9,000!  A working ranch with a well!  

Something is wrong with this picture!    :dodgy:

 

[steamjam1]

I really feel alot of sympathy for Millennials. They are getting screwed.

Loaded up with school debt, with few prospects for prosperous future. That, coupled with how tilted the wealth distribution is towards the already wealthy, its no surprise to me that the new American dream might be to live in a van/RV etc for them. I see this everyday here. 20 and 30 somethings living in vans, trucks, and RV's cause they are just not getting anywhere. Most of them have degrees, and some of them borrowed even MORE money to go to grad school just because they were out of deferments and needed more time to start paying off their loans. Thats crazy. 

I see where they are coming from. I was 50G's in debt just for a piece of paper that says I went to Uni. What did it do for me? Absolutely nothing. My income didn't go up, and I didn't get that better job. I invested all that money, and time only to still work on steam engines. My American Dream became a simple desire to get out of debt. I see this happening to Millennials. They get the education, they invest the money, yet many of them end up stuck in low paying service jobs while paying sky high rents being locked them out of the middle class. 

I think that for these 20 and 30 somethings who are in it $50, 80, 100K in school loans, and they haven't even made it out the door yet, the world looks very different, and their definition of "home" is much different then their older counterparts.

 

[GotSmart]

I am talking basic starter units.  The cheapest livable house in the city where I am at is $45K.  High crime area, 1,100 sq ft.  I car garage, 3 br, 1 ba.  Needs work.  Built 1967.  $9K to get in, with $200 a month payments for 30 years.  

That house would be 1/2 Million in Oakland CA.

 

[steamjam1]

You couldn't even get the underside of an outhouse sitting on a Superfund site for 45K anywhere in the bay area. It's crazy. My folks bought the house I grew up in for 35K back on the 70's. A decade later Apple moved in a few blocks away, all the orchards, and farms disappeared, Their street got sidewalks. and now the neighbors house sold last year for 1.2 million.

I was thinking about buying a house here where I live now in Santa Cruz.. WOAH 500K for ANYTHING with a roof on it. No garage, 1BR shack with a fancy front door. I couldn't get myself to do it.

 

[SternWake]

The appearance of security is so soothing to the average human.

I understand nesting urges, they form the base of much of my meager income.

 But they seem so pointless.

Everything is temporary, yet humans want to assign permanence to everything.

I can't imagine being drowned in student debt.  I was lucky enough to have education through 4 years of college paid for, but after 3 semesters, I felt like it was a waste of money and left after 4. I was so tired of classrooms, people telling what you had to do to 'make it' and build wealth, opportunity, connections...ect.  
  Mostly I couldn't see myself ever entering the rat race so what was the point in training for it... earning a piece of paper?  Being judged by ink on a  piece of paper and the value that other self important humans I did not care about assigned to that piece of paper?


I went travelling overseas instead, bought my first Van in South Africa, learned how rewarding it could be to live simply.  Best thing I ever did with my life.   I wish I left college earlier, and was able to travel overseas for longer.

How many people have that piece of paper, A degree, and get to work some ho hum rate race job at barely more than minimum wage and have a lifelong debt they have no hope of ever shedding?

Think they have any free time to enjoy anything without stressing over than increasing debt?  

No, they spend all their free time glued to a smartphone  they can barely afford, trying in some way to justify their self importance, by trying to get others to acknowledge it.

Living in a Van, compared to being one of those people, is heaven.

 

[steamjam1]

A few months ago a friend was looking for a small house for his daughter and wanted me too look in my neighborhood, preferably fenced since she has two dogs. I found this one two blocks from me. I kind of know the guy that owns it. At the time the listed price was $27K. They were all excited until they realized that between them they couldn't come up with a down payment. It is now pending sale, check link for price.
http://www.century21.com/property/524-frisco-road-pensacola-fl-32507-C2120917300

How much would that be in Oakland?

There have been several houses on my street that have sold around $10K-$12K, one had been a rental and was livable but needing work.

Guy

Easy half-million.