Looking for a realistic day in the life?

[Andrew68]

I have posted a few times, commented a few times, had some posted removed, so here goes it.
This is not a negative post it is a real series of questions and comments.

I am looking for a real day in the life, i have read the blogs/posts, i have watched the you tube videos. I am not looking for the famous grandiose thoughts or ideas, I am not looking to hear about what I could or can do.
I know all about the travel possibilities, I have been living in my rig for 7 years. I am prepared to step off of the cliff and drive to RTR and meet fellow cheap livers (i should make a sticker out of that and sell it) Cheap livers Catchy isn't it, i digress, back to the topic.

What do you do, you have sold everything, you have minimalized your living on your 1000 dollars a month or less whatever let's not get picky over the dollars, for the 18 to 45 year old it is not more than 1000 dollars unless they were money wise.

You have your rig, your there in the desert or where ever what are you doing now, is it all about the people are you looking for a travel mate/partner, are you developing residual income on a blog or you tube channel, are you going back to work and now commuting in your rig.
I hear all kinds of love and positivity on this board, I here of illness and break downs, that is all expected and natural.
What i don't hear or read or see in videos is the day in the life.
your looking for water, food, electric/fuel/propane and activities:
Lets take the basics out of the equation (thats just a few minutes maybe hours a day) out of the picture you find and fill your tanks, you empty you compost bucket or black tanks, your belly is full, tanks fuel etc all is good.

whats next?
Are you looking for work? Hanging out at a fire pit for 365 days a year.
No one is out there hunting and tanning hides, smoking meat for the winter months (okay maybe a few). your not growing a garden unless your parked for an extended period of time.

My question is what's next, what is a day in the life of a 1000 dollar a month person or person's living in a van/rv/camper.
I have the rig, i have the funds + an emergency fund, I have a few toys that I can take with me that are not high maintenance.
What do you do when you have everything you want and do what ever you want to do?

We are here talking about the joys in living free and cheap, some have turned it into a profitable adventure (koodoos to those) not everyone can do that, so what do you say or do when all of the sudden you have 1000 more vans sitting on your same plot of land with the same grey water valve cracked open in the same area, the same 1000 people need to empty there compost toilet/black water. the trash needs to be emptied and that is not free for anyone.
Help our future generations of Cheap Livers they are coming out in droves and joining us, most with less than 100 bucks in there pocket hoping SSI or thinking the government/neighbor/parents is going to help.
You can not hide from child support/alimony/irs/law and college debt.

In the last 2 months here in PA i have heard 3 people in a large warehouse setting say they were loading up and going to the RTR, i have no ill will towards any of them for doing that however they are young, they are going to purchase a van load up go and play video games all day off of solar and they are bringing there kids along.
Someone needs to help me understand what you do during the day and during the night? You can only stare at the stars for so long before you say I wonder?

 

[B and C]

I think the big question is what do YOU do now in your off time that you could not do on the road?  Everybody's interests and hobbies are different.  Do you fish, hike or just hang out at home watching TV?  What I do may have nothing in common with what you would want to do.  I think you need to look within and figure out what makes you happy and try to pursue that.  There are a lot of threads on here that show diversification in activities.  Right now there is a thread about gold mining.

 

[Canine]

SEX!fish,hunt,go to clubs,hike,bike,go to flea markets,go to Mexico,yard sales,nap,read,internet,watch tv.play cards,Build a fire, grill supper ,set up the coffee and go to bed.

 

[jimindenver]

After 7 years, it should be me asking you what you do.

I'm not on the road full time but life in the rig is much the same as life here at the house without the work part. We sleep, clean, eat, take care of the rig along with various entertaining things. Pretty much the same as the grand parents did when they retired. The down and dirty is pretty much just a part of the day like anything else.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

When we boondock, we enjoy reading and lounging. There always little projects in and out of the van that can be done. Something always needs to be cleaned
Margie likes to explore some, but I don't walk far anymore, so I content myself in camp. She also likes to color and do some wire/bead jewlery.

We like taking photos so some days we spend time on a laptop filing the keepers on a drive.
I make us 3 meals daily.
Evenings, we might watch a DVD or we just kick back and read till bedtime. Sometimes we stargaze for a little while.

Every great once in a while we will treat ourselves to a casual evening in town. If there is a local event (on the cheap) we like checking out those.

Me...I'm not lazy, I just like doing nothing

 

[Travelman]

U been living in van for 7yrs and u are getting tired of it or u just don't want to  be crowded by other people who joining  living in van life?. Reading your comments that is  what sense but I could be wrong because no matter if u live in a van or a house it have its own challenge.

 

[Andrew68]

I am with both of you, I dont like doing anything either, I am in my rig still working, no rent at all. no money out, save every dime i can for when it gets tough, go to the gym eat right etc, kids grown blah blah.
Please don't focus on me, the group is getting younger and younger, they are bringing families, they hear the story, they watch you tube, they get a glossy look in there eyes and go i can do that, with no skills, they do not have the go west or bust attitude we grew up with, most have never known what it is to crap in the grass, use an outhouse, live with out airconditioning, eat beans and taters until you work it out..
Again let me state i have no ill will, no ill intention to redirect anyone from the lifestyle.
But rest assured they are going to parked next to you and you wont be able of financially able to move at that moment, I have no problem helping with a cup of sugar, they need to hear that we are doing this for individuality not to take care of others, i am telling you the requests for help on the road are increasing because people think it is other peoples responsibility to help them.
I do thins because i choose who my neighbors are, i choose who i help. (don't even get radical on me this has nothing to do with race, creed, gender or color) this has to do with greenbacks and losing what freedoms we have left.

In the middle of nowhere i trip of diapers and formula cans.
we are all responsible for glamorizing this lifestyle (i used to give out the website and tell everyone, live free,). what happens when BLM is off limits, when slabs are gone, just because of dirty diapers and open grey water tanks. I see it everyday, driving down the road. the numbers are increasing not decreasing.

 

[Sameer]

This life is what you make it.  I listen to the 'oh, poor me, people' and say...You are responsible for your own happiness...some cannot live on a budget and some refuse to save for emergencies...some don't realize that "it is not what you earn or get in a monthly check...IT IS WHAT YOU SPEND!...some are not successful at this lifestyle and should do an easier type of living...there are easier ways to live...this isn't for everyone...This is exactly the life that you create..if you do not have the life you want or dreamed about...you are responsible..
I have included a few pictures of where I have lived for the month of October.  5000 feet and East of Winslow, Arizona.
My life is exactly like I want it to be.  I do what ever I want.
Yesterday:
Got up and went for a walk with Mr. Pico my dog for about an hour
Returned to my camp and made coffee, which is four shots of espresso and 1/2 and 1/2 and checked my email and turned on the PBS station for morning news.  Listened to the news and made more coffee.
Cooked breakfast of tortillas and pinto beans and queso fresco cheese and my own pico de gallo.
shaved and cleaned up
Sat outside and watched the birds
Read some of my book
Went on another walk with my dog
Organized the area under my sink
Sat and watched the birds
Smoked my pipe
Decided to listen to Pandora and listened to the Berry White Channel

Towards evening I made lists for supplies and planned my route South...(I am leaving Northern Arizona in 2 days for the Southern Desert)
Made Dinner
Watched a Movie
Walked the dog again
Went to Bed
I did work on my van this month here where I am camped..changed the oil...replaced the transmission pan gasket and screen because I had a little leak...changed the fuel filter and air cleaner too.  It isn't all have a good smoke and chill !
This is just a normal life with beautiful views...you do what ever you want to do....IT IS PURE FREEDOM!
Three years and going on Four!  !  !  

Don't worry about the way others live....live the way you want to live...

Andrew..the Slabs may go...but never the BLM land...land held in trust for the American People. 
View attachment 4936View attachment 4937View attachment 4938

 

[compassrose]

I used to go to work 5 days a week. Then I quit. Currently I'm in my daughter's back yard.

Today....
We (my daughter & I) went to the local Semi Super Wal-Mart to buy a sewer hose coupler. Her dog decided the 40 ft run of sewer hose would make a fun toy. Poked a hole in part of the cheapie hose (not the heavier more expensive hose). The local Semi Super Wal-Mart did not have any couplers. There are two other places that MIGHT have a coupler but they are closed on Sundays. So that entailed a 70 mile trip to the Super Wal-Mart in Los Lunas. While up there, we bought 6 pieces of PVC gutters and some Gorilla tape. At lunch at IHOP. Drove 70 miles back. Unloaded the Jeep. Put the gutters in place (had some already), installed the coupler in the (removed) holey location. Got the sewer hose encased in PVC "U" gutters, all taped in place, so now the dog can bounce up and down on it and the hose is safe. Bad thing is this hose was replaced last week after the hail storm punched many, many holes in it. Now it is dog-proof, feral-cat-proof, hail-proof, sleet-proof, ice-proof and clumsy-foot-proof. No I am on the computer. Tonight I will watch a little PBS Mystery. Take a shower and leave the fireplace on the lowest setting before going to bed.

Yesterday, I beaded a bit, babysat the dog, cooked lunch, cooked supper, watched movies, did dishes, internet and dragged off to bed around 2PM (I have trouble sleeping again).

Tomorrow, I will bead a bit, do laundry, neaten things up some, pack up a few things and then we head off to spend the night up in ABQ with my other daughter.


This week it's supposed to be dry so I will probably do a little winter work on the bus. I also need to put the bracelets I have been making on eBay. If they don't sell after a week, I will put them on my etsy site where they will sit for a while.

I have an exciting life don't I? My life is not much different in the bus than it was when I lived in a house. Except I don't do yard work.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am lucky I have a fever, keeps me as busy as I want to be. highdesertranger

 

[Andrew68]

See this is it, this is reality, keep the comments coming fellow Cheap Livers, keep it coming we all have to live, the life we choose to live and how we choose to live it, that is what is important.
Freedom is not free, Freedom is not easy.

 

[jimindenver]

I understand the point of your post now.

I have never seen being a pig as part of this lifestyle, I suppose info on how not to be one wouldn't hurt either. Safety too. We do discuss it but it's not as up front as some of the stuff.

Our last site we thought we were lucky getting it until we saw the trash. We wanted to see the views so I picked up the diapers, cans, bottles and such. It wasn't the first, that was 25 years ago.

 

[akrvbob]

Once you find peace of mind and heart, you stop asking, "What do I do next?"

I know you don't want to hear that, because it's something you've never experienced and can't comprehend. The only thing your BUSY civilized mind can comprehend is a list of chores and duties, even if the duty is to have fun.

There is another way of living and thinking and BEING.

Many people find it terrifying and very difficult at first.  Some people never can make the transition, their entire sense of value and worth is so wrapped up in what they do and what they own that this life is NOT for them.

Fortunately, of the many hundreds of people I've met out here, those who can't do it are a very small minority. Only time will tell which you are.
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

You just do it!

I will have a lot of books, a lot of groceries, and a story I need to write.   On the last trip I met up with old friends and family, and payed some debts by doing a lot of labor.  I also spent a month doing nothing but reading.  This trip will be all about what "I" want to do.  The supplies will be there, and I know the tricks on how to get internet and specialty goods shipped.  By planning I can budget the travel funds. 

I have transitioned from the 90 hour work weeks to Vandwelling extremely well. 

It could be that the number of times I have been disabled and surgeries have helped.

 

[SoulRaven]

I am mostly a city camper, parking for free on city streets rather than in RV parks. For the first 45 years before retirement, I worked regular full time jobs. Since retirement, after building a substantial online income, I spend most of my time volunteering. Frequently more hours than when I was working full time.

The biggest difference is that if I want to take a month off to sell Christmas trees, or a week to sell fireworks, or the time to go to a rally, or go fishing, or anything else, I can do that without any complaints from anyone and they are just thankful for the time I do give them.

I have spent my life helping others, and continue to do so, but I have very little respect or patience with able bodied people who choose this lifestyle just to escape from having to earn a living, and depend on others to support them.

As a full timer, I can live & eat like a king, travel as I choose, and want for nothing for under $10k a year. Short of being homeless and living on the street, it can't get much cheaper unless you cut your diet down to beans and rice or top ramen, which is something I refuse to do. One of my pleasures in life is good food, either cooked for myself, or eating out.

So in essence, I have as much free time as I choose since retirement, and building an online income, but I just choose to use the majority of it by volunteering and keeping busy. As I slow down with age, there is no pressure, and I can work when I feel like it, and at my own pace. As time goes on, even if I am only able to supervise while others do the work, my contributions will be welcome and appreciated. Life is good!

 

[GrantRobertson]

Me, I'm not out on the road yet, but I will be spending a lot of my time working on my graduate degree in computer science online, from anywhere I feel like being at the time.

I now have lots of ebooks in just about every topic I can imagine myself ever being interested in. Plus, I just bought a guitar. I figure I can't have EVERYTHING I do while out in nature be all about moving electrons around.

 

[Iggy]

I think I can honestly say that I have never been bored since I started vandwelling. But I am easily entertained. Reading books never gets old. I love to explore. I walk or ride my folding bike many miles every day. If a gym is available, I generally do a light workout and shower most days. I participate in several online forums. There are plenty of interesting people to chat with, often homeless with a lot of time on their hands. I call or text friends and family. Spend time in the library, keeping up on newspapers and magazines. Go to an occasional movie or rent from Redbox. People-watch. Work occasionally thru Craigslist or word of mouth jobs. I'm planning to try holding up a sign at Home Depot or Lowe's. It would say something like, Have 30 years experience in construction and landscaping, want work. That could be interesting and profitable. I live on less than $500 per month so it doesn't require much work to take care of my needs.
I hope the OP figures out what to do with his time. It seems that bored people are both more unhappy and more likely to get into some kind of trouble thru bad decisions. That's been my experience in the past but not lately, knock on wood.

 

[Andrew68]

I want to thank all of you for your comments, Thank you and please keep them coming.

One last comment your correct about the BLM being a land trust, Please keep in mind they can restrict them anyway they choose. They will say they are doing it for the future generations or use some lame excuse however they can restrict them in any many they choose.

 

[SoulRaven]

I saw this with a lot of people that just wanted to become full-timers.  They seemed almost critical of the lifestyle and I didn't understand why if they didn't have a clue how it would work or seemed down on it, why were they considering it in the first place.  And, of course, they wanted a list of everything, a match up that they would simply follow that would bring them "joy".  I am watching the blogs of two couples right now trying to walk in the foot steps of those they admire in the lifestyle.  I just shake my head every time I read a new entry.  I have seen it all before and I know where it goes.

I try not to dwell on the future and what might happen.  In the scope of things, I have very little control over the "elements".  I have lived long enough to know that whatever comes, I just roll with it until I figure a way out.

I am determined not to play the "what if" game.  I am just not going to go there because it is a dead end.  You are either a survivor or you aren't and that isn't limited to one lifestyle or another.

 

[eDJ_]

All of this reminds me of the saying,  "nobody plans to fail...they just fail to play". 

The first step in planning is getting set up and casting off the excesses so you can hit the road
and live out there.   This site helps a lot with that.   But then you start out on the highway
and you have your own freedom.   Freedom is something people have to learn to use and be
responsible to themselves once free. 

A lot of people have been in the work force and are suddenly out of work or retired and it is a
whole new experience.  The tradesmen who work one job and then another have small periods
in between jobs where they may have to travel to the next job and they get used to the interludes
between jobs and learn to use their freedom as part of their job.  Those who work in industrial settings
where they punch a time clock and work shifts with a couple days off a week have a little time each
week to prepare for the next week and perhaps for that week or two of vacation.  But it is never
enough to really learn to face the vacuum of total personal freedom.

What do I do is the first question one usually ask.  Over sleeping seems to come first.  Then drinking
if they drink. (as they have no work schedule to have to be sober to report to work)  Driving and sight
seeing is another outlet.  None of these require any planning.  But once you've crossed the "Starting line"
you need to have some idea of where you are going and what you want to do.  It will be different for everyone.   Knowing yourself will be the major key to answering your own question.

Most of us are aware of what we are good at.   We know where our intelligence is strongest and with that
we know what generally works for us and what doesn't.  

The 2 2 2 plan has been outlined here for some structure when we first go on the road.  We set out and drive two hours from where we are taking in some sites and possibly taking some photos if we are into photography. (if not it isn't expensive to purchase a basic digital camera and learn to use it)  In this way we have some record of where we have been and what we have done.  A small voice recorder isn't expensive either and a person can dictate their notes or impressions into it for later to use with their photos and keep a
journal.   The next step is to find a place to stay by 2pm and set up camp and start fixing some food for dinner.  Here you can work on your cooking skills.  On the 2 hours of driving you may pass by a Library where you can go look at some cook books that show simple recipes that can be used with this life style.

The final phase of the 2 2 2 is the staying at this location for 2 days.   Here you will have a chance to kick back
take in what that area has to offer.  Most State & National parks have lakes, trails, and events going on and some time may be spent socializing (if you are social by nature) to chat with and learn of their travels and share stories of yours.  You may also gain insights about how they have learned to live. 

As for sight seeing the larger Libraries usually have travel guide books by Fodor's. You can xerox pages
from those to use in your travels. (if you don't want to purchase them at a book store) 

By having freedom to travel,  you will begin to learn yourself much better than you ever will being some
brick in the wall of a large company workforce.    It is frightening for some to have to come to grips with this
impasse.   The hardest part is taking that first step and getting it over with.  But believe me it is so worth it.
And this doesn't only apply to going on the road in a Van, it may relate to leaving a comfortable secure job
(layoff's, being fired, or just quitting) and starting your own business is very similar.

I mention this 2 2 2 system as a starting point.  It will help a new person get their feet under them and learn from there.

I mentioned Intelligence.  It is thought that there a are 9 types.  We all have a mixture of these and some more than others.   By having some idea of them and how you are set up, it may be easier to realize what
you may want to pursue when out there on the road.  

http://skyview.vansd.org/lschmidt/Projects/The Nine Types of Intelligence.htm

Here is a free quiz if you wish to take it.   Some take it once a year to see how they are changing. (we are all works in progress, constantly growing.   LOL)

http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html