Nervous and Excited in the SE USA

[tnvangirl]

I’ve been reading and planning about van life for about a year now. At first it was just a backup plan. Then early this year the company I work for was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy. I was a wreck all weekend. Then I went to Bob’s YouTube channel and watched video after video of people doing this. It made me feel so much better. The company is still plugging along but who knows what will happen next. I’ve been weekending in a minivan (DGC) over the past year and found right away that it was going to be too small for me on a full time basis.
My plan is to unhitch myself from the mortgage first. I just put my house on the market today. I am going to put away as much money as possible while I still can.
I am worried about what my coworkers will say/think but I am doing it anyway.
After I am relieved of the heavy weight of this mortgage my plan is to take some of the profit from my sale and purchase a late model used cargo van. Do a simple build to start with and go from there. Not sure where I will stay between sale and van purchase/build. Thinking about renting a room in someone’s house for a couple of months, or maybe a hotel with decent weekly rates. I am mostly at work anyway.
Right now I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have a lot of work still to do on downsizing but I have taken the first few baby steps. Thank you to all who have contributed their stories on this forum. It has been very reassuring and helpful to me over the past year. Any advice on my specific situation would be welcome. I have lots of questions but this is long enough for now.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums tnvangirl! It sounds like you've thought this out and come up with a good plan! Please feel free to ask questions about anything. If you put them in the forum that is most appropriate you'll get more and better answers. Keep us updated!

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]

Welcome to the tribe tnvangirl !
Tell your coworkers you're tired of being broke after paying your mortgage and are going to look for something cheaper.......

 

[tnvangirl]

Good idea! thanks! Sometimes I wish I was an anonymous number in a huge corporation, but I really do like these guys and know they mean well :shy:

 

[WanderingScribe]

Hi, tnvangirl! I'm just getting started too. I posted my van conversion thread last night: https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Gigi-The-Great-White-Beast-Build. Does the tn in your username stand for Tennessee? I'm in East Tennessee, near Knoxville. Let me know if you'd be interested in meeting up sometime. I'm having some mechanical work done this week and then I'll be staying in the vicinity for the next few weeks while I get a kitchen set up and my power source figured out.

 

[Otterboy]

I’ve been reading and planning about van life for about a year now. At first it was just a backup plan. Then early this year the company I work for was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy. I was a wreck all weekend. Then I went to Bob’s YouTube channel and watched video after video of people doing this. It made me feel so much better. The company is still plugging along but who knows what will happen next. I’ve been weekending in a minivan (DGC) over the past year and found right away that it was going to be too small for me on a full time basis.
My plan is to unhitch myself from the mortgage first. I just put my house on the market today. I am going to put away as much money as possible while I still can.
I am worried about what my coworkers will say/think but I am doing it anyway.
After I am relieved of the heavy weight of this mortgage my plan is to take some of the profit from my sale and purchase a late model used cargo van. Do a simple build to start with and go from there. Not sure where I will stay between sale and van purchase/build. Thinking about renting a room in someone’s house for a couple of months, or maybe a hotel with decent weekly rates. I am mostly at work anyway.
Right now I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have a lot of work still to do on downsizing but I have taken the first few baby steps. Thank you to all who have contributed their stories on this forum. It has been very reassuring and helpful to me over the past year. Any advice on my specific situation would be welcome. I have lots of questions but this is long enough for now.

You can go to bigger pockets.com   To post a add for a home investor to buy your house tnvangirl.  It's a web site for home remodelers and investor's in rebbing house.  
   I'm trying to do the same thing to , I have been designing a layout for a box truck , still designing the interior. Yet I'm new age homeless, and was doing home care for my mother for 4 years . Now it time for me to move out and start my life agen from nothing.

 

[Otterboy]

You can go to bigger pockets.com To post a add for a home investor to buy your house tnvangirl. It's a web site for home remodelers and investor's in rebbing house.
I'm trying to do the same thing to , I have been designing a layout for a box truck , still designing the interior. Yet I'm new age homeless, and was doing home care for my mother for 4 years . Now it time for me to move out and start my life agen from nothing.

 

[Txjaybird]

 Hello and Welcome!
     I'm a neighbor down by Ft Rucker AL.  I live in an apt. and there are so many rules that I can't even count the ones I'd be breaking if I started working on my van or trailer here. 
When I move from this apt. if I'm not fully mobile I hope to rent a cheap house where I can have my Aliner set up while I mess around with it.  I miss having a place to work on my "projects".

I hope you do well in selling your house and it goes quickly for you.

Jewellann

 

[tnvangirl]

Hi, tnvangirl! I'm just getting started too. I posted my van conversion thread last night: https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Gigi-The-Great-White-Beast-Build. Does the tn in your username stand for Tennessee? I'm in East Tennessee, near Knoxville. Let me know if you'd be interested in meeting up sometime. I'm having some mechanical work done this week and then I'll be staying in the vicinity for the next few weeks while I get a kitchen set up and my power source figured out.

Yes I am in TN just a couple of hours away from you. Thanks for linking to your thread I am definitely going to check it out. I would love to meet up sometime, it will have to be on the weekend for me right now.

 

[tnvangirl]

 Hello and Welcome!
     I'm a neighbor down by Ft Rucker AL.  I live in an apt. and there are so many rules that I can't even count the ones I'd be breaking if I started working on my van or trailer here. 
When I move from this apt. if I'm not fully mobile I hope to rent a cheap house where I can have my Aliner set up while I mess around with it.  I miss having a place to work on my "projects".

I hope you do well in selling your house and it goes quickly for you.

Jewellann

Thanks for the welcome . I have been through AL a few times. It's a very pretty place.
I am also unsure of how to handle the build without a specific place to work on it. Kind of a catch 22. I want the proceeds from the house sale to purchase the van but I also want the house so I can have a place to work on it. I'm sure we'll both figure it out as we go though.

 

[tnvangirl]

You can go to bigger pockets.com   To post a add for a home investor to buy your house tnvangirl.  It's a web site for home remodelers and investor's in rebbing house.  
  I'm trying to do the same thing to , I have been designing a layout for a box truck , still designing the interior. Yet I'm new age homeless, and was doing home care for my mother for 4 years . Now it time for me to move out and start my life agen from nothing.

Thank you for the recommendation. I will check it out if I have trouble selling. Good luck with your new life. I hope it goes well for you.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

You can do your van/Aliner build (for Jewelann-I used to have one) when already on the road, while off the grid.

My hubby will be getting his own van and we plan on converting it while already boondocking, after we sell the house. We can't afford to buy the second van until then. My current solar and batteries will be enough to handle the drill, jig saw and angle grinder. If you're planning to get solar, you can use your future panels as portables and then hook to your batteries. Also, you can hook up the batteries to your alternator in your tow vehicle if you won't have enough solar. You can stay in a tent if there's no room in your build.

This all depends on if your solar/battery setup will be large enough to run the required inverter wattage. Also you might want to be close enough to a Home Depot or Lowe's for the countless runs for this, that and the other things. Just an idea.
Teddi

 

[WanderingScribe]

Yes I am in TN just a couple of hours away from you. Thanks for linking to your thread I am definitely going to check it out. I would love to meet up sometime, it will have to be on the weekend for me right now.

Awesome. When I get my van back from the shop, I'll PM you.

 

[Gideon33w]

Thanks for the welcome . I have been through AL a few times. It's a very pretty place.
I am also unsure of how to handle the build without a specific place to work on it. Kind of a catch 22. I want the proceeds from the house sale to purchase the van but I also want the house so I can have a place to work on it. I'm sure we'll both figure it out as we go though.

I'm doing 95% of my van build at my buddies house. The van doesn't take up much space, I have power for tools, and he can give me a hand (when possible).

NEVER underestimate the power of pizza and beer payments when you need a hand, a couch, or room to work on a project ... lol

Plus, it's always helpful to have an extra set of eyes looking at your project. I'm no stranger to engineering and building but there's still several things my buddy took a look at and made suggestions on and I ultimately went with his idea. I'm looking at the thousand little things and issues which come from building something with no formula or standard dimensions and he is seeing it more like one problem at a time. Makes it much easier for him to come up with a solution or just better alternate option.

 

[WanderingScribe]

Hi Tnvangirl, I sent you a private message. Just wanted to let you know in case you didn't get a notification.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MarthaMeanders]

Yes I am in TN just a couple of hours away from you. Thanks for linking to your thread I am definitely going to check it out. I would love to meet up sometime, it will have to be on the weekend for me right now.

I am in Chattanooga - just in planning stages at this time and I'm excited to hear of other women in my area doing the vandwelling thing. Would love to meet up as well!

 

[WanderingScribe]

I am in Chattanooga - just in planning stages at this time and I'm excited to hear of other women in my area doing the vandwelling thing. Would love to meet up as well!

Hi MarthaMeanders, 

I'm researching campgrounds in that area right now and plan to head down this weekend to stay a few days. Send me a private message if you want to exchange details. It would be great to meet up!

~Beverly