New member needing advice

[Kalex79]

I stumbled onto Bob's youtube videos and became so excited! I am in the same boat many of the women pictured are in: due to life's curve balls, I am living on an income that won't cover rent. I've moved in with my adult offspring, but it's not a good situation for any of us. My retirement dream has always been to travel, so I'm excited to try this lifestyle. I'm adventurous and outgoing, and need to find myself again. So I'm renovating my Nissan Rogue for sleeping/living. Gonna start slow and stay fairly close to friends and family, but I would love to eventually make my way out west. I'm looking for a community to which I can belong.

So I guess I'm looking for tips: what did you do right, what did you do wrong? Thank you!

Kathy
Lynn Haven, FL

 

[Wabbit]

Hi Kathy and welcome. Not much advice here, but budgets are important. Also emergency funds are important. Best of luck!

 

[lenny flank]

Start with the basics. You'll need a bed for sleeping. You'll need a stove for cooking. You'll need a way to stay warm/cool. You'll likely need a source of electricity. You may or may not need a way to store food/water.

For everything that needs to be done, there are a dozen different ways of doing it, from "cheap but functional" to "costs more but is more flexible".

When you have specific questions about what fits each of your needs, we can help.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Kathy to the CRVL forums! 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. highdesertranger

 

[duckie]

My tip is to keep it simple and you can move in faster! I heard someone else's advise on a blog, I think, that recommended sleeping in the van, and as you need something, add it to the van. I thought it was brilliant, so that's what I've tried to do. I still brought everything from my apartment that I thought I would need, and I didn't worry about what I didn't have yet. I think it stopped me from over thinking things. It really doesn't have to be super complicated right out of the gate!

 

[sephson]

The Rogue should make a decent platform to build out for traveling. It's a fair bit bigger than my Kia Soul, which is my road trip vehicle, but still has the same basic layout. Will you still have a need to carry passengers? If not, you can remove the rear seat for a bit of extra storage space.

Have a look at my build thread and see if anything I've done could be adapted to your build. You have more room to work with than I do, so you should have a little more freedom in how you set things up.

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=9848

 

[A Savage Adventure]

Welcome, Kathy! I am new as well. I just started and can't offer much in the way of advice. But I did watch a lot of Bob's videos before even considering this.

 

[DLTooley]

You've definitely got one of the best, and cheapest, ways to start out. Having a base for social and material is a very good thing. Eating healthy is a big priority of mine. I like to pull everything out every month or so to sweep and consider use and organization. I like milk crates, shoebox sized plastic tubs, and the half height rubbermaid tubs.

Making use of outside space is a big plus, I like having a folding plastic table. I've had good luck with the 5' Lifetime brand from Walmart. Having a space big enough to cozy up in during inclement weather is also important. My passenger seat well is used for storage and the seat itself is for my dog so that is ruled out.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hello Kathy....does your Rogue have the roof rack? If so, a small aerodynamic style roof pod will help you carry bulkier items like clothing for cooler weather, maybe an extra blanket or two, an extra pair of shoes or boots, window insulation, and misc other items that take up a lot of room inside the passenger cabin.

If your Rogue has a receiver hitch, or you you can get one installed, then you can add a rear hitch rack that will add valuable space for a tote box to keep heavier items inside like food and water, or camping supplies. This will free up even more space inside. You can buy a swing-away hitch rack that will move aside when you need access thru the back door. 

Good luck and welcome!

 

[vermin06]

Oh girl! I left my marriage (I'm only 30) and I have just been financially stumbling since three years later. I got a van and will be moved in soon. More power to you lady, we can be queens of the road and queens of our lives!