I'm Matt and new to the forums here. I'm seriously considering selling my car to become a full time van dweller and I'm here to gain inspiration and knowledge so that I can make my experience more rewarding! I look forward to chatting with everyone.<br>
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- Thread starter dprogram
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stude53
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Welcome, Matt<BR><BR>A good place to start is to go to the cheaprvliving home page here and review all the stories attached to the left side buttons. Do it from there, as the buttons on some other pages have jumbled links (already reported and needing correction).<BR><BR>Then make a list of your "must haves" to get an idea of what to choose for your mobile unit, and where you choose to live.<BR><BR>Check out the conversion builds of others, make your own layout plan, and you are ready to get building your dream, or buying a finished unit.<BR><BR>Ask anything and someone here will answer .<BR><BR>Bob (aka stude53)<BR><BR><BR>
I've been lurking on this site for some time now and found this site b/c someone posted a link on www.squattheplanet.com.in the vandwelling section. I'm pretty set on getting a van and know what I'm looking for initially. I'm sure that my plans for the van will evolve over time but know that I can do it. I had a S-10 Chevy Blazer that I spent some time in and although it was cramped...served the purpose as a safe tent on wheels in between couch surfing at friends and the occasional night at a Hostel.<br><br>Ideally I'd like an extended cargo van but I like the idea of having an interior so I've been looking at camper vans (with showers and toilets) although they are slightly out of my price range. I have also priced used RV parts and drawn up fairly detailed diagrams of what could be installed in a cargo van and how much power I'd need for my laptop and other electronics. Realistically it will come down to what is available, in good condition, and still within my budget...which is low. =) Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!<br><br>
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<P>Welcome Matt, lots of great information here, and most have blogs (myself included) about their respective homes, or homes to be. Read, Read, Read! </P>
<div><br></div><div>Sorry for my senior moment. I think you should start making and selling them. Someone with a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; ">1991 BMW 325i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; "> might be interestedButternut said:
</span></div>I'd actually be okay with living in a car but my car is really small. It's about the size of a Mini-Cooper. Seriously. I've got Mini-Cooper rims on it. =) The back seat doesn't fold down either. I have a friend who made his Audi livable by folding the back seat down and getting a 12v cooler. =)<br>
<div><br></div><div>The more time you spend in a less than adequate situation, the better equipped you'll be to plan and design what you really need, as long as you don't let your wants get out of hand. If I were starting out with just a car, I'd carry on an extensive dialogue with Butternut, who lives in one.</div>dprogram said:
Yeah. I'm not living in my car. I'd rather camp out in a totally public space or sleep under a bridge. It'd be nearly impossible and I can wait until I have either sold the car or bought a van outright. =) It will take some getting used to but I've lived on the streets, under a bridge, and squatted vacant houses plenty of times so a van will be a step up for me in some respects. Thanks for the advice though. =)<br>
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</P>This reminds me of the actual homeless that I see around my city, and many others. Having the comfort of safety in even a small car would outweigh the issues. I don't know about other areas, but the last few summers attacks on people living under bridges and in parks, etc has been steadily rising. Please be careful, and even reconsider the car over a bridge.<br>dprogram said:
Butternut
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<br><br><font face="Courier" size="3">Aw, come on. Living in a car isn't that bad! It's cozy and safe. Out of the elements. I admit, I've never seen a car without a folding back seat, and your car doesn't sound very livable. It must beat living under the bridge though. </font><br>dprogram said:
I guess it is better than under a bridge for safety reasons but I've only had a few problems while being homeless. Had a phone and cheap bracelets stolen once while I was crashing in a vacant house. Oh and one time while under a bridge my cheap silver rings and glasses were taken. So I guess it is better than actually being homeless. I just like being able to sleep which is extremely difficult if you can't lay down. Just so you guys know...I now keep my tent and all of my camping gear in the trunk of my car so if I ever get stuck somewhere again (with my car) at least I can find a nice safe spot and set up my tent for the night. =) Life can be challenging sometimes but it's what we learn from those challenging experiences that allows us to grow. <br>
