Newcomer here! 2018 chevy express

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gsnz

Active member
Joined
Jul 20, 2023
Messages
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Hi! I am new to the van life. Right now, I'm living in an apartment, and on weekends, am working to get my van turned into a livable RV.

I went through the experience of "owning" a big house with a big mortgage. I felt the pressure of being able to pay my mortgage payments. I learned through this experience that I never want any form of debt. There is no such thing as "good debt" - as far as I am concerned. I want to own my living space, and I want more control of my expenses. Also, I don't like owning a lot of things. I hate the instinct to buy a large house and fill it full of stuff. The typical life plan of the suburbs makes me sick. Lets buy a 4 bedroom house and fill it with equipment. Then, when things in life change, I have no ability to make adjustments to my career/downsize due to my obligation to make mortgage payments.

So for me, van life means
1. Electricity is almost free (after initial investment of solar).
2. Heating/natural gas is just gas money.
3. AC is just gas money/free electricity
4. Food is whatever I feel like cooking on propane
5. instead of 800/month property taxes, I maybe pay 200/month for parking/rv parks (if not free)

I see a clear better way of living. Van life has its stresses, and especially in a chevy express, things will be cramped. But I am willing to make any sacrifice in order to give the banks, as well as my employer, less power in the decisions I make. I demand more adventure at any cost, and something needs to change in my life.

I want to become lighthearted and excited for adventure again. I am getting into van life. I love building things and problem solving, and I am happy to be a part of this thriving community. I also love motorcycles and stunting. With a big enough solar system, I could charge my electric dirtbike, and ride when my battery capacity allows it to fully charge, and just be a stubborn ******* that refuses to grow up. I take the optimization of my initial solar setup very seriously considering I also want to power my work and gaming laptops in my van. I am excited to see how I can make this lifestyle work for me.

With all that negativity out of the way, I am very thankful to have a chevy express and limitless possibilities, and I love that I can do whatever my imagination comes up with.

What's up ya'll!?
 
Hi! I am new to the van life. Right now, I'm living in an apartment, and on weekends, am working to get my van turned into a livable RV.

I went through the experience of "owning" a big house with a big mortgage. I felt the pressure of being able to pay my mortgage payments. I learned through this experience that I never want any form of debt. There is no such thing as "good debt" - as far as I am concerned. I want to own my living space, and I want more control of my expenses. Also, I don't like owning a lot of things. I hate the instinct to buy a large house and fill it full of stuff. The typical life plan of the suburbs makes me sick. Lets buy a 4 bedroom house and fill it with equipment. Then, when things in life change, I have no ability to make adjustments to my career/downsize due to my obligation to make mortgage payments.

So for me, van life means
1. Electricity is almost free (after initial investment of solar).
2. Heating/natural gas is just gas money.
3. AC is just gas money/free electricity
4. Food is whatever I feel like cooking on propane
5. instead of 800/month property taxes, I maybe pay 200/month for parking/rv parks (if not free)

I see a clear better way of living. Van life has its stresses, and especially in a chevy express, things will be cramped. But I am willing to make any sacrifice in order to give the banks, as well as my employer, less power in the decisions I make. I demand more adventure at any cost, and something needs to change in my life.

I want to become lighthearted and excited for adventure again. I am getting into van life. I love building things and problem solving, and I am happy to be a part of this thriving community. I also love motorcycles and stunting. With a big enough solar system, I could charge my electric dirtbike, and ride when my battery capacity allows it to fully charge, and just be a stubborn ******* that refuses to grow up. I take the optimization of my initial solar setup very seriously considering I also want to power my work and gaming laptops in my van. I am excited to see how I can make this lifestyle work for me.

With all that negativity out of the way, I am very thankful to have a chevy express and limitless possibilities, and I love that I can do whatever my imagination comes up with.

What's up ya'll!?
Welcome. You sound like a tackle anything for your goals type of person. I'm pulling for you because I know well the trap of our society to buy the house with the white picket fence and it isn't our dream at all. We are just doing what the Jones's did because someone told us that was the way to live. Some of us have creativity, a nomadic personality and our dreams don't fit the society we live in. Like my parents used to say, "find your star and latch onto it." In other words, make your dreams come true. You were created with ingeniousness to use and what a good use of it, to make a life you want and enjoy living.
 
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