Tentative plans - feedback & advice welcome

[CityWoman]

Hiya, everybody.  I haven't posted here much lately after I sort of decided to put my ideas for nomadship on hold.  I had researched the possibility and was reading nomad blogs for a couple years before coming to the conclusion that it was better to stay put for awhile.

However, it looks like I will need to get out of my apartment in about a month (roughly), so I now have to my put my brain power to work on doing this quickly.

A little bit about me: I live in NYC and have never owned a car.  I can drive but I have no experience with buying, owning, or maintaining any kind of vehicle.  My tiny apartment is amazingly full of lots of stuff to get rid of, and there's also a few items I'd like to keep.  I'm pretty broke right now but I'll be receiving some money next month that will enable me to buy some kind of vehicle to sleep in, though I'll still need to be frugal.

My tentative plans:

Sell whatever I can ASAP;

Put into storage whatever I can't sell by the time I need to get out and sell the rest of my crap from the storage unit - I HATE the idea of paying for storage but it would be temporary and a lot cheaper than the rent on an apartment. I don't want to keep the unit longer than 3 or 4 months;

Buy a reasonably priced minivan, SUV, or pick-up with camper shell to sleep in, because at the moment I don't have the time, knowledge, nor resources to put into converting a van (if I find a van, it has to be sleep-in ready);

Brush up on my driving skills with lessons and take a basic auto mechanics course;

After the rest of my crap is sold, I'll look into places to relocate, where I can find work - either with lodging, or in a situation where I can sell the minivan and buy something more conducive to living in, converting, etc.

What do you guys think? Advice, tips, and suggestions welcome!

 

[highdesertranger]

sounds like a solid plan to me. good for you for realizing a storage unit is only a temporary thing. get in and get out like you said. highdesertranger

 

[Blanch]

Get a vehicle you can stand up in. Lots of folks start out and say their biggest problem is being stuck inside and unable to stand up. You can get stuck inside for many reasons such as weather and trying to be stealth in an area. Being able to stand up in your vehicle will greatly improve your comfort.


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[CityWoman]

Get a vehicle you can stand up in. Lots of folks start out and say their biggest problem is being stuck inside and unable to stand up. You can get stuck inside for many reasons such as weather and trying to be stealth in an area. Being able to stand up in your vehicle will greatly improve your comfort.


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I appreciate what you're saying, but my considering a minivan or SUV is purely due to two things: the time crunch I'm under and the need for a finished interior. I don't know enough about the kinds of vehicles I could stand up in, nor do I have the time to do a conversion of a raw metal cargo van or similar.  My ultimate dream for the last few years has been a skoolie, and I still fantasize about that - but for practical reasons, until I leave NYC, I think I need a more car-like vehicle.  There's no shortage of Starbucks or 24-hr. diners in the city if I need to stretch my legs. Also, I'm not a confident driver, so I'm better off driving something smaller at first.

Who knows, I might find a van that's tall and wouldn't need much done to it for me to sleep in, but I'm not going to limit my search to that.  I'm not sure I want to do this f/t, either. But I thank you for your advice!

 

[ckelly78z]

Your budget will ultimately dictate which vehicle to buy. It sounds like you have a lot of work to get done over the next month. I recommended an older conversion van earlier today on the is forum, and I will stand by that vehicle as a good start for you as well.

This is in a local CL , is roomy, low budget, should have plenty of life left, and easy to fix;
https://dayton.craigslist.org/rvs/d/dayton-1999-gladiator-express-1500/6920719746.html

 

[travelaround]

Hi there, welcome back to the forum. I hope you'll be able to fulfill your dreams and find the best possible future home. I don't like to give advice, but the only thing that stands out to me is that you want to sell everything. I guess you think you need the money? I just gave away most of my furniture today. It was easy, out the door, and blessed some people I like and care about. Glad that's over. Like you I have a lot of little things to take care of as well. Most things will be given away. The rest will clutter my van until I can part with them. Since I don't like clutter much, I will have to give things away quickly. Selling (for me) is too much work for too little return. And storage units are a money pit. I'd spend more to store things than they are worth. The only solution, for me, is to give things away or toss them if they don't fit into the van, and to do that as quickly as possible!

 

[RoamerRV428]

HI
sounds like you want something smaller to live in between the new location and job....thing is unless you have a known job and location.....living in that smaller vehicle could be a lot longer than you think

smaller SUV and tent situation sounds best I guess.

best of luck to you!!

 

[WanderingRose]

I’m concerned you have never owned a vehicle before, and are looking to purchase one, rid yourself of most possessions, and move into it yet are not sure you want to live in a vehicle full time.

All in a month or so.

Once you part with your cash for the vehicle, you will be out that and unlikely to recover the same amount from it if you decide to sell. It also doesn’t sound like you have the ongoing income to manage repairs, which can be costly and come quickly.

Think carefully, maybe proceed with downsizing and try perhaps a sleeping room for a time before spending the money on a vehicle.

This will give you an opportunity to adjust to less living space, you can rent something for a few days at a time and get a feel for it all before making a big jump.

Good luck to you.

 

[jeanmarie]

Your post is short on details. How old are you? Do you need to continue working? Does your job, if needed, require special clothing? Do you have friends or family to use as a mailing address or to count on in a pinch? How is your health? Too much unknown, here.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hello City Woman, 

If memory serves you are involved in video editing or video production or something similar, or have been in the past...

I assume you can keep doing this (or similar) work remotely even if that means sitting in a library, a McDonalds or a Starbucks.

I agree with travelaround....(and yes, I agree with HDR for once!)...storage unit rental will eat up some money....before you know it, a year has gone by and you have shelled out $500-$1000 (or more) and the stuff in storage is probably not worth that, (now you have paid TWICE for stuff you don't need and don't want) plus, if it's a cheap place with little or no security, break-ins can and do happen.

Twenty five years ago, I paid monthly storage fees on a large unit for FOUR years, but that was a situation that made sense at the time (I also used the unit as my motorcycle garage and workshop) but of course now, looking back, a lot of that stuff was not worth keeping, and I ended up giving a lot of it away or tossing it in a dumpster.

I would not recommend a truck and camper shell for a woman just starting out in camping, but I think your plans for a smaller, easier to drive mini-van or smaller SUV make sense, and a basic 'ladies auto maintenance' class is a good idea. Yes, they do have those in some areas. Or, if you know any trust-worthy, knowledgeable, 'car-guys' at work or wherever, they might help you with some basics.

I personally would not want to be stuck, urban camping in NYC....if you can do your work online, get the heck outta there, because the USA is a big, wonderful place!

Good luck!

 

[CityWoman]

I thank all of you for your thoughtful replies. I'm wary of going into much detail about my personal circumstances on a public forum, but will try to give a little more. 

Basically, I'm facing an eviction and have been fighting it for a while. I'm coming into some money that will help me get out of that situation, because even though I have some emotional attachment to being here, the management of the building has changed and conditions have deteriorated greatly. I can't afford NYC rents if I move out of this apartment - I've lived here so long that even just renting a room in a share situation here would be more than my current rent.

Regarding my having never owned a car, I don't see why that's problematic.  Nobody really needs one in NYC, and I've lived here for over 30 years. I've occasionally driven rentals, just never owned one.  Sure, I have some things to learn about what I need to do to get one and take care of it, but I'm game.

The issue of storing stuff is something I wrestle with. I don't really want to, but will if I have to. I haven't been working (iow, employed by someone else), due to some medical issues, but started an online business for which I have a certain amount of inventory that is unlikely to sell before the coming month is up. I also have some belongings that I either don't know what to do with or am reluctant to part with. However, I am a practical person and hate paying for storage. So, I won't do it for more than a few months. I hope most of it will sell and whatever's left might have to fit into the vehicle with me. I've started tossing stuff that's not worth selling or donating.

NYC is a very easy place to live in a vehicle. Overnight street parking is free, and there are no laws against sleeping in a car. As long as I park in a good neighborhood and move it for the street cleaners every few days, I think I'll be okay. There are nomads/vandwellers here, making it work for their situations, for sure.

Come winter, I won't stay here, but the best opportunities to make money with contract/freelance work and saving money (if I don't have to pay rent) are here. My little online business can be done anywhere, but it doesn't provide a viable f/t income yet. When I stated that I'm not sure I want to live f/t in a vehicle, it's because one of the ways I've wanted to do it is by traveling to different vacation spots for seasonal jobs with lodging. So, I don't feel the need to buy something and do a whole conversion. I just need something I can stealth park in, keep food and clothes in, and get around.

Anyway, my most pressing concerns right now are handling the particulars of leaving my apartment and purchasing a livable vehicle. I'm glad you guys asked me questions and voiced your concerns and opinions, because writing this response helped me get some more clarity about everything.

 

[CityWoman]

. . . an opportunity to adjust to less living space . . . before making a big jump.

I grew up in an apartment that wasn't very big. As an adult, I've lived in (and shared) a 400-sf apartment with what I call the world's tiniest kitchen and very little closet space for more than half my lifetime. I have spent some time in small boats, and used to dream about buying a tiny house to live in. I have no qualms about living in small spaces.  It's living in large spaces that would throw me off-kilter, actually!  LOL

 

[WanderingRose]

Sometimes we take the leap, and build our wings on the way down.

Good luck.

 

[VanForNow]

Best wishes for the future, CityWoman. Following up on Wandering Rose, I believe people considering the nomad life (full or part-time) are well advised to first try the life by renting a small vehicle and experiment with living in it for a week or two, at a minimum.This would involve minimal gear, such as a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, basic kitchen implements, a cheap camping stove, possibly a small tent, etc., much of which can be bought cheaply in thrift stores. This inexpensive approach of "testing the waters" will let you know if this lifestyle is doable for you. Several times I have heard of people who  believed in theory that the nomad life would be fine, only to discover, in practice, after buying a vehicle and expensive equipment, that this lifestyle is not for them. So I urge all potential nomads to first try this life on an experimental basis before spending large amounts of money and time on a lifestyle change that may not be suitable for them.

Just my two cents...

 

[CityWoman]

. . . "testing the waters" will let you know if this lifestyle is doable for you . . . try this life on an experimental basis before spending large amounts of money and time on a lifestyle change that may not be suitable for them.

Although I have researched nomadship and followed nomad blogs for a few years, I've never said that I know for certain it's a "lifestyle change" I'd want to adopt permanently.  I've always known that if I did undertake such an adventure, I'd be doing it a bit differently than many of the vandwellers who share their stories here.  I freely admit that I'm not sure fulltiming is for me, and I have no intention of spending tons of money on equipment and converting a vehicle for f/t living if I'm not sure.

However, the fact remains that if I don't buy some sort of vehicle to sleep in, my only other option will be homelessness and sleeping in shelters or the street.  I have no family I can stay with.  I can't afford rents here, not even rentng a room in a share here, and I will have the black mark of an eviction on my rental history.  

To relocate to somewhere more affordable, I'll still need a form of transportation.  I could spend my money on a train ticket to somewhere, but there aren't very many places like NYC, where you can live a whole lifetime without a car.  In order to get back on my feet after the difficulties I've had over this last couple of years, stealth camping in a vehicle, in the city, seems like a practical solution for me, for now, and whatever kind of vehicle it is would enable me to head off to somewhere else.  I will certainly consider trying it out temporarily, but what would I do after renting a car to experiment with?  My options won't have changed.

 

[geogentry]

@CityWoman.

To me it sounds as though you have given a great deal of thought to the path you're going to take. And your logic sounds solid. Your steps are allowing you to survive easily without making a large commitment to a lifestyle you may not wish to adopt.

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[CityWoman]

To me it sounds as though you have given a great deal of thought to the path you're going to take. And your logic sounds solid. Your steps are allowing you to survive easily without making a large commitment to a lifestyle you may not wish to adopt.

Thank you.  I've been thinking about nomad living for a few years and have imagined many possible scenarios for making it happen.  I just didn't expect to be in the position I'm in now, and having to come up with a solution that I'd have to put into motion ASAP.  The tough part of getting rid of stuff and getting outta here quickly has me feeling mightily overwhelmed!

 

[CityWoman]

Just wanted to add some thoughts and my rationale on putting stuff into storage.

It's not as easy in NYC as it is in most other places to sell off everything one owns.  No yard for a yard sale, no garage for a garage sale.  My apartment building doesn't even have a front stoop for a good old-fashioned stoop sale. So, when trying to sell stuff, I'd have to let buyers inside my apartment, at least for the large things (I meet buyers at Starbucks for small things). I've never had a problem with buyers coming here, but it is still a safety concern.  Also, most New Yorkers either work long hours or hold two jobs, and commute times are long, so people schedule a pick-up but... no shows are common. Scheduling anything is always a nightmare in this city. So, I don't see how I can get rid of everything in only a month with these constraints.

Putting my stuff in storage would enable me sell my belongings from a secure unit with cameras and staff nearby.  A small unit would also serve as a workspace for me to access the inventory I still have here for my small business and get it ready to ship to my buyers.  I don't see how I could accomplish those things after leaving my apartment behind.  So, essentially, it will be like renting a room, more cheaply than in a shared apartment situation (and without the hassle of having roommates), but I'll be sleeping in my vehicle.