Things to do to keep feeling "normal" while living out of your van?

[Lance22]

I appreciate everyone's comments. I do think I have to process these emotions, but at the same time they do feel like emotions I shouldn't be having but we can't always control how we feel with our feelings but yea..

So I watched a video of somebody living out of their car who is also a "high thinker" as in they over analyze everything. much like myself. And that video triggered my PTSD. The constant moving of the car to find shade, going to get ice, going to find a bathroom, parking at the park next to the bathroom, then finding shade, then libuary, then, parking lot, then, then then then then!!!

That constant turn key lifestyle on top of that daily activity like cooking in a parking lot feeling of awkwardness and embarrassment.

I been putting much more focus on planing my re-build and daily activities to really redefine that assumption of what van life is...

For example ability to use a rice cooker to cook up rice, broccoli, and frozen meatballs for a simple dinner that I don't have to watch. Was hoping the roadpro could do that from the passager seat but likely will just have to climb back and grab it and then I can just eat in my car's driver seat and feel normal.

I am also working through the attachment issues I have with my "home" by having a storage unit and I will place a tracking chip in my van so I can track it's location I won't have to feel "tied to the van/home" If I don't have all my valuables in one location I think I will be more able to get out of the van and explore more and feel more normal. Also it's cutting down on how much crap I own so I don't feel to attached to the van like I did last time..

I thought about focusings on building routines that are better designed but maybe the reason why we all spend our time at home watching TV be it in a car van or apartment is because there isn't much fun cheap and affordable things to do?

But like driving from work to the gym for a workout and shower, then walking to the smoothie place, then walking to the grocery store, then back to the van and driving to the park to cook my meal, put away groceries, chill and watch a show then driving to the library to rent a few books and then setting up in the parking lot for bed, then driving to my final spot and lights out and fall asleep to my TV shows...

You know.. not that constant driving everywhere lifestyle. I remember my first experience in minivan life. I took a long weekend trip and I was up and I bought breakfast around 5AM when the sun was just about to raise and it was so cool and nice and I watched the employees make the long trek into the department store I parked at the end of the lot to watch the birds dance around my car waiting for scraps.. I enjoyed that experience. Come to think of it.. I was in a smaller town then.. maybe that is the difference.

I guess I just think I would be in a better mindset if I can just build a lifestyle that better forced me to be out of the van most of the bulk of the day. I mean work, gym, showering is a start to keep me out of the van but... then what? I mean walk at the park for an hour might be fine. but then what? libuary? Ok maybe 1/2 hour or hour or two every few days or once a week... but then what?

It feels like you have more time in van life.. mainly I think because you can easily sit in your apartment online at the computer while the sun is shining bright.. but it hits differently in van life... or maybe that's just me?

I know I want to force myself out to visit food courts and stuff like ONCE a week not a daily treat... so were are filling the schedule up more... but then what?

I guess it's cause I'm not always an outdoor kind of person... maybe that's it? what inside activities can we have besides hanging at the public library all day!?

I remember beind dropped off at the mall as a kid and eventually getting bored... maybe this is triggering my PTSD. I mean going to see some cheap movie theaters and plays might be kinda cool even if I just go by myself. Hey people without friends still should appreciate the arts!

But like... what else

Don't get me wrong I done the winter in Quartzsite and adored it! mainly because I got to skip winter but... dealing with this heatwave and summer heat has pushed me to the other extreme for now at least.

But were all humans, it's ok for us to crave the indoors and to exscape the hot outdoors when we can't move out of the heat dome area during the summer.. Do you guys have any good places to go during the peak of the day?

I think being able to get inside places and have a purpose will help me feel more normal.

Plus I think this is going to be my last summer in Oklahoma! Way to hot down here!

 

[Happy Camper]

If you have that much time on your hands and don't have much to do, a few things come to mind.

Since a main reason your in the mobile life is to save up money. Why not use that time to make more?

Side gigs.
Delivery
making things and selling like maki and others
Buying things to resell
If you have a hobby find a way to monetize it
Part time job

There are many was to keep productively busy. You'll feel better about your situation if you're actively improving it, and getting to your goals faster.

You made the choice for mobile life. Don't go 75% daily and hope you get there trudging along. Go 95%-100% for a shorter while and get it done. Be dynamic and make it happen. When you do so there's less time for you to overthink. And as you get more accomplished, the less overthinking you'll do.

Everyone here is in a different season in their life. But you have stated goals and reasons for doing things this way. Go all the way.

Don't be the guy that drives to the beach, gets in the water to his legs, says it's a bit cold and won't take the plunge.

You're at the water Lance, go enjoy a swim.

 

[eDJ_]

The Library while heated or air conditioned with things to stimulate your mind can tend to be a bit of a solitary place. The staff, will be cordial to patrons, but have work of their own to do and generally socialize with other staffers in a back room.

When I've been on the road out of town I would move between Libraries, Fast Food/WIFI places, and other places where there were plenty of people. Sometimes just being around people opposed to being by ones self is helpful.

If you want to check "Meetup com" there is a way to have some social interaction in these events which feature various interest and like minded people.

Meetup's

If you wanted to create Video Podcast (for free) and talk about your experiences as a Nomad (or whatever)....There is an App for your Cell that is an all in one for this.

Podbean

If you can find a bicycle and a carrier rack to mount to the front or back of your rig, you could use the net to find interesting places to see in any town or city where you are. (at the time) You could use your cell for photography while you are out. You may also find Art Galleries while you are out. But if you acquire a bike....get a good cable lock so you can thread it thru the frame and wheels. Once riding wrap the cable lock around your wast like a belt to carry it.

Motorizing bicycles has become as much a thing as living as a Nomad in past years. Electric particularly as the battery pack can be detached and once in a Library or Fast Food be plugged in to recharge. Motorized Bicycles These can get 100 mpg and get you around a town, city or camp ground. Lots more economical than a rig. From 9am to 3pm are good times to tour as the morning traffic hours are over and the evening ones haven't began yet. Safety should be #1 concern....but otherwise bicycling can be a bunch of fun.

 

[maki2]

If you can go to a gym then do not just shower, instead workout until you are good and tired. Fill up those empty restless hours in the day. Exercise is perfect for relieving stress and can reduce the PTSD and you won’t feel restless after being tired from a workout routine. Set up a routine to go most everyday alternating the muscle groups so you do not overwork any of them. Also do aerobic workouts such as riding recumbent bikes and using treadmills or rowing machines.

Get started on that then figure out how to spend time at other activities in other locations.

 

[afblangley]

I guess I just think I would be in a better mindset if I can just build a lifestyle that better forced me to be out of the van most of the bulk of the day. I mean work, gym, showering is a start to keep me out of the van but... then what? I mean walk at the park for an hour might be fine. but then what? libuary? Ok maybe 1/2 hour or hour or two every few days or once a week... but then what?

I guess it's cause I'm not always an outdoor kind of person... maybe that's it? what inside activities can we have besides hanging at the public library all day!?

Plus I think this is going to be my last summer in Oklahoma! Way to hot down here!

How about a place where you can hang out whenever you want, for as long as you want. A place where you're free to talk and socialize with people or can choose to sit quietly by yourself. A place with internet access and electrical outlets so you could carry in a power station to charge. A place with readily available parking. A place with locations throughout the country that you could visit. A place that costs less than $150 per month.

I'm talking about coworking spaces. There are companies that rent large spaces in office buildings then carve it up into little pieces and sublease it to soloprenuers and small businesses. Regus is the largest coworking operator in the world, with 1200+ locations in the US. They have a membership plan that grants unlimited access to use their lounges in any location worldwide.

https://www.regus.com/en-us/members...bership/membership-checkout-page/plan-options
https://www.scrapehero.com/location... 1,209 Regus dealers,Regus dealers in the US.

 

[maki2]

Take on a part time job if you have time on your hands you do not know what to do with.
Or:
join a “maker space” learn lots of new
skills, ( even ones that can lead to employment opportunities) make friends, make handy stuff for your van ranging from 3D printed objects, laser cut ones to even a full set of custom cabinets with the bonus of making lots of new friends in your generation to hang out with as well as getting help from with when needed for running machines, using 3D design software or putting large sheets of plywood through machines to make them into cabinet panels.
Or:
Sign up for courses at a University, education is a good investment. They have social spaces on campus and usually showers to if you sign up for exercise courses. You can easily make new friends there.
Or:
Join a a drama group, a baseball, basketball, golf, hiking, computers, sketching, dancing, pub crawling, weekend local camping, or other casual group that is just focused on having some fun recreation time with a common interest. The social media app “Meetup” is a good place to connect up for that local activity.

Having time on your hands is more of a blessing than a curse as you have so many opportunities for wonderful things to come into your life. So stop and realize that it an upside, not a downside, to have that extra time to fill with fun new stuff to do and the blessing of new friends to spend that time with.

 

[eDJ_]

I cosign with afblangley's suggestion. Any Digital Nomads would benefit from such a national-network of Small Business Incubators.
In my home town of Huntington, WV there was a large bank that due to the shrinkage of the economy has now let the bottom two floors out as a Small Business resource. I first learned of this from some SCORE org folks. (it may have grown larger by now) I don't think this facility is part of a national network however. (This reminds me of the nationally syndicated Gym's such as Planet Fitness, or Golds, etc)

In the past, many business types have gone to Utility Companies and rented an office room there (as they often have unused office spaces) so that they could advertise they were in the Phone Company, Electric Power Company, or Gas Company building with office number xxxxx and the street address of the business. (it conferred an air of respectability onto their business) Digital Nomads may want to tuck this away in their memory)

 

[RvNaut]

Normal?

Living in my RV as a nomad IS normal. What is not normal is the the game of chasing the carrot.

 

[Carla618]

Mainly I want to live in my minivan to jumpstart my stock investments to start making 2,000 in monthly dividends so then I can really cut down on my working and enjoy life more..

I was going to suggest working on the Chicago Board of Trade as a runner (for experience), but after reading a bit I realized I am 30+ years too late. 95% of the runner jobs were eliminated by computers.

I enjoyed reading this article about people working with stocks:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/static/section/trading-pits.html#intro

 

[rpmhart333]

I am not clear on "...I want to live in my minivan to jumpstart my stock investments to start making 2,000 in monthly dividends...". So how do you guarantee you're going to make that much? The stock market has been known to go to crap on occasion. Are you managing your portfolio or do you have a broker for that? And--frankly--$24K/year is no longer a great lotta dough. If you're going to live in your van, what happens when/if it needs work, especially major work? I've read thru the replies and there's still something missing for me. Can you explain?

 

[Lance22]

I am not clear on "...I want to live in my minivan to jumpstart my stock investments to start making 2,000 in monthly dividends...". So how do you guarantee you're going to make that much? The stock market has been known to go to crap on occasion. Are you managing your portfolio or do you have a broker for that? And--frankly--$24K/year is no longer a great lotta dough. If you're going to live in your van, what happens when/if it needs work, especially major work? I've read thru the replies and there's still something missing for me. Can you explain?

It's not a "get rich scheme" Simply put it's just buying up dividend-income stocks. Some pay monthly some pay quarterly, and some are required to pay 90% of the companies profits OUT INTO the dividend instead of increasing the value of the stock.

Most people invest in the stock market in growth stocks and that's where the risk and most potential for making money is focused on.

It's almost just as rewarding as buying up bonds/certficates with the intrest rates for the time being. However when intrest rates fall then the rewards will remain.

Right now I have 1K invested and I make about 7 bucks each month and I still hold onto the stock. Meaning if I can continue to invest 2K into each month my income (monthly) would go like this in 6 months

1 +2 =3 invested 7x3 = 21 income
2 +2 =5 invested 7x5 = 35 income
3 +2 =7 invested 7x7 = 49 income
4 +2 =9 invested 7x9 = 63 income
5 +2 =11 invested 7x11 = 77 income
6 +2 =13 invested 7x13 = 91 income


12 +2 =25 invested 7x25 = 175 income
24 +2 =49 invested 7x49 = 343 income
36 +2 =72 invested 7x72 = 504 income

so in 3 years of just investing 2K instead of paying rent I would be MAKING 504 income without reinvesting ANY of those dividends!

So being mobile that I am, I can simply move to a metro that has a very high cost of housing and benefit by living in my van and getting the higher wages without having to pay the higher rents.

Now if I was re-investing those dividends which I most likely will do anyway that 504 income is going to be much higher in just 3 years! Plus after 3 years I can start to lower my monthly investments so it's not as difficult to be pumping all my paychecks into investing.

As for major work on the van. That is really not that much of an issue. Once I realized the dependability of Japanese minivans. I do monitor the used minivan market and while I scooped my current van up for 6K with only 150K miles back in 2018 I see I could easily scoop up another Japanese minivan for 10-15K with about the same mileage. I am working towards building my emergency fund to be able to put down at least 50% of that within the next year.

As for any breakdowns for more minor repairs moving into a weekly motel is an simple option. Or even renting a rental car for mobility and sleeping. If not both a motel and rental car. I have lived in motels between apartments and during cold and hot spells before.

Yes, that expense can cut into the numbers but with rates around 250-350 a week for a motel that means after 2 years without any motels I could rent one week every month at a motel and STILL make my budget! As I would be getting a monthly income of 343.

But yea, if your curious to know more look into ETF's (with small fee's) and RETI Even individual stocks like ATT & Verizon pay monthly dividentds can help diversify risk. I created a list of 20+ stocks, ETF's and RETI that I can invest in and keep drawing profits while the investment holds value long term and increases growth slightly.

See I don't care about the value of the investment it's the dependability of the ROI aka the dividend. Still the investment needs to retain value to ensure it will be dependable to always be there and keep paying the dividend. Some pay much higher dividend and they eat away at the investment value meaning the long term the stock becomes worthless and the dividend decreases in value. Others retain the value of the stock in growth meaning you don't make money unless you sell the stock which then your out of the game!

It's a numbers game and once you start to see the trend of how much a stock can pay in dividend you see what is a dependable investment.
Sure nothing is without risk completely but I don't want to stop at just 20 stocks! I want a list of 100 where I can diversify even MORE! meaning each stock will hold 1% of my investment so when I make 2,000 a month I will have nearly 300,000 invested into the stock market but each company will be around 3,000 invested only. ETF's and REITS might be able to hold more value if they are more dependable I still know nothing about the stock market but I want to learn as I go.

 

[Happy Camper]

I still know nothing about the stock market but I want to learn as I go.

You should consider spending a serious amount of time and effort learning and understanding the stock market.

Now. Right now. From as many different viewpoints as possible.

Your entire life/financial plan for your future depends on dividends from stocks. And you should have more knowledge about it than it seems you currently do.

I can think of many ways to take $10k and make $500 profit on a month with it.
Your plan $10k makes you ~$70 monthly.

Not saying that it's not a worthwhile plan. I'm saying if you're planning your life around something, you should understand it intimately. Especially something as fickle as the stock market.

 

[Lance22]

You should consider spending a serious amount of time and effort learning and understanding the stock market.

Now. Right now. From as many different viewpoints as possible.

Your entire life/financial plan for your future depends on dividends from stocks. And you should have more knowledge about it than it seems you currently do.

I can think of many ways to take $10k and make $500 profit on a month with it.
Your plan $10k makes you ~$70 monthly.

Not saying that it's not a worthwhile plan. I'm saying if you're planning your life around something, you should understand it intimately. Especially something as fickle as the stock market.

Your right great advice!

it's too fickle, I won't invest after all. Glad you were here to help!~

 

[Happy Camper]

It's not a matter of investing or not. It's a matter of being well educated before making it your life goal for the foreseeable future.

 

[RonDean]

I've lost track on the number of "can't miss" schemes I've heard. Is this just another one? I can't say for sure, but I think I'll keep looking. At least we should understand there is always a risk in investing - or in gambling. It's often the same thing.

 

[matthew.swickard]

It's not a "get rich scheme" Simply put it's just buying up dividend-income stocks. Some pay monthly some pay quarterly, and some are required to pay 90% of the companies profits OUT INTO the dividend instead of increasing the value of the stock.

Most people invest in the stock market in growth stocks and that's where the risk and most potential for making money is focused on.

It's almost just as rewarding as buying up bonds/certficates with the intrest rates for the time being. However when intrest rates fall then the rewards will remain.

Right now I have 1K invested and I make about 7 bucks each month and I still hold onto the stock. Meaning if I can continue to invest 2K into each month my income (monthly) would go like this in 6 months

1 +2 =3 invested 7x3 = 21 income
2 +2 =5 invested 7x5 = 35 income
3 +2 =7 invested 7x7 = 49 income
4 +2 =9 invested 7x9 = 63 income
5 +2 =11 invested 7x11 = 77 income
6 +2 =13 invested 7x13 = 91 income


12 +2 =25 invested 7x25 = 175 income
24 +2 =49 invested 7x49 = 343 income
36 +2 =72 invested 7x72 = 504 income

so in 3 years of just investing 2K instead of paying rent I would be MAKING 504 income without reinvesting ANY of those dividends!

So being mobile that I am, I can simply move to a metro that has a very high cost of housing and benefit by living in my van and getting the higher wages without having to pay the higher rents.

Now if I was re-investing those dividends which I most likely will do anyway that 504 income is going to be much higher in just 3 years! Plus after 3 years I can start to lower my monthly investments so it's not as difficult to be pumping all my paychecks into investing.

As for major work on the van. That is really not that much of an issue. Once I realized the dependability of Japanese minivans. I do monitor the used minivan market and while I scooped my current van up for 6K with only 150K miles back in 2018 I see I could easily scoop up another Japanese minivan for 10-15K with about the same mileage. I am working towards building my emergency fund to be able to put down at least 50% of that within the next year.

As for any breakdowns for more minor repairs moving into a weekly motel is an simple option. Or even renting a rental car for mobility and sleeping. If not both a motel and rental car. I have lived in motels between apartments and during cold and hot spells before.

Yes, that expense can cut into the numbers but with rates around 250-350 a week for a motel that means after 2 years without any motels I could rent one week every month at a motel and STILL make my budget! As I would be getting a monthly income of 343.

But yea, if your curious to know more look into ETF's (with small fee's) and RETI Even individual stocks like ATT & Verizon pay monthly dividentds can help diversify risk. I created a list of 20+ stocks, ETF's and RETI that I can invest in and keep drawing profits while the investment holds value long term and increases growth slightly.

See I don't care about the value of the investment it's the dependability of the ROI aka the dividend. Still the investment needs to retain value to ensure it will be dependable to always be there and keep paying the dividend. Some pay much higher dividend and they eat away at the investment value meaning the long term the stock becomes worthless and the dividend decreases in value. Others retain the value of the stock in growth meaning you don't make money unless you sell the stock which then your out of the game!

It's a numbers game and once you start to see the trend of how much a stock can pay in dividend you see what is a dependable investment.
Sure nothing is without risk completely but I don't want to stop at just 20 stocks! I want a list of 100 where I can diversify even MORE! meaning each stock will hold 1% of my investment so when I make 2,000 a month I will have nearly 300,000 invested into the stock market but each company will be around 3,000 invested only. ETF's and REITS might be able to hold more value if they are more dependable I still know nothing about the stock market but I want to learn as I go.

Glad to see someone on here talking about this. I am not a nomad, but it is (no offense to any here) my back up plan....though one i find intriguing and very interesting. I am currently a full time caregiver for my mom. She is 86 and has dementia. I am turning 49 in December. I basically lost everything when I came back to Indiana to care for her. Career, income, and what that didn't take, the caregiving took....friends, life outside the house etc.

I started a vintage Etsy shop to make some cash and quickly discovered the dividend income idea when I was watching YouTube at night. I do a lot of that while i man the baby monitor to make sure mom doesn't get up and do anything to hurt herself before he actually goes to sleep.

My goal is the same, I want about $2k in income. I squirrel away all I get from Etsy and a small vintage booth I have. I actually started getting paid by mom for her care back in august of last year, after doing it pro bono for about 3+ years. My ultimate plan, when this is over, is take what money I get from selling off my remaining inventory and all my belongings and also what I will get from my portion of mom's house (not to sound morbid, but you HAVE to make a plan to take care of yourself) and I hope to have enough to move to Thailand when I am past the 50 y/o mark. You can live quite well on $1,700 or so US there. I've toyed with the idea of doing a year, give or take, on the road here and doing the same and allowing my dividends to snowball, but i think i'd end up spending more than I made with the costs of living here, but i'm still pondering it.

Dividend investing isn't a "can't miss" as someone tried to call it. It is quite safe, depending on the stocks or EFTs you choose. There are some stocks like Coca Cola that have increased their dividend every year for 50 or more years. Others pay a great monthly dividend, but the stock price erodes over the years (Looking at you QYLD, RYLD and XYLD). You just have to know what you are picking. I currently earn almost $500 a month with the stock i have managed to scrounge up in the last 18 months.

There is a lot to keep in mind. Taxes especially. Individual stocks like Coke or Verizon pay qualified dividends which are taxed at lower rates (once you held the stock over a certain period of time) others like the real estate stocks, called REITS, they are taxed as ordinary income, so at a higher rate potentially. But they pay out 90% of their profits, as mentioned.

To the OP: check out options....out of the money covered call options specifically. You can generate a couple of hundred extra bucks a month with no real downside risk, if you do it right. Just have to have 100 shares of a well traded stock! I have used Pfizer, Ally and Bank of America and a few others.

Sorry for the long post. This is just something that I get excited to talk about

 

[rruff]

I can think of many ways to take $10k and make $500 profit on a month with it.

Please tell us how you make 60%/yr profit.

 

[Carla618]

I can think of many ways to take $10k and make $500 profit on a month with it.

Care to share?

 

[Gr8ful]

Lance Why not get a job or 2 you like to jump start your plan & feel more normal? you can get a gym membership to workout & shower. The best way I've found to make money is buying & selling but you have to be quick as the great deals go fast. I was 10 at an auction with my dad, They had a Whirlpool washer/dryer in 1 unit. Put your dirty clothes in & they came our clean & dry. I bis a quarter, the actioneer called no sale but his barker said "this young man bid" & I bought it. Dad was POed but I traded it for a mint '63 black Corvair Monza w/red int & a chrome shifter which I sold for $100. Last deal I did was call on a Bridgeport Milling machine w/ DRO & power feed for $325. He said I was 9th in line, I've learned to ask what else do you have he said a complete machine shop which I said I might buy so up to 1st in line. His dad had passed & the son wanted the space for a wood shop. He had 26 working machines in the shop, 27 more in the back room rebuilt & getting painted & a bobcat trailer. I I asked what he thought was fair, he said $1500 & I paid him cash on the spot took the Bridgeport home, made a call on the way & a guy bought it that day & I'm in the black. I've enjoyed this all my life & the trill of the chase is more fun than the reward. I could take your $1000 & turn it into $5000 or more in a month. I've always had expensive hobbies & not a dime came from the family budget. You can do it on small or large items. Always buy things you can sell for more when you're done with them. PM if you want some tips.

 

[rruff]

My goal is the same, I want about $2k in income.

Just a word... the sweet spot for a low budget vagabond these days is to be just below the poverty line ($1,215/mo, but you can make more on the side), and domicile in a state with expanded medicaid.