Typical fulltime vandweller

[Glynb]

Hello Guys and Gals,

I was wondering if there is a profile of the typical fulltime nomadic vandweller.  It seems to me that most of us are older, on social security, and lifetime travelers, or who have always wanted to exclusively travel.  I am alone and live on my pensions. A lot of the fulltime RV dwellers I have met seem to be older couples travelling the country. This is just my opinion and I might be totally wrong, there may not be any profile.

I was just curious if there is a profile of us.  I haven't met anybody yet that is totally without a sticks and bricks home to return to, or at least other family members to return to if need be.  I seem to be the exception in that I have no family or home to return to.  If my van is taken out I have a problem.

 

[1shemp]

Sounds like that could be interesting.Maybe start a poll of who lives where?

 

[lenny flank]

There is a noticeable difference between this forum and others such as the Reddit Vandwellers. Here, we tend to be older, we tend to be in RVs instead of vans, and we tend to be in the Southwest.

Reddit is younger, more vans, and more geographically spread out.

 

[Scout]

I'm in my 40s, live in a van and from the NE.
I have family or could get a house or apartment anytime but the van is working out great and I plan to stay in it as long as I can.

 

[Matlock]

"typical fulltime nomadic vandweller"

I imagine we all have a few things in common but, there's more things different about us than similar. At least in my limited observation.

We are as different as our personalities, thank heaven. What a boring world this would be if we all fit the same profile.

I sold my home and have mentioned before that what family I have are nutz. Not interested in returning to anyplace. So, I'm pretty much out and about on my own.

Will this all change tomorrow, don't know, haven't met anyone that might influence my direction. But it's get'n cool out so I'm about to "typically" head south.

 

[Weldman]

All I got is dirt to return to if something happens catastrophically to my rig. Almost paid off but even if I had to go to working minimum wage I could still afford the payments. Though I will say having a skill set and tools goes long way in security too. BTW I'm on the backside of my 30's with no parents to go back to either.

 

[Qxxx]

"I imagine we all have a few things in common but, there's more things different about us than similar".
:thumbsup:

 

[MG1912]

I have the impression that most -- not all, of course -- full-timers are either somewhat older or somewhat younger.  It seems to me there’s the retired/social-security van dwellers in their late 50’s to 70’s, and then there’s the new crowd getting away from the rat race – maybe in their 20’s or 30’s.  That said, I haven’t been to an RTR yet, and I have no idea what the tribe is actually like because I haven’t hit the road yet.  But I guess we all have something in common, regardless of age or background, that brought us to this lifestyle, so I hope to befriend all different kinds of people.

 

[rokguy]

If there is a profile of a fulltime van dwellers I certainly don't fit the norm.
 After finishing my apprenticeship way back in 84 I was determined not to live like everyone else, I never aspired to home ownership so designed my work around what I loved doing which still includes travelling.
So after 35 years now I've lived on 2 boats, 3 homebuilt box truck motorhomes and have never been out of work as I am self employed.
Never owned property or in that 35 years lived in a house, never been in debt.

In a way I'm working backwards where I started out travelling, working and as I get a little older I've bought a small rural property where I'm building a little cabin and can park my motorhome when not in use.
Most Downunder work their entire lives to finally retire, to old, buy a motorhome or caravan, travel around Australia which most do complaining about the lifestyle.

 

[CityWoman]

It seems to me that most North America-based vandwellers who participate here on this forum are really into boondocking or staying at campsites, and traveling mostly around the Southwest desert states. But I've visited some blogs of nomads who travel around to house-sitting gigs and visit towns and cities in other areas of the country. There are also the very adventurous cyclists and motorcycle nomads who amaze me as they travel around taking very little with them. Of course, there's a whole other category of global nomads who fly to other countries and backpack from hostel to hostel, flying when necessary, oftentimes supporting themselves with online work or donations, and crafty ways of using their credit cards to take advantage of points, rebates, and cashback promos.

I don't really think there's a typical vandweller (a term which includes all types of vehicle living, I believe), but perhaps there is a typical RVer (older, retired, etc.)

 

[Seminole Wind]

no such thing. van dwellers/nomads are a true and complete melting pot. rich/poor, couch potato/adventure athlete, high speed drifters/sticks in the mud, north/south/east/west, young/old, doin it because they want to/ because they have to no other choice, self sufficient diy everything/need someone to do everything cept drive to the next spot, dirty hippie/immaculate princess... you name it, we are it

me, late 40s, pacific northwest with adventures all over the country, cant stand the arid southwest except for occasional visits to see something special, broke, DIY, dirty hippie out here be cause i want to and dont really fit in a "civil society"

 

[winterwanderer]

Most full timers I've seen have some sort of sentimental attachment to their vehicles, spend all sorts of money on installing amenities. They even name the damn things.

I am a full timer in the sense that I don't have a house to return to. But my rig is just a place to sleep and store some clothes & food. Not a home by any stretch of the word.

Many full timers will wax eloquent about the freedom of the road, how van life has helped them "escape" whatever BS they were snagged up in. But I see my rig as a shackle of steel and rubber, thirty times my weight, that dictates how I must live my life. Insurance bills, registration fees, maintenance costs, parking regulations, carbon emissions.

 

[FloridaNomad]

. But I see my rig as a shackle of steel and rubber, thirty times my weight, that dictates how I must live my life. Insurance bills, registration fees, maintenance costs, parking regulations, carbon emissions.

Still cheaper and better than a sticks and bricks though. JMO, YMMV

 

[maki2]

It is very easy to understand why the people living in vans are young or older but not so many in the middle. There is not enough room for kids in a van. Even couples have a rough time living together in a van.

So two basic reasons for it and one is not enough space and the other is also not enough space

Seems very obvious to me, not sure why no one else sees the obvious.

 

[SheketEchad]

I'm living full time in my van right now because I want to. I own a rustic S&B that is paid for except for annual taxes of 200 a year, and have a rental property in another state as well.

Since I work from my van, I'm younger than most I've met on the road with the exception of several disabled younger people.

I wanted to do something for me after raising a challenging grandchild for 3.5 years and almost losing my mind. I've always had wanderlust, having moved 26 times in the 40 years since I left home in my teens.

My rig is older, my lifestyle is pretty rustic on the road with the exception of solar, since I must work.

And I love it. It's hard for me to imagine returning to my S&B unless I become infirm. But it's a little insurance policy for when that day comes.

 

[deadwood]

I am 53. My van is basically my mini (free) apartment in LA. I work full time and wear a coat and tie to work. Which gets me funny looks when I get out of the van all dressed for work some days. I travel for work (I'm a flight attendant) so it just doesn't seem worth it to me to be paying a lot of money for a place I wouldn't get to stay in that many days.

I work with people that pay $2000 a month and have to fly so many more hours then I do just to pay for the place they don't stay in that often. For me van life is perfect. Right now I am staying 3 days in a beautiful hotel in Argentina and being paid for it the whole time. Van life for me is just a super affordable way to live in LA and still be able to save money for retirement.

I still like to go on long road trips on my off time. But for the most part I am just like the sticks and bricks folks who go to work every day. My van is my apartment. It might be small. But it is cozy and it gives me the freedom to travel and do things I just would not have the money to do.

 

[bullfrog]

My wife and I when we were much younger camped and I worked out of an old VW camper van. We even went on month long trips with it, tents and eventually 3 kids. As they grew it just became too small for us as the two younger ones could no longer fit in the hanging cot over the front seat area. We eventually ended up with a 28' Class A motorhome which we still use as a home base in summer and travel with a homemade 24' toy hauler pulled by an old Suburban. In the winter we use a 24' camper trailer as a winter home base and a homemade truck topper/camper to travel. We considered using 2 vans to travel but don't like being in two vehicles while traveling and really don't like driving vans with too many blind spots and difficult access as we get less flexible and older. We have owned and driven vans and panel trucks a lot and know our limitations and needs for space. The smaller stand up travel trailers with a bathroom seem to work best for us for now and later on we will probably end up with the 24' trailer as our "old folks" home. We haven't had a sticks and bricks home for over 15 years and have really enjoyed our lives, but space is required as you get older and have less mobility /flexibility.

 

[eDJ_]

[img=300x200]http://djsaan.homestead.com/Old_Man_RV.jpg[/img]


This photo was posted in "As Seen On The Road" some time ago.  It struck me as the quintessential Van Nomad living in the moment. 

His selection of a Shuttle Van that he built out would be the one of the wisest choices of platform.  Having a Trailer to tow behind it to carry stuff he doesn't want in his Shuttle Van and serve as a Utility building with solar batteries, gas, water etc
is another statement of his reasoned choices.  The Trailer could be left at the campsite if he were to go to take on supplies.
The fact that it is an old horse trailer indicates to me that he could have picked it up for cheap and it would be up to hauling some weight.  

The old man's rig looked silly to me at first until I saw this website.  That's when I realized he may know more than most of us.  Cheap long lasting more economical Shuttle Van, towing a cheap Horse Trailer as a rig that could put him on the road
in comfort and ease. 

Better fuel economy than a Van

And even though some may call it a rolling junk yard or a rats nest,  why should he care.  He is my vote for a typical Van Nomad who knows what he's doing and how to go about this lifestyle.

(still.......if it were me I'd paint the whole thing white and try to keep it clean)

 

[wayne49]

From that link above.
"What's important about this is these vehicles have usually been well maintained and many, like mine, are 1-owner vehicles."

One owner, with a hundred different low paid drivers.

As opposed to:
One owner, the parent of a few teenage drivers.

"One owner" guarantees nothing.

 

[Qxxx]

 He is my vote for a typical Van Nomad who knows what he's doing and how to go about this lifestyle.

Ummm, maybe 30 years ago. I'd say most any one of these pictures is more indicative of today.
https://www.google.com/search?q=van+dweller&tbm=isch&sa=X