Who has been car-van-rv living for two plus years?

[simply lesa]

am reading about hikers that spend $3000 to $5000 for six months of living on the appalachian trail. &nbsp;various organizations like ALDHA and ATC keep notes and records. &nbsp;You just have to read about it online. &nbsp;<br /><br />No insurance, no gasolene, no vehicle maintenance. &nbsp;all boondocking.<br /><br />

<br /><br />YES the AT experience and adventure does not HAVE to cost as much as some say it does or the amount some people actually spend which is incredible with hotel nights and steak dinners and stuff...the pressure to conform to someones idea of how to hike the AT is pretty big. &nbsp;I found my part of the trail to be expensive and challenging. &nbsp;My greatest challenge personally was the alone part because I chose to hike late after the crowds were on their way. &nbsp;And of course I was also dealing with both my disability AND reverse culture shock...you try going from Costa Rica weather to snow in a day or two!&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />

 

[Guest]

I've been rving part-time 2002-2004 (21ft Class C}) &amp; full-time since 2004 ( with my Mom til Dec 2009 when she passed away @ 82yrs old) &amp; most of that time has been boondocking&nbsp;even in Canadian Winters. <br /><br />1st was a 26ft 5W that didn't have standing height up top for 2yrs; then a 31ft Class A MH - "its my house &amp; car" &nbsp;for the last 6.5yrs but now downsizing to a van 2nd to no longer able to afford the $421 rv mtge + $480 fuel/mth + maintaince/repairs on a MH with &gt;200km&nbsp;<br />{137k miles} on it.<br /><br /> Limited income &lt;$11k/yr on a good year - so the van that I'm currently converting into my mini-mh gets 23mpg hwy will definitly help on the fuel expenses &amp; be able to travel a bit more.<br /><br />If I can help anyone with rving/ boondocking cdn winter style, I would be happy to help with info.

 

[ROAMIES VANS]

We have! 

We're a couple in our mid-30's. The first year living in a van we lived off our savings (we've been planning to take a road trip for quiet some time). We didn't think we would last a year but this is our 2nd year and we love it!  

We make more then 12k now as we have a promaster camper van conversion company. 

Even with our savings we spent less then 1k a month total on food, insurance, gas, van payment (bought it new) and extra entertainment/fun stuff. We rock climb so we follow the weather and move around ALOT so we needed a vehicle that was good on gas. Highly highly highly recommend promaster vans if anyone is still shopping around. (( We get 20mpg on the highway!! ))

I'll stop for now as I can go on forever.... 

Happy Camping Ya'll!

 

[DannyB1954]

If you have only $100,000 in the bank you should be able to get 5% interest per year on that, forever.

Unfortunately money today does not have the same buying power it did 10 years ago. So whatever interest that you get will get eaten up by inflation. You are not really making money, you are just not losing it as quickly as the person that does not get interest.  A lot of people today will be retired for 20 years or more. 20 years ago you could buy a nice vehicle for $5k, so what will it cost you to replace your vehicle in another 10 to 15 years?
Medicare covers 80% of your medical expenses when you are 65. That leaves 20% for you to figure out. You can buy supplemental insurance, but that is an additional monthly expense. I am under 65 so have to furnish my own medical. My insurance is about $10k a year just for the policy payments. In addition my deductible is $7k a year. That is what I paid the last two years for my open heart bypass. That is $34k out of pocket. My insurance is probably out about $200k. If they could drop me, they probably would. Welcome to the world of getting older.

Back to the topic, I lived most of my life on a boat, but it was really more like a condo as I was at a marina with water electricity, showers. Not at all like boondocking.
I lived in an RV for the last 3 years that I worked, (Mon-Fri. Weekends went to the cabin in the mountains), but again had all the services. Today I am a part timer, so it is more like a vacationer. A couple of months a year for me is enough.

 

[MrNoodly]

Coming up on five years full time in a van. I don't ever want to live in a building again.

 

[Bobflhtc]

I've been living in a travel trailer for over 4 years. Mostly out west on public land. I'm not sure how much I live on. money comes in money goes out

 

[Frogman]

Hi I've been living in my travel trailer around Sacramento CA 4 three years now mostly staying in county in the daytime and going into truck stops or industrial areas at night I'm wondering where are some close BLM land is so I can start a venturing out more and being with more other people who are nomads doing the same thing I'm doing anybody has any locations near Sacramento or any advice I would be more than happy to accept it and read it I thank you very much and have a great day

 

[MrNoodly]

I'm wondering where are some close BLM land is so I can start a venturing out more...

The closest public lands to Sacramento are in the Sierras -- Stanislaus, El Dorado and Tahoe National Forests.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Van or trailer living since 2010 for me.

Most of my years I spent below $12k each year.

 

[bullfrog]

15 years now since we owned a house which we couldn't afford to keep. Have always spent at least as much as we make if not more when not working. Being a teacher for several years we got used to paying off bills for the 9 months we got paid and living on credit the 3 months we were off. We have managed to reverse that now and work seasonally and take winters off. Home base is a motorhome that does not move with cars, trucks, camper trailers, truck campers, tents, house boats, bicycles and an ocassional stay with family. We like living remotely and have to travel over 200 miles for food, water and doctors usually twice a month and because of open range and age over night. That by it's self usually costs $1600 or more, but that is us and some do it for much less using Walmart and Amazon Prime online. We have lived well and enjoyed where we have lived these last 15 years as opposed to staying in a house we probably would have lost eventually and struggled the entire time to keep. We ain't rich but we are happy!

 

[One Awesome Inch]

3 years full-time for me. I've saved well over $36000 in rent. ☺

 

[lenny flank]

3 years fulltime traveling in a van.

I spend around $1k a month. But that includes luxuries like eating out every day and lots of museum, zoo, park, etc visits.