Living in a Van?

I've been thinking about a used van as the most affordable entry-level into solo full-time RVing. I wouldn't even do much to convert it, apart from removing the seats. I'd just add:

A portapotty
A lighter adaptor for charging small electronics
A little ceramic heater to warm the place up for bedtime or first thing in the morning
A 12V electric kettle and "lunchbox oven" for non-cold meals
A camp stove for whenever I can cook out in the open
A cooler for icing things down in the summer
Maybe some extra carpeting or other non-permanent insulating material on the walls (or maybe not)
A futon mattress and/or sleeping bag
A couple of battery-powered LED lanterns
Wash bucket for sponge baths
A folding TV table and folding chair
My laptop, of course  ;D

When I'm ready to move on to a trailer, maybe I could just add a hitch to the van and let the van become my "walk-in closet"....

(I'd be saying in RV parks with hookups about 50 percent of the year, so I might occasionally have access to more perks than this. but I wouldn't necessarily NEED them.)

What do you think? Doable?

Sweat equity and money for all those parts...and it's very doable. When I got out of the military in 1975 I lived in a 1967 Pontiac La Mans for about seven months. If you have the proper mind set and can do with a lot of inconveniences, then anything is doable. Good luck on your adventure.

Good to know. One question, however -- would living in a van be much different/better than living in a truck camper shell? I'm considering both possibilities, since apart from headroom the amenities would be about the same (that is to say, nada).

If I had my choice of the two and were limited to the two, I'd choose the van over the truck, unless you are going to with a trailer in the near future, then of course the truck would be most beneficial. Whatever way you choose to go, I can tell you from experience that it isn't fun, what you are proposing. Back in the day when I lived out of my car, I was 21 years old, worked at a Short Stop Store, and I was used to physical inconveniences coming straight out of the military, albeit US Navy.

The life you are proposing is one-step from homelessness. The lifestyle (living out of a car) is not a society norm, so you have to accept that you are living on the fringe. Then there is the "where do I park at night?" question that is ever present. Living out of a car presents its challenges in that regard. Preparing two to three meals per day living out of a car is most challenging.

I'm not trying to talk you out of your choice to live a nomadic life style. But you should be fully aware of its challenges. The life you are proposing differs VASTLY from the life of a full time RVer.

I'm not really interested in an argument, but I'm a dad and the OP is quite young, and is obviously seeking advice from those more experienced in what he is considering doing, as well he should.  As a dad I can't not mention at least one thing.  Food stamps and such are NOT for making it easier and more profitable to live in a van/rv whatever else.  They are for feeding yourself when you have no other way to do so.  If you need them to feed yourself, by all means, use them.  If you want them to buy food in order to use other money to buy other commodities, don't.  That's dishonest, and one of the reasons the system is so broken right now.  In the same manner, getting college grants and such for something other than going to college (even if you attempt to "keep up appearances" by taking a class or two) is very wrong, abuse of the system, and since these grants are governmentally funded, very likely a felony.  FWIW, prison cells are even harder to make comfortable than mini-vans, not to mention hard to travel in.

OP, if you want to full time RV, more power to you.  It works quite well for many Americans.  Yes, you may have to start small/inconvenient but you will enjoy the freedom it gives you so much you will work hard to continue to upgrade until you have the RV you want.  There are endless benefits to this lifestyle, which is why I, like so many other full-timers, wish I would have started long before I did.  Stick around this forum and heed all the good advice and stay focused on your goals, and by the time you are 30 years old, quite possibly sooner you will be very well set as long as WWIII or a the next great depression doesn't get in your way.  And even if it does, you will still be better off than any of your peers.  Ten years may seem like an eternity right now but you just have to get busy working on getting to wherever it is you want to be, and before you know it, it will be here.  Then you blink your eyes one day and you're fifty years old, but that's another story.

jdq1986 said:

OP, if you want to full time RV, more power to you.  It works quite well for many Americans.

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Uh..."OP"?  This was OP'd in 2010.  He (she) has probably married since then and has a kid or two. ;D

Molaker said:

Uh..."OP"?  This was OP'd in 2010.  He (she) has probably married since then and has a kid or two. ;D

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My mistake, I didn't notice the start date.  Doesn't change my opinion for anyone doing the same, but hopefully this person has figured it out.  He/she works awfully fast if they went from considering living in a van to married with two kids in 4 and a half years, but I'd sure like to hear how it all turned out!  Though it doesn't look like they're coming back...

jdq1986 said:

My mistake, I didn't notice the start date.  Doesn't change my opinion for anyone doing the same, but hopefully this person has figured it out.  He/she works awfully fast if they went from considering living in a van to married with two kids in 4 and a half years, but I'd sure like to hear how it all turned out!  Though it doesn't look like they're coming back...

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I went from single and living on a boat, earning less than $100 a month to married and 2 kids in 4 1/2 years (I didn't stop there, though) .  So, it's not difficult...except for the less than $100 a month part.  Besides, living in a van may have started the entire kid thing.

Ah...I just want to say people will even live in a container in some poor city... :-[

This is one way to do it.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/musician-in-dawson-city-winterizes-camper-van-with-117-straw-bales-1.2916737

RoyM said:

This is one way to do it.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/musician-in-dawson-city-winterizes-camper-van-with-117-straw-bales-1.2916737

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If he smokes, he may keep VERY warm.

You know what they say....."Build a man a fire and he will be warm for one night, Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life"
Doesnt really apply here, but I thought it was funny

I've seen converted 4WD vans to have a safe place to sleep deep in the boonies.  With my MH, going off road to camp is just not an option.  But with a 4WD van that has been converted to an RV, living in it would be tight, but you could go just about where ever you want.  I've gotten plenty of 4WD's stuck, but a 4WD van would be better than a MH for maneuverability in all types of conditions. 

They say people are living in vans because they can't afford any other place to live, and that's better than living on the streets.  But I'm thinking of it as an additional, more maneuverable option.  But I have way too much stuff to try to even full time in my 37.5' unit with a slide out, much less a van.  I've read the FT'ers group saying that have to sell the S&B along with the rest of their stuff to go FT.  It makes me shudder.  I have an unhealthy attachment to my stuff.  The FT group is a good group to read stories about those ridding themselves of their stuff.

I've not only read about the "100 things" movement, but talked to a family that has done it.  They say it took so much stress off when they finally got to the point to rid themselves of all their stuff.  In addition, they have more quality time with their kids.  They are not living in a van though, in a 400 sq ft house.  But with my current mindset I'm not sure if it would be workable for me to live in a van. I think one either really has to want to, or have no other option. 

During the winter season 1973-4 my friend,her dog and I stayed in Teton Village in a van/camper and skiied the entire winter. We had a 3way fridge, 2.5 cu ft, a 2 burner gas stove top and a catalytic heater, just one. This was in a different time as today there's no overnight parking at the village. You might get away with a 2-4 day stint but it's still a small place where everyone knows your face. And the camper thing would be a dead giveaway.  Back then there were motels at the base where we made friends and on a cold -40 deg night the night manager gave us a room, very thoughtful of him, but all our canned food froze as our body heat wasn't there to keep the place fron freezing.  5mi towards Jackson there is a CG where you can stay in winter, Fireside but in summer it's $100-125/nite but the Village has the 4Seasons at $400 and up. The van was a short 1965 Chevy cargo reg roof with just enough room for a 6ft bed with storage underneath.  I was 23 at the time and it was very doable.  There were three other vans that stayed the season with us, great time!

Jere and Laur said:

During the winter season 1973-4 my friend,her dog and I stayed in Teton Village in a van/camper and skiied the entire winter. We had a 3way fridge, 2.5 cu ft, a 2 burner gas stove top and a catalytic heater, just one. This was in a different time as today there's no overnight parking at the village. You might get away with a 2-4 day stint but it's still a small place where everyone knows your face. And the camper thing would be a dead giveaway.  Back then there were motels at the base where we made friends and on a cold -40 deg night the night manager gave us a room, very thoughtful of him, but all our canned food froze as our body heat wasn't there to keep the place fron freezing.  5mi towards Jackson there is a CG where you can stay in winter, Fireside but in summer it's $100-125/nite but the Village has the 4Seasons at $400 and up. The van was a short 1965 Chevy cargo reg roof with just enough room for a 6ft bed with storage underneath.  I was 23 at the time and it was very doable.  There were three other vans that stayed the season with us, great time!

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What is it about experience that lowers our tolerance for inconvenience as the price of an adventure?  What a great story and experience you two enjoyed.  At 23 I would have been all over that, today, I'm more concerned about being able to stand up straight while I shower every night before bed.  That would be one very custom van. 

And that's why we have a nice big 5er now, no more going out for a restroom, having to go to a store every 2-3 days for fresh food and a shower.  On the airport side of Jackson we joined a swimming pool, sauna and some great homemade bread for $8/month it was a pool club, Gass just jumped to a record  $.55 those were the days, now my shower has a seat.

To me, this idea doesn't seem so silly, on the contrary, it's a great way to cut back on spending and save for something more.

A revived 7 year old thread

This topic is being discussed on a few other threads. I don’t have a problem with van living but I don’t want them parked in our neighborhood. As long as they park where it’s legal to sleep overnight I think it’s a great way to cut back on expenses. Apartments and house cost a fortune to rent and even a bigger fortune to buy. I don’t know how a family of four can live on $50,000 a year Heck, we’re a retired couple and make twice that and sometimes it ain’t easy.

This idea doesn't seem so stupid to me, on the contrary, it's a great way to cut costs and save on something more. After all, living in a van gives a number of advantages, in addition to unconditional savings. We are talking, for example, about incredible mobility and the ability to move from place to place at any time convenient for you. In addition, it can really be arranged so that it will be more comfortable than any apartment, because it is quite compact. With the help of various articles you will be able to get to know all the delights of living in a van and the conditions of purchase.