Live in a Van for a year

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I'd really like to buy a cargo van in the $4000-$5000 range, spray paint it in some odd and eccentric manner, and live out of it for a year. During that time, I'd love to travel the western and northwestern states - maybe even cruise up to Alaska.

 

Has anyone ever done anything like this? If so, could you estimate your monthly expenses? And were you able to find any work while doing it or did you just have money saved? What setbacks and unexpected obstacles did you run into?

 

Thanks.

[bmwm3]

I LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BUY THE RIVER.... chris farley..

 

sorry had to do that... i dont know about a cargo van.. but had some friends in college bought a older motorhome and traveled the country for 4 months and lived out of it...

might be more comfy then a van...

[GoneCrazy]

Hey man havent done anything like that tho i will say that sounds awesome and you'll have many stories to tell.

 

The problems that i see are...

1. Van braking down costing you more money

 

2. Getting lost in places you've never been....dont wanna get beaten up

 

3. How are you gonna shower ? i know you can stop at a lundry place and wash your clothes.

 

4. You should be ready for all weather that means having good tires if you run accross some snow.

 

5. Its gonna take you my best guess is $15-25K you'll go throught money easily and spend a lot of it on the gas, food, cleaning clothes, etc.

 

Goodluck hope you get to do it.

[BrunetteBarbie]

Ohhh..!! I dont have any advice cuz Ive never travled around by van, but I only wanted to say thats an aweeesomeee idea and Id loove love love to do it also oneday! And I will! for sure Have fun !

[hers]

i've honestly thought about doing this. maybe not to travel, but just to save some money on rent/utilities. keep my job (i work in people's homes), still pay my car payment and other bills, keep my dog. i went over the details like crazy in my head one day. i figured i could shower/do laundry at clients' houses (most are out of town and wouldn't care anyway). i could use internet at coffee shops (laptop). i only worried about where i'd park at night to sleep and extreme temperatures and what i'd do with my dog (b/c clearly she'd get tired of sitting in a car all day).

 

good luck to you! sorry i can't be more help.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Thanks to everyone that's responded so far. Yup, I almost put in the Chris Farley quote myself =)

 

The van breaking down would be a * * * * * . I guess it would help to have some sort of emergency fund in a bank account somewhere... probably not good to keep it in the van.

 

I've got a ton of camping/backpacking gear so I'm not too worried about the temperatures, cooking food, etc. I can shower at truck stops. But that money estimate you gave HEMI is more than I'll save for sure. So I guess I better find a way to do some sort of day labor.

[CallingAllAngels]

I LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BUY THE RIVER.... chris farley..

 

ROFLMAO @ that one!

[shes2smart]

3. How are you gonna shower ?

 

Oddly enough, I have an answer for this one.

 

Having done the odd road trip, there are travel plazas designed for over the road truckers that have showering facilities, along with places for the drivers to park their semis overnight so they can sleep.

 

I don't remember where I was going, but stopped at one of these mega-gas station-restaurant-convenience store places for gas and noticed a big sign that said "SHOWERS" and some pricing information.

[bms85]

I've done similar, but it involved 3 guys living in a geo storm and a hurricane instead of a cargo van. We traveled between cities sleeping in the car at truck stops (very uncomfortable). we'd check the newspapers in a new city for day labor jobs until we could get a short term higher paying job. day labor places though you usually get less than minimum wage, you're almost guaranteed work. Just be there around 5 am and be prepared to be treated like a crack head. Another idea you might consider is a diesel van, or a diesel truck with a cap instead. This way if money gets tight you can run your vehicle off of veggie oil.

 

also check out link removed link removed don't remember, but there will be people willing to take you in, hang out with you for a day, pretty much whatever. It will keep you from getting lonely. keep a lock box in your van with a laptop and your money. You always have access to the internet via the local restaurants wifi.

[bms85]

Oh and by the way, we left spontaneously from a party with less than $150 between the three of us. I barely knew one of them, and just met the other a few hours prior. We actually returned one at a time by flying home. I decided to call it quits when my grandma passed away a year later. I returned home with over $5,000 in my pocket. More than most of my friends who stayed home saved in the year they'd been working.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Oh and by the way, we left spontaneously from a party with less than $150 between the three of us. I barely knew one of them, and just met the other a few hours prior. We actually returned one at a time by flying home. I decided to call it quits when my grandma passed away a year later. I returned home with over $5,000 in my pocket. More than most of my friends who stayed home saved in the year they'd been working.

 

You said above that you found longer term higher paying jobs... how did you handle not having an address/telephone number/etc for the paperwork? Or were they all cash jobs?

[bms85]

You said above that you found longer term higher paying jobs... how did you handle not having an address/telephone number/etc for the paperwork? Or were they all cash jobs?

 

We shared a cheap cell between the three of us, and gave the address of a local church/homeless shelter. If you ask them nicely some churches will let you, and most shelters will accept mail for anyone . Some employers will hand you a check personally if you ask them. you can find info on these programs at most libraries. either on a bulletin board, or online. you have to be very resourceful to pull this off. You'll learn fast, or have to turn around.

 

The worst case you live off ramen noodles and sell your van for a plane ticket home.

[hers]

BMS--what was your reason for doing all of this? I think ita fascinating.

[bms85]

BMS--what was your reason for doing all of this? I think ita fascinating.

 

Well it started with a list of things I have to do before I die. Experiencing a hurricane first hand was one of them. I was at a party and while flipping channels learned there was one due to hit Florida in 2 days. I announced I was leaving for Florida the next day and asked if anyone wanted to join me. one guy I knew of from school, and one I'd never met spoke up. Somehow no one backed out. We left the next day, and caught the hurricane going down 95 south through Jacksonville. We all hit it off really well and decided to just keep going.

 

I fell in love with life that year. Now almost all of my life goals revolve around meeting new people and traveling. I've been to over 13 countries, not including my own. I've met some of the most amazing people along the way.

[lost1607307474]

I have never done anything like this - but have always wanted to! However, I have had quite a few friends who have done this. A bunch of my friends bought a van and travelled around Australia living out of it. They didn't work while they travelled, but instead saved up a large amount well before they went on the trip. Because there was a few of them, the expenses of everything were also split. It was a very cheap lifestyle they had for that time, and they had an absolute ball! But as I said, they didn't work on their trip but instead just saved up lots and lots beforehand.

[FortunateOne]

I think it's a great idea that I want to do one day... When I finally meet the woman of my dreams I plan to put my business on hold, buy a fifth-wheel trailer and F-350 Diesel 4x4 King-Ranch edition, and travel the US and Canada for about two or three years. Later I've thought about shipping it over and doing the same in Europe and Australia for about a few years. I'd say if you don't do it know before you're tied down you're going to have to wait until your just about done with your career, like me.

 

Take a look at this family:

 

link removed

 

They've motivated me to plan my future RV travel plans and, maybe, later buy a sail boat to travel the world.

[hers]

Check out the documentary "Surfwise". About a guy who packed up his wife & 8 kids into a camper & travelled the US & surfing anywhere they could. Fascinating & very well done.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I love the drive on I-95 through Jacksonville at night.

 

When I was younger, I did a lot of driving around some of the southern states. But I've never seen the deserts of New Mexico or the great Northwest. And I'd love to see Alaska.

 

As for international travel, I don't have that many destinations I'm really passionate about seeing...maybe 3 or 4. But Antarctica... I crave to work there one day. My application for that is in as we type.

[90_hour_sleep]

alaska is amazing. equally amazing was yukon territory...but i'm canadian...so of course i'd say that. i did a short stint up there...would love to do what you're thinking of. have you read ''into the wild''?

 

i think all you really need is a committment to what you want to do. you'll find a way to survive. be prepared for setbacks...just see them as a part of the adventure. i've never met a traveller who had any interesting stories about how everything went right. it's always the * * * * that goes wrong that we're all interested in. it's the unknown that we seek when we seek adventure. as long as you're ready for that...

[bms85]

Check out the documentary "Surfwise". About a guy who packed up his wife & 8 kids into a camper & travelled the US & surfing anywhere they could. Fascinating & very well done.

 

I'll have to check that out. It sounds really interesting. While I Was backpacking Europe, I met a family from the UK doing the same as us with their 3 kids. Not sure six month backpacking trips with a bunch of kids sounds like fun to me,but they were having a blast.

[hers]

The family in that documentary was 8 young kids (10 & younger I believe) in a 22ft camper. The dad was a doctor & would moonlight at random clinics for cash. the dad is 90 years old & still surfing too.

[bms85]

I love the drive on I-95 through Jacksonville at night.

 

When I was younger, I did a lot of driving around some of the southern states. But I've never seen the deserts of New Mexico or the great Northwest. And I'd love to see Alaska.

 

As for international travel, I don't have that many destinations I'm really passionate about seeing...maybe 3 or 4. But Antarctica... I crave to work there one day. My application for that is in as we type.

 

all I have to say is if you have the itch scratch it. If you don't you might resent not taking the time out while you can. You don't know where life will take you. you could get your girlfriend pregnant tomorrow and get tied down until your 40s. by then you'll have a house payment. better to do it now than risk not doing it at all.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

alaska is amazing. equally amazing was yukon territory...but i'm canadian...so of course i'd say that. i did a short stint up there...would love to do what you're thinking of. have you read ''into the wild''?

 

i think all you really need is a committment to what you want to do. you'll find a way to survive. be prepared for setbacks...just see them as a part of the adventure. i've never met a traveller who had any interesting stories about how everything went right. it's always the * * * * that goes wrong that we're all interested in. it's the unknown that we seek when we seek adventure. as long as you're ready for that...

 

Yeah, I love Chris McCandless's story. I'm really irritated by people that judge him for his decision. His story got told and it inspires. To me, that's worth far more that a few extra years of life.

 

I had to put an extra zero in front of all your seven digit binary terms to get the online translator to translate it to ASCII. Cool, though =)

 

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

— Chris McCandless

[Jeremiah Johnson]

all I have to say is if you have the itch scratch it. If you don't you might resent not taking the time out while you can. You don't know where life will take you. you could get your girlfriend pregnant tomorrow and get tied down until your 40s. by then you'll have a house payment. better to do it now than risk not doing it at all.

 

Yeah, I saw too many friends while growing up toss out their dreams because they fell into relationships. That's why I've been single for years. And I have no intention of changing that any time soon. I can live without girls, but I can't live without the journey.

[bms85]

alaska is amazing. equally amazing was yukon territory...but i'm canadian...so of course i'd say that. i did a short stint up there...would love to do what you're thinking of. have you read ''into the wild''?

 

i think all you really need is a committment to what you want to do. you'll find a way to survive. be prepared for setbacks...just see them as a part of the adventure. i've never met a traveller who had any interesting stories about how everything went right. it's always the * * * * that goes wrong that we're all interested in. it's the unknown that we seek when we seek adventure. as long as you're ready for that...

 

OK i know this is off subject, but what s so special about:

 

70 79 52 69 86 69 82

121 111 117 114 115

105 110

108 105 102 101

97 110 100

76 79 86 69

 

I'm missing something... its driving me crazy. please tell me they aren't random.