What is Vanlife Like?
So, you’re really getting into the idea of traveling all the time, but it just seems like there are too many barriers?
Perfect! Come with me for a chat!
“I want to travel like I see all of those internet people do, but it just seems so expensive, is it really?”
No! It’s a common misconception that traveling often is super expensive and only for those who are independently wealthy! Anyone can live on the road and travel all the time, in fact, I would say it’s cheaper than living in one place! Let’s go over some experiences that make me say that.
Firstly, I don’t pay rent/mortgage, ever. Owning your own vehicle, be it a car, bus, van, etc., puts you in charge of your living situation. The only recurring costs are gas, food, insurance, and luxuries (the fewer excess things you need, the better). All of which can be mitigated or expanded depending on how lavishly you want to live. Let’s say you don’t have much money in the beginning, save up before you go of course, and ensure you have some good equipment. Gear for the cold will come in handy more often than you’d imagine. Even if you plan to stay in the desert all year, it does get chilly at night. However, other than purchasing some decent gear you can use the rest of your money to get you places!
“What about when I run out of money?”
Good question! Very few people have a passive income, and even few have an endless flow. I am no exception! Of course you can’t go anywhere without some cash though! So what do you do to remedy this? Get a job! HA! While careers can take a while to get hired on at, with multiple interviews and long hiring processes, there is always a demand for laborers or regular retail/service jobs! No matter where you go, someone is hiring. Given a few days of walking door to door and filling out applications a paying job can be found just about anywhere. Ensure that you have enough to get you by until your first paycheck before stretching yourself too thin. Plus! There are often times places to stay around most cities/towns. Snowbirds have to stay somewhere right? Most of them even want phone signal in their RVs! That means there are plenty of places to park your vehicle and relax for a while as you get a job! Because vanlife is so cheap you don’t even need a super high paying one! In my experience, depending on the state you choose to stop in, as little as 10/hr can be passable for one person!
To be clear though, this is not necessarily going to work for everyone. Some people require more comforts or need more expensive utilities that would be difficult to maintain on little money. This is completely alright, and a workaround can be found! One such way to do so would be a remote job! Do you have a laptop? Congratulations! You can make money. There are remote jobs available rather quickly over the internet, be it taking surveys, or even being part of focus groups! This can be difficult if you wish to be out in the wilderness quite often, however depending on the job you choose, a wireless internet router would be the item to cure your woes.
“I have a kid! I can’t go anywhere!”
This can indeed be something difficult to work around yes, but not impossible! Homeschooling options are becoming more and more accessible with the advent of COVID-19, however even before this last year it was an option! Bring the schooling to the kid, not the kid to the school. The argument can be made that it is important socialize children when they are young, however just because you are traveling doesn’t mean they aren’t social! There are plenty of other people in the world! Each with a life and story as unique as yours! There is also the option of only traveling in the summer! Having a house in a bus or RV, doesn’t mean you can’t stay somewhere for multiple seasons! Being mobile year round doesn’t mean you HAVE to keep moving, just that you have the option to.
Any other questions or qualms? Let me know in the comments!