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Would you ever consider living out of a Van???

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posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 01:52 AM
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Originally posted by zetaM7
Right now we don't have any vehicle at all but my family and I have been doing our best to save up to get an older van that we could live out of. We basically have what else we need, just not the most important part, the actual van!

I think it would be a great way to live and I really like that yurt thing you showed us too.


Brilliant minds think alike I see! hi-5 ha ha


I don't know for me, I'm just tired of the rat race. If I had my choice I'd just get a camper van do a lot of touring around for fun. Then have either something like the Yurt somewhere by the coast, probably hidden in the woods. So at least I'd have a place I could call home, as I doubt living in a van would be something you'd want to do forever.

Ya well you could probably find something for cheap. Just be sure it runs good as you dont' want to break down with your family in the middle of no where right. Wish you luck.



posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 01:54 AM
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Originally posted by flipflop
reply to post by spartacus699
 


If I was to do something like that, apart from weighing up the cons and pros, of what van to use or AT vehicle to convert, and that is very important of course. I would try to hold on to a place on grid, to know if it all goes pear shaped you have got a back up life to return to.


I would also advise you from day 1 and I mean day 1 right at the beginning of your idea and the vehicle you choose and the conversion, where you had to go to get it converted bit by bit, how much it cost, etc WRITE it down, Keep a Diary of all events and happenings, of the whole scenario the beginning, the middle and the end. and then some TV company may be interested in taking your story and relating it in a Program, could even bring you in a few cents.. or even compile it all into a book... If you are going to go to the trouble and expense of following your dream then Keep a Diary and video... anyway, sounds like an awsome idea. and Lots of Luck with achieving it..


Ya that's probably a smart idea too.



posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 02:12 AM
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Well who knows what the future holds. I liked that one guys advice. he said don't go doing this unless you have to or have carefully thought it threw. I'd probably do that. Just stay where I am. And then at some point if things changed so drastically for some reason or another then I'd probably seriously consider this. I think at my age I can't realistically think about a day job anymore. I'm just about past that point. I know too much, I make a living self employed at the moment so going back to the work force isn't really much of an option. Plus I have a medial condition that would serious make that near impossible. But ya maybe one day who knows. But it just seems like a really sensable plan. As long as you can pull in a few buck doing something you could probably afford to live this way, as my guess is you probably could get by on about 500 bucks a month. Gas probably about 200 per month, another 50 for maintenance. Then insurance 50. That leaves you 50 per week for food and other stuff. Like we're not talking gormet meals here or going out partying. Some months if things are tight you just stay put more so you don't burn as much in gas. Plus that's where the Yurt comes in handy as if things get tight you could go there and live for nearly free. Practice your fishing, hunting, trapping, foraging, gardening and beachcombing for food. Which would be a good set of skills to know anyway if you ever needed them. Like my thought is if you could learn to actually live off the land that way you'd never have to worry about how you would make it if the shtf. You'd always have a fallback system. But it's possible, anything beyond that is just gravy.
edit on 27-8-2013 by spartacus699 because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 02:23 AM
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I've been doing a lot of reading about the newer AWD vans and they are fine for paved roads but not off those. Not as beefy construction, lower clearance (I still find it amusing to see all the lifted trucks that still have the same tire/wheel size, which means the exact same clearance.... what a waste of money and gas) and no low gear. Quigley, Sportsmobile, Pathfinder.... there are probably others, but these companies make the 4x4 conversion with upscale Dana and other brand parts. Around here we have a LOT of snowmobile tourists and other types of tourists that get to Yellowstone and other places via 4x4 vans but my great mechanic says he thinks they wear out too fast and handle poorly. No way would I ever NOT own a 4x4 anymore no matter where I live.... I know how much difference they can make in poor weather or poor traction in sand, dirt, rock, gravel, snow, ice..... I keep searching!



posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 02:30 AM
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reply to post by spartacus699
 


I was forced to live out of my car, at one time for months.

I dont know if I could recommend that for anyone. Now, if you are prepared to live that way, then more power to you. But if you are forced to live that way?

It can be hell, especially in 20-30 below weather. I guess I am scared from the experience.






posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 10:46 PM
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Originally posted by jaxnmarko
I've been doing a lot of reading about the newer AWD vans and they are fine for paved roads but not off those. Not as beefy construction, lower clearance (I still find it amusing to see all the lifted trucks that still have the same tire/wheel size, which means the exact same clearance.... what a waste of money and gas) and no low gear. Quigley, Sportsmobile, Pathfinder.... there are probably others, but these companies make the 4x4 conversion with upscale Dana and other brand parts. Around here we have a LOT of snowmobile tourists and other types of tourists that get to Yellowstone and other places via 4x4 vans but my great mechanic says he thinks they wear out too fast and handle poorly. No way would I ever NOT own a 4x4 anymore no matter where I live.... I know how much difference they can make in poor weather or poor traction in sand, dirt, rock, gravel, snow, ice..... I keep searching!


no way, in Canada you need awd or 4x4 or you'll be digging and pushing in the winter



posted on Aug, 27 2013 @ 10:50 PM
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Originally posted by sonnny1
reply to post by spartacus699
 


I was forced to live out of my car, at one time for months.

I dont know if I could recommend that for anyone. Now, if you are prepared to live that way, then more power to you. But if you are forced to live that way?

It can be hell, especially in 20-30 below weather. I guess I am scared from the experience.





Well to clarify I'd probably only do that about half the year. The other half either I'd have to rent a room or live in the yurt, or just drive the van down the the southern states in the winter. That would be easy as I'm use to -30 c winters here So there their winters are like plus 20c during the day. That's how hot our summers are. And I'm talking about a insulated van that's camperized and has a furnace, of some sort. The other option for such an enclosed space is to use candles I know they give off a lot of heat.



posted on Aug, 28 2013 @ 08:56 AM
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"Living out of a Van" ..... no I would not choose to live out of a van, my health is such that it would quickly decline due to the ability to maintain a reasonable amount of hygene.

I have lived out of a van before, and for months at a time. The hassle is laundry and bathing. Laundry can be done with a source of water easy enough. a washing tub and a rinsing tub and a stool/chair. A two foot diameter by one foot deep tub would work fine. Using your feet like when stomping grapes while setting works well to wash. About a half hour of stepping, soaking, stepping etc. will provide a fairly professional wash job, then it's a matter of rinsing and using the rinse water for your next wash . Usually if you plan right, two washes is all you need to complete that task. The Key, don't let it add up until you have a pile, do it every few days. Cooking isn't too hard, Coleman makes stoves and ovens, along with lanterns. Kerosene lanterns work well also. Remember room is at a premium if you intend to live this refugee-like.

So to answer the question, NO, not unless it was in response to a national disaster or the like and forced to, NO !



posted on Aug, 28 2013 @ 09:05 AM
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Not a van. A 4x4 truck with a cap on the back but I'd use a tent or hammock 99% of the time.



posted on Aug, 28 2013 @ 11:36 AM
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Originally posted by Plotus
"Living out of a Van" ..... no I would not choose to live out of a van, my health is such that it would quickly decline due to the ability to maintain a reasonable amount of hygene.

I have lived out of a van before, and for months at a time. The hassle is laundry and bathing. Laundry can be done with a source of water easy enough. a washing tub and a rinsing tub and a stool/chair. A two foot diameter by one foot deep tub would work fine. Using your feet like when stomping grapes while setting works well to wash. About a half hour of stepping, soaking, stepping etc. will provide a fairly professional wash job, then it's a matter of rinsing and using the rinse water for your next wash . Usually if you plan right, two washes is all you need to complete that task. The Key, don't let it add up until you have a pile, do it every few days. Cooking isn't too hard, Coleman makes stoves and ovens, along with lanterns. Kerosene lanterns work well also. Remember room is at a premium if you intend to live this refugee-like.

So to answer the question, NO, not unless it was in response to a national disaster or the like and forced to, NO !


just don't bath. Women like the smell of sweat anyway. And just don't wash you're clothes.



posted on Aug, 29 2013 @ 02:58 AM
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Personally I prefer the camper shell on the back of a pickup, over the van option. Sure it looks clunkier, but it also has more space. I have known several people who "retired early" and went off-grid...some eventually disappeared.

-Be mindful of where you want to register your vehicle. Some states let you list a mailing address as your home, and don't require an annual vehicle inspections. They also will renew your driver's license via mail for years at a time.

-Other than fuel, your largest expense will be food. If you plan it correctly, you can layer the fishing / hunting opportunities, particularly along the Appallacian Trail, to the point where you can harvest natural food 10 months out of the year if you are willing to go in Canada.

-If you are willing to go with a mom & pop facility, you can rent a very affordable storage unit in more than one state, and have a "Cache" of your winter gear at one end of your migration, and another with your "summer gear" at the other terminus.

-Some people doing this work seasonal jobs for gas money. Working at summer camps, ski resorts, etc. during their off months, and then free for the rest of the year.

The folks that I have known who enjoyed this life were all male, and enjoyed anonymity and outdoor living. One individual was an amateur prospector, and we believe he "hit the road" so he wouldn't have to share his find.

Another had worn out his welcome in his hometown, and needed to be absent while things cooled down. He "retired" and spent about 5 years hunting and fishing, almost non-stop, without any problems, until his paperwork entanglements resolved themselves.

Someone else I know bought a full-blown travel trailer--literally sold his house to buy the thing; he and his wife decided they probably had about 5 years after retiring when they could still enjoy the active lifestyle. They lived as nomads, traveling from campground to campground across the USA, and had a network of friends in all states plus Canada and Mexico.



posted on Aug, 29 2013 @ 07:20 AM
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Originally posted by mysterioustranger
I did live out of my van in 1972. Anywhere I parked. Beach, parking lot, State Park, backroads, trails...

One hard thing at 1st was clean clothes...until I realized a 1-day daily park pass at a campground with washers and dryers were available.

You didnt have to be registered as a camper to use those....


dude.. was this you? lol.. wish it was me.




posted on Aug, 29 2013 @ 04:23 PM
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Whoa! You wouldnt believe it...but absolutely DOES look like me then (1973) ! I have a photo somewhere with me posing just like that...t-shirt, girlfriend n all on the beach in Daytona.



posted on Aug, 29 2013 @ 04:38 PM
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I think living in a van has already been done.

I also don't think the results were as rosy as we had all hoped they would be.




posted on Aug, 30 2013 @ 12:32 PM
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Never. I want to live comfortably. For me that means no campers, no RV's, no boats, no trailers.



posted on Aug, 31 2013 @ 02:04 PM
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just found this while searching for a new project truck. a scout or something, maybe a Kaiser.

this is a MOST beautiful work of art.

International Woody 4x4



posted on Sep, 2 2013 @ 01:15 AM
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reply to post by tovenar
 


But if you had a travel trailer and say you were parked somewhere for too long. Wouldn't it raise some suspicion?



posted on Sep, 2 2013 @ 01:17 AM
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reply to post by Tetrarch42
 


You're a softy. In a zomie apocalypse you'll be the first to go



posted on Sep, 2 2013 @ 01:20 AM
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reply to post by HanzHenry
 


All those kinds of things are WAY TOO OBVIOUS! It just is asking for a cop to come check out what's going on. No, I'd get a basic white GMC van. Just would allow you to blend in almost anywhere as there's so many of them on the road. Anything that looks camper like or looks way odd raises far too much suspicion. People will be more likely to call the cops on you if they see this odd vehicle parked too long.



posted on Sep, 2 2013 @ 01:35 AM
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reply to post by spartacus699
 
Done It !!! it is not that bad just be sure to have boots on, or a good sleep bag, a bed roll does not cut it in the winter Salt lake city UT winter nothing like waking up and have your feet glued from the cold to the rear doors, or some kind of padding there, also lived out of a dodge aspen station wagon, not bad as long as your in a good spot.... Las Vegas NV an other winter... yes it is all that and more, would like to tell the tail, but as you know what goes on there stays there.




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