Van Dwelling, Living In A Van, Cheap Vacations Or Fulltime Lifestyle (sell, best)
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Well, if you define a vehicle as a home, then technically they're not homeless. I do not define a vehicle as a home, so I believe that technically, they ARE homeless.
But since when is a car or van a "home"? In the normal, everyday sense of the word, a "home" means a structure of some type, not movable except by extraordinary means.
Personally I'd say home is where your heart is...officer
I'm going to be doing this in about two weeks. I've been planning it for a while, and in two weeks it'll be a reality. During my four day work week I will stealth park, and during the three day weekend... I'll do whatever I want, so long as I can be back to work on Monday!
I'm doing this in Berkeley, CA. I've looked into the laws and police enforcement, and they currently say there is not a law against sleeping in your car. I'll be using a conversion van. There is currently a bed in it, but not cooking, sink or bathroom facilities. We'll see about that down the road.
I'm writing about it in a blog - vaninspirations.wordpress.com
I'm going to be doing this in about two weeks. I've been planning it for a while, and in two weeks it'll be a reality. During my four day work week I will stealth park, and during the three day weekend... I'll do whatever I want, so long as I can be back to work on Monday!
I'm doing this in Berkeley, CA. I've looked into the laws and police enforcement, and they currently say there is not a law against sleeping in your car. I'll be using a conversion van. There is currently a bed in it, but not cooking, sink or bathroom facilities. We'll see about that down the road.
I'm writing about it in a blog - vaninspirations.wordpress.com
Best,
Lis
Just don't drive up the highway to Solano County, I'm not sure if it's a county or a city ordinance but in Vacaville and Fairfield they arrest people who sleep in their cars.
I'm doing this in Berkeley, CA. I've looked into the laws and police enforcement, and they currently say there is not a law against sleeping in your car.
Good luck. I did that for a few months in Santa Cruz, out of a 13 year period of vagabonding in a Toyota truck. I think it might be illegal there, but if you aren't visible, they can't prove you are sleeping. I got rousted in the wee hours one night, and the cops went so far as to remove the screen from a window so they could look inside. Luckily I'd slid to the floor and they didn't see me.
I recently stumbled upon the whole concept of vandwelling. Basically buy a cargo van for like $1200 to $2000. If you wanna buy a Ford Transit or a Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter a bit nicer, newer and better gas mileage but also much more upfront costs. Anyhow, people build beds, shelving, sometimes composting toilets, solar panels, ac, sinks, stoves, you can really get as simple or fancy as you want.
This is a great subject! I did this for 13 years, '91-'03. Best time of my life. Didn't know what freedom was until then.
In that time I went through 3 different campers (2 I built myself) on the back of a '84 Toyota 2WD truck. Started with a little shell, then built a bigger one when I got a roommate , and finally built a really nice one.
Camped on BLM and forest land in the west mostly, ideally where I wouldn't see, hear, or smell another human. Spent one winter in Mexico.
If anybody wants info I'll be happy to relay what I know.
Where do you bathe, go potty and do your dishes? I've seen a few posts on the matter but nothing I was satisfied with. I want to be able to be hygienic so I can work a job.
I should amend this post. I found some vans with built in showers, toilets, effluent tanks etc. but I want to know about life in a van without these built in amenities.
If you don't travel around much would it be possible to live on say....$500/month?
Where do you bathe, go potty and do your dishes? I've seen a few posts on the matter but nothing I was satisfied with. I want to be able to be hygienic so I can work a job.
I should amend this post. I found some vans with built in showers, toilets, effluent tanks etc. but I want to know about life in a van without these built in amenities.
If you don't travel around much would it be possible to live on say....$500/month?
Well, I live out of my van.
If I "Have" to, I crap in a bucket with plastic bag. There's garbage cans in many places where I dump it. I also have a container for urine. But usually it's in a normal bathroom.
Shower? I use the local community center. $42 a month (To come, I paid for three months at $99 for the three so saved big! BUt that was only for the summer) I can shave, bathe and swim if I desire. I also have workout equipment if I want. I also pay NOTHING for my internet at the community center.
Due to my work and living, I actually sleep in the parking lot of my employer (Hint, hint) and when I am working at the store that is being built now, I'll then travel from the new store to my old training store and sleep. I also get free wifi there too. (Wifi cost me $50 a month previously)
Food? I cook canned veggies and canned chicken or tuna. When I get off, I'll grab a pizza at times (On sale for $2.50) have the other half for breakfast. I can also do oatmeal and other food, like noodles and such. A container of gummy vitamins cost $10 and last 3 months.
Do dishes? Not with cheap paper plates from the dollar store!
Travel? I go from sleeping area, to community center to work then back to sleep. 13.5 miles give or take .5
in 3 months will be getting 10% off all purchases. Not a bad deal.
I did consider getting a bus and converting it, but feel that I am better off to save the money and to build a safety net.
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