Living in a VAN down by the RIVER! (agreement, sufficiency, cutter)

[JGC97]

Van living isn't for everyone. I couldn't do it. I do think of it as an eclectic way of life, though. I feel bad for the people who are living in their vehicles because they've lost everything. I don't get the idea this is what Van Tripper experienced. I know it's not a popular idea but it sounds like a pretty good way for a younger individual to save money on apartment rent. If they're practicing good hygiene (which showering at the gym would certainly achieve), eating well and not begging for handouts, I think it's a pretty creative way to save money.

There is one member on CD that does it. He does own a boat, though. He splits his time between the boat and van. He travels quite a bit on his boat, too. Doesn't sound like a bad way of life, to me.

[Van Tripper]

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

Van living isn't for everyone. I couldn't do it. I do think of it as an eclectic way of life, though. I feel bad for the people who are living in their vehicles because they've lost everything. I don't get the idea this is what Van Tripper experienced. I know it's not a popular idea but it sounds like a pretty good way for a younger individual to save money on apartment rent. If they're practicing good hygiene (which showering at the gym would certainly achieve), eating well and not begging for handouts, I think it's a pretty creative way to save money.

There is one member on CD that does it. He does own a boat, though. He splits his time between the boat and van. He travels quite a bit on his boat, too. Doesn't sound like a bad way of life, to me.

You are correct, Mars, I am over 50,ha, 55+, call myself, semi-retired semi driver, working 40+hrs(retired?), but that is a lot less hrs than driving a big trk. Living in my van is just a continuation of living in a big rig, I'm single, kids are grown and I just don't have the need for a permanent residence, I can go where and when I want and not waste money on a house I'm not using. I intend to go see all the places I drove past while trucking. But others have their own reasons and what I don't understand is why some people feel that others are supposed to want to be like them. And yes I'm saving money, as stated else-where, recurring bills $200-, Make that 1st three days of the month, most of the rest is savings. I understand with family you might prefer a house, lots of cruising families don't, but if your single and young, stay in a van or small RV, save till you might can pay cash for that first house, would be a great start for a young couple.


LIFE SHOULD BE FUN

[JGC97]

Ooops! I thought you were just a kid If I was a little more adventurous (and male), I might consider it. I don't think it's a safe way for a single woman to live, though. It's a crazy world out there and too many kooks running amok. If you don't believe me, check out the political threads.

Best of luck to you in your adventure.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

There is one member on CD that does it. He does own a boat, though. He splits his time between the boat and van. He travels quite a bit on his boat, too. Doesn't sound like a bad way of life, to me.

I couldn't live indefinitely in a van either. Well, maybe I would survive but would not be happy. We spent a week in a Dodge Explorer (converted van). That was about all we could take. We bought it to travel and camp in. We soon sold it for a regular RV.

What does he do for an income? Owning a boat isn't cheap. Think registration, insurance, repairs, gas.....

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by MyVan

=^..^= I can see you think you know everything but you don't.

No one knows everything - including you!

Not everyone has the same resources, mentally or financially. And not everyone had a good upbringing where they were taught to be self reliant.

Are you speaking of yourself? I don't see where upbringing and being taught self-reliance are involved. We learn to take care of ourselves and be self reliant as we mature. As we leave childhood and adolescence behind.

As far as "mooching" as you put it, I don't claim to be perfect but I don't feel as though I am mooching. Most of the food that is donated to the soup kitchen I go to is food that would have been thrown out anyway by grocery stores and I am planning to give back to my community. I started going to the soup kitchen because my business is floundering and if I don't eat enough, I'm REALLY going to have problems. I don't use any other social services.

If your business is floundering, why not look for full time work? Even being a "greeter" at WalMart is better than eating rejected food that someone would throw away and living in an old van. If you have psychological issues, there are free or low-cost mental health clinics. Goodwill hires those with mental issues.

As far as your comments about dumpster diving go, you again, don't know what you are talking about. Many people do it, without a problem.

It's obvious it's you who don't know what you are talking about. Dumpsters are the last place you want to find food. They're full of all kinds of bacteria, insects, flies plus rats and mice. This is why many cities have laws to keep them locked. Not to starve street people, but to keep them out of the ER when they eat something sour, spoiled or contaminated. I can't believe you are unaware there have been serious health problems with eating from dumpsters.

Since you know so much about everything, what SHALL we do with all these human beings living in the streets?

There are several ways to handle it and almost everyone knows those ways - where have you been? There needs to be more low-income housing for the poor. More training so they can find jobs. Mental health care and medication for those with mental problems, such problems are common in the homeless. More treatment centers for the alcoholics and drug addicts. Will the cities build enough of those places? I don't know. But I do know none us were promised a Rose Garden when we were born. We're all responsible for ourselves in the end.

It's also well known that many of the homeless don't want to work, even when offered a job. Some have mental illnesses and can't hold a job but refuse professional help and wont stay on medication. I learned a lot about the homeless in NYC when I did volunteer work. Plenty of alcoholics and drug addicts don't want help. They wont go into treatment even when we gave them the information to do so, for free. And some, the smallest number, were families or single people who lost their jobs and despite looking, couldn't find a job before they lost everything. As to why some people had no friends or family to take them in - who knows? Most people have friends they can move in with until they get a job and find a place of their own. We would see them a few times and they find lodging somewhere and were off the street or flea bag hotels.

The drug addicts/alcoholics, the mentally ill, the old etc? Shall we just let them die? I would be interested in hearing your perspective.

Are you in one of those categories? The mentally ill should be required to accept the mental health and medication offered to them. Those who do are soon off the streets. If they refuse and choose to remain dependent, why should society keep taking care of them? On medication, many of them can do useful work, even if it's stocking shelves or washing dishes. The ill and the old are taken care of. It's called SS, or SSD or SSI, depending on what the person qualifies for. They are not left to die in the streets.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Van Tripper

........I can go where and when I want and not waste money on a house I'm not using.

In your case a house would be a financial burden.

But others have their own reasons and what I don't understand is why some people feel that others are supposed to want to be like them.

Other than religious fanatics, few people believe we should all be clones and live one way. Those who work and pay taxes shouldn't be held responsible for those who refuse to work or accept treatment for their addictions or mental problems. Or for those who choose to have children while single and jump right on welfare for years to come. Or who spent time having fun instead of getting an education or some kind of job skills. That's self reliance... not eating in soup kitchens or from dumpsters and getting free clothes at the local charity (free clothes closets).

And yes I'm saving money, as stated else-where, recurring bills $200-, Make that 1st three days of the month, most of the rest is savings. I understand with family you might prefer a house, lots of cruising families don't, but if your single and young, stay in a van or small RV, save till you might can pay cash for that first house, would be a great start for a young couple.

LIFE SHOULD BE FUN

Too many people don't save their money. They would rather spend it at the local watering hole, buying stacks of clothes, on expensive vacations, eating at fancy restaurants... whatever. When they lose their jobs, they have little or nothing to fall back on. Friends and family wont always feel sorry for such people. They end up at the homeless shelter.

Here in TN there are campgrounds with plenty of poor people living in them, in everything from tents to small or really old RVs. Our local newspaper had a whole story about the subject. Those who can't afford $800 and up rents can afford the $200 to $300 a month these places charge for a long term site. Old RVs can be found on Craigslist for as little as $2000 if you watch the ads. Sometimes a few people get together and buy one to live in. At least they have bathrooms, heat, A/C and complete, if small, kitchens.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

I am not the one to whom you posed the questions, but gym membership doesn't cost very much, and if you don't have a rent or house payment every month, that enables you to do various things. My gym membership is about $35 per month, and if I pay for three years in advance it drops to about $20 a month.

That's cheaper than here. Not everyone has a house payment. Please keep that in mind. Many homeowners have paid off their homes or inherited their homes from a relative. Some of us built our own homes and paid them off as we built them - no mortgage. I see no difference between paying rent or paying off a mortgage. Only difference is the rent is lost money where as the house you pay off is an investment. The cheapest way with any comforts at all is in either a small used older mobile home or an older small used RV.

As for bills, there is liability insurance on the van, which is required in most states in order to register it. Of course that one item alone is not going to come to $200 a month, so it will be interesting to see if you get a response from the person who wrote about that level of "bills".

Add up the repairs to the vehicle over the year. The gas and oil you put in it. The gym membership. Having to eat out 2 to 3 times a day which is much more costly than cooking at "home" no matter what/where that home is. There's the charge for the PO box.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Van Tripper

Guess some people just want to disagree, or don't understand "full time job", gym, around $30/month, vehicle insurance is a legal requirement, no maintenance, no go, storage unit.

No maintenance on your van?

Just because I choose to live in a van, doesn't mean free, just doesn't cost as much. I have no need nor desire to own nor rent a building, just to make others fill better/understand. With a van, when I decide to go somewhere, I go, I work through temp services and have a class A cdl, so getting a job is not a problem, others do similar work, crafts, retired, or disability, ... Yes some don't do anything and those are the people that everyone seems to be hung-up on.

From what I see read and hear, taxpayers are getting tired of taking care of people who will not take care of, or be responsible for themselves for whatever reason.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

I can understand that life has thrown some very nasty curves at some folks, so van living may be a survival response. It sure as hell beats sleeping on the pavement on some cardboard. Indeed, I have to admire the toughness and resourcefulness of people who survive by sleeping in their vans.

I do too. I sympathize with them, especially people living in those vans that are not "conversion" vans with tiny bathrooms and kitchens. The Dodge Xplorer conversion van we had to take trips and go camping in was sold to a single young man w/no pets who wanted it to live in while on the road for his job. It was small but had all the comforts of a tiny apt. including a shower.

Now having said that, there is a motif running through this thread - not in every post of course - which I don't understand. And that is the idea that there is some virtue which attaches to van living, as if it were somehow a good thing, or a desirable thing, or a thing to brag about. Sometimes that idea is expressed as thumbing one's nose at society, i.e., one is rejecting society's norms and so the act of rebellion has value.

I agree. I do believe it's more an act of desperation than rebellion. I would like to know how many of these people living in regular vans are professionals with good educations and good well paid jobs. People who work steady and full time.

Well, if that is what some people believe, they have the right (in our society at least) to act on their belief. But to me it is pure BS, a kind of sour grapes reasoning which makes a virtue out of grim necessity.

There you go!!!!!!! Anyone who can afford their rent or mortgage and is working steady and full time is not going to buy an old van and move into it, especially an older person/couple. This is done in desperation when someone is forced to move from their home or apartment. Someone with no way to make a decent income trough lack of marketable skills, criminal background, alcoholism, drug issues or mental disorders - and people who simply do not want to work and are looking for some way to survive without a real job. I see nothing noble, admirable or rebellious in that.

Another aspect is the adventure of the different life, the experience of a gypsy existence. I can sort of understand the lure of that when one is still young, but that attraction would fade rather quickly, it seems to me, in the face of the near constant physical discomfort and the daily hassle of handling routine matters such as showering, etc.

For us ancient fossils especially (I am 68), the comfort and convenience of a normal dwelling, however modest, is impossible to beat.

My husband and I, both retired, love to travel (the gypsy syndrome) and snow-bird in FL for the coldest winter months. We do it in a new 28' X 8' travel trailer w/slideout and all the comforts of home. It's like a small apartment on wheels and we take the cats with us. Last year we added satellite TV and Verizon mifi. Could we live in it? Yes. Would we want to? No. We like our paid for 1,800 sq ft house and all it's comforts.

[angelinajolie]

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

Ooops! I thought you were just a kid If I was a little more adventurous (and male), I might consider it. I don't think it's a safe way for a single woman to live, though. It's a crazy world out there and too many kooks running amok. If you don't believe me, check out the political threads.

Best of luck to you in your adventure.

I am a woman and I lived in my car (a MINI cooper even) in Vegas and I'm still alive. I did it coz I want to try it and I want to save as much money as I can. I will soon be back in Vegas but I won't live in my car. It's fun while it lasted but it's not for me.

I had fun though although it was really tough. I had no prob showering though in fact I have a pick of all resorts on vegas hotels. I keep my room key from my comp stays so I can go swimming and shower daily. My fave is the Aria Hotel resort pool because they have showers with soap dispensers in their bathroom.