Van Life: Exploring Freedom and Financial Independence

Being a van dweller is not for everyone. Still, you might be surprised at just how many people are choosing to free themselves from the stress and boredom of being tied to a mortgage or a stuck-in-place apartment rental.

But what happens when we long to be free from convention filled with unbridled consumerism? A way of life in which we no longer wish to live?

Could van dwelling be your answer? Perhaps. Van life and mobile living have been trending on social media for years. If done the right way, it can be a cheaper, simpler way of life that offers you more freedom and independence.

Van Life versus House Life

Many people mistake the idea of van life for being homeless. This is not true. The great majority of van dwellers choose this lifestyle to save on expenses and secure a degree of freedom and independence that was missing from their lives.

Van dwelling is not only a more economical alternative, but it also offers the opportunity to move faster toward important financial and personal goals.

Therefore, a more accurate view of van living is that it can be a money-saving strategy while providing an alternative lifestyle that nurtures one’s passion for travel.

However, if van life is born solely out of financial necessity resulting from economic hardship, this article can help you stay grounded and make sensible, frugal, and budget-conscious decisions that will hopefully lead to a faster and smoother financial recovery.

Let’s consider how van life differs from conventional living.

Four main reasons why van life has become a trend

• Lower living costs
• Travel and adventure
• More quality time to spend on what matters
• Opportunities for personal growth and new perspectives

Van living offers a minimalist lifestyle that allows you to prioritize experiences over possessions, fostering a sense of freedom and adventure.

Cheaper living costs

The biggest difference between van life and house life is the cost. In 2023, van life may cost between $1,000 and $2,000 monthly or more for single travelers. This is much less than the monthly household expenses of a single person, which average $3,400 or more.

Paying no rent or mortgage makes it possible to live more cheaply in a van. The extra monthly savings can help you achieve your financial goals and pay-off debts.

See below for a breakdown of the common van life costs.

Travel and adventure are a part of life

When you live in a van, your home goes with you. There is no commute to work – you can park right outside your job site. When the travel itch comes around, you can go without worrying about a house sitter.

When the weather does not agree with you, you can move to a better climate. Living in a van allows you to embrace the open road, turning every journey into a new adventure.

You have more quality time to spend on what matters to you

Granted, at the beginning, you will have to work to sustain your new life. If you are living on less, you would not need to earn as much as before. That translates to potentially less work and more free time.

This also means you will have more time to spend on hobbies, learn new skills, or cultivate a new path for yourself. Many van lifers have active outdoor hobbies. Even if you don’t, you can still nourish a personal project in your own time.

Opportunities for personal growth

Many van dwellers emphasize the chances for personal growth on the road: learning useful skills, overcoming challenges, staying open-minded, and coping with uncertainty. However, we believe that this is not exclusive to van life. You can grow personally anywhere, anytime, in a house, an apartment, or a mobile home.

Rather, in van life, it’s said that you have little choice but to grow. Before moving into a van, you must decide the most valuable things to keep and what to eliminate. To stay within budget, building out your van and living costs, you will have to get handy, learn some basic repairs, acquire wilderness survival skills, etc.

Van life will push you to the edge of your comfort zone and beyond it. The entire process is an uncomfortable learning curve that forces you to grow. Many people relish the challenge because it means having the chance to build a new type of life. A time to reinvent themselves.

Would that be something you would want for yourself?

How can life in a van be more challenging than living in a house?

Don’t let the Instagram hashtags fool you – van life is not easy. Living in a house or an apartment is way more comfortable and potentially safer than living in a van – that’s why most prefer it.

In a van, you must always clean up after yourself. No leaving the dishes in the sink. Being economical with food, water, and power helps stretch your budget and keeps you going longer. Going to the bathroom needs preparation and planning. You likely cannot shower as often as you like.

Would you love to sip coffee while admiring a spectacular mountain top? Setting up and dismantling camp takes at least 30 minutes, and the Internet connection can be hit-and-miss outside of metropolitan areas.

Planning an efficient route to save money is a meticulous and hands-on task. Google Maps and common GPS do not cut it. You will need to have a plan in case of theft, breakdowns, or medical emergencies in the middle of nowhere.

You will be at the mercy of nature. Sleeping in nature, parking lots, or campgrounds, you have little control over outside noise and light. While a lakeside is a soothing place to fall asleep, birds chirping in the early morning can be deafening. Be mindful of pest seasons, such as mosquitoes and blackflies on the East Coast.

In short, you must become comfortable with discomfort, makeshift strategies, and constant strategizing. The other side of exploration is uncertainty, which can cause stress and anxiety for the uninitiated.

How to Keep Van Life Cheap

Van life can be as cheap or as costly as you want it. Here, we offer a cheap way to go about it.

Start with the basics: Start with a build-out that is as basic as possible, adding more bells and whistles as you go along to spread out the costs.

Go slow: Drive less, drive slowly, use cruise control to maintain a consistent speed, and avoid driving on windy days. This will save you money on fuel. Compared to the West Coast, the East Coast is best for shorter drive times. With pockets of civilizations closer together, you will find more power stations and Wi-Fi access in the East.

DIY (Do-it-Yourself) your van: save money on maintenance by doing your own van conversion and mechanical work as much as possible.

Go for freebies: Learn cost-saving tips, such as where to park for a few days and where to stay at free national parks or campsites.

Be self-sustained: To save money on living expenses, cook 99% of your meals, keep food in a cooler, plan for showering, and use the bathroom in the wild (you must practice Leave No Trace policies to protect nature).

Find cheap gas: get cheaper gas by pumping from stations away from highways to get cheaper prices and use tools like GasBuddy.

Inexpensive storage locations: learn about the different storage facilities for the things you leave behind.

Join loyalty programs: get discounts on campgrounds and park passes.

Van Life Costs

There are two types of costs:

• Start-up costs: split into two stages: buying and building your van.
• Recurring costs: ranging from $800 to $2000 per month, depending on your lifestyle.

Ensuring your van has basic amenities like a small kitchen, a sleeping area, and a portable toilet can greatly enhance your van life experience.

Start-up costs

It’s a good rule of thumb to split the start-up costs like this:

• Buying the van: 60% – 70% of the cost
• Repairing and/or building the van: 30% – 40% (50% for older vans)

Since you are considering saving on rent, you may be looking at living a van life for quite some time. If you can afford it, consider investing in higher quality and more expensive components in your van build.

This can save you recurring costs on maintenance, repair, and fuel. When building out your van, consider consulting a professional conversion company to ensure your setup is functional and safe.

For example, a diesel engine lasts longer than gasoline, but gas is cheaper at the pump. Also, if you are going for gas, you should know that gas on the West Coast tends to be $2 – $4 more expensive than in the South and Midwest.

A newer vehicle can be less expensive to maintain. Especially the new hybrid vans. (Check out the new Honda Odyssey minivans). If you’re going through tight times, you should probably go for an older, DIY-friendly van to keep upfront costs down – older vans are usually half the price of newer ones. A used van may start at around $5,000 -7,000 on the Facebook marketplace.

Let’s consider the factors that influence the startup costs:

• Where do you usually park?
• What are your must-haves?

Where do you usually park?

The answer influences the type of van to go for.

Stealth camping: this is parking in urban areas. It’s called ‘stealth’ because sleeping in a vehicle is illegal in most states. You would likely need a newer, ubiquitous cargo van that does not draw attention or suspicion.
It should also fit into an urban parking space. Better yet, choose one with no window to discourage the prying eyes of police or unfriendly locals. Noise ordinances also prevent you from running loud power generators. Welcome to the world of spycraft.

Boondocking: this is parking off-grid on public lands – state/national parks or BLM lands (Bureau of Land Management – West Coast only). These places offer free camping without any facilities (no showers or electricity). Your van can be older and look more obvious, with more exterior add-ons like an awning and a pop-top. For all the exploration, a 4-wheel drive (4WD) is more helpful for rough backroads.

What are your ‘must-haves’?

Do you need a full-sized bed or just a folded mattress? How about a built-in cooktop or a simple camping stove will do? What about the bathroom – will you have access to public toilets? Can you answer the call of nature in the wild? Doing so, you will have to practice the Leave No Trace policy, meaning pooping into a hole at least 200 feet away from a water source and packing out your toilet paper. These must-haves influence the costs of your van build.

Recurring vehicle costs

Often called ‘the rent’ for van life, these costs cover:

Fuel for the vehicle: to keep it cheap, travel long distances in the winter when fuel prices are lower.

Fuel for cooking and heating varies greatly from place to place. A larger propane tank costs more to refill but lasts longer than butane. Consider alternatives such as alcohol. When using propane heating, check the CO level in your van to avoid dangerous and noxious fumes.

Auto insurance: The most popular and cost-effective option is Roamly’s van life insurance. It offers specialized coverage for full-time van dwellers. Otherwise, check out RV insurance from Progressive, State Farm, and Geico for a comprehensive package that covers your van and its possessions. These cost between $60 and $200-plus per month.

Personal expenses

Since insurance and food mostly stay the same as house life, we only list the expenses that apply to van life:

Showers: gyms, swimming pools, truck stops, campgrounds, and state parks all have paid showers. They cost between $5 to $17.

Laundry: laundromats, campgrounds, and RV parks have laundry facilities.

Internet: shared plans from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are super cheap.

Paid campgrounds: from $10 to $50 per night when you need to use the facilities such as showers, trash disposal, water, and electricity. It’s worth paying for this occasionally. Sign up for memberships with Good Sam, Escapees, AARP, and state park passes for discounts.

Health insurance: if you plan to stay in your home state, hop onto the ACA health insurance exchange. It does not cover non-emergencies outside of the registered state. Lower-income individuals may be eligible for Medicaid.

Roadside assistance: memberships ranging from $57 to $177 per year.

Earning Money in Van Life

There are two main ways to make money in van life:

• Seasonal work, including non-techie work
• Remote full-time work, which requires you to work on your laptops and technical gear

Seasonal work

Seasonal work is very common among van dwellers who crave freedom and flexibility. Your employers include resorts, hotels, music festivals, touring concerts, and event organizers.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of seasonal work:

• Learn meditation and become an instructor
• Learn yoga and become an instructor
• house and industrial cleaner
• boat cleaner
• handyman
• farm workers during harvests (sugar beet harvests pay well)
• logging and ranch hand work
• customer support reps (call centers)
• direct marketing: online or door-to-door sales
• fitness and sports coaching
• camp counselor
• retail jobs
• ski instructor and ski lift operator
• food vendors, parking, security, site ops, trash crew, bartenders

If you have a stable internet connection and live in an urban area, sign up for app-based gig work such as Uber Eats.

If you work in nursing, you can earn good money as a travel nurse working monthly hospital contracts. Certified nursing assistants with two months of training and six months of experience can also pick up jobs that require traveling.

There are plenty of opportunities when you are willing to offer your skills at the right time and place!

Remote full-time work

Van dwellers working full-time remote jobs have less time to enjoy their lifestyles than seasonal workers. Living in a van allows you to work remotely for long periods, providing the opportunity to stay in one location and immerse yourself in the local culture without sacrificing your career.

Once their online businesses take off, they can earn even more than a regular salary. Many former professionals can negotiate a move online for their current jobs or get fully remote jobs.

Several van dwellers maintain websites and social media channels that earn money through affiliate programs, membership programs, sponsorships, content creation, or product sales.

The difference for van dwellers is an internet connection—it is much trickier to get one while boondocking for free. You either need to invest in a pricey Starlink satellite internet connection or sign up for an unlimited cellular data plan and stay within the service coverage map.

Those parking in urban areas can use public libraries or cafes, and those working from their van can place their laptop on a small table or steering wheel.

Making Van Life a Reality

Before making van life a reality, you will need to build a fund for it. Many van lifers sell their possessions and work extra hours for up to a year before switching. Meanwhile, learn all you can about building your van.

Choosing a van for under $30,000

Choosing your first van can be daunting, but finding one that fits your budget and lifestyle needs is crucial. You can go for $100,000-worth luxury builds, or you can go for a $5000 budget rig.

The low-cost popular choices under $25,000 are:

Chevy Astro van: priced from $2,500 to $7,000, the most affordable for van life. Small space, semi-poor gas mileage. The older vans have barebone, outdated interiors. This van needs more customization to go off-road. They are best if you plan to stay in one place most of the time.

Ford E-Series (Econoline): Prices start from $6,000. This van is best for urban stealth camping, but its low roof makes it unsuitable for tall people. Its large interior provides plenty of space. Also, consider a Ford Transit Connect, another compact cargo van for stealth camping.

Conversion van: These vans can range from $2,500 to $30,000. They have a former life as Dodge, Chevy, or Ford vans and are now converted for leisure travel.

Stepvan: This van is a boxy vehicle that used to live as a delivery truck. It is good for stealth camping. It has a step leading up to the driver’s compartment and lots of room inside.

VW Westphalia: This van is priced between $15,000 to $45,000 with less conversion costs, as it comes with two captain’s chairs, a little kitchen with a stove, fridge, sink, and a bed. A pop-top lets you walk around in your van. But the places you can drive it to may be limited. It looks too obvious for stealth camping, but cannot go off-roading or onto difficult terrains (not for mountains, sand, or snow).

Winnebago Rialtas: This van is in the same price range as VW but roomier. The van can sleep 4. Best for families.

Nissan NV: priced from $24,000 to $26,000, affordable, and stealthy. Compact, easy to drive, and has great mileage.

The Below Video Explores Stealth Van Life:

Parking your van

States that are most friendly to van dwellers are South Dakota, Texas, Florida, and Nevada. South Dakota stands out for low auto insurance rates, low registration costs, lack of income tax, and a quick and easy registration process. The state is highly recommended by van dwellers looking to establish residency to make their lifestyle easier.

Finding safe and legal overnight parking is a crucial aspect of van life, ensuring security and peace of mind. Also, check out the Bureau of Land Management guides to find states where overnight public parking is allowed.

You have more choices of public lands on the West Coast, but since fuel is more costly here, it is cheaper to stay put for the 14 days allotted before moving to a new spot. The East Coast’s humidity may make it hard to keep condensation under control.

What makes a good location for parking your van?

• No constant rain and clouds (if you have solar energy).
• Good internet coverage (4G LTE in most areas and 5G in big cities).
• Plenty of free camping space on public land.
• Parking lots at big-box stores are allowed (use the AllStays app to find these).
• Locals are tolerant of van dwellers.

Also, consider these two useful apps to find places with driveway hosting services (with an annual subscription fee):

Harvest Hosts: farms, breweries, and vineyards that allow van lifers to park for one night in exchange for a purchase from their business.

Boondockers Welcome: parking on private property for up to five nights.

Power system for your van

Read this comprehensive guide for setting up a full off-grid power system for your van. Here is a simple guide for a straightforward system.

The easy way:
Get a portable power station. Some may come with solar panels. A power station is weak and likely cannot power consuming appliances like a stove.

The more complicated way: battery bank

Your van’s power system runs on batteries, which are 12V DC power, not the AC power in houses. For the battery bank, you will need:

• battery: always go for a Lithium Ion battery instead of AGM unless you plan to stay below freezing temperature.
• cables
• a fuse block
• a kill switch
• a bus bar
• a breaker

To plug in some AC appliances, such as laptops or microwaves, you will need to set up separate AC wiring, including:

• an inverter
• an AC junction box to protect the electrical wiring
• a cable, a breaker, and a fuse block
• AC power sockets (choose the universal one if you plan to travel overseas)

The AC wiring is also necessary to hook up to mains power, for example, on campgrounds.
How to charge all those batteries?

While driving, you can harness the excess power from your alternator to recharge your battery bank. This is the most budget-conscious option, but it will not fully charge your battery.
To make this more efficient and avoid overworking your alternator, you may want to consider using a battery-to-battery charger. You will again need a cable and a DC breaker for it.

If you plan to go off-grid for several days, you will need solar panels to harvest enough energy for your consumption. Refer to the above guide for how to calculate this.
As a rule of thumb, chasing the sun in warmer climates will harvest more energy than cruising high altitudes in winter.

Your roof space is also a limiting factor for how many or how big your solar panels are. For solar power, you’ll need:

• battery monitor
• solar charge controller

For on-grid charging, also called shore power hook-up, you will need:

• dedicated smart charger
• AC and DC breakers
• Cables
• AC hook-up sockets

That would be a lot of cables lining your van. Also, get cable lugs and heat shrinkers to protect the wiring and keep a stable electrical connection.

Water system

For less than $60 in startup costs, you can get:

• 5-gallon water cooler jug
• collapsible camp sink

Many people go up to 20-gallon tanks and get pump-to-pump water from the tank to the sink. Maximizing storage space in your van is essential for maintaining an organized and efficient living environment.

For a better-equipped water system, you will need:

• a freshwater tank
• waste water tank for grey water (drained from the sink and the shower)

Showers (free)

Try this free shower if you camp off-grid and have some privacy outside your van.

First, prepare a wash kit:

• a small bucket
• 2 or more flannels
• a towel
• soap pump pack

To create privacy, open your van’s back doors and hang a non-see-through drape or cloth to create a makeshift shower stall. Hang another drape to splash into your van’s interior.

Then, follow these steps:

• get some warm water in the bucket
• wet a flannel,and apply soap to it
• wash your body. Do not put the soapy flannel into the bucket.
• wet another flannel and wash the soap off your body. Keep doing this until you are clean.
• rinse off the soap one last time and dry yourself with the towel
• rinse all flannels in the bucket

You can also consider buying a solar shower. This is a waterproof bag with a black side that can soak up the sun’s heat to give you warm water. It has a shower head and tube to allow easy water flow.

You can also get free showers at the sinks in these places:

• airports, train stations, bus terminals
• fast food restaurants with many travelers
• community facilities

Or pay a small fee to shower at truck stops, RV parks, youth hostels, swimming pools, or public showers. Public showers at beaches and boat marinas are also available if you keep a swimsuit on.

You may think that jumping into a lake or river is good enough as a shower, but be mindful of damaging the ecosystem there. Any chemicals from modern comfort may harm sensitive animals like frogs and salamanders.
Do not use soap, not even biodegradable soap. Only use soap at least 200 feet away from a water source. This applies to pooping, too – and remember to dig a hole.

Vanlife Gaming

This Video Explores Vanlife Gaming:

Be Sure To Understand The Joys and Risks of Video Gaming In Van Family Settings

Laundry

Washing clothes while living in a van can be challenging, but it can be managed efficiently with the right setup and strategy.

Laundry in a van is usually time-consuming—it could take up an entire morning or afternoon. Plan it around your trips into town or campgrounds.

If you do not want to pay for laundromats, try this laundry idea:

• Get a bucket big enough to hold your dirty clothes soaked in water just above the clothes’ level, with plenty of space left to keep the water from spilling over.
• Add some detergent.
• Seal the bucket tightly and make sure to secure the bucket from toppling over
• Go for a drive for about an hour or so.

The engine vibration will whoosh the clothes around like a washing machine.

• Do this again by rinsing off the detergent with fresh water.
• Hand wring excess water from the clothes and hang dry them with a clothesline strung around a built-in awning or between your van and some trees.

To dry clothes effectively in a van, consider using setups such as retractable clotheslines, portable drying racks, or hooks and bars for hanging.

Do not hang your wet clothes in the van: This can lead to condensation and harmful mold.

The solar shower mentioned above can also be used as a dry bag to wash small clothing items, such as a top or underwear. Put your dirty top into the bag with warm water, shake it hard to loosen the dirt, rinse the clothes in clean water and hang them up to dry.

You may need a brush and a washboard to wash heavy clothing and stubborn stains.

Insulation and ventilation for your van

Similarly, you can use reflective window coverings or films to insulate your vehicle to minimize sun heat. These should have one white side and one black side. Put up the black side during winter to soak up the sun’s rays. Flip it around during summer to reflect the heat off your van. Use a reflective windshield sunshade when camping under direct sunlight.

Many van dwellers consider a ceiling fan a must-have. It minimizes condensation, prevents mold, and keeps the interior cool during hot summer days. When planning to stay in hot places throughout the year, you can also choose a white van over a black van.

Also, installing an efficient air conditioning system in your van can significantly improve comfort during hot weather, making van life more enjoyable.

Foam boards are the cheapest insulation materials. To prevent moisture build-up, fill air gaps between boards with spray foam. If you have the budget for it, 3M Thinsulate or Havelock Wool are better choices. Also, cover your windows and floor with these materials for soundproofing.

Internet connection for your van

Always have a backup plan with the internet, especially if you are on the West Coast (the East Coast’s cell services tend to be more consistent). Sign up for data plans from two different major providers to get the maximum coverage.

Verizon and AT&T have the biggest coverage areas. Before committing, make sure their coverage maps correspond to your planned destinations. Working remotely from a van involves finding places with reliable internet access, such as campgrounds with good coverage, Wi-Fi, public libraries, or coffee shops.

For the backup data plan, use it with a mobile hotspot or jetpack to avoid over-burdening your phone, especially if you work online.

If you absolutely must have the internet on the road and love to run off to the most remote corner of Earth, consider an RV cell booster.

A premium choice is Starlink satellite internet. It works where cell phones and Wi-Fi do not, like in the middle of a state park, when you get a clear sky view. With a start-up cost of $599 or more, it is not for those on a strict budget.

If you stay in town, use the Wi-Fi from:

• local businesses (with a purchase)
• public libraries
• public Wi-Fi in cities and towns (use a VPN to protect your data)

Cooking in your van

The simplest setup:

• a camp stove
• a folding camping table

Keep matches or a lighter on hand when a button breaks. Also, match-lit stoves are cheaper.
As for cooking fuel, go for propane instead of butane to cook outside in cold weather. Propane tanks are also refillable, easy to find, and better for the environment. You will also need good windscreens when cooking on a windy day.

Cooking utensils that you can afford to go cheap:

• collapsible colanders, food containers, and measuring cups
• plastic cutting boards, camping dinnerware, cutlery and glasses

Utensils you should invest in:

• a good knife
• a good thermal mug with a big mouth for easy cleaning
• a portable 12V fridge or a cooler

Also, plastic food packaging should be reused as trash cans.

Van-dwelling communities and resources

The van-dwelling community is strong, fun, helpful, and ingenious. Many frequently update their websites and social media channels (#vanlife, #camperlife, #vandwelling). Connecting with other campers can provide a sense of community and valuable tips for making the most of van life.

Also, check out subreddits and forums (The Project Vanlife, Cheap RV Living, Expedition Portal).

Go to events such as the Midwest Gathering in May, Descend on Bend in the fall, Asheville Vanlife Rally in September, and Go-Van in Canada. The West Coast communities are more developed than the East Coast.

Many van life relationships kindle online, and the eventual meetups feel like old friends.

Try Out Van Life by Renting a Campervan

Van life is fun and looks amazing on social media, but it’s not for everyone, and no one can do it forever. It is okay to be unsure if this will fit your needs and solve your problems or whether it would provide only a distraction and an escape.

The quickest way to find out is to rent a campervan and try things out for yourself. You can make many newbie mistakes, narrow down your must-haves, and scratch that travel itch.

Ten Common Misconceptions About Van Life

Misconception 1: Van life is always a vacation.

Reality: While van life offers travel opportunities, it’s also daily life. Cooking, cleaning, finding resources like water and electricity, vehicle maintenance, and planning routes take time and effort. It’s not always picturesque sunsets and scenic hikes.

Misconception 2: Van life is incredibly cheap.

Reality: Van life can be expensive, especially initially. Van purchases, conversions, gas, insurance, maintenance, campground fees, and unexpected repairs can add up quickly. While some save money by forgoing rent, other costs can offset those savings.

Misconception 3: Van lifers are always alone.

Reality: Many van lifers connect with others in the community. They meet at campsites, online forums, and organized gatherings. Some travel with partners, pets, or even families. Building a supportive network is common within the van life community.

Misconception 4: Van life is completely free and unregulated.

Reality: There are rules and regulations regarding parking, camping, and waste disposal. Stealth camping (parking overnight in undesignated areas) can be challenging and sometimes illegal. Finding legal and safe parking spots requires research and planning.

Misconception 5: Van lifers are dirty or unhygienic.

Reality: Many van lifers prioritize hygiene. They utilize public restrooms, gyms, and campgrounds with shower facilities. Some vans are equipped with showers and toilets. Maintaining cleanliness is important for health and comfort on the road.

Misconception 6: Van life is easy.

Reality: Van life presents unique challenges. Mechanical issues, finding resources, dealing with inclement weather, and navigating unfamiliar areas can be stressful. Adaptability and problem-solving skills are essential.

Misconception 7: Van life is only for young people.

Reality: People of all ages and backgrounds embrace van life. Retirees, families, and individuals from various career paths are finding freedom and fulfillment on the road.

Misconception 8: Van lifers are all a little crazy or dropouts.

Reality: Van lifers come from diverse backgrounds and have varied motivations. Some are entrepreneurs, remote workers, artists, or individuals seeking a different lifestyle.

Misconception 9: You need a brand-new, expensive van.

Reality: Many van lifers convert older, used vans. Creativity and resourcefulness are key to building a functional, comfortable living space within a budget.

Misconception 10: Van life is a permanent lifestyle.

Reality: Van life can be a temporary adventure or a long-term commitment. Some people try it for a few months or years, while others embrace it indefinitely. The duration is a personal choice.

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