I set up alerts on Craigslist for Freightliner MT45s two weeks ago, and something in my price range was finally posted a couple of hours ago. I was already preapproved for a personal loan, so I went through the actual application and landed exactly where I wanted to be for payments by adding the electrical stuff I’ll need and stretching the term by a year (no prepayment penalty).

For those wondering why the hell I’m posting a truck here, this is the culmination of about seven years of looking into tiny-home living that has veered into vanlife by virtue of climate change accelerating and not wanting to be stuck on a plot of land that may be uninhabitable in very little time.

As such, with rent and fees hitting $20K for the year starting September, in addition to the 15% hike eating my entire food budget, the numbers no longer made sense with the sort of pay raises work offers. Thing is, I’ve been stuck getting emergency jobs for 17 years now while losing purchasing power just to afford housing and survive, and when layoffs come, I’m in the middle of a lease that I have two weeks in July where I can tell them I’m leaving without a $3,000 penalty. Otherwise, the lease forces me into another emergency job, and the cycle repeats anew.

I’ve changed how I approach the world and my expectations from life significantly over the past year, and this is finally a concrete physical step I’m taking toward regaining agency.

I will be stripping the interior, installing batteries, solar on the roof, electrical conduit for “oops” wiring changes down the road, insulation and framing, with just plywood walls to start. The beauty of a step van is my current bed will fit, so with those basics, climate control, a toilet and a gym membership for showering, I’ll be ready to stop paying rent and then build it out as I have funds to do so, with a shower stall and full-ish (fridge + stove elements + combo microwave/toaster/convection oven) kitchen eventually. I already switched to 5G “home” internet that can hit the road and saves $30 over Charter last weekend, and I reluctantly rehomed my cat Monday in preparation.

I wanted to post here because while a significant amount of time needs to be devoted to researching ideas, then methods, being on the other end of that process and knowing what I’m looking for down to the engine and transmission makes actually pulling the trigger surprisingly easy.

Much of what I’ve run into outside of forums devoted to #vanlife talk about all the downsides, and questions I’ve posed trying to learn more get met with caustic sealioning, so I want to point out that this is a very real, very doable thing. Per the loan terms, I’ll pay a total of $19,500 in principal and interest over four years, putting me $500 ahead for just this year, and assuming similar hikes annually, save nearly $80,000 in just the next three years.

“But what if you have an unexpected $2,000 repair?” Well, then I’ll only be saving $78K. I can have 40 of those in 48 months and still break even vs. throwing my money away to make rich people even richer while never having a net worth.

  • pemmykins@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Very nice, and I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. I’ve seen a few vanlife videos on YouTube recently, and while I don’t think I could give up some of my hobby-related possessions and stick everything into a van, it does seem like both a refreshingly minimalist and financially sound decision.

    Are you going to get a storage unit for stuff that won’t fit in the van, or are you planning more of a nomadic lifestyle?

    • Pete Hahnloser@beehaw.orgOP
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      1 year ago

      No storage unit. Bluntly, I want nothing tying me to a place that has sucked 8 years of my life for nothing in return.

      Turns out this van has 18’ behind the bulkhead, so I may opt for a false wall and have a “real” garage with an interior passthrough. If it’s not the 14’ I was planning for, my remaining “will it fit?” questions are pretty easily answered.

  • NaoPb@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    All I csn say right now is respect. This might be the best idea considering the current issues in the world.

  • VoxAdActa@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    That’s great news! Keep us posted on how things go, so those of us who are maybe-not-quite-that-discontent-yet can use you as a guinea pig. :D

  • StringTheory@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Best of luck to you! I had a coworker who lived in an RV for a few years. It saved her a ton of money. Her goal was to save enough to buy a house, which she did.

  • LucyLastic@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    That’s excellent, having lived out of a static caravan for while I can say it’s surprisingly easy to get used to living with less room and less stuff!

    I wish you well on your new adventure, it looks like you’ve got yourself a solid base on which to make it happen :-)

  • HidingCat@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    While this isn’t doable where I am (both physically and life-stage figuratively), it sounds like a fascinating project. Plus I really like to see how people setup their tiny homes, the lessons learnt in squeezing more into less can be used in bigger homes too!

  • luciole (he/him)@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    That is an amazing life project. You’re a pioneer and I wish you all the best. I hope you have some free time to share your progress with us!

  • jennifilm@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Congrats! This must be so exciting - I’m excited for you! Housing in NZ is wild at the moment and I’m thinking so much about our living situation and where we might be headed - I’m so keen to get away from the instability of renting, but also to travel, and our housing market is totally inaccessible, so I’ll be watching along with interest!