Why Do People #Vanlife | Everything You Need To Know

Do you find yourself wondering why people choose to live in a van?

To some, vanlife might not be desirable at all, but to others, it’s a dream come true! Vanlife has blown up significantly over the past few years but it’s definitely been a lifestyle for many decades.

So why is it blowing up now? In this ultimate guide, we will go over why people do #vanlife.

While housing and rent costs are increasing, many people are finding that their income isn’t keeping pace. Or they have debt that they are struggling to pay off.

With technological advancements, vehicle dwelling is more comfortable than it’s ever been. And with remote work becoming more popular, people find that they can work and travel at the same time. And lastly, internet connectivity and social media are helping to share this lifestyle with an increasing number of people.

So when people take stock of their lives and devise a plan to reach their goals, many determine that vanlife is a great way to achieve their goals. Without the shackles of rent/mortgage payments, people can direct more of their money towards paying off debt, traveling, or saving up for other passions. 

A traditional life can leave people feeling stuck because their income isn’t growing fast enough to help them change their lives in a significant way. But vanlife gives people a fast way to exponentially change their options in life, without winning the lottery or getting a new job.

Vanlife allows people to forge a new type of life that finally gives them FREEDOM!

But vanlife isn’t only for people struggling financially.  Some van conversions can cost over 100 thousand dollars. And that’s the beauty of vanlife, it’s a big umbrella that encompasses so many different things. 

From the poor college student who throws a dresser and a mattress in the back of their SUV, to the retired couple who sells their house to buy a professionally converted Mercedes Sprinter.  But ultimately, it’s all about the freedom they gain from vanlife, even if that freedom means something different to each person.

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Here Are Just A Few Things That Make Vanlife Desirable To Us:

Ultimate Freedom:

I think the #1 reason why people do #vanlife is because of the ultimate freedom. And vanlife provides you with so much freedom!

You aren’t tied down to a mortgage, rent, a job, etc if you don’t want to. You can move somewhere that has inexpensive food, gas, free activities, etc and live for next to nothing.

Or you can move to somewhere that has great organic food, great jobs, great ocean views, etc. Or you can choose to travel between the two and everything in between! There are no rules for how exactly to live vanlife (minus the legalities), you choose your own path!

Don’t Have To Pay Rent:

I would say the second biggest reason why people do #vanlife is to live rent-free! It’s hard to see half (or more) of your paycheck go to rent and the other half to bills or debt. So living in a van helps eliminate one of the biggest costs of living! 

Have The Opportunity To Travel Full-time:

With the internet and social media being much more advanced, we are able to see amazing places around the world. We often see pictures of amazing places and grow a desire to go. So why do people #vanlife is because they now can make a living on the road while also living out their dream of traveling.

Living in a van gives you the opportunity to have transportation and accommodation and has all the amenities of a house (if that’s how you build it out). So traveling becomes much cheaper and easier when you can bring your own hotel room on wheels. 

There is the obvious barrier of oceans that separates continents. But it’s even possible to ship vans overseas to continue travels on a different continent.

Ability To Live A “Normal Life”:

Technology has advanced over the years and now vanlifers can live off-grid with most comforts of a normal house; like solar power, running water, fridge/freezer, and cooking with stoves/ovens. Check out some of the Best Campstoves & the Best Fridges For Vanlife.

And now there is also the option to have internet with Starlink everywhere you go. Check out our Starlink Roam internet review to see if it’s the right fit for you.

Yes, you are downsizing to a 60 sq ft box, but you can still have the modern comforts of a home.  What was once expensive technology is now relatively affordable and easy to install in a van conversion.

You Can Build/Design Your Own Home Without Going Into Debt:

You can spend as little or as much as you want on your little tiny home on wheels. We had a budget of $15,000-$20,000 from the money we saved up working multiple service jobs in a tourist destination. 

Check out our post: How Much Did Our Van Conversion Cost?

We were able to build out our first home without getting a loan from the bank and without putting ourselves into debt. We had little to no experience with building anything before, but with YouTube videos and blogs like ours, we learned everything about how to build our own campervan. 

You definitely face some challenges to make the most functional use of limited space, and compromises have to be made. If you are like us and HATE making the bed in the morning, then you will appreciate a stationary bed rather than some type of converting couch/dinette setup.

But that means the space our bed takes up never changes and we can’t use the space for multiple uses. Check out these unique bed ideas for your campervan build.

Chase Your Unique Passions:

So why do people #vanlife you’ve been asking? Because you get to live one of the most unique lifestyles. There are people who chase the snow at ski resorts or surfers who chase the best wave breaks along the coast.

Or it’s a great way to spread your business, by traveling around and offering free samples of your product. You can now live the lifestyle you want to live and have always dreamed of!

Remote Work:

More and more jobs are becoming remote, making it easier for people to travel while still making an income. People who work remotely are finding that vanlife is a perfect complement to their type of work. They don’t need to stay in one place to get their work done.

Check out our post: 12 Remote Jobs You Can Do From Anywhere In The World

Paying Off Student Debt or Other Debts:

A lot of people choose to live in a vehicle to save money since housing is usually their biggest expense. The money they save then goes toward paying off debt from education, healthcare, etc.

Always Have Your Home With You:

One huge perk of why do people #vanlife is always having your home wherever you go. Whether it’s traveling, going to the grocery store, or coming back from a long hike. You can put your groceries in the fridge right away, or lay in bed after an exhausting hike before driving to the next destination. 

No Roommates:

One big reason we were extra excited about vanlife was to have no roommates. For all the beautiful places we wanted to live, rent came with an extra high price tag. Which generally meant sharing housing with other roommates. 

Don’t get me wrong, roommates can be great and all, but it’s always nice to just have your own personal space and not deal with the headaches of sharing a space.

Length Of Travel:

You can be stationary, save money, and immerse yourself in a community. Or you can travel to new places as long as you can afford it. There is no requesting time off for vacation and if you want to extend your trip a little bit, and be spontaneous, then you have the opportunity for that.

Live The “Retired” Life:

You get to live the “retired” life when you can still handle a 25+ mile backpacking trip or can drive 15 hours in one day without stopping. Young people have seized the benefits of traveling when we can still experience everything to the fullest.

Or if you are in retirement, vanlife also might be very desirable for you. Lots of retirees enjoy the lower cost of downsizing to vans and RV’s, instead of the upkeep of a house.

Endless Travel:

If you choose to do full-time vanlife, then you are always on the move experiencing new places as you travel. There is so much beauty in this world, and you don’t have to stop as long as you have a source of income.

Life Is Short:

Not to get dark, but we don’t know how long we are going to be blessed to live on this beautiful earth. For most of us, we hope it’s closer to the 100 mark, but life sometimes gets in the way. I often feel like society has created us to believe we need to work our butts off for 30+ years so we can enjoy life to the fullest after that. But our bodies may start to wear down and not be up for it by the time we have the money or time.

So choose to live your dream every day as if it’s your last!

Community:

Living in a van full-time opens the opportunity to make friends from all over the world! You get to experience many different cultures and get to meet so many unique people on the road. And sometimes you end up making really great friends and finding new opportunities. The vanlife community is great and very supportive!

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Drawbacks Of #vanlife

Along with the perks, there are definitely still some drawbacks to why vanlife isn’t a good fit for some people.

You Are Always On The Move:

It can be tiring having to always plan your next move. It takes days of preparation to find places to stay and find everything you want to do along the way. Vanlife is not a lifestyle for homebodies.

Van life can definitely be annoying to live without normal routines. Something as simple as always shopping in a new grocery store makes it difficult to find a good rhythm.

Isolation (Vanlife Can Get Lonely):

Especially for those living alone in a van, the lifestyle can be very isolating. It’s hard to develop a sense of community without a regular routine of activities, events, classes, church, etc, that help to build your circle of friends and acquaintances. And some peoples’ stigma against vehicle dwellers can contribute to the struggle to find friends or romance.

No Privacy:

This one is specifically for couples living together in a van. There is very little privacy from your partner if you are living together in a van. Imagine sharing one small room as your bedroom, kitchen, living room, and bathroom. This can be a challenge for couples who desire lots of alone time within the arrangement of their relationship.

Additionally, it’s hard to have different hobbies, jobs, and interests if you both share the van as your only mode of transportation.

Read more about some tips for living vanlife as a couple.

Hard To Find Work:

When living in a van full-time, you no longer have an address for the new places you might want to settle down in and get a job. And your resume may begin to look unconventional. Therefore, making it more of a challenge to get a job. We have found it easier to choose places that are accepting of vanlife and have employed other people who have lived out of a van/RV/Vehicle.

Read our post about working seasonal jobs while living in a camper van. Or there are still unique ways to live in a van without remote work.

You Kinda Need To Become A Minimalist:

You can’t pack everything you own into a van unless you are already a minimalist. But vanlife changes your perspective and you realize you don’t really need that many things to be happy and enjoy life. But there are definitely still some sacrifices that need to be made when choosing what to keep.

Some people opt to keep their stuff in a storage unit. But if you plan to live in a van for longer than a year, it might be in your best interest to sell all your belongings. Just weigh your options for paying for a storage unit or simply just starting fresh when you are ready to move back into a house.

New Challenges:

You face new challenges every day when living in a van such as where is the nearest bathroom, where am I gonna park tonight, where can I dump my grey tank, how can I get mail, can that carton of eggs fit in my fridge, can I still vote, etc?

Mechanical Problems:

It can be hard to prepare for all the little things that might happen along the way. But just like a house, there are issues that might come along, such as needing new tires, your engine is shot or new brakes, etc. And if you need to hand it over to a mechanic for an extended period of time, you might be “homeless” for a couple of days.

But we have found mechanics to be okay with you staying in your van overnight in their parking lot because they know they are getting your business.

Getting Marginalized:

As van life becomes more popular, places are starting to crack down on people living in their vehicles. One van parked on your street for a couple of nights is usually not a big deal, but now imagine 50 vans parked all around your neighborhood every night. 

Vanlife exists in a grey area in a lot of places, but cities and towns are beginning to make laws banning vehicles dwelling on their streets. But it’s hard to draw the line between the voluntarily homeless people living in campervans, and the truly homeless people who live in the vehicles as a last resort. 

So municipalities are cautious of passing laws that basically outlaw homelessness, thereby putting more pressure on people who are already struggling. So it’s a touchy subject legally.

And when laws do get passed against van dwelling, the vanlife community has a hard time organizing itself to oppose the legislation. We are by design very transient and nomadic, so mobilizing local support and voting power to oppose legislation is a challenge. 

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Takeaway | Why Do People #Vanlife | Everything you need to know:

We hope we answered your burning question of why do people #vanlife. We think that Vanlife is going to keep growing in popularity. The major forces of freedom and money that are encouraging the growth of vanlife aren’t going away. And technology keeps pushing towards more and more comfortable vehicle dwellings. These factors will continue to tip the scale for an increasing number of people to take the leap into vanlife.

We personally love living in our campervan full-time.  For us, the biggest factor is simply having the time, money, and freedom to pursue our love of the outdoors. And we can direct more of our energy towards building this blog. Not every day is some picture-perfect adventure of sunshine and rainbows. But neither was living in a house or apartment with roommates. 

We are totally content with the new challenges that we encounter in vanlife. And we find that we get to do more of the things we love, which increases our overall happiness.

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