What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Why is vanlife so big right now and what is it for? In this video, I share my thoughts on these questions. I do think it is a bit of a shame that something that can be used to transform your life or enable you to do amazing things is slowly being co-opted into another consumer goal.
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I'm pursuing a life where I live in a bus. I currently live in a housing association flat, and while I'm grateful and lucky, I hate it. The are is awful, the neighbours are awful. You can't swap if you live in a flat as no on wants one. I can't go private because I have pets, a child, and I would need housing benefit to help me pay rent, and at least one of those things are reasons to be rejected by a landlord. I'm scraping by saving to buy a bus and do it up to live in longterm. Be able to live somewhere quiet, for my mental health. To go places as and when I feel like it. To be closer to nature. To live a more minimalist and simple lifestyle that will be easier as I will be restricted in space.
And, unlike buying a house, swapping, or private rent, it's an obtainable goal. I am honestly feeling hopeful for the first time in 4 years.
It a retired pensioner planning on converting a Toyota van to live/travel in for 3-6 mths at a time while renting my house to cover costs.
Perfectly explains how my creative life was made impossible by the housing crisis.. thank you for explaining it so well x
"You only have to pay for food then…"
Sorry mate bu that's a load of nonsense! To name but a few, what about:
Fuel?
Road tax?
Insurance?
Repairs and maintenance?
Fines?
Health insurance?
Not to mention some sort of income to cover the above, (unless your rich)? 'Van life' still has a monetary cost which has to be covered. Basically 'van life' is only feasible if there is a solid reason for it or point in doing so.
I'm young, I just moved out of my parent's house 4 months ago (yes, in the middle of a pandemic lol), and I'm jumping straight into vehicle dwelling for a few different reasons. One, like you pointed out, Nate, I can forgo paying rent entirely and save a LOT of money toward bigger goals — for me that's saving up for film school, and building a tiny house on a couple acres someday! 😀
But secondly — and this is more important to me — I am mobile, and thus always able to get back to my family/a place of safety if I need to. Both my dad and papa are preppers, and very attuned to the political and economical climates, and I'm the same way.
In a small nutshell, it looks to me like the pandemic panic and crazy shutdowns have made the inflation bubble (particularly in the USA) exponentially more likely to burst and crash in my lifetime. Not only that, but the great divide in political stances is getting so wide, I can easily see some sort of messy, dangerous secession happening. AND, countries that hate us, like China, North Korea, and Russia, have every reason and opportunity right now to attack us while we're so busy with our own problems.
Because of ALL this, it seems wisest to me to not be stuck in a city far from my home and family in case of an emergency. So I choose vehicle dwelling. I can't afford a regular apartment AND a car, so I'll combine them.
It ALSO has the perks of traveling the world and practicing minimalism and being self-sufficient! An all-round great choice for any young person, if done right.
So anyway, "#vanlife" is much more a question of expediency for me than for the Instagram pics; I don't even have Insta anymore lol.
Van living would be less great without socities all around.
Living in one place isn't great for everyone but it is good for a lot of people (sans the rent issue). A lot of services and structure of our modern life is dependent on stable societies.
And what cultures would you be able to visit if people didn't stay put and develop them?
I just wish nomad like minded people appreciated people with steady lives more.
Like appreciating the car factory workers that build vans, mechanics, product designers, workers that build fridges/stoves/toilets, the people that make clothes and sell them to you, farmers and retail workers, gas station workers, park services, infrastructure workers that build and maintain roads/set up cell service/electricity/water, gov regulations that keep you safe (seat belts, car lights), postal and Amazon workers that ship you packages, tourist area workers… gah the list goes on and on…
In truth if we didn't have large cities most people would still be living on farms/homesteads… and considering how much work goes into maintaining such… that means LESS OPPORTUNITIES.
I noticed vanlifers start appreciating water, etc… but I hope that appreciation extends to the people that build and maintain such systems.
Or like the fact most vanlifers wouldn't be able to make money online without Google/YouTube/e-commerce/etc. employees…
Very good analysis, I am not a vanlife practioner….yet?! But I can see the points….Thanks
Thank you
HALLELUJAH brother! Amen!🙏💃
Wow this video summed it up all so perfectly!