Converting vehicles to moderate stay campers?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zackary

What an average family of 4 would spend per month with a single used car and a 2 bedroom apartment:

• Average cost of 2 bedroom apt: $1,180
• Average cost of healthcare for 4 people (premiums, plus deductions, copays, etc.): $2,347
• For a single, 5 year old, Toyota Camry (payments, maintenance, repairs, insurance, fuel, etc.) at 15,000 miles per year if you keep it for 5 more years (could be cheaper if you keep it for more years or drive it fewer miles per year): $533
• Clothing: $150
• 2 Cellphones $100
• Tax: At least $503

That might be the average, but there is certainly tons of room for improvement for the frugal.

Most people concentrate their thinking almost entirely on the income side to deal with their financial problems, and give little thought to the expense side of the equation.

I don't spend $150 on clothes for myself in a year. If you're poor, you buy your clothes at Goodwill anyhow. Heck, if you're wealthy there's no reason not to buy clothes from Goodwill. I basically get all mine via gifts. This year I asked for white undershirts for Christmas. That will last me a decade.

I've bought brand new smartphones for as little as $10, and had plans for as little as $0/mo (Freedompop). My wife has a $200 previously used Nexus phone and $20/mo Google Fi service.

Tons of ways to save on housing. When I was single I bought a 4 bedroom house and rented out 2 rooms, which covered the mortgage.

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

I don't think the American dream is dead, either. You just have to work relatively hard and always look for opportunities to improve your situation. For example, a lot of people pay $100/mo for cell service. A tiny bit of shopping will get that down to $50/mo.

Delayed gratification. That's probably the #1 predictor of financial success. If you can deny yourself something you want temporarily, the savings compound and greatly reward you later on.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

For example, a lot of people pay $100/mo for cell service. A tiny bit of shopping will get that down to $50/mo.

Just a little bit more shopping will get it down to the $7/month I pay. Likewise, while I've never worked out the exact monthly cost of the 16, 18, and 30 year old vehicles I drive, it's way less than $500/month.

For the original question, I lived out of my Austin-Healey Sprite for a year or two, way back when. And have spent anywhere from a week to a month living out of small cars and sometimes motorcycles while travelling. Mostly with a tent & backpacking gear, and I never spent any time in cities. An actual Forest Service campground was the upper end of the scale.

[freebeard]

For the original question, I lived out of my Austin-Healey Sprite for a year or two, way back when.

Well, you certainly couldn't live in one.

[Grant-53]

My wife and I both grew up camping. Our daughter was interested in a used conversion van while in college. Zoning codes here require staying in a trailer park for more than a few weeks. We have usually used a tent at a campground and used the canoe as a car top cargo carrier. I have been on winter camp outs with the Boy Scouts in winter (5 degrees F) but don't make a habit of it. I have seen pictures of an enclosed one person bike trailer.

[freebeard]

I've stood next to one. Painted silver, in the Whitaker neighborhood.

There's a logo I've lost with backups over the years, I've never found online. It was for an early Porshe Camp-out at Eola Village, north of Amity, OR. It was a side view of a Porsche 356 coupe with a canoe upside down on the top, parked in front of a teepee. It was iconic. [sniff]

But wait... There was a 5th year reunion in 2017!


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...e-campout.html

The journey is the reward:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcLU1jK8ODk

4:32— We used to vacation at Detroit lake when I was a pre-beard
4:48— Last time I took the Superbeetle over the Wheatland Ferry, the operator rammed the bank to drive the ramp further up so it wouldn't drag getting back off
10:35— the Porsche 3-cylinder diesel tractor is all restored. It sold new in the Salem, OR area in 1957

That oaken hand truck on the left in the Youtube thumbnail is like the one I drove while I was at a feed & seed company while I was in high school. 6ft high handles, 5-600lb load.

I'm perplexed. The Emories moved their business in 2012, but the barn is still filled with unobtainium. It's like a time warp. And they reproduced that early logo:


Good times.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Lots of young people have been doing this in recent years. Seems like an adaptation to housing crisises in many regions. I have done it for short periods in cars and vans. It is dodgier than it might seems: louder at night than you might imagine and sometimes not entirely safe on the streets, even in a vehicle. I think there are lots of testimonials available on youtube if you search for 'em.

Originally Posted by davis54

Bunches of youngsters have been doing this lately. Appears as though an adjustment to lodging crisises in numerous areas. I have done it for brief periods in vehicles and vans. It is dodgier than it may appears: more intense during the evening than you may envision and here and there not so much safe in the city, even in a vehicle. I think there are loads of tributes accessible on youtube on the off chance that you scan for them.

The bot copied the incorrect "crisises," since its algorithm couldn't find that word and hence, no synonym. You got him! You got the Tater!

[freebeard]

Good work.

We have apparently passed the Point of Inversion: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+inversion+of+internet

[hayden55]

That bot is a little creepy.
Looking at something in the realm of a 2003 ish Ford econoline. The 4.6 v8 with mechanical fan and 3.73s and heavy load tires manages to get 14/19 mpg and 16 combined.
It would be interesting to see what improvements an electric fan, electric water pump, underdrive pulley, 2.73s could get.
Also it seems like the new options are just too expensive or too small and car like to get their better mpg numbers.

[Vman455]

If your plan is to work temporarily in an area, your best bet might be to skip the electric accessories and invest that money in insulation to make the van a more comfortable living space, which wouldn't be nearly as expensive as the mechanical work. Then get a cheap bike and use that as a local commuter if needed.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by Vman455

If your plan is to work temporarily in an area, your best bet might be to skip the electric accessories and invest that money in insulation to make the van a more comfortable living space, which wouldn't be nearly as expensive as the mechanical work. Then get a cheap bike and use that as a local commuter if needed.

I agree with you there. Goal is to get a white van that doesn't look to beat, and insulate it heavily with poly foam.
For the most part the mechanical work should be cheap. Like 100$ junk yard rear axle, 10$ electric fan etc... lol