12/28 Car Truths: Research

Research!

Nothing could really prepare you for living for an extended period of time out of your vehicle. Depending on how long you're planning on living like this or got forced into the lifestyle, it helps to learn from others' experiences. Originally, I wanted to get a van and ease into this life. Due to my room mate (and boyfriend) problems I kind of got pushed into it.

Basic mistakes will always happen, but seeing variances on the same idea can help you plan how to live.

Ilgunas wrote a book on the experience.

It also makes me feel less alone and crazy. Everyone I have spoken to about the concept gives me a look of just not getting it. I've never met another van dweller or vagabond and sometimes the weight of hiding how I live gets to me. (Which is also why I'm a Car Truth post behind - Sunday I had a sad.)

Here are some helpful blogs to get you started.

Ken Ilgunas
Deciding to live in a van for graduate school, Igunas lived in one of the parking lots of Duke University. Inspired by Thoreau's Walden, he details his experiences on his blog. Honestly, Ilgunas shares similar motivations for my car life: I hated getting a student loan and vowed that I would pay it off as soon as possible.

I worked my ass for years and used my savings to cover school expenses. Transferring to CSU, living where I did, taking months to find a job, and unfortunately getting involved in a money and emotionally draining relationship put in a position where by last December I only had a hundred dollars in the bank.

Ilgunas vowed to go to graduate school and not get anymore loans. I want to finish my undergrad with little to no loans.

Source

Cheap RV Living

Probably most of the recent traffic came from the Cheap RV Living forum. The website has how-tos and set up tutorials. The most beneficial part o
f the site, I have found, is the forum. The individual stories and vans from the followers of the website are inspiring and solve van dwelling problems.

VanDwellers.org
Van Dwellers is also a big resource website. Copyrighted and also updating regularly, Romana keeps a log of useful information for those seeking to live the dream and move into their vehicles. His living in a car section is my experience in one page, as opposed to a whole website, and features good videos on the subject.