Vanlife is one of the fastest-growing segments of the camping world. It’s also seen as some of the most complicated. As a result, many people have misconceptions about vanlife and its various aspects.
You have to live in your van full time.
One of the first things people ask once they find out you’re living in your van is if you plan on staying in it full-time. There’s a lot of confusion around this topic, so let’s break it down. If you’re living in your van full-time, then you’re essentially living out of a portable home.
You’re either staying on a lease or renting — ideally, for a long-term stay — and paying monthly rent. And, unless you’re staying on someone’s property, you’re doing so legally. There are benefits to this type of full-time living. For one thing, you have a bit more control. If you decide you’d rather live in an apartment, you can move into an apartment. If you decide you’d rather live in a house, you can move into a house.
A downside to this type of living is that you’re not truly mobile. You may occasionally opt to move to a new city or state, but you’re probably not traveling around the country or world. You also don’t have the same type of flexibility that someone who lives in a van full-time does when it comes to work and family commitments.
You can’t make money as a camper.
This is a common misconception about vanlife that’s often coupled with the misconception that you have to live in your van full-time. The truth is that you can earn money as a camper all day, every day, whether you live in your van or not.
You can also make money in other ways living in your vans, such as selling your camping gear on eBay or Craigslist. Many vanlifers choose to make money this way, especially if they have a bit more gear than the average camper.
You have to be rich to live this lifestyle.
First, let’s clarify that vanlife is not meant to be a wealthy lifestyle. It’s meant to be a lifestyle that allows you to live with as little financial stress as possible. It’s meant to help you focus on your life and not your bank account. There’s nothing wrong with being rich.
If you can afford to live a comfortable lifestyle, that’s great. But many vanlifers choose to live a significantly less expensive lifestyle. In fact, one of the best things about vanlife is that it opens up a whole new world of money-saving opportunities.
You should only live in your van during the summer months.
This is another misconception about vanlife. There are many people who believe that you should only live in your van during the summer months. Again, this is a misconception. There are benefits to living in your van during the winter. For example, if you live in your van during the winter, you can stay on your lease for longer periods of time.
This can be helpful if you have children in school or have other family commitments that require you to be at home during the school year. Living in your van during the winter also means that you don’t have to worry about buying an expensive-to-maintain vehicle.
There are pros and cons to living in your van year-round.
While living in your van year-round obviously has some benefits, it also has its fair share of cons. The main pros are that you’re saving money, avoiding the expense of a home mortgage, and having more time to travel — all great things.
Now, on the cons side of the equation, you have to be very self-motivated. You also have to be comfortable with not having a regular paycheck, so you don’t get bogged down or discouraged by a lack of income. You also have to be okay with living in a less-than-ideal living situation.
Conclusion
Living in your van is one of the most unique and rewarding ways to experience the great outdoors. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood lifestyles out there. That’s why we decided to break down the most common misconceptions about vanlife and debunk them.
We hope that this article has helped demystify what it means to live in your van or camper van. If you’re ready to get started, here are a few tips to get you started on the right foot.