This is a really smart list. One of the best I’ve ever seen. People don’t realize that cars are just an expense; it’s even less value when it’s a custom van product.
I would add: Have an Exit Plan for when it’s no longer feasible, enjoyable or life changes. The exit plan being where to live, what to do for work, finances, sort of “re-entry into the atmosphere”. But don’t overthink it, just have a reasonable list of thought-out general options that would be acceptable and feasible.
Yes please do a video on how to financially plan for van life because I'm trying to figure it out in the next couple of months. Thank you so much for such a good video! 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Good to see this video of you BOTH having laughs.... My biggest Fear of Van life is..... 1- having my Van Home Stolen.... 2- having my Van Home Damaged & Unusable or Without it while being Repaired....
I like this list. It’s not as fancy and comfortable as many people think. One important addition to the list could be: are you comfortable with being transient in general? Moving away from local community can difficult, and is quite common in vanlife
Vanlife has been a dream of ours for the past couple of years, and we’ve seen countless of videos, but let me tell you, this one is undoubtedly one of the most important videos out there! It touches all the major questions people MUST absolutely think of before jumping on the vanlife, we’ve seen a fair share of (social media) vanlifers come and go because they’ve failed to ask themselves these questions. GREAT JOB GUYS!!!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Also, yes to the financial video! It’ll be another hit for sure!🙏🏽
I have owned a small travel trailer with similar living space of a camper van, after nearly 2 years of on and off camping, and watched more youtube channels than I should, I can say, this video is the most comprehensive and honest on this topic. Thanks!
I think my favourite thing about you both is the REALNESS you bring and all the complexity and challenges that come with it. I admire you for that so much.
Hey guys, nice to see you two. Dom, you mentioned you could write a financial plan for vanlife. Plz do!!!! We would love to see your thoughts about that.
Great informational video!!!❤ #11 for us older folks, medical needs. Plan for any medical emergency 🚑or how to get your medication while out on the road. In my case I need a refrigerator for insulin💉. Kinda important. 🥰🥰🥰Love you two!
Great video subject! I’ve learned these truths to be self evident: 1. Amp hours are amp hours when designing a DC electricity system. 2. Shit does not need a bath in clean fresh water. Looking forward to your money management video.
Hey, it's really nice to see y'all sitting down together to make a video. Last summer our trip from Kentucky to Washington (June-July) taught us a bit about dealing with heat, mechanical problems, and travel with our kids(older dogs). Our shuttle bus, "Serenity" began to overheat, somewhere around Occoma South Dakota, we found a campground, parked in full sun, it was 107 degrees , wind was 30 to 40 miles a hour with gusts way more than that. So we were sitting in a metal box rocking in the wind, our little air conditioner working as hard as it could, 90 degrees was as cool as it could get us until after sundown. Left there at dawn and got to a National Forrest Campground in Wyoming before we overheated again, but we had shade in this spot. Had just enough cell signal to call mechanic shops, the earliest any of them could get to us was 5 days later. We had food enough, but ran very low on water. Turned out we had broken wires to the radiator fan clutch, repairs cost only $450. Three days later we crossed the "scablands" of eastern Washington in 110 degree heat. Bus engine stayed cool, and so did we running both front and rear AC units. (AHH, memories, we will enjoy them!)
I’ve been runnin after my wallet for years, y’all..but mostly in English, not French Canadian😀 Thanks for pointing out the realities of 🚐 vanlife, and challenges that go with it. Y’all have made it look like continuous fun and adventures but I’m sure sometimes it’s just the opposite, especially when you don’t have a place to park and sleep…I think that would be the biggest challenge for me. Here’s a question…and I would imagine you both have your own answers… **Have you ever been parked somewhere that you thought would be fun but you both ended up bored out of your minds and just wanted to go back home. Were the days just so boring that it wasn’t worth the trip. Love and hugs to you both🧡🧡I’m very happy you are still creating Vanlife Saga..to not see y’all regularly would be so sad for those of us who have come to love you. It really would 😉
We were never bored out of our minds no. But we had very high expectations for some epic places and they ended up being too crowded and we just ended up parking in an overflow and played games under the rain. So ya, sometimes it’s boring but it’s part of the game!
I haven't been watching vanlife videos recently, so I missed this when you released it. It's a good guide. My travelling used to be in a tent, then teardrop trailer. So, carrying only the minimum and planning ahead for water, shower, bathroom needs are routine. My minivan actually has more space inside than I had with my teardrop and I'm comfortable with it as a rudimentary camper that can be converted back to a people/stuff mover in 15 minutes.. That being said, long-term vanlife is not for me. My trips are generally weekends in western Quebec, eastern Ontario and hopefully this summer, northern New York and occasional week-long adventures a little further away and I'm okay with that. Giving up my home is a no-go. I like my house, neighbours and town. I even like my little car. I wouldn't have any of those if I were travelling full time. My only frustration with travelling with a van is not being able to seperate the living area from the transportation area. I find that when I use the van, I park it and that's where we stay until it's time to go to the next destination. With my trailer, I could hop in the car, pick up supplies if needed and not upset the campsite. With the van, it means rearranging stuff inside, removing tent attachments and is generally a nuisance. I have to bring everything I need in. It was really frustrating one weekend when the dog opened my cooler and ate three days of food. For some, it might be a feature. With the trailer, I would stay in campgrounds where I could leave things. With the van and iOverlander, there are far more options. One thing that I would also caution about finance is about selling off everything. You rightly mentioned that the van is a depreciating asset. Don't expect to sell it for what you think that it's worth. If you are a homeowner and sell your property, with rising home prices, there's no guarantee that you will be able to afford to return to your old town or city once you quit or scale back vanlife. You may be stuck living further out and having higher commuting expenses with fewer municipal & healthcare services. For some people, especially as they age, it can be a real concern.
Ooh, thanks too!! I am awful at planning ahead literally went to a lake with that girlfriend I lived with it wasn't a lake anymore as it had been turned into a quarry. And that's probably the best little day vacation I've ever had as far as success. Lol
My dream is to spend a year or two traveling (across Canada) when I retire in 5 to 10 years. Your videos are really helping me put things in perspective.
Taking this list in consideration, I find I am rather lucky. The only thing on this list I might have a problem with is living without steady internet. If I can get that sorted out, I think I am in an excellent position to make vanlife work for me.
Great video! Funny and so informative. Everyone who's thinking about vanlife should watch it - maybe two or three times! So many vanlife videos are, "Hey JUST DO IT DUDE!!" and there's a lot to be said about a little reality check. The question I have for every vanlifer is, Can you please tell me about the vehicle itself? Vanlife videos talk endlessly about the build, but never about the mechanics of the van, problems you might run into, or the general reliability of the vehicle. I always think, What good is a fantastic build if the vehicle is broken down on the side of the road? Thank you for being brilliant in so many ways!!
Thanks Dawn! The vehicle question is a good one. It’s however not my field of expertise. I would just recommend this: if you aren’t good with cars, try to buy the easiest vehicle to repair in your area of the world where parts are available and mechanics are trained on your engine. Otherwise, breakdowns will become painful.
This was a great video-fun and really honest! The one question I would put at the top of Is Van Life for Me?: Can you be in close proximity with your spouse/partner for many days at a time? You did a realistic video a while back on how to give space to reduce tensions between travelers, but if some one really needs privacy to recharge or thrive, van life could be very hard to do.
we are having our van built as we speak. We've been married 39 years in Sept 2022. We truly know what its like to be in each other's company 24-7 as we have tent camped and done many road trips with our 3 children thru the years. For this reason, we are building part of the top of our van to be a rooftop patio where it can be walked on. I am an artist 🎨 so this will also be where I draw and paint most the time-alone unless of course the weather does not permit. I will have a shade optional up there as well. I'm sure I will be playing "Up on the Roof" by James Taylor a lot 🤣😂 Also we are both outdoors people so while one of us is working the other can be outside. We love each other more today than the day we got married. We know its not going to be an issue being with each other all the time. Of course, it won't be full time van life for us, just weeks to a month at a time.😍
Thanks for the 10 checkpoints, I checked all the points and I am definitely OK for vanlife, thank god, because I’m building one at this moment 🤪 greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱❤️🇨🇦
Thank you!! I'm leaving full time in a van since 2 years and I can recognize myself on ALL the list. +++ confort and planning. PS : on a rainy day with a dog you just give up the idea of having the van clean 😅
That was the absolute BEST van life video We have watched yet! Great hard questions to think about before we make the big decision! We have an RV that we do seasonal camping in… it has all the comforts of home … but downsizing has been the dream so that we can go further to more remote places… you’ve given us some great points to think about ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Merci! Thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Merci pour cet excellent retour. Qui vivra verra et le 1er novembre 2024 je partirai avec mon fourgon aménagé un Mercedes sprinter 4x4. La vie est une aventure et une découverte de soi alors autant le faire avec les dangers et les plaisirs que cela apporte. Un fourgon est moins confortable qu’une maison sans doute mais le chauffage a l’intérieur cela existe de même que des réservoirs chauffés si tout cela résiste à du -40 mais un fourgon permet de se déplacer et s’il fait trop froid migrons vers plus chaud 🥵. Au plaisir de visionner votre prochaine vidéo et un grand bonjour de Belgique 🇧🇪.
I never ever give up my van life dream but every now and then when I’m struggling with that dream I feel like giving up and then when I see this video it makes me know that not only is my fan life dream worth it for me I can be able to still create a sense of community or be there or still be a service to people
Thanks for the video and the warnings about this way of life. I agree that the van is not an investment, but in my idea, keeping a job while we travel, vanlife can be a way to save a lot of money monthly, if we compare the cost of living in a big city. Regards from Portugal.
Good to hear the real realities of living from a van. I've only ever done it camping and you know it's more hardwork than you think. Emptying grey water, refilling water. So good to have a proper list to consider b4 you bite the bullet full-time I think! Great job! ☺️
Great video! I love that you have money stacked somewhere instead of stashed. 😁 I've been dreaming of van life for 3 or 4 years. I do think the comfort question would be a big one for me.
Well, I know for certain that "Van Life" is not for me. I *might * have been able to take an extended trip in the Class A motorhome we once owned, but I'm sure I would have been by myself. My lovely wife and Travelling Companion (well, maybe not so much anymore. The Travelling Companion part, she's still my lovely wife) had to travel so much for business towards the end of her working life, that she now vey much likes to STAY HOME. And I find that, I'm on the same page. We did a one month stay in Maui, which was awesome. However, but about the third week, I was starting to think of all of the things I wanted to be doing back home. And by that I don't mean, shovelling snow. More "hobby stuff". But hey, I like the videos. You guys are fun to watch, and I appreciate the effort that you make. Even if once in a while, you have to "chasser l'argent". A donf! Oh and! (on edit) if you think a van is money down the drain, try a Class A motorhome. Yikes! I did recoup some of the cost by renting it out a few times, but it was basically a money pit. Having said that, there are still times when I do miss it, as we had a lot of good times in the motorhome. The only slightly stressful moment (other than wondering if you'd fit under a bridge, but that's another story) was when we were somewhere in New Brunswick, looking for a good cell signal, because someone had to go on a conference call! I tried to insist that we were on vacation, but that didn't help. We found a spot, I went in the back to take a nap, and the call went on as planned.
Very good questions...I think I said no to about half of them😞 Another question might be can you do without unlimited electricity? I think that would be another difficult thing for me. And can you do without privacy inside and outside the van? You have no privacy from your van mate inside the van...and not much privacy outside the van because you are always in public places...no fenced yards to hide behind.
Oh My Gosh! I laughed out loud! At myself! Dom? Did you throw that correction of "" - 40 "" in on purpose? lol for me? ha-ha-ha I remember when I commented about that. And after reading the reply (I think it was Marie who replied on your behalf) about your humour I realized how silly of a comment that was for me to make. Possibly even foolish on my part because I risked looking like an uptight Karen! ha-ha-ha I knew of your humour! It shows through in every video that has ever been made on your channel. Anyway, I burst out laughing when you threw that out in this video! It reminded me of my silliness.
@@vanlifesagas Aaaahahahaha! If you don't remember it, then we should leave it at that then! Just know that I remember it (I was so embarrassed) and I chuckled so hard when I heard it today again!
the way i am looking at it is we couldnt afford a weekend 3 out 4 a month or weeks in a motel or resort ,so if we spend 20k and get 133 nights away its paid for its self @ $150 at night ..and the assurance that i know who slept on the bed and used the toilet is enough for me lol..yes van lose value but experiences and memories dont. love your videos ,safe travels.x
Please do a video on the financial side of van life!! And if you’re comfortable would you also breakdown an average month of spending for the two of you in a van?? Thank you!!
Very informative and I always find myself smiling as I'm watching your video's. Enjoy seeing the connection you two have. Thanks for always keeping it real.
This was suuuuuper super duper helpful guys. Really enjoyed watching - even in the moments where I realized that I may not be the perfect candidate for van life. But it hasn’t spoiled my dreams yet. Just a good reality check. Thank you!
Not sure but an English saying ‘living beyond your means’ may be close in concept to running after your wallet/payment. You got the point across. 😉 Also Depreciation is the other word you were looking for (de-prish-e-a-shun). And last but not least, I always love Mari’s hair up. So cute! 🥰. And looks like Dom got his hair trimmed up. Nice!
These are great questions for people to ponder! Having just moved into our van full time, the thing that is probably the hardest is keeping it tidy with two of us and a 70 lb dog... just a matter of cleaning often and having lots of patience. Haha. I also echo what others have said, great to see you both together again!! From one Canadian van life couple to another, happy travels, hope to see you on the road some day. :)
Bonjour à vous deux. Si vous ne l’avez pas déjà fait, une vidéo sur combien coûte une année passée à vivre dans un van serait très bien. Je vous souhaite le meilleur pour chacun de vous pour la suite des choses. C’est toujours un plaisir de vous voir et de regarder vos vidéos.
I'm looking forward to seeing your video on finances. That's my only stumbling block, or giant brick wall. Trying to live on a fixed income and figure out how to put the rent into a van instead. I also enjoy the connection and humor between both of you. (:
I'd love more information on security, as I appreciate the idea of an 'exit plan.' How do you keep your camera equipment secure? Do you worry about someone accessing your roof via the roof rack ladder? Any other emergency plans?
Yes, we have an emergency protocol. That would be a full 20 minutes video though. We have an onboard camera that records everything. We could talk about that.
@@vanlifesagas I'd love a security/emergency video. I know that you don't want to give away all of your security secrets, but I feel like this is where I could use a little help in planning my van build. Thank you guys so much for all of your videos.
We did vanlife pre pandemic, put everything in storage and hit the road in a 1996 Ford honorbuilt Eldorado class b campervan. Took $20k usd the first year out. Went back to Kansas after 6 months when we were down to $8k usd the next year out i took $25k we came back after we were down to $10k after 5 months. First year we traveled Texas and most of the south, second year we did the Pacific northwest and Montana Wyoming south and north Dakota and Colorado. Haven't traveled since 2018 but we still have our van and we will hopefully finish the lower48 soon.
Thanks for this list! I'm so thankful for my instant pot. Planning on buying a van in a few months - I'd love to see a financial plan video as Dom suggested :)
Great list guys. Very real. It definitely isn’t easy to live in a van and long term van living is not realistic for many. I was able to save money by living in my van and working full time in the city. It was the only way I could afford the van, by saving on rent, but it was really tough living in a van in the city. If you are able to make money from the road then it might be more feasible long term but if you’re living off savings or casual work it’s not financially smart long term. The van ends up costing you money and as you guys explain the van and build aren’t worth much after a few years. Van life is an awesome way to travel and can be a great way to live for the right people. I am glad I tried it. Thanks for the honesty.
Great info.. ultimately it all boils down to how you build your vehicle, your lifestyle and location... Totally planning to build a shuttle bus with large full bathroom.
The heater can heat pretty good, but keeping a steady warm van in extreme temperatures is still not quite easy because of how heat is distributed. It will be warmer near your ceiling, and colder on the floor. Plus, cabinets might stay cold because they don’t receive as much direct heat as the rest of the van. This is without mentioning some place won’t receive heat at all and will freeze (like pipes coming out of your sink in your grey water tank). So yeah, if you have « real » winters, you might want to brace yourself.
great list and exactly what we experienced in europe. Good to think about before starting vanlife... one more thing what was challenging in europe: in a short period of time you have to adapt to the new circumstances. New languages, new road signs, new rules, different shopping malls, sometimes new currency etc.
@@vanlifesagas a super cool series... Let us know when you are ready and we join you for a holiday trip. 😁 or if you just need a hot Shower and a Laundry Station you are always welcome 🤗 PS: in Germany you can drive as fast as you can with your yellow Stripes.
I plan on doing vanlife in a city (not traveling and having an on site job) so the plan is to invest in my future house (reducing living costs by living in a van so I can save more long term for a permanent house.) What are your guys thoughts on that?
Well said!!! ITs not all sunshine and roses!!! My house has gone up 25% when a van goes down 25%. If you are able to take the savings of van life and actually save it you can come out on top!!!
🤟😃👍I thought you were Swedes. 💙💛But you spoke French. 💩Say that again???❤🤍 Love the French Canadian lessons! 😄 I'm going to try to finish the video and not skip to the end.
Hey. Great video, we're so happy you shared this! We are not neat freaks, but the toilet situation... pfff.. I couldn't help looking up the coordinates of the tattoo, it obviously means something to Marie, but why there?! Just curious?!
It would be so great if you could do the video that Dom said at the end of the video. When he said that he could do a vídeo about how to manage finances if you invest or live in a van. LOVE your videos so so so so much! Thanks for sharing guys!
feels like only 6 and 11 are holding me/us back (besides not yet having a van or the budget to build it)... BUT i guess with a girl of 10 I'd just need to plan accordingly for online school or so... and Point 11 is still "in progress".... So SOME DAY it'll happen :-D until then: starting with converting our car this spring!!! Thank you 2 for the tipps!
You always make me laugh! Love watching all your videos, fun and informative! Mahalo, wish we had a looong bridge to Hawaii, would love to see you two enjoying the islands!!
