Hello from Atlanta

Newbie's Corner
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Hello peeps!

My name is Callie and I am from Atlanta, Georgia. My boyfriend and I are wanting to get into the van life and move away from the stagnant 9-5, sit in traffic, barely have time for anything life. We are climbers, hikers, pretty much lovers of the outdoors. We have been doing some research on builds, costs, eco-friendly methods… etc. pretty much everything we can think of. This is a great place for collecting information and seeing great ideas! I think right now we are just wondering where do we start? We will be working on the van (once we purchase one) ourselves so we are relying on help from friends, family, and videos! We are putting together a rough draft of where to start but want to make sure we don’t leave any important details out. Any advice on some good things to start with would be great!

Cheers!
-Callie

1 Like
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Hi Callie, and welcome to the forums. This is a friendly place where you can ask any question that’s weighing on your mind and get help.

I learned about van life last July and knew instantly that it was the life for me. I decided to take a full year to research the dickens out of it to make absolutely sure and to also learn absolutely everything possible about what I would be getting myself into. Sadly, so many get trapped by the Instagram version of van life and the YouTube famous channels, jump into it, and then freak out. Contrary to popular opinion, van life is not for everyone.

That would be my first and best advice. Go slowly. Really think about what you need in a van, and then consider what you want. Consider your budget and don’t get swayed into overspending on it, or the build.

Van life requires a level of self-sufficiency that a lot of people aren’t prepared for. You have to learn new habits, new ways of thinking, new routines, etc., This includes how you use power, showering, the toilet, budgeting, sleeping, maintenance, social life, cooking, heating/cooling, residency, getting mail, insurances (health and vehicle), work, taxes, and even driving.

I’m so glad I took this year (will be starting van life Sept '19) to do research all of this. While I’m more convinced than ever that van life is right for me, my needs, wants, goals, and planning have all been affected in some way or another.

Congratulations on your decision and I hope you’ll keep us in the loop!

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Greetings & Welcome!

Money first! Get your mobile friendly figured out and perfected before anything else. Lack of reliable is one of the biggest failure points.

Cheers!

"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller