I do not have a van, or a bus, I only have my car and was going to take refuge in that for the time being. However my friend has taken me in, but I cannot stay here forever. Its just not viable. Finances are also shit right now as is to be expected.
All the same, anyone has any tips on getting started with Van Life, Acquiring the van, best beginner broke ass friendly starters. Hell, even getting sponsored/van giveaways I found a website that actually does giveaways so if you know of more send the knowledge my way. A bit of a wildcard know but Im exploring all options.
I started out much like you described. I lived between my car, and my girlfriend’s father’s house. Life was definitely a challenge.
These days I just golf, cook, and hang out with my four legged companion, Frodo, a mixed breed rescue. I just purchased a 2026 Storyteller Overland, Crew Mode. I’ve been camping in a Luxury Motor Home since 2003. Downsizing to a 23’ van only made sense.
You start by getting your finances in order. Walk in day labor almost always has plenty of jobs to choose from, and you get paid the same day.
I always tried to pick ones that included tips or commissions if they were available.
While I like camper vans and motor homes, if I’m starting over from scratch, I’ll build a bicycle/hand pulled camper, even if I have a car. That can give me all the comfort & luxuries of a motor home, for under $100, and I can live rent free until I have enough money to upgrade to a van or motor home. Car camping is just too difficult to make truly comfortable for me…