Hi everyone,
I’m very new to this site etc , I live in Tasmania (Oz). I was wondering if anyone had just completely sold up house Etc & done the vanlife thing? If so how did it/is it going? Reasons to do it or not? Many thanks in advance.
Greetings & Welcome!
Many people have done it, and many of those have lost a lot of money because of it.
The best advice is to never gamble more than you can afford to lose.
This lifestyle isn’t for everybody, very few people last longer than 6 months to a year. They make the mistake of listening to the promoters, and believe what they see on Youtube & Instagram. 99.9% of those never talk about the down sides.
Having reliable jobs & income is the downfall of many, loneliness for many others, and a myriad of other difficulties cause even more to quit. It’s pretty common to hear “I didn’t know how good I had it, before I made that leap of faith.”, and similar stories.
I suggest people try it out for at least 6 months to a year before risking their jobs, housing, or much of their savings. Can you find a sustainable job you can do remotely? People with some skills, such as a handyman, can find work anywhere for example.
Many people also prefer something larger than van, and with more home like amenities. Others are happy closer to camping mode. Everybody’s wants, needs, & desires are different.
Cheers!
“Everything should be made as simple as possible." ~ Einstein
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Thank you for the welcome & honesty. I recently spent just under 2 months living in a VW Transporter with someone. A bit tight but we made it work well.
During that time I realised there is a need for relief teachers in many places we went to. So work is not an issue. I don’t think I’ll buy back into the house market again (but never say never:wink:). Most advise renting my place out & selling it later ( a year or so down the track) if I still feel the same. I hear you though in terms of people rarely talking about the downside of van life. Thank again! 
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I wouldn’t sell the house. Especially not if it is paying for itself or paid off and creating income for you. We’re in the process of buying one for that sole reason. Income where we have to do very little. I’ve never heard of a relief teacher. Must be a European thing?
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Thanks Bretly, I’m in Australia. I think maybe you guys call it a Substitute. When your regular teacher is off sick you get a replacement for a day or however long?