10 Benefits of Van Life & Why It’s So Popular

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Odds are you know someone who is doing it. Trading rent for gas money & choosing to try living in a van on for size. I did it. & by it– I mean converted a mildew-soaked 1990’s van into a cozy cabin on wheels. Some benefits of van life are obvious, while others I didn’t learn until much later on the road.

So come join us brave souls, who have shucked our life of all extravagances and opted instead for minimalism and the open road. But first…

What is the Van Life Movement?

#Vanlife. You’ve seen it on Instagram. But what is it really?

It’s humans ditching the mortgages and rent in exchange for the freedom of the open road. With the rise in digital nomadism around the world, more people than ever are able to work from home. So why not make “home” more mobile?

But van living isn’t just digital nomads. It’s also people who want to travel more for less money. Not everyone lives in their van full-time. Some prefer to spend months on the road and then return to a regular roof over their heads.

If you need help saving money to travel more, be sure to browse my massive guide explaining how I saved $18,000 in 6 months to travel the world.

There’s no wrong way to live the van life. Whether you’re looking for something to live in full-time or are considering converting a van just to travel in…van life could be right for you.

My Van Life Story

I’m a nomad at heart. I’ve spent the last 7 years of my life bouncing from bustling city to city and setting off on long trips around the world at my leisure. While busting my ass at bars around America to fuel my travel fund in between.

When COVID crashed the global travel industry and I was forced to return “home” from Asia, my itchy feet just couldn’t sit still. It was then that Phoebe was born (in my mind, that is). I spent months perusing ads and then converting my budget-friendly van so that I can afford to travel in my own backyard. America had eluded my travels thus far, being so far out of my price range, but I was determined to give van life a go and see the country I was born in.

If you want to connect with me on a more personal level or follow my journey as our travel continues, just give my Instagram a follow.

What do I Need to Know About Van Life?

A few things actually.

For starters, van life isn’t for everyone.

If you’re the kind of person who needs a home base or craves your own bed after a long trip…this lifestyle may be a challenge for you.

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Van Life isn’t always easy. In fact, it rarely is. There are leaks, endless dishes, & unfortunate smells that come with living in a teeny space…lucky for you we wrote an entire blog post dedicated to the least glamorous parts of van life.

It’s not as simple as selling your stuff & moving in.

There’s a lot you haven’t thought about. I know, because I didn’t think about it before I jumped into van life with both feet.

For starters, where do you get mail when you don’t have a permanent address? (Answer: America’s Mailbox is a great option.) Do you need WiFi to survive? Are you prepared to either pay for parking or move every few nights while living in a van? Are you financially able to leave the van life if it’s not turning out to be as magical as you thought it would be? If van life means living with your partner in a tiny box, can you survive it?

These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself before you join the van life movement.

You can’t just quit your job.

Van life costs money. Supriseeee.

Yes, it is the cheapest way to see America and yes, it can cut down your living expenses drastically. But van life still costs money. You’ll need either a chunk of savings to live off of or a job you can do while on the road.

The easiest way to remedy this is to see if your existing job will let you “work from home”. It’s all the rage in today’s COVID-friendly era.

How Much Money Do You Need For Van Life?

Less than you think. If you’re not working while on the road you’re probably looking to save up a large chunk of money before you go. So, how much do you need exactly?

I wrote a complete budget breakdown for our 3-month cross-country road trip. On this trip, we ate out a lot. We set out to find some of the best iconic American food. So, it’s not the best look at how much living in a van actually costs.

If you want great resources on how much living in a van full-time costs you I recommend….

• Far Out Ride
• Parked in Paradise

Van Life Essentials

What exactly do you need for van life? Not much. It’s a pretty minimalist lifestyle.

You don’t need to spend $50,000 on a luxury Sprinter van (here are 5 reasons I think you should skip the Sprinter Van) to live the van life. My first van only cost $4,000 and I comfortably traveled on a cross-country trip to every single National Park.

Check out this complete list of Van Life Essentials to make van life easy in any vehicle.

10 Benefits of Van Life & Why You Should Consider Joining the Movement

Here are the 10 reasons you should consider joining the van life community & converting your very own camper van.

1. Ultimate Freedom

This is what draws people to van life in the first place. It’s a lot like backpacker travel. You can literally pick up and go wherever & whenever you want. Everything you need is on your back or in your van.

If you’re a nomad at heart this could be the ideal lifestyle for you.

2. Financial Freedom

While we’re on the subject of freedom…let’s talk about the burdens of everyday life. Rent, utilities, car payments, renters insurance, etc. All these expenses drain you financially. Van life allows you to throw off the shackles of modern-day renter expenses.

How much exactly do we spend on the road? We broke down how much we spent and what we spent it on during a three-month cross-country road trip around America. This is not the cost of LIVING in a van. We were traveling and moving around a lot. If your living in your van full-time the monthly costs will likely be far lower.

3. It’s the Cheapest (& Most Immersive) Way to See the United States

The United States is an expensive country. To live in & to travel. I’ve done my fair share of international travel and even managed to spend only $30 per day in ultra-modern cities like Singapore, but America isn’t easy to do that cheap. For starters, because public transportation sucks.

Van life allows you to forgo paying for expensive accommodation while reaching all those beautiful isolated destinations in America’s wilderness. And with the right stealth camping skills find free (& scenic) overnight parking.

You won’t find a cheaper way to explore the United States.

Want to Plan an Epic Cross-Country Road Trip? For insider van life tips & exclusive access to my giant 400+ destination Google Map of America sign up for my newsletter below.

4. Travel at Your Own Pace

Living in a van allows you to see the world on your own terms. You’re always mobile and there’s no time limit on how long you can stay in one place. Fall in love with South Dakota or Florida and decide to stay a few months. Or hate it and pick up and leave the very next day.

If you live and work in your van it’s an amazing feeling to be able to change your home base every few months and get to know the country you live in (or neighboring countries) on a deeper level.

5. Connect with Nature.

Get off the grid. If you’re not reliant on WiFi (or if you just need a break) van life is a great way to explore the great outdoors. Whether that be National Parks like Yosemite or Joshua Tree or getting off-the-beaten-path and hunkering down on BLM land.

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Some of my fondest van memories have been laying out under a carpet of stars far from any traditional campsites and light pollution.

6. Learn How to Live with Less & Become More Self-Reliant

When it comes down to packing your shit into a tiny home on wheels, you’ll likely need to downsize a lot. Minimalism is key when you’re working with such a small living space. One of our biggest regrets during our build was not creating enough storage space. It’s a common problem among van lifers and you’ll learn over time to live with less.

Stick to the van life essentials and try to embrace simple living. Over time you’ll hone a list of exactly what you need and where it needs to go in the van. & you’ll realize how little you actually need to be happy.

You’ll find yourself feeling more confident and self-reliant as the days go on and you continue to make do with less.

7. You’re Joining a Community

More often than not people who live in vans are not isolated weirdos. They are adventurous, social, outdoorsy people who are also often creative free-thinkers. We’re a fun bunch. & owning a van is a great ice breaker for making friends on the road. It’s something both van lifers and not are curious about.

There are Facebook groups like Living in a Van, Solo Female Van Life, and Vanlife: Builds & Tips you can request to join as well. It’s a great place to meet people & ask questions while just starting out.

8. Learn New Skills & Challenge Preconceived Notions.

Before we started our budget van conversion, I had never held a hammer. In fact, I hadn’t built anything that wasn’t IKEA. Now not only can I build my own furniture and wire electrical (thanks, Youtube). Van life will teach you things. Whether it’s mechanics, building, or just navigating life on the road it’s a great way to build new skills.

You’ll also meet people you didn’t expect to on the road. & you’ll become friends. You’ll be confronted with people living alternative lifestyles and you’ll understand them a little more. Because let’s face it, you’re living in a van too. So, how conventional are you?

9. Minimize Your Carbon Footprint.

Van life is good for the environment when done in a responsible way. You’re self-contained and using far less electricity and water than you would back home. Your kitchen and cabinets shrink making you more efficient while grocery shopping and producing less overall food waste.

The gas issue: Many people have accused van life of NOT being eco-friendly because of the gas-guzzling vehicles we have to use. & I’ll admit most vans struggle to get 14 MPG, but you’ll likely become a one-vehicle family. & you won’t be driving to work anymore if you work online.

& for those of us that took an old used vehicle and repurposed it, we’ve saved all that waste from ending up in the junkyard.

10. It Changes the Way You Travel

Van life is just different than any other kind of travel. You’ll prioritize staying in beautiful scenic spots and waking up to some of the most impressive sunsets. You’ll learn to love slowing down and getting off-the-beaten-path. & you’ll take more away from the destinations you do visit.

Bonus: It will bring you & your partner so much closer

If you’re planning on embarking on this adventure with your significant other, congrats!! This is going to make or break your relationship. But it doesn’t need to be that dramatic. Here’s how to survive living in a tiny home with your partner.

Is Van Life Right For You?

Okay. I might be biased. But van life has changed the road trip game. It’s made it cheaper. More comfortable. & helped me to travel more off-the-beaten-path. But van life isn’t always as glamorous as it’s made out to be. & traveling with a partner can add to the difficulty.

If you’re on the fence you should test out van/RV travel before you invest in your own rig.

Living in a van has been fun. It’s freeing and I highly recommend it, at least part-time, for everyone who loves the great outdoors or who wants to see more of the United States. In our personal opinion, the benefits of van life far outweigh the negatives and it’s no surprise that van life has been ever-growing in popularity!

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