Feeling Overwhelmed About Van Dwelling - May Postpone It a Year More
“When
you have a dream that you can't let go of, trust your instincts and
pursue it. But remember: Real dreams take work, They take patience, and
sometimes they require you to dig down very deep. Be sure you're willing
to do that" ~Harvey Mackay
Well, as you may know, I'm doing all this decluttering and downsizing my possessions so I can be a van dweller. There is just one problem: I don't have a van.
My plan was to work as hard as I can for a year, make as much money as possible, and use that to buy and outfit a van. Now I'm looking at how expensive things are for the van build, especially the solar setup, and I've decided to put it off for another year at least. I have reasons to do this.
I'm Seeing More Older Ladies Out There
I'm 65, and I thought I'd better hit the road before I get too old. However, I'm now seeing a lot of people my age and older who have been van dwelling for many years, and I feel like waiting a year won't hurt me that much. It will also give me time to get some medical issues taken care of, lose weight and get in better physical shape beforehand.
Building an Affiliate Marketing Business is Hard
My plan to support myself on the road is to build an affiliate marketing business where I can earn at least $2,000 a month. O.K., so I can do that in a year, but it would involve working 10-12 hour days, and with my health what it is right now, I don't see how I could possibly do that. If I give myself another year, I can build slower and not kill myself doing it, plus, possibly have even more residual income from a better-established business once I do hit the road.
I Want a Newer Van
I planned on budgeting $5,000 for the van, that being $4,000 for the van itself and $1,000 for any repairs. Now I'm looking at being on the road alone and thinking I just don't want a van that is going to be breaking down constantly, because it's my home, so it needs to be dependable. If I wait another year, I can buy a newer van that has fewer miles and fewer potential issues, and feel more confident driving it for long distances.
I Need More Amenities Than I Can Afford Right Now
I admit it, I'm spoiled. I love my comforts, and I want as many comforts as possible in my van. I thought I would just wing it, do it as I go, but now I think I'm going to have to have all that in place when I drive out the driveway. First, I want climate control. I can't be hot, because of my lupus, and I want to be able to travel in the South, even the Deep South, because it's my home and I haven't seen most of it. I'd like to do that without it making me ill, and without having to deal with the snowbirds in the winter. That is going to require some sort of air conditioning. I've seen vans with a/c units installed in the a special space in the back of the van so that they don't show when you're driving, which looks good to me. I also want sufficient heat that I can run at night, which involves a lot of ventilation that costs money. All this means getting an extra-long van and much more than 120W of solar power.
Then there are the toilet and shower issues. I need a "proper" toilet. I can get used to dumping it, but I don't want a 5-gallon bucket. Plus, I want to be able to shower, which involves having some sort of shower enclosure and a way to pump the water. I'm sure as I go along, I can figure out ways to get water, even if I have to build a folding solar water distiller, which is very possible. If I can find a way to shower inside the van, even better.
All this stuff takes money, and I can't get that much money and trick out my van in a year, so I'm going to give myself another year cushion if I need it. Who knows, I may get lucky and get a windfall, or get some things donated to me -- the van would be nice. The thing is, I'm probably not going to get that lucky, so taking longer and not pushing myself is the best plan, I believe.
I'll get there, or maybe I'll decide after awhile that I don't want to live in a van, and only do short trips. There are a lot of options, and a lot of it depends on how much money I can come up with in the time allotted. For now, I'm going to just work steadily and see where things take me.
Well, as you may know, I'm doing all this decluttering and downsizing my possessions so I can be a van dweller. There is just one problem: I don't have a van.
My plan was to work as hard as I can for a year, make as much money as possible, and use that to buy and outfit a van. Now I'm looking at how expensive things are for the van build, especially the solar setup, and I've decided to put it off for another year at least. I have reasons to do this.
I'm Seeing More Older Ladies Out There
I'm 65, and I thought I'd better hit the road before I get too old. However, I'm now seeing a lot of people my age and older who have been van dwelling for many years, and I feel like waiting a year won't hurt me that much. It will also give me time to get some medical issues taken care of, lose weight and get in better physical shape beforehand.
Building an Affiliate Marketing Business is Hard
My plan to support myself on the road is to build an affiliate marketing business where I can earn at least $2,000 a month. O.K., so I can do that in a year, but it would involve working 10-12 hour days, and with my health what it is right now, I don't see how I could possibly do that. If I give myself another year, I can build slower and not kill myself doing it, plus, possibly have even more residual income from a better-established business once I do hit the road.
I Want a Newer Van
I planned on budgeting $5,000 for the van, that being $4,000 for the van itself and $1,000 for any repairs. Now I'm looking at being on the road alone and thinking I just don't want a van that is going to be breaking down constantly, because it's my home, so it needs to be dependable. If I wait another year, I can buy a newer van that has fewer miles and fewer potential issues, and feel more confident driving it for long distances.
I Need More Amenities Than I Can Afford Right Now
I admit it, I'm spoiled. I love my comforts, and I want as many comforts as possible in my van. I thought I would just wing it, do it as I go, but now I think I'm going to have to have all that in place when I drive out the driveway. First, I want climate control. I can't be hot, because of my lupus, and I want to be able to travel in the South, even the Deep South, because it's my home and I haven't seen most of it. I'd like to do that without it making me ill, and without having to deal with the snowbirds in the winter. That is going to require some sort of air conditioning. I've seen vans with a/c units installed in the a special space in the back of the van so that they don't show when you're driving, which looks good to me. I also want sufficient heat that I can run at night, which involves a lot of ventilation that costs money. All this means getting an extra-long van and much more than 120W of solar power.
Then there are the toilet and shower issues. I need a "proper" toilet. I can get used to dumping it, but I don't want a 5-gallon bucket. Plus, I want to be able to shower, which involves having some sort of shower enclosure and a way to pump the water. I'm sure as I go along, I can figure out ways to get water, even if I have to build a folding solar water distiller, which is very possible. If I can find a way to shower inside the van, even better.
All this stuff takes money, and I can't get that much money and trick out my van in a year, so I'm going to give myself another year cushion if I need it. Who knows, I may get lucky and get a windfall, or get some things donated to me -- the van would be nice. The thing is, I'm probably not going to get that lucky, so taking longer and not pushing myself is the best plan, I believe.
I'll get there, or maybe I'll decide after awhile that I don't want to live in a van, and only do short trips. There are a lot of options, and a lot of it depends on how much money I can come up with in the time allotted. For now, I'm going to just work steadily and see where things take me.
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