Does anyone actual live out of their vehicle?

[juicifer]

I'm curious to see how people are able to live out of their vehicles, especially if they have regular employment. I have no problem living out of my Tacoma for camping trips and such, but doing laundary, cooking, and staying clean make it much more difficult.

Can this be done without an RV sized vehicle? I'm sure a big FWC would work but those are a bit large to fit on a Tacoma. I'd like to stick with a Tacoma or FJ if possible. Obviously you'd have to take a bare minimum of necessities.

Is anyone doing this?

 

[RMP&O]

I lived out of my 04 short bed Taco for 3 months while on the road in Latin America. It was fun but I doubt I will ever do it again. Crawling in that coffin every night just got old.

When I first moved to Wyoming I was following the ski bum dream. The first spring here I worked a few months and then bought an old 1960s Scooby Doo van. I then lived out of that for over 4 months while I held 2 jobs. The night job was pizza delivery and yes I delivered pizza out of my home! For me it didn't take long to get used to the life. I bathed via the river or lakes or out of the back of the van using a water jug and once in awhile I would bum a shower at a friends house. I cooked on my camp stove. The reward was I didn't have to work that winter and had a full ski pass at Teton Village.

What I disliked about it most was not having my own bathroom. Having your own toilet is something I really missed. On top of that not having a palce to just hide out in also was tough. I would buy a 1/2 case of beers and head over to one of a dozen friends houses. That got old after a month or so. I was young though and I had a purpose. I don't think I will ever do it again though, at least not here and not to the same extent or for the same goal.

Here is a picture of me and the van back in the summer of 1996....

Very few people can do it for long periods of time. But if you can and have a reason for doing it, I say go for it.

The following summer, ie 1997 I spent over a month living out of my 83 Subaru. That was part of September and all of October and it was many cold nights. It was the same thing, saving money to be a ski bum. I will tell ya' though, living in the back of a Subaru on top of all your possesions was not much fun.

 

[Cedar Jones]

I live in my tacoma! I have been since February. I don't have a regular job though. I do field biology so it helps to be mobile. When I'm not working I park near my friends' house so I can use their kitchen/shower, which makes it a lot easier.

 

[NothingClever]

Can this be done without an RV sized vehicle? I'm sure a big FWC would work but those are a bit large to fit on a Tacoma. I'd like to stick with a Tacoma or FJ if possible. Obviously you'd have to take a bare minimum of necessities.

Is anyone doing this?

I'm not doing it because I have a wife and a child and we're in our 40s so we're soft and like our creature comforts. However, if it were just me, I'd be living in my truck and riding one of my motorcycles to work IN A NEW YORK SECOND. If it's just you or just you and a girlfriend, the 4WC Fleet would be palatial.

My wife and I are in the decision-making process for a year-long trip to Chile in a couple of years. If Mom decides we're going as a family, we'll be trading in the Taco and Fleet combo for a full-size truck and a Keystone so 1) the girls have an indoor toilet and shower and 2) we have some elbow room for homework and bad weather.

I see you're in Colorado. The two things that will require daily/weekly attention will be frozen pipes and propane resupply in the winter. Other than that, you can empty the Thetford once a week when you break camp to refill on propane.

 

[keezer37]

Cold showering with a bucket sucks. You don't get used to it. If you have a hangover, it really sucks.

 

[RMP&O]

Cold showering with a bucket sucks. You don't get used to it. If you have a hangover, it really sucks.

LOL...true enough. Unless of course you are in the tropics.

Solar showers are cheap and get pretty hot if left out in the sun.

 

[haven]

"I'm curious to see how people are able to live out of their vehicles"

A lot depends on how many of the necessities you can take care of outside the vehicle. If you're showering at the gym, doing laundry at a friend's house and eating out, then you're just using the vehicle to sleep in and to drive around. In college, I lived like this in my BMW 2002 for a couple of months. (Remember to do your laundry before you invite someone out on a date.)

You don't need much more if you are willing to rough it. I met a fellow 20 years ago who had sold everything, bought a Ford Ranger with bed topper, stopped at WalMart to buy a couple of camp chairs, a white gas stove, a cooler, and a sleeping bag, and hit the road. He was living in Forest Service campgrounds, and spent his evenings interviewing fellow campers about the meaning of life.

 

[baja dan]

i dont think i could do it, maybe out of necessity while i got a few paychecks? back in 2000 i worked on a powerhouse in bakersfield ca i was pretty broke and stayed 1 week in the back of my 83 longbed yota it had a camper and had the carpet kit it wasnt bad i would go over to the truck stop and shower and clean up we were working 7days a week 14 to 16 hour days so i was pretty much dead after those long days once i got my first paycheck i started staying in a motel.sucks to be a poor welder apprentice!!!:sombrero: if u got the right set up its not bad the back of a truck or a subaru dont think so

 

[whiskeycutter]

Living out of vehicle

I lived out of a 1954 Chevy Panel van for 1 year in 1975 when I was young. I had a little money saved from my first job and a lot of time. I wanted to travel and the only way I could do it was camping. I toured the entire lower 48 and I would not trade that experience for anything. I never paid for a camping spot and I lived very simply mostly vegetarian fare, a lot of bucket baths and stops for laundry every several weeks. You have to be very self reliant and willing to give up most creature comforts. But I was never hungry, never cold and never bored. I had the opportunity to meet very interesting people, see our GREAT COUNTRY, and have stories for a lifetime by the time I was 25. This experience allowed me to really apply myself to work when I decided it was time. Now I am 60 and I plan to start that trip all over again. That's the beauty of the USA, you can trully follow your heart. So I highly recommend living in your vehicle for a lesson in what is important. Enjoy the ride!

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Maybe I am a wuss, but after a few days I would think the smell in the truck would be terrible. I know what its like to stay a few days in a tent. I am always ready for a hot shower and clean clothes!

 

[mojave joe]

I've been moteling a few days every week (for work) for almost a year. I'm hoping to get the Fleet rebuild done soon to give me a choice. I was planning on staying in RV parks to have hot showers and power for a space heater. Breaking camp every morning and dropping top might get old in a hurry, but I figure I can save 60% on my stay.

 

[Dirty_Jeeper]

In my youth (early 70's) I lived for months in the foothills and mountains outside of Tucson AZ with next to nothing. One of the best times of my life. Now that I'm retired thoughts of a simple life have returned. I'm currently re purposing my 1999 XJ as a trailer to be towed by my 1997 XJ. A matching yet very different trailer. The XJ trailer will house a full kitchen in the rear with sleeping/living space in the front. It will carry additional vehicle fuel and fresh water as well. It can be parked in camp and left allowing the 97 XJ to explore without all the day to day supplies. It will have a matching 6 inches of lift on 33's as well so it can take to the trails and back roads. As soon as it's completed and had a few test runs, we're off on a cross country run for however long we want.

 

[Yellowkayak]

Really sounds like alot of you want to live simple lives and live on the road...I do too, but I think the wife is to spoiled to go for six months to a year living in our popup and truck....yes a popup with all the amenities of home and I don't think she could do it for longer than a month at a time. If it were just me....I'd get a smaller leight weight "A" frame camper and a Jeep Wranlger Unlimited, rig lots of additional storage for water and fuel so I can live out there for months before having to go into "town" for necessities and replace worn out or broken equipment. Washing clothes...if you have access to a water supply, i.e. stream or faucet, a large bucket and earth friendly soaps will be just fine and hang them on a clothes line in the sun. Food? Catch and hunt it, and buy non-perishable can goods and things like rice, beans. Toilet? One of those shower tents and a portapotty and a shovel. The shower tent doubles as it was designed for...a shower and as mentioned a solar shower heater. If you do your research and look at what is available and have the true desired to live a really simple stress less life, it can easily be done.....and really cheaply also.

Ok this thread has got me wanting to do it sooner..I have to wait until the wife graduates from college in six months! Maybe by then i can convince it its would be better than paying all this high property taxes and having to live under the rule of local governments and their restrictions.

JJ

 

[Dirty_Jeeper]

I'm sure Pat will chime in on this thread at some point, but until then this might be of interest to those who have a similar mind set.

http://www.everymilesamemory.com/

 

[RossB]

My wife and I lived in a F250 for two years and crossed the States, Europe and Africa. We slept in a homemade roof tent, her favorite bed ..ever! We had a solar shower a powered cooler, a 2000km range thanks to Transfer flow and had a terrific time. Wasn't without its scary moments but a fabulous time. Living together 24/7 for 2 years really tests the relationship. We are still married after 23 years, and we still go off on long camping trips with kids, 4 wheeling, mountain biking etc. You just have to a littleorganized and as others have said, give up a few comforts, but know what you will live with. BTW a 5 gallon bucket with a lid makes a great laundry, especially on bumpy roads, just rinse and hang to dry. Just beacuase its camping doesn't mean you should be smelly and unclean! Cheers!

RossB
F350 Crewcab PSD 7.3 with a Magiolina roof tent, transfer flow tank and swing out rear tire carrier, carries 5 bikes and a tandem!