FAQ
How did you start your van life journey?
I knew two things: I wanted to be closer to nature, pursue my photography and I wanted to see as much as I could for as little as possible. Having a van made travel so much more affordable for me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go full-time that’s why I decided to start with a smaller rig.
Prior to the purchase of my van in 2018, I was following @projectvanlife on Instagram for years for most of my information and inspiration. There are so many resources out there now to make the beginning of your van journey less intimidating. I converted my van myself with the help of my dad and brother. I found YouTube extremely helpful for layout inspiration and DIY builds.
Advice for starting this lifestyle?
Begin SMALL especially if you're unsure. I cannot stress how much this helped me! When we are interested in doing something, we often want to dive right in and it's not necessarily wrong... but I've found with any lifestyle change, it helps to ease into it.
Most people choose this as a full time lifestyle so it makes sense they would purchase a large rig and do a crazy conversion to fit all their needs. I knew I wanted to do it part time as I figured out if this was truly right for me as well as figure out my financial state... resulting in a smaller van and cheaper conversion. Now I feel more prepared years later to put all that I've learned about this lifestyle to the actual test.
How much did your van cost?
I bought my van from a local dealership used for $8,500 with just over 100k miles on it. I got an auto loan and my monthly payments were $168 monthly (plus interest and insurance). I finished paying off my van completely in 2022.
How much did the conversion cost?
Penny's first conversion (basic - full bed and storage) was about $500. The most recent rebuild was about another $1000 (solar set up, mattress, wood).
How do you afford to travel / this lifestyle?
Prior to going full-time in my van, I worked as a floral designer for 5+ years and saved up all that I could. In July 2021, I hit the road to pursue my photography dreams full time. I left with 10k saved and small streams of income from my social media and online shop. In 2022, I began working as mixed media producer for a new van life company called New Way Van Life while continuing to build my brand. Now I am a freelance photographer and most of my income is from selling prints, shooting photo & video content for brands / social media.
While it does take some funds to get this lifestyle going, the good news is: once you've invested that's when you can truly start saving again... a big attraction of having a van. Of course various excursions cost money but for a low key traveler like myself, I can travel somewhere, camp for cheap/free, cook my own meals and enjoy nature for free.
After renting an apartment, I realized I wanted to put all the money for rent towards actually owning land one day instead. After I invested in my van, my weekly and monthly bills were pretty low, allowing me to save more money when I did get some. My main bills are for my auto loan, insurance, AAA membership, and phone/hot spot for wifi.
How do you find hiking spots?
Good ole research! It can be daunting to some but I truly enjoy this part.
AllTrails - a great app for finding trails in any area you are in. Each trail has ratings, pictures and other info like length, elevation gain and route type. It's free but there's an upgraded version you can pay for. I recommend that too as one of the features allows you to use the app when you don't have service and access trail maps in case you get lost.
How do you find your camping spots?
Good ole research, again! Most state & national parks will have one or more campground(s).
- iOverlander app
- freecampsites.net helpful for West Coast travel / free camping on BLM lands
- reserveamerica.com helpful for East Coast travel
If you're picky like me and want to find the most secluded site or the site with the best view:
https://www.campsitephotos.com/
You can either manually enter the campground in their search bar or just enter "(specific campground) campsite photos" on Google and usually something will come up. I use this every time I'm paying for a site so I can pick the best one for Penny and I.
How do you shower / go to the bathroom?
- just a lake with some biodegradable soap
- portable toilet for areas that are less public / stops without bathrooms
in colder months:
most folks have a Planet Fitness membership and use their facilities.
Do you get cramped in a small van?
Yes, at times it's cramped and I do wish I could stand but I've made it work. I don't typically do much inside the van besides change, hygiene routine, chill in the bed or go to the bathroom. I cook outside and spend most of the day there too unless it's raining. I will probably end up purchasing an enclosed awning to have another space to sit comfortably.
Do you get scared camping alone? What do you do for safety as a solo traveler?
Yes, I do get scared at times but I have confidence in myself. It's all about being aware of your surroundings and choosing better places to stay.
What do you shoot with / how do you shoot film on the road?
More will be added as I go along with this film journey.. for now, I shoot, send it to Essential Photo Lab in SLC, Utah. It’s definitely is a bit more work but I love the analog process too much.
How do you edit / do you sell presents?
A lot of my style comes from film. I shoot mainly with Portra 160 or Kodak Gold 200. I warm up the temperature in my images as well for an extra nostalgic feel. I don’t currently sell presets and may in the future.
My gear:
Canon EOS 6D w/ 50mm, 24-105mm lens
Canon AE-1 Program with mainly Portra 160 / Kodak Gold 200
Yashica Mat 124g (medium format film)
Canon 514 XL ( Super 8 )
Mavic Mini Drone
Phone tripod (for my videos)
Camera tripod
