11 things you need to know about taking on the #vanlife

Maybe you’re reading this in your fluorescent office, peering out the window across a grey, wet and cold city, sighing a little. It could be time for this #vanlife thing everyone’s talking about – it sure sounds pretty sweet. But there’s a lot more to it than jumping in your van and hitting the road for a month, a year or forever. So here are our tips.

If you’ve got the skills that get you paid on the go, you’re just around the corner from the open road. The #vanlife lends itself to creative or online work – things like photography, graphic design, writing for social media, etc. But if your skills lie elsewhere, or if you’re dreaming of a holiday from technology, you could tutor, work a trade or sell arts ’n’ crafts at markets. Aussie girl River Hazel spent a year on the road and sold her jewellery at markets up and down the country’s east coast. Want to get physical? You could always seek unskilled labour work, too.

Plan your route following seasonal work. Do it right and you could be fruit picking or doing farm work out in the sun – far away from the busy techno-life. It’s hard work but makes for a great change from the desk. Planning your travels for peak tourism times in the regions you want to visit is a good way to find casual work, too.

Yeah, yeah. The money thing again. What. A. Drag. Do you waste your wage every week? Are you flippant with your funds? Well, it’s time to talk about the ‘B’ word: budget. Unless you’re loaded, you’re going to need to make your money last. The longer your money stretches, the further you’ll travel. The #vanlife is a disciplined one. Make your own smashed avocado on toast. As PamTheVan says, “During your travels, you will find that it’s much easier to spend LESS money than to make MORE money.” So budgeting is key.

Starting your engine and hitting the road for a long, long time is the best part – but kitting it out is a lot of fun too. Some people buy a van already set up with everything they need, but it’s more cost effective, and satisfying, to take an empty van and turn it into your ideal set-up. Don’t know your hammer from your chisel? Don’t worry: learning as you go is part of the #vanlife journey. YouTube is your best friend for inspiration and instructions – just search ‘vanlife’. We recommend starting with the biggest part first: the bed. When you’re done, you’ll know every piece of your home inside and out.

We can’t recommend a van dressed up as an oversized, shaggy golden retriever – it might be a little bit too ‘Look at me!’ for anyone other than the most extra of extroverts. So choose the van that you love. After all, it’s your new home for a bit, or forever. Thinking low-key and blending in? Think Toyota. Fancy a retro-cool, east-coast kind of vibe? Think VW Kombi. Looking for a rugged go-anywhere machine? Think something four-wheel-drive. You can the perfect van right here on carsales.

How are you going to find out about that hefty tax refund that will keep you travelling for longer? Change your snail mail to email – as much as possible. And if you can’t, get it redirected to a trusted friend.

Depending on your budget, skills, time and desire, you’ll surely want to consider including stuff that makes your life better. For some people, a bed, an Esky, battery-powered lights and camp stoves are enough, but others go as far as adding insulation for sound and warmth; installing a fridge, and a battery; adding solar panels to power everything; building a small cooking area; and even attaching an awning to effectively add a room when you pull in to camp. It’s totally up to you.

Paying for a campsite every night – even the cheapest patch of grass in the grungiest caravan park – will quickly rack up a rental bill as big as what you were paying back in the city. The answer: free camping. Whatever state or region you’re travelling through, there should be national parks, state parks or reserves with free campsites. The trick is in finding them. The most up-to-date option: apps. Check out Campermate and WikiCamps, as a start. Going tech-free? Pick up a good old printed book about a region’s campsites – but expect it to be dated.

When you’re a regular person who lives in a regular house, this is not a big issue, but when you live in a van the size of a small bathroom, you might wonder: where is the toilet? Sadly, unless you’re a Winnebago warrior, you won’t find the toilet in your home on wheels. You’ll find the toilet in the bush (remember: take your poop out with you), at the caravan park (when you can afford to pay) or in public facilities.

For every campground that has a shower, there will be two that don’t. For every new friend you make who offers up their bathroom, there will be times when you’re roughing it. Consider portable camping showers; find locations with public facilities (this is a thing – Dunkeld in Victoria’s Grampians offers showers for travellers); or carry some soap and look for the nearest river, if you’re crazy brave.

It’s handy to have a place to come back to to recharge – and save for the next leg of your journey. But effectively doubling your rent (when you add costs on the road to rent back home) makes it hard, if not impossible. If you own your own home: lucky you! If you rent, check with your landlord or real estate agent to see if you’re allowed to sublet. Then make your room or house available on Airbnb during the dates you’re travelling. Hadrien Le Roy (aka @neirdah on Instagram) is a French dude living the #vanlife in Australia: “I rent a place here that I sublet on Airbnb, and that allows me to get a bit of income so that I can travel and explore with the van.”

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