I hear from people wanting to travel but van life fears keep them from fullfulling their dream. Here are the top 10 fears that people have and how I have overcome them.
1. Mechanical Breakdowns:
Fear of the van breaking down in a remote area, leading to being stranded or facing costly repairs. These can be real concerns. Personally that is why I chose to purchase a newer van, so I would have some travel under my belt before I needed to do any major fixes.
How I overcome this:
- Having an emergency fund is important. I have a Line of Credit available for emergencies however an easy to access savings account would be best.
- I do regular maintainence on my van.
- I have a roadside assistance as part of my insurance on the van. Thankfully I have never had to use it, but for me it is valuable to have.
- Having cell service is also a necessity for me. As a solo female travelling having access to the outside world is important for me.
2. Financial Instability:
Concern about running out of money or not being able to sustain the lifestyle financially. I have found I spend just about the same amount of money living in my van as I did living in my city apartment. The money is just dispersed a bit differently; instead of rent being my big expense I have a van payment and spend more on gas. I still need food, insurance, van maintainence fund, internet, and misc expenses. So be careful when hearing that van life is so much cheaper.
How I overcome these van life fears:
- Be realistic with your expenses and stay within that budget.
- I budget yearly. I spend more money on gas when travelling long distances during the winter months. I then spend less on gas by staying in one area for a few months in the summer.
- Always have a Plan B for emergencies.
3. Safety Threats:
Fear of theft, vandalism, or personal harm while living in a van. While travelling throughout Canada and the USA over the last three years I have personally always felt safe. I do however sometimes worry about my van being broke into or stolen.
How I overcome this:
- Park in safe places. I always trust my gut, if I do not feel comfortable I move.
- I don’t leave my van unattended for more than a few hours at a time.
- I have a newer van so stealing it is not really that easy.
- Most vans are broken into through the back doors. I have my propane tanks (for my heater) attached to the back of my van so they need to be moved before opening the doors. Not ideal for day to day but it keeps the van more secure.
4. Health Emergencies:
Anxiety about dealing with a serious health issue or injury without immediate access to medical care. I travel alone and do think about what would happen if I was needing help, but try to be smart and so I make wise choices.
How I overcome this:
- I try not to dwell on the “what ifs”. In my experience having a positive outlook in life helps to have better experiences.
- I post on Facebook everyday so my family know I am safe. I tell them if they have not heard from me in 3 days, then they can be concerned.
- Some people “pin” their location with a family or friend. I don’t do this but I would recommend it if you are really anxious when travelling.
- I am Canadian so make sure I have travel insurance before crossing into the US. It can be fairly expensive however for me it is a necessity and is part of my budget.
5. Legal Issues:
Worry about encountering legal problems related to parking, permits, or other regulations. This is not something I stress about too much. I feel it is important to know the rules of where you are travelling.
How I overcome this:
- I admit I am a rule follower which probably makes this easier for me not to worry about. I keep to the speed limits, purchase a permit where required, and try to be aware of what is needed in the area I am staying.
- I believe politeness goes a long way. Be honest and respectful if you are stopped.
- If you are stealth camping be respectful of where you are parking and get to know the regulations of that city or town.
6. Isolation and Loneliness:
Fear of feeling isolated or lonely due to the transient nature of van life. I never really thought about this when I was planning my van life, however I now see it is important to consider before committing to this lifestyle. Can you be alone for long stretches of time? Be honest with yourself.
How I overcome these van life fears:
- I am an introvert so being alone is not a huge issue for me but I do sometimes miss having people around. If you need company plan for this, just like budgeting. Be realistic about your needs.
- I follow a few vanlife groups online. If you need people around you there are several different groups you can join. Find your tribe before heading out as in my experience it is not always easy to meet people on the road.
7. Sustainable Living:
Concerns about the ability to sustainably manage resources like water, energy, and waste over the long term. Most people do not worry about where their power and water come from or where their waste goes. In van life you realize very quickly that they are super important to having a happy stress free life.
How I overcome this:
- Be realistic with your needs. When planning my van I took the time to really think about what I needed and how my every day routine would look. Top of my list was having a fridge, an induction stove (I did not want to cook with propane or butane), I use a CPAP machine and work remotely so having electricity was a priority. I also knew I wanted a toilet. Planning works!
- Finding cheap easy access to water and ways to ethically dispose of your waste can be time consuming. This is definitely a part of van life and important to consider when planning how much water you need and where you will go to the bathroom.
8. Natural Disasters:
Fear of encountering natural disasters such as floods, storms, or wildfires while on the road. The important thing about this is to be informed. This is one area I should worry more about. There was one incident where I could have saved on time and gas if I had looked up road conditions before I started out.
How I overcome this:
- I try to listen to local radio stations when travelling this keeps me up to date with what is happening in the area.
- I have a weather app installed on my phone which I check fairly regularly.
9. Adaptation Challenges:
Anxiety about the ability to adapt to and thrive in a radically different lifestyle from traditional living. Honestly this lifestyle is not for everyone. If you are not sure whether or not you can do this, I suggest taking some short trips tenting or sleeping in your car before spending a load of money on a van.
How I overcome this:
- Do some test trips. My very first big roadtrip was a 6 week trip around the USA. I started in western Canada, drove along the west coast, across the southern states on Highway 10, up the east coast then back west through the northern states. At the time I was travelling in my SUV sleeping at rest stops along the way. This was a fabulous trip and I knew I wanted to do more. The only stipulation I had was to have a little bit more comfort next time. This is when I started dreaming of van life.
- Do not give everything you own away. I sublet my rental apartment for a summer when I first got my van. I was steatlh camping in Vancovuer, British Columbia, Canada and it was my backup in case I couldn’t really handle full time van living. By the end of the summer I was happy to let the apartment go.
- Store personal items for a year. I kept a few personal items in storage for the first year. There were a few things I needed and wanted from that storage, but most things I gave away at the end of that year. As you live and travel in your van you learn more about what you need and want. Shopping your own stuff can save you money.
- Have a 5 year plan. Most people do not last more than a few years living full time in a van. I know for me my goals have shifted and changed since I started full time travelling. Being on the road can be tiring and stressful. For me having a homebase has become important.
10. Relationship Strain:
Worry that the close quarters and constant travel may put a strain on personal relationships.
How I overcome this:
I travel alone so cannot really comment on this aspect of travel. If there are couples out there please leave us a comment.
Conclusion on Van life Fears
In conclusion I support new timers or van life dreamers to be realistic as possible with what you need and want. Create a budget that you can live with and have an emergency fund. Buy the best van or RV you can afford and keep it well maintained. In my experience the benefits highly outway any van life fears so take the plunge and enjoy this beautiful lifestyle.
Great post! You definitely highlighted most of the fears we had starting out. We had fear #1 happen early on— luckily we were in a place where we could easily get a repair.
Like many people, we assumed living in a van would be vastly cheaper. For us, it is… a bit. But one of us retired early so that we could go on the road, so we share an income. To us, money is less important than experience, though.
As for getting along on the road, we’ve been pretty lucky. My advice is— you will take your relationship issues with you, so make sure that you have a good foundation. We have separate interests and don’t always do everything together, also divide the chores according to skills and interest and keep a sense of humor. (We wrote a post about this on our blog)
Anyway, thanks for your post
Perri,
Thanks so much for your input on travelling with a partner. It is a great way to see some of the world.