04/16/2013

So it's my first night back in the van. The van in question is a 1996 Ford Windstar. This is just about the make/model I have. It's got over 200,000 miles and other than the battery I recently replaced, it's in pretty good condition. I've been living in motels off and on for the past month and a half, and though I've spent a few nights sleeping in it, living full-time in the van is a recent choice I've made. I'm on state disability and that pays me close to 500$ a month, which is just enough to get by. My goal is to re-enter the workforce and eventually upgrade to an RV of sorts.

Plans for the van:

* Curtains and a reflective sunscreen  to maintain some sembalance of privacy.
* A 5-day cooler (I can get ice for free)
* 12v cigarette-lighter port charger/second battery that can charge as I drive
* Solar trickle charger for both batteries
* Airbed or thick foam mattress
* Single burner propane stove and basic mess kit
* AAA/AA/C/D/usb solar battery charger
* Three drawer plastic file cabinent to store clothing/dry goods/etc
* Extra Storage bin
* Properly measured piece of plywood to sit upon both storage bins to make a bed out of


...So I have my work cut out for me. I'm going to keep a minimum amount of clothing: 3x pairs of Jeans/2x pair of slacks/6xt-shirts/2xdressshirts/6pair of socks/underwear and a wool all-weather jacket for cold nights.


Basically, I'm at a point where I just can't seem to get things together (job, housing, school) and having the van will make it  easy for me to apply for jobs and sleep comfortably. Showering can be done at the local junior college, which I recently attended. Otherwise, I use dollar-store baby wipes/3in1 shampoo/bodywash/conditioner in a sink.

Living on a fixed income can be tough to do when it's just under 500$ a month, especially with gas and insurance. Even a part-time job would provide me with 750-1000$. So my first goal is to gain employment, then start making the van a real home.

Parking it is kind of a tricky thing. I park close enough to a 24-hour pharmacy to be discreet as well as have a place to use the restroom 24/7. Sadly, "mobile homelessness" is a crime in my city. Even if I am doing nothing more than sleeping for 6-8 hours after dark. So, I take pains to select a site that is covert and where my van won't immediately scream "ILLEGAL CAMPING VEHICLE!!!"

I usually arrive after dark and make a token purchase at the pharmacy/grocery store so that, if questioned, I can provide a reason for my parking my vehicle. The real goal, though, is to avoid any sort of attention. I have a few other spots mapped out and pretty soon I'll have a 7-day schedule of where I'm sleeping for the night. Internet/bathrooms are a blessing and I try to park near those as much as I am able.

So, tomorrow I am going to my local "donated clothes closet" to score some duds for future interviews. Having a job would be a godsend. I could live well-enough on 1,000$ a month, while still saving up for a more conventional RV. I can always get a meal at the local soup kitchens as well as foodstamps that I receive.

I try and make use of Amazons MTURK service for at least 1-2 hours a day (5-10$ approx) so that I can have some money for gas/etc. I use google voice for voicemail/phone calls so that I can  stay in contact with potential employers. I get anywhere from 10-20 free bus vouchers a month from my social worker, and I use those to get to/from job interviews and other important errands, so as to save gas.

I can't imagine my life is all that exciting, but I read often and I tinker around with GNU/Linux distrobutions. A long-term goal is to have a customizeable distro that runs on an arduino device (with antenna) installed on the van itself.
I'll be working on that as soon as I have funds.

Well, fellow vandwellers and the curious, I'm leaving the Starbucks that I'm at and heading for tonights campsite. Tomorrow is a busy day for me!


-VanDwellingHermit