Cheap, Affordable Van with Super Simple Van Build. An Incredible Deal!
Cheap, Affordable Van with Super Simple Van Build. An Incredible Deal!
THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE IN WINTER OF 2020.
We took precautions to wear masks during this time.
An Incredible Deal!
Ruda lives in a 1999 Chevy Express 3500 with 95,000 miles that she bought for $2900! Ruda and her parents got Covid and her parents passed away. She learned that she wanted to live life to the fullest after that and wanted to live her best life. She is from Mississippi and is coming out the road for her first big trip. Ruda works online and is looking forward to getting out on the road fulltime. She turned the passenger seat around in the van and has a comfortable place to sit and work. Ruda encourages us all to “Live Your Best Life!”
See more from Ruda on YouTube at: Ruda Ford
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLJkB8EWIVrVKAlbXcbzdhQ
AMAZON LINKS
Manual Hand Pump for Water Bottle
https://amzn.to/3kvZidc
5 Gallon Water Bottle
https://amzn.to/3kvZidc
Bucket/ Toilet
https://amzn.to/3sTO7ic
Mr Buddy Heater
https://amzn.to/2Y5aR3v
LED lights
https://amzn.to/2Y5aLsF
Cooler
https://amzn.to/2UTksZR
Mirror
https://amzn.to/3yqcTrs
Cube Furniture
https://amzn.to/2WwUJqu
Memory Foam Bed
https://amzn.to/2Y670mP
Collapsible Wash Tub
https://amzn.to/3kvZidc
15 Amp AC Port Plug, 125 Volt Power Inlet Socket
https://amzn.to/3sUB93B
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If your shooting a video get a plexi-sheild and speak clearly. I don’t like that lady’s personality.
How is it cheap though? I mean, the fuel consumption has to be severe? Mpg?
I’ve met and trusted more people on the road .. than your own extended family. Loneliness not so much !
My parents have a green Coleman just like that.
Lovely, positive person who is living her best life now — and not waiting until she is older, in poorer health, and forced out of the workforce to "retire."
Awesome ❤️❤️❤️👍🏼👍🏿✝️✡️
I am only in my 50’s but nearly succumbed to the covid in Jan of 2020. It did make me pause and reflect. (about the only good thing I got out of it). We have few moments in life where we are FORCED into a major change. Divorce earlier this year was one of those for me. We do need to live the best life we can. Do it now.
Put the AC on drawer slides on a shelf where the AC unit is now . Put a Marine hatch where the back of the AC is ventilated, When you are driving or not using the AC pull the AC unit into the van and close the marine hatch. If you need to use the AC , open the marine hatch push the AC backwards into the outside air on the drawer slides.
so sorry for the loss of her family. Glad she’s looking at life in a different way now. Best of luck in her future travels.
Awww, that is so wonderful Ruda feels like her dad is on the road with her since she still has her old cooler.
Doggo loves his Mom!
Exactly keep it simple, I built my van for basically free, my stove top and sink came out of a wrecked pop up camper, my AC a upright portable unit that i vented out the floor ( this works better than a window unit hanging out your back van window) and my refrigerator a Edge Star was the only thing that really cost some money, all my wood work trim out was wood from the bargain bin at Menards, so yeah do it for cheap and you will get more satisfaction out of doing it smart because these people now with their 100 + thousand dollar van builds are ruining it for everyone else and driving the prices of vans up beyond the price normal people can afford and if you have 100 grand to build a van with maybe yer really not going to be out in the real world on the road for very long anyhow, these are the people who try it then hate it then make a video on WHY I QUIT VAN LIFE , If you want to see the real deal watch Bob’s interview called YOU CANT KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN, Living on the cheap, that’s the lasting way of the true Nomad.
God bless her…she did a beautiful job!!!… K.I.S.S. ( Keep it simple Survive)…I will do my next van project just like this!!! Remember everbody…LIVE FREE BE FREE!!!.Good job Ruda!!!.. 🇺🇸
BEST
This is probably a dumb question but regarding the plug she added outside,where does the power come from?
Lovely woman,cozy home.
Ruda …never …never ever part with your coleman. It will always be an essential part of you.
Good for you !! Enjoy.
I cant live my best life right now because i have 2 special needs kids who cant do van life but im hopeful that one day when they are older they might be able to live in a specialized home setting just for them and then i can go on the road. Right now though, i have to live my life for my kids.
Hope she’s not in Quartzsite and that 105 heat with no AC!!!!!
I love the vanlife concept, what’s it like when you have a break down, where do you live during repairs, and how much "emergency funds" are prudent to have on hand ?
I’m caring for my Mom in her home right now but I plan to do this for the future.
Seeing all these builds makes me feel like mine is sub par lol but then again I don’t spend much time inside my van other than sleeping
We are definitely not promised tomorrow. So I agree if you want to do something go do it because you just never know. I’m sorry for your loss I can’t imagine your pain. I personally just lost my stepdad in August 2021 otherwise a very healthy person. My mom and my stepdad both were in ICU in two different states because they were so packed on the Covid units. Thankfully she is doing OK right now and trying to put her life back together. Safe travels and have fun
Love it. Great buy on the van.
Great deal!! Very sorry for your loss, my dear. Enjoy your freedom!
Functional! 👍
Very nice build!
My deepest condolences Ronda May God Almighty gives you peace and comfort 🙏🏼❤️ your van home is so awesome 🤩 thank you for sharing your ideas and van home 🙏🏼❤️😊
Great van! Cool lady! Love that Coleman Cooler!
Ruda scored on a deal of a lifetime. $2900 I would have been doing Cartwheels. Simple build with everything you need.
Ruda, so sorry for your huge loss. I lost both parents within a year as well. I think what you are doing now is wonderful on many levels and thanks for sharing itith us!
Watching these videos make me wonder how do they clean inside the vans cars etc. I don’t see any cleaning supplies on these tours. Interiors get dusty FAST. Also I love this van tour.
Last year, I put the exact same shore power plug in my Subaru Outback! Love it! Thanks for the tour!
I’m 70 and I have camped alone for years. Especially when I was working in California. Now I’m back living in Wisconsin and still camping alone. I use a tent, a cot, mattress, camp stove. That’s pretty much it.
Very nice van..good video Bob! Hello from Ontario Canada🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦
Great score, good for you and ATB. Cheers.
Its all about living your best life !
This is a very simply yet efficient build out, THANK YOU for sharing her story and a review of her home.
Bob, I’m headed to AZ in a week. Thank you so much for your vision. I’ll be traveling with a caravan of older women (I’m 70). Vanessa (Vansvanandtravels) is leading the way I’m from Illinois. We’re meeting. For me this started more than 20 years ago….it’s finally happening!!
Subscribed Ruda😊
Can you talk more about the ac port plug, I saw this and a light bulb went off. I ordered one ! When I received it my son said I needed an adapter. but a newbie like me is still not 100% sure how this works… can I safely plug up a power strip on the inside of my van? and what about the adapter?
Thank you Bob for doing this! By giving all these people a chance to tell their story you inspire so many! I really hope people understand the whole point of the nomad idea. It’s focusing on life itself rather than an expensive home that ties you down.
Great video Ruda and Bob! Thanks!
WHERE CAN I GET SWIVEL SEAT THANK YOU I HAVE A 2014 CHEVY EXPRESS
❤
Trauma has pushed so many of us to the road, especially after Covid! Thanks for sharing.
I would like to be friends with this lady. We are kindred spirits.
Skip to 5:50 to duck the long chat and see the van build.
Would really have liked to see everything that was mentioned, like the generator for the AC and the poop bucket setup and disposal method.
Bob, do you have info on the RTR this year? Where can I find it?