Van Life – Woman Living in a Van for 3 Years to Save Money & Travel the World

Van Life – Woman Living in a Van for 3 Years to Save Money & Travel the World

L.J. has been living in her vintage 1977 GMC Vandura camper van conversion for 3 years while working a 9-5 job in HR. She bought the van for just $500 and enjoys the van life because it allows her to save money and live on a budget, but mostly she loves the freedom of parking wherever she wants, and of being able to travel on weekends.

She’s recently quit her job and is planning to travel for a year in the van, and overseas to the Philippines and Indonesia.

We love how simple L.J.’s van is — no power, no heat, just the basics like a bed, a swivel seat, a cooler, and some books. She makes the lifestyle look easy although she does splurge during a couple of the coldest winter months to sublet an apartment.

Thanks for watching!

Mat & Danielle

PS thank you to all of our Patrons who support us so generously and a very special thank you to our backbone supporters: The Burgess Family.

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Blog: www.exploringalternatives.ca
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VIDEO CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.

Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives

Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives

50 Comments

  1. PIOTREK KASZKUR 🌟 GWIAZDA SHOW BIZNESU. on June 25, 2022 at 11:57 pm

    Super ❤️ 🌟 LOVE AMERICA PITER ARTIST FROM POLAND LOVE POLAND VIVA POLONIA LOVE YOU TUBE GLORY AMERICA

  2. Sharon Bingham on June 25, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    (To 3 a2(7589

  3. Von Fields on June 26, 2022 at 12:00 am

    Very creative move!

  4. CM GUTMANN on June 26, 2022 at 12:01 am

    Omg she got it for a steal

  5. s w. on June 26, 2022 at 12:03 am

    And some have to involuntarily. Strange enough. Especially if you get older.

  6. Christian Emmanuel F. Domingo on June 26, 2022 at 12:04 am

    U invested in cryptos and stocks? Or something

  7. MustangTown's Muscle Car Time Machine on June 26, 2022 at 12:04 am

    I love her lol

  8. Wosop 666 on June 26, 2022 at 12:05 am

    She looks old for” 32 “ seems very flaky

  9. Dora Hernandez on June 26, 2022 at 12:05 am

    I think if it makes you happy, then you’re on the right track. Live your dream. 🌷👍

  10. Snowman on June 26, 2022 at 12:06 am

    The lifestyle is fine if you know what you want, and you can make money somehow to cover the costs. I’m 36 and I still don’t know if I want a family or not. And for me it would be near impossible to find a job that I could do remotely full time.
    Also, this lifestyle is much more difficult in Europe. I can’t just have a job and pay taxes in one country and live in an other, that’s not legal. And I couldn’t have temporary jobs anywhere because I’d never speak the local language and I would need to have a residential address and bank account in every country I would want to work in.

  11. Darkangel W on June 26, 2022 at 12:08 am

    I love it. I wish, I completed my driver’s licence now

  12. Giovanni Corraliza on June 26, 2022 at 12:09 am

    Please see Revelation 14:12 & 18:23,Quit PCR test, its alarming the things people have shown there

  13. Robert Seven on June 26, 2022 at 12:10 am

    good job!……LOVE my classic van!…

  14. FISHYPICTURES on June 26, 2022 at 12:12 am

    Hope you’re armed. Recommend a shotgun primary and holster a revolver for those walk abouts.

  15. Pete Randolph on June 26, 2022 at 12:14 am

    Am I mistaken or was that van actually down by the river?

  16. THANH HOA LE on June 26, 2022 at 12:16 am

    Nice van, I like it ! Thanks for your video clip about this !

  17. Rachelle Days on June 26, 2022 at 12:16 am

    Does anyone know which Ted Talk she was talking about?

  18. CM GUTMANN on June 26, 2022 at 12:17 am

    I’d fix it up just a bit but it’s still great

  19. Gina Austen on June 26, 2022 at 12:19 am

    Where do you stay at? Or where’s the bathrooms at if needed at night?

  20. Edna Kravitz on June 26, 2022 at 12:19 am

    Did you save money

  21. lucinda apps on June 26, 2022 at 12:21 am

    Awesome 😎

  22. Gov on June 26, 2022 at 12:21 am

    Keep girl

  23. Aaron Sesula on June 26, 2022 at 12:24 am

    That is a classy van I would love it

  24. Steve Paige on June 26, 2022 at 12:25 am

    lol…"my parents pool house"…yeah because we can all relate.

  25. Anita Adams on June 26, 2022 at 12:25 am

    Don’t worry what others think. Your van is beautiful. More so than many houses.

  26. THANH HOA LE on June 26, 2022 at 12:26 am

    I don’t really care what about other people say, I just do whatever I want because it’s my life so I live the way I like it, it will make me feel better even when I make mistakes that’s still my choice, I don’t blame anyone else. But at least I don’t do things because of how people say or look at me. That is my freedom.

  27. Soila Verdad on June 26, 2022 at 12:26 am

    The true about this trend is that the standard of living is to high in the USA especially in California. I hope she is safe there is nothing wrong with living in a van but you have to think about crime. This live style is not a new thing it started in the 60’s but back in those days you don’t have as much crime as we do now.

  28. Sunu Fitrawan on June 26, 2022 at 12:28 am

    @LJ _ Your lifestyle is ALL I dreaming on in my life 🙋‍♂️ hopelly I can get ❤ from preaty women like you 😘 and bought me to Vanlife world

  29. E. R. on June 26, 2022 at 12:31 am

    Love it! "The freedom outweighs anything else,"

  30. MERLIN on June 26, 2022 at 12:32 am

    Wow this looks exactly like the 1975 Chevy Camper Van with the 350CI engine and loaded. Even had a furnace!

  31. Flower Sunshine on June 26, 2022 at 12:34 am

    Hey I’m looking at buying this exact model year of Vandura and I actually have to choose between buying the van and buying a ticket to the Philippines to do paperwork to transition ownership of a house over there that my mom built before she died. I was just on youtube to try to do some research on this van before having to make that decision. I thought that was sort of funny/ironic.

  32. John A. A. on June 26, 2022 at 12:35 am

    Great… until the sermonizing as to how a certain lifestyle is better and more beneficial that a more "conventional" lifestyle. Her life and how she’s living it is working for her, and that’s wonderful – but it’s not for everyone, and every lifestyle has pros and cons. When I hear someone say their way of living is "better" I wonder why they feel they can make such a statement. To me it’s arrogance, but that’s me. And she works in HR? Wow.

  33. Lola Ready on June 26, 2022 at 12:39 am

    Question, why older vans if the van community like to drive a lot ?

  34. Exxeron2613 on June 26, 2022 at 12:39 am

    I looked up "free spirit" in a dictionary and your picture was next to the definition. 🙂

  35. Diane Arevalo on June 26, 2022 at 12:39 am

    I would LOVE ❤️ to do this!!!

  36. KM on June 26, 2022 at 12:40 am

    I know exactly what she means. Our daily routines can feel like imprisonment for body and soul especially if you’re paying high rent to live in a shitty apartment.

  37. Sharon Bingham on June 26, 2022 at 12:40 am

    8

  38. CM GUTMANN on June 26, 2022 at 12:40 am

    I love this vintage beauty

  39. Joy Soyo on June 26, 2022 at 12:44 am

    Stop glorifying homelessness.

  40. Crucifix on June 26, 2022 at 12:45 am

    #1 concern is safety. Alot of these people just assume the wilderness and strangers out there will just accept them. Its a crazy world be careful

  41. Jenni Velez on June 26, 2022 at 12:47 am

    SO HAPPY that you CHOSE the POOL HOUSE to gain your independence. YOU, snatching up a 500.00 vessel, could’ve gone to a person who could ONLY afford it. Just reconsider your "privz". 😤

    I had to edit. It’s NOT YOU that I am upset with. Forgive me. 🙏🙌 I am just going through the hardest time of my entire life. TOO much! 😚

  42. G Dog on June 26, 2022 at 12:48 am

    E mail me

  43. matt lebreton on June 26, 2022 at 12:50 am

    if anyone is doin this in Alberta or BC canada, reply to this. Im lookin to do this

  44. Jacob on June 26, 2022 at 12:51 am

    This is one of the coolest vans I’ve seen, it’s nice but still seems like a van

  45. Diona Van Leeuwen on June 26, 2022 at 12:51 am

    Ok so we r living in our 40ftr rv about yr now we live it we parked it in lot but we also have a van we r gonna turn it in go camper

  46. Larry Hutton on June 26, 2022 at 12:53 am

    Only a woman could make a van look like that..very nice.

  47. Gray Cale on June 26, 2022 at 12:54 am

    Really interesting! What happens about having an address to receive mail, having a bank account etc?

  48. Alÿce Love on June 26, 2022 at 12:55 am

    I’ve always wanted this .

  49. Dawn on June 26, 2022 at 12:56 am

    Whenever someone has tried to tell me how to live my life I coldly tell them till you pay all my bills don’t even go there .

  50. neville mcfarlane on June 26, 2022 at 12:56 am

    Simple and practical
    ..nice

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