I was miserable in my job so sold everything & moved into a van full-time -my hubby’s 6ft 1 so it’s tight but we love it
A WOMAN has told how she sold all of her possessions and moved into a van full time, after becoming sick of her job.
Madison decided that that 9-5 was not for her, and along with her husband Tyler, purchased a 180 square foot campervan.
With Tyler being 6 foot 1, the campervan is a tight squeeze for the pair, but they love having the freedom to be able to travel around as they please.
During the pandemic, Madison was working a very corporate job, which she said made her “miserable”.
“I went up to Tyler and I just said, we should sell everything and move into an RV”, she told the Tiny Home Tours YouTube channel.
“I was half joking, but he proposed to me all of the reasons why we should do it, and how much money we would save.”
After realising how much cheaper their life would be if they lived in a van, Madison said she was “sold”, and the couple haven’t looked back since.
The duo have completely renovated the campervan, to give it a “modern cottage look” and say that it has everything that you would need in a normal sized house.
They have a huge full sized sink and a full sized oven, so that they can cook their favourite meals, and even a microwave.
It also has a spacious bathroom with a toilet and a shower in it, and a bedroom with a queen sized bed.
The couple mostly park their RV up on the road at night, so they don’t have to spend any money on campsites.
However, they do sometimes pay to stay at campgrounds, so that they can use the facilities.
Madison and Tyler both now work remote jobs, so they can earn cash whilst travelling around the US.
They make their money from posting content about their life in the RV on social media, and from brand deals.
In order to save water, the couple say that they only shower twice a week, as their water tank only holds 30 gallons at a time.
Is it legal to live in a van?
IF you are looking to live in a van to save money or travel, you'll be pleased to know that there are no UK laws stopping you.
However, you must ensure your vehicle has passed its MOT and is fully road legal.
There could also be restrictions on where you can park up to sleep in your van.
For example, local authorities place restrictions on certain streets or lay-bys, and you could be fined if you spend the night there.
It could also be unsafe to stop in certain locations, particularly at night-time.
Check the The Highway Code guide for guidance.
“We like to shower twice a week, so if we do shower, it’s very quick”, said Tyler.
To power their van, they have attached a solar panel to the roof, and they also have a generator, allowing them to be completely off-grid, and park up wherever they please.
“The pros of living this lifestyle are obviously that you get to go wherever you want and do whatever you want, as long as you have the money”, Tyler said.
“We get to experience ultimate freedom being on the road, we get to experience so many places that it would have taken us 20 years to if we only had vacation time to do it in.”
However, Tyler admitted that being away from their family whilst they’re travelling is hard.
“The sacrifices are overall worth it for the freedom we have”, he said.