How Downsizing to a Camper Van Changed My Life
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
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VIDEO DESCRIPTION:
Are you dreaming of downsizing and embracing a life of freedom and adventure? Join Dani on a tour of her beautifully designed 2020 Ram ProMaster 1500 camper van, where she shares her journey of transitioning from a traditional home to full-time van life. Discover how she turned an empty cargo van into a cozy, functional home on wheels while sticking to a budget.
Key Highlights of the Van Build:
-Kitchen Design: Thoughtfully crafted with dual counter spaces for meal prep and a practical foot-pump sink. Cooking with a view has never been easier!
-Affordable Living: Dani's budget-friendly approach includes a portable butane stove, a compact 12V fridge, and clever storage solutions.
-Composting Toilet: The Nature’s Head composting toilet-a splurge that Dani highly recommends for its ease of use and practicality.
-Off-Grid Power: 200 watts of solar power and a lithium-ion battery ensure off-grid living is simple and efficient.
Life on the Road:
Dani shares insights into her monthly expenses, averaging $3,000, including van payments, insurance, and travel costs. Despite some challenges, van life has given her the freedom to explore, live simply, and prioritize what truly matters.
Her Journey to Van Life:
Inspired by van lifers she discovered as a teenager, Dani saved as a teacher to fund her dream. The pandemic shifted her perspective, leading her to trade her career for a life of adventure. Now, she travels full-time, sharing her experiences and lessons learned with others.
Lessons Learned:
Dani reflects on the importance of budgeting for unexpected breakdowns and how downsizing has reshaped her view of life. From creative storage solutions to simplifying her wardrobe, her story is an inspiring testament to living intentionally and embracing the freedom of the open road
Filmed & Edited by - / sydneyandalbert
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This is a beautiful build! It's very well done. I love that she shared what she would change if building again. You learn as you live! Thanks for the tour!
Agreed! Her honesty is refreshing.
@@shelleyseely739wow that means so much thank you 😊😊
What a pretty build , Nice home for your pup and yourself , You can always add to what you would like to change in your build down the road for now its working.
Tripp LOVES it! His fave place in the world.
vanlife is my one of my top bucket list... I think I should be able to do this once kids off to college.... it's going to be a while... been watching lot of the vanlife video and it's just so awesome (good and bad = life). Still remember I was able to take my entire family before covid to live in Hawaii for one year... time is highest commodity so better to do it than regret.
A year?!! …Wow, jealous.😅😞
Exact reason why some should not jump to college right from high school unless you know what your passion is. Granted no education is ever wasted and maybe the resume with a degree helps get a job/position. Wonder what she found to do to support herself other than living on savings. Thought that toilet needed to be vented. Otherwise van is very nice, a bit interested what part of the country she likes etc. Always love a great furry friend to travel with!❤ Good luck, enjoy, safe travels.
Love the simplicity. ❤
Love your pup 🐶 💖 n your build . Safe Travels Always 🙏 💕 ❤️ 💓 💖
What a wonderful doggy
Very nice van build Dani. With regards to your single LiFePo4 100ah battery, you can easily add a second and connect in parallel to the one you have ( providing you have the space) and so double your power capacity. Greetings from Jamaica.
Very pleasant design. Your spice rack is such a clever storage idea. If I may make a suggestion, how about door-mounted shelves inside the undersink door? I'm always surprised that I almost never see them in van or TH builds. Happy trails!
I'm so glad your dream came to fruition, well done!
Happy Trails 🎉.
JO JO IN VT 💞☃️
Thank you so much ❤❤
Great video we are just building our van and our layout is almost identical to yours. Thanks for sharing..
thank you for the ideas,,,stay safe out there!
I really appreciated the tour of her lovely home
Nice cozy build - a great little home !!
Hey hi. I just watched your video,great job on the van. Stunning lady and talented skills . Looking forward to seeing more . Alan
This lifestyle Is something I'm considering for 2026, so I'm taking notes. Thank you!
Do it - don't just think about it - DO IT
Love this van tour I've followed you from you and dad building and its been exciting ❤❤
Beautiful build🎉
You should buy some solar powered lights for inside your van off Temu. It will save using your interior lights and your battery will last longer.
Also buy a cigarette/ usb connection for charging phone etc instead of running through your inverter. Just use inverter for laptop fridge etc.
Both are cheap
You'll find your battery will last a lot longer
That part 4:27 - Gas prices & “van expenses” @ 3k per month. Wowza. Those are the numbers that really turn me off of this lifestyle. Really cute build though.
Also health ins at $400/mo was in there.
She also said that she could cut fuel expenses by down sizing her itinerary.
Did she mention how she gets enough money to fund this?
I guess the pay in America is higher than over here 🇬🇧$3k a month is more than I earned.
@@stephenbland7461 3k a month is 10 times more than many people earn in many countries.
@stephenbland7461. 3k x 12 mos is only $36k A year. Not a big salary.
This build is gorgeous ❤
What a great life, love your home😊
Great information and truthful. Thank you. Enjoy your life
I appreciate this! 🎉
Great build. Comfy and cozy. My question....what do you do for a living now?
TY for The Honest financial info. Nobody ever talks about their van repairs or their actual monthly budget. On the other hand, I was waiting for the description of how Van life actually did change your life? ( was it a positive change? ) And how are you able to swing three to $4000 a month?
Thissss! I remember when builds started out like this. And now it seems like it is all taken for granted.
😮💨😮💨
Thank you for sharing this with us
So much love from ON Canada 🍁
$1500 a month compared to where I am from is amazing lol in NewYork a studio apartment is that amount if not more. Not including utilities and everything else.
So what do you do for work?
Great video and nice build. The only thing I don’t understand with a lot of these “van” builds is that you can buy a decent small used RV for $20k and under. Some with a slide out and a full bath. Seems like many of these people spend more money for less space. Buy a small RV, add good lithium batteries and solar and you could be on the road for under $25k. 🤷♂️
Beautiful conversion! Looks like it was done by a professional. How much did the build cost you?
Nice!😊
3k per month is insane.
Her mortgage for the van..what she borrowed almost $30k has to consume a bunch. Van ins can't be cheap either. Take that all away and the number is quite lo.
@herblapp6134 ok but you can't take that away though... It's insanely high. She's paying a ton of money to live in a van.
Love it
Super Cute Rig!
Love the vid and your lifestyle. Rock on….. bob
Really nice. ❤
Nice build but 3k/month is insane! Especially for something she doesn't seem quite happy with. Every time she said something, she said she would change it.
Gorgeous!
being a dad of two girls and and one boy age ranges of 35-23. I'd like to ask your dad how he deals with having his daughter out on the road with I assume by herself? My son wants to do this and I'm sort of good with it, but not sure how I would handle it if one my girls wanted to do this. Of course complete with 100% support for them, but the parent in me is scared shitless.
Lovely ❤
3000, I don't even know how that is possible. I have a home totally paid off. I live on less than 20k a year and save the rest. That's for every single expense in my life. Nothing left out. I guess gas though adds a lot. I don't drive much, but still, seems not worth it to live in a van with that kind of high costs.
For me, the gas is definitely worth the cost. I saw more than I could ever imagine. And sure, health insurance and car insurance and my dogs insurance and my car payment added up to way more than I’d like it to, but it allowed me to live my dreams. So I’ll take that over anything any day.
She included health insurance in that, which is quite a bit and she'd pay that regardless.. Traveling is worth the cost. I think that number is low for her lifestyle.
Most van lifers live on only $1000 to $1500 a month. She is also including van payment & full coverage auto insurance, she said gas is only $600 a month.
I started RV Full time in 2020 and I pull it with my 2020 Ram 1500 Truck and I have been to 37 states the last 4 years , I live 98% off grid and pretty much tax free on my 3200 a month Retirement and Gas is my biggest cost ... I do RV parks one weekend a month to dump all my black and gray but some months i just do a dump station . this is freedom with no utility or property taxs as I gave my house to my son in 2020 . I am 100% debt free .My 2020 Jayco 195 RB is only about 3,000 lbs to tow so I get pretty good gas mileage towing . So far no big issues with my Ram or Jayco but I got both new in march of 2020 on my Birthday to start my dream , I served 5 years Army and 31 years coal mining in WV . I got my ram for 39k and my Jayco for 15,900 and hooked up's were 600 .
Also, do this Rams have transmission issues?
awesome little vanhome!
How much is it?
My two water jugs😅❤
Paying out of pocket for health insurance is so expensive.
It sounds way too high. Best to put that money into buying silver which will definitely appreciate 10X in next year or so, then pay in cash for medical expenses by selling the silver.
$3000 per month in a van 😳
She mentioned it cost her 3k monthly to live in her van, but she only mentioned the $1500. What’s the other $1500 for?
Only things I could think of was savings (in case of additional van repairs, tires etc.), a internet connection, food, parking fees if she's not always boondocking...I can't think of anything else 🤷♂️🤷♀️
She has to eat. Pay insurances, laundry, etc.
Doesn’t seem like she’s living frugally. To live in a small van for 3k a month an insane.
@@intherockiesgroceries, food, some fun splurges while traveling, hiking supplies, gifts for people as I traveled, my dogs food and insurance monthly, my car insurance is another 150 a month. Adds up fast lol
@@balzoemg8415I definitely would allow myself to “travel” a bit and “experience” since that’s how I decided to do vanlife! I wanted to make it more of an experience for myself
U bought that van for 35k? Brand new?
It was an empty cargo van! One year old, 55k miles when I bought it
avg 3k/ month is crazy much, spend around 500 Dollars with an apartment 301ft² with an bathtub
Where can you get a decent apartment for that much? Sheesh I wish the prices were like that where I’m at
She is traveling, you’re stuck in a box. You’re not including insurances are you? What about utilities? Food? Incidentals? Apples vs oranges
Your living expenses are $500 a month? In what country?
How is $500 rent possible? Are you renting from a relative?
Where do you shower daily 😮
she can shower at the van, at a truck stop, at Planet Fitness…..
You can get a National gym pass for $25/month. Truck Stops are good, too. Get their points cards to get discount showers. Truck stop showers are always very clean.
What did you do with all of your clothes? Storage?
Toilet? Shower?
How can i get this caravan? Price of it?
Ok whats does she do for an income at $3000.00 a month she is not living on just her savings.
No I didn’t live on savings! Just for the build and emergency stuff. I was a content creator and freelancer to fund the van stuff
@@stumblinguponserendipityI wanted to suggest your health insurance costs sound crazy high. Put that money towards buying silver or XRP, both will appreciate 10X in next year and if you need funds for medical, they are easy to sell. Health insurance at your age is just throwing money away. ❤❤❤
Nice young woman, nice van.
Excessive monthly costs start with leasing the van. Declining asset. Ram not the best model for repairs
You did a nice job.
For security I would replace dog with German Sheppard.
anyone ever watch the show ‘From’?🌝
I would love to be this rich one day
That’s not cooking😅
That's what most van campers use...Bex, Camper van Kevin, Slim Patatohead, Matty Taylor when she vaned, the middle aged lady w/ long hair and a red small van, the Chinese America girl, was it Ann? before she went sailing. They're the ones l watched.v
Beautiful may God keep you safe, in Jesus Name Amen
Nice build! What were all the mechanical issues that you had with your Ram? 🚐
Mostly transmission but also cat converter and brake stuff
@@stumblinguponserendipitytransmissions are killers. Five yrs ago l had my van's trans rebuilt...$4,000. Breaks are always a headache...$400 minimum...oil n filter change abt $40 a change.
How can i get this caravan? Price of it?
I think her van's sale price was a vy good buy. Used vehicle prices are hi....new prices are obscene.