How We Made Vanlife Financially Possible
When we first started dreaming about vanlife, there was one question that always came up: how the heck do we afford it? Living on the road sounds exciting (and it is!), but making that lifestyle work financially took a lot of planning, researching, and some creative thinking.
At the time, we were living in Norfolk, Virginia, a very random chapter in our lives, honestly. But that season turned out to be the essential for making this dream happen. Norfolk gave us just enough clarity to realize we were ready to commit. So we made it happen.
Our first major financial decision was breaking our rental lease. It cost us two months’ worth of rent, but we saw it as an investment into our future lifestyle. Instead of viewing it as money lost, we looked at it as the cost of starting our new chapter.
Once we left Virginia, we headed straight to my dad’s place in Findlay, Ohio. This move was crucial to saving money. We didn’t pay rent, we had access to almost all the tools we needed to work on the van, and we could fully focus on building it out. Plus, Madi picked up a server job at a local restaurant, called The Fern which helped us stack some cash without having many expenses.
Three Months of Saving, planning, and Budgeting
For three months, we enjoyed living with my brother and dad. We put almost every dollar toward the van: insulation, electrical, plumbing, and all the little things that quickly add up. We tracked our expenses closely, avoided unnecessary purchases, and stayed focused on the goal. That time in Ohio was the foundation of our financial freedom on the road.
From Ohio to Colorado: Seasonal Work
Once the van was livable, me and my brother Bruno drove it straight to Colorado, where Madi joined soon after. We had lined up seasonal jobs with the Town of Dillon, working events and on the recreation team. These kinds of jobs have been a game-changer for us — they offer flexibility, short-term commitment, and just enough income to keep us moving while still letting us enjoy the vanlife.
What We’ve Learned So Far:
• Cutting expenses drastically (rent, utilities, etc.) gave us the financial flexibility to build the van.
• Living with family temporarily helped us save more than we could’ve imagined and of course enjoy them!
• Taking local jobs (even if they’re not glamorous) allowed us to stay cash-flow positive during the build.
• Having a long-term vision kept us motivated to make short-term sacrifices.
Vanlife isn’t free — but it can be financially sustainable with the right strategy. We’re excited to share more details about how we’re budgeting on the road, what our monthly costs look like, and how we’re planning to make this lifestyle last.
Stay tuned for future posts where we break down our exact expenses, income sources, and budgeting tools.
