A man has revealed the harsh realities of van life – with no working showers and rising costs stinging his bank account.
Rich, from Milton Keynes, lives in his van full time after splashing out over £5,000 doing up his dream abode, but the lifestyle isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Although he doesn’t regret his decision, he says it can be a “lonely” experience – with the 26-year-old even working part-time in a cocktail bar to socialise.
And it can be pricier than you think.
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Upon buying his van for just £1,250, he was unaware of the spiralling costs that were set to follow, with the van ending up costing him more than five times what he bought it for.
In a video shared to TikTok (@r1charddo3s ) the van lifer shares five honest truths about van life and his experience so far, with the clip racking up over 227,000 views and over 224,000 likes.
“This lifestyle is not for everyone, there are sacrifices that you have to make to take on this way of living,” Rich told What’s The Jam.
“You have to be strategic and creative in your daily life.
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“If things go wrong, you have to solve it.
“It’s not like a normal house in many ways.
“The anxiety of break-ins is very high.
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“There are enough videos online of people being broken into during the middle of the night and you think it would not happen to you.
“But there is every possibility it can be you.”
Regular maintenance, as well as fuel prices, is another challenge for Rich, who has to pinch the pennies to get by.
He said: “The cost of fuel is criminal and for a van lifer, we feel it a lot more as most people have diesel heaters to warm our homes on the road.
“I have managed to keep my fuel bill to less than £200 per month at the moment but I am not using it excessively.
“I’ve had a lot of hate online about my fuel bill being so little but I’ve also not had the money to fuel/use my van either.
“The regular maintenance that needs to go into the van can be expensive – if that is vehicle maintenance, upkeep on the interior or investing in new equipment for the van.”
Rich also says that being in his van 24/7 is isolating and that the glam expectations online couldn’t be further from the truth.
He said: “Doing van life solo can be quite lonely if I am completely honest.
“The Insta glam photos we see online are not always the true reality of how we live.”
And, the thing the full-time van lifer misses the most?
A hot shower and an abundance of space.
He said: “I have to plan my day so that I can get access to a toilet and shower (normally PureGym).
“I have a toilet in my van and a shower, but my shower is not fully operational.
“The big thing I miss is being able to just go walk into a shower in a house and turn the tap.
“With a small space, you have to keep on top of it daily.
“Vans can also make you feel claustrophobic over time.”
He even has to rely on others to wash his dirty laundry, which is less than ideal.
But, despite the challenges, Rich loves van life and the unique opportunities it brings.
He said: “Van life gives you the flexibility to travel and explore new places without being tied down to a specific location.
“It provides a sense of freedom and adventure.
“Van lifers often learn to rely on themselves for basic needs, from your standard cooking and cleaning to troubleshooting and repairs.
“If something goes wrong on the road and you are miles from civilisation, you must become resourceful.
“I designed my van to suit my personality and bring in all the things I love.”
Social media users have weighed in on Rich’s unique lifestyle.
One user said: “Sleeping, washing, cooking, eating and s******g in a space it would be illegal to house a prisoner. Idyllic.”
Another person shared: “I was full-time for 2 years. I got really fit as I had to go to the gym to shower every day.”
Kaz said: “Would so love to try this.”
“Begs the question, why?” said George.
