In a world where buying a house is becoming less and less feasible for the average person, the nomadic lifestyle grows more enticing by the day.
While it's not necessarily cheap to get into the van-life world, it's certainly more affordable than homeownership. Just take a look at what Nathan and Sharnah have achieved for less than $40,000, as AutoEvolution shared.
This couple has been touring their home country of Australia in a converted Toyota minibus for over a year now. They document their adventures on both Instagram (@homeontheroam_) and YouTube (@homeontheroam), and let's just say they make not owning a home seem really, really awesome.
But then again, they do own a home, right? It may not be fixed to a foundation with a mailbox and address, but their minibus offers just about everything else a traditional home does. It's got a kitchen, a dinette, a toilet and shower, tons of storage, and a bedroom to rest their heads. It's also got a pullout outdoor awning to provide some shaded yard space wherever they decide to set up camp.
The beautiful conversion cost the couple a total of around $36,000. That isn't exactly pocket change, but it's a small fraction of what a traditional home would cost to acquire no matter where you live. It's a lot more feasible for many people today to come up with that sum.
However, there are no doubt some sacrifices that must be made to enjoy this lifestyle. Van-lifers and tiny-housers are minimalists by necessity. They have to either give up many of their possessions or get super creative about storage to make their lifestyle work.
Of course, forgoing excessive possessions can be beneficial to not only van-lifers, but to the planet at large. These people typically create less waste and fewer emissions while also tending to make the most out of what they do have. They also save a ton of money, not only on the mortgage (or lack thereof) but on things like utility bills, property taxes, home repairs, landscaping, and more.
While their lifestyle clearly requires the burning of dirty fuels to power the bus, Nathan and Sharnah are able to offset that in other ways; on the roof of the minibus are four solar panels that offer 800 watts of renewable power to the roaming home.
This couple shows us not only that you don't need to own a house to own a home but that there are other ways of living out there. These alternative lifestyles are not without their drawbacks, but if you can adapt, then it can be incredibly rewarding to both you and the planet.
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Heck yeah 💯 The couple shared in an Instagram post, "It may have taken us longer than anticipated to finally get on the road and start travelling full time, but we're here now and wouldn't change a thing!"
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