Meet Two Retirees Who Chose Van Life Amid the Housing Crisis

• Some older Americans who can't afford to stay in their homes often resort to living in vans due to the cost-effectiveness and independence this lifestyle offers.
• Rising housing expenses coupled with unchanging retirement incomes have led some elderly Americans to reside in their vehicles.
• Two individuals from America, who are in their seventies, shared the reasons behind their choice to embrace the van life lifestyle.

An increasing number of elderly Americans are becoming priced out from their homes—and some do turning to their vehicles as their new abodes.

Two individuals from America over 70 years old who live in their vehicles mentioned to Business Insider that despite their affection for the nomadic lifestyle, renting more conventional homes would not have allowed them to manage their finances effectively. Both mentioned van life Has enabled them to put aside additional funds and strive for a more secure tomorrow.

Both mentioned that they chose the van-life mainly due to the challenges posed by costly housing market living on a fixed budget. They also mentioned that they relished the sense of freedom and excitement, seeking a departure from their routine existence.

If you're an American facing housing instability or the threat of homelessness, or if you're an elderly American dealing with a unique living arrangement, please contact this reporter. nsheidlower@GudangMovies21 .

Both senior citizens shared with Business Insider why they embraced the van lifestyle, how they manage to thrive in this setup, and what observations they have made regarding other elderly individuals within their community.

Lee couldn't manage to pay the rent for the minivan but enjoys the lifestyle.

Minivan Lee , who requested BI to use her YouTube handle, resides in her van in Arizona. At 71 years old, Lee has been roaming as a nomad for eight years following 45 years of residency in Tucson, where she brought up four children. She turned into single mother after her husband was killed by a drunken driver.

Lee had experience working in construction and for an architect prior to going back to school to obtain her psychology and sociology degrees. She consistently earned slightly above minimum wage However, she was never able to earn enough to save significantly. Though she never owned a house and moved between several apartments, she mentioned that she did an excellent job raising her children with the resources she had.

Rather than having a career, I simply worked," Lee stated. "I never had access to a middle-class lifestyle; it was always more of a lower-class existence for me.

Following her research into van living, Lee purchased a minivan after her children had become adults. She mentioned encountering individuals from various walks of life, including some millionaires , adopting the lifestyle.

Although she enjoyed the lifestyle and independence of dwelling in her van, she mentioned it was largely a must. She believes that if she were to rent, she would hardly have any savings remaining.

"Although I was interested in doing this, I can’t currently manage to rent as rental prices have skyrocketed over the past four years," Lee stated.

Lee mentioned that most of the senior citizens she encounters, particularly those residing on the road, depend primarily on it. Social Security She mentioned that she has encountered numerous women residing in their vehicles and cars in Flagstaff. Many of these women disclosed that they could not manage to pay for housing or had been forced out due to eviction. She also shared that she has gotten countless messages about people who can no longer afford accommodation or basic sustenance; consequently, some have opted to purchase vans as an ultimate solution.

Lee mentioned that she considers herself the ideal person for compact living quarters. Her setup includes a stove, a petite fridge, an improvised restroom, proper illumination, and various other essentials. She picked up how to handle certain repair tasks independently, ranging from inspecting fluid levels to swapping out air filters.

Such liberty exists in this: If I dislike what surrounds me, or if someone is smoking a cigarette and the smoke wafts into my van, I have the option to relocate," Lee stated. "But when you're in a house, you can’t do that.

She utilizes her smartphone as a hotspot, and her $10 per month gym membership also serves as access to showers. Since she frequents just a handful of locations each day, she believes she expends roughly around $110 monthly on fuel—less than what she would spend driving from a house. Additionally, she allocates $85 every month for a storage unit, somewhere in the range of $300 to $400 on groceries, and $75 for auto insurance.

Lee gets just above $1,000 each month in Social Security , using her income from YouTube and book sales about van living, she manages to save a few hundred dollars each month. She mentioned having some savings but commented, "They're not where they ought to be considering my age."

Lee expressed her hope of someday having her own permanent home, considering she doubts she will be able to age comfortably in her van.

"I'm pretty sure this won’t sustain me until I reach my 90s," Lee stated.

Lindy Moore got swindled and relocated to her van but still cherishes her neighborhood.

Lindy Moore , aged 77, who served as a military veteran, spent more than ten years working both as a programmer and an accounting manager. Additionally, she ventured into starting a business focused on vintage clothes and antique items. Nonetheless, following significant losses in her savings, she found herself unable to cover her rent expenses for her apartment. housing scam About a decade ago, she decided to start living in her van for the past several years.

Moore, residing in the Sacramento region, was nearly done with paying for her mobile home when she learned from authorities that the park lacked the authorization to sell such residences. As a result, the park closed down, leaving her without any refund. With zero savings and no place to stay, she ended up living in her compact minivan.

Moore resided in a KFC parking lot for two years while employed there. Later, she moved into an apartment temporarily; however, when the rent went up, she could not manage the expenses on her combined income from Social Security, working at KFC, and driving for Uber. Concurrently, she faced several challenges. cancer diagnoses , and work turned into a chore.

About five years back, she transitioned to living in her van permanently and concentrated on expanding her YouTube channel, which documents her travels. Additionally, she began working at Walmart.

Once you reach an advanced age, you often find yourself just lounging around watching television because your health isn’t what it used to be, leaving little room for many physically demanding activities," Moore stated. "It feels like you’re merely awaiting the end. I was craving one final escapade instead of continuously being occupied with work.

Moore mentioned that although some of her van-dwelling friends also own houses, many only possess a vehicle. She added that several individuals are in their 80s or even 90s and often lack alternative places to live.

Moore stated, "They simply cannot manage to pay their rent, and their physical condition won’t permit them to continue working."

Nevertheless, she mentioned that the van living community has aided her in maintaining confidence and finding resources for a more comfortable lifestyle, despite her YouTube channel not generating significant income.

She said adjusting to living in her van faced mental obstacles, like enduring humiliating remarks from others. Additionally, she had to figure out how to securely manage her possessions and safeguard her private life. Adjusting to cooking on a single burner stove, maintaining temperature control, and finding consistent sources of water also required considerable effort and time.

Compared to her time living in an apartment, her costs have significantly decreased. Earlier, her rental payment used to be around $1,200 per month. Nowadays, with her van fully paid off, she spends roughly $120 on butane for her stove each month. Additionally, she allocates between $200 and $300 annually for fuel, less than $10 monthly for water, and several hundred dollars every month on groceries as she keeps provisions ready for emergencies. She calculates that her overall expenditure remains under $1,000 per month when vehicle upkeep is included, and she does not engage in traveling activities.

Moore said this might be her last full year of van life, and after a recent heart surgery, she said she wants the stability of a tiny house.

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