When you imagine the caravan life, you may be thinking of traveling the world, seeing the sights, spending time with your loved ones… but that’s not all that comes with it.
Living in a caravan isn’t as simple as buying a caravan and moving your things into it. In fact, it’s a completely new way to live, and it takes a lot of planning to do it right.
Are you thinking about buying a caravan to live out of? It may seem like a really simple way to live, but there are many factors that you’ll have to personally consider first.
Keep reading below to learn some basic information about living in a caravan to see if it’s the right move for you.
Why Would Someone Live Out of Their Caravan?
If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware that a caravan is like a wagon or a van that some people live out of full-time. What you might not know, however, is that making the choice to live in a caravan will completely change your way of life.
Some people decide they want to start buying land and living in a caravan on that land, while others want to travel the country. Part of making this change means having to downsize, organize your items much more carefully, and stay on top of the vehicle’s maintenance.
While living out of a caravan may sound like a dream to some, to others it sounds like a nightmare. Thinking about what types of comforts are important to you and whether you’d actually enjoy or be happy in a caravan is the first step before anything else.
What Is the Cost of Living in a Caravan?
If you still think you may want to live in a caravan, you also want to be sure that you can afford the cost. While it might seem like you’d be paying for much less to live a simpler lifestyle, there are basic costs you’ll have to cover, including:
- Insurance
- Maintenance
- Fuel
- Phone bills
- Food
- Entertainment
Obviously, these costs are going to be different from person to person based on how much you’re traveling, how much you’re eating, and what type of rig you actually have. You may want to buy other things for your caravan also, like a caravan GPS tracker for safety or decorations to spruce the place up.
It’s a good idea to look into creating a budget for the caravan you’re considering purchasing and thinking about what amount of money you would need month-to-month if you choose this lifestyle.
What’s It Like Living in a Caravan in Winter or Bad Weather?
When you think about it, most types of vehicles are capable of surviving most types of weather all of the time. If you’re living in your caravan, there are precautions you can take beforehand to battle the cold or severe weather that may end up affecting you later.
For instance, you can always get good snow tires and stock up on snow cleaning equipment. If you find that the snow is so severe you can’t see, it’s a great time to pull over and rest for a while.
If you’re dealing with natural disasters, like tornados or hurricanes, the benefit of being in a caravan is that you can simply drive it away from the area. Pay attention to the news, and avoid staying under anything that can fall on you.
Is the Caravan Life Right for You?
As you can see, living in a caravan has some pros and cons that you’d have to consider before giving it a try. It can be a great way to simplify your life, but it also is a big change that may be more intimidating than you think.
If you still think it may be right for you, be sure to do plenty of research on the caravan options out there to find the one that will fit your needs best.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, be sure to check out some of the other articles on our website about caravan living today.