We've lived between a sailboat and a campervan for 10 years. The freedom is real, but so are the trade-offs.
A freelancer shares her decade-long experience of living in campervans and sailboats to achieve financial independence and build a business. While the lifestyle offers significant freedom and savings, she notes the growing desire for traditional stability and comfort.
Why it matters
This highlights the 'van life' trend and the trade-offs between nomadic entrepreneurship and traditional housing stability.
Spending the past decade splitting our time between a campervan and a sailboat has helped me create a six-figure business and build a nest egg, but it has drawbacks. Kristin Hanes Years ago, I gave up paying traditional rent and began living between a campervan and a sailboat. I've been able to take risks and build a six-figure business , save money, and travel. Lately, though, I've been craving a true home base as I miss stability, basic comforts, and more. I was hiking with my boyfriend, Tom, in the redwoods north of San Francisco in 2015 when he made the craziest suggestion: "Why don't we camp up here on Mount Tam? Give up rent?" At first, I thought he was joking. Move out of my cute Zen cottage in the Mill Valley redwoods? No way! But he continued to talk excitedly from the fern-lined trail ahead of me.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in