Guest Post by Eve Crabtree

In the last few years, we’ve seen an uprise in the number of millennials swapping living with mum and dad or buying their own home with opting for a campervan. Looking back 20 years ago, campervans and caravans were used for low cost family holidays. Today, though, lots of people are now buying their own vehicle and choosing to be on the road full time.

Whether it’s because they hope to travel the world, or whether it’s that it’s cheaper, we’ve decided to dig deeper into the ‘why’ this is the case. Check out what we’ve found!

 

5 Reasons Millennials Are Opting for Van Life

Photo by Mike Nguyen

 

Living in a Van is More Cost Effective

One of the main reasons millennials are choosing to live in RVs or vans is because it’s budget friendly and that means more cost effective. You really aren’t spending as much as in a ‘normal lifestyle.’ Aside from insurance, road tax, fuel, and food, there are far less things to pay for when it comes to owning and living in a campervan. With a van or RV, there’s no council tax, no rent or mortgage, and barely any bills – basically, millenials can be home owners with much less financial responsibility.

Further Reading: ‘I spent half my salary on rent’ says millenial who lives out of his van 

 

Photo by TJ Dragotta

 

Van Life Gives You Freedom to Travel

Loads of people of all ages love the idea of travelling the world, or moving from one place to the next. But travelling is renowned for being super expensive, and it’s usually something that’s left to people of retirement age who’ve had time to save up. Van life gives millennials the freedom to travel in their youth, for a fraction of the cost. Pack up camp at one destination and move on to the next in a matter of hours.

Further Reading: Notes from the Wanderlust Generation: A Travel Manifesto

 

Photo by Vincent van Zelinge

 

You Gain Different Life Experiences in a Van

One of the brilliant things about living in a campervan or motorhome is the fact that not only is it more cost effective while offering the freedom to travel; it also helps millennials gain life experiences that they may otherwise not have had. They have the opportunity to actually get to know other cultures, gain insights into how other people live, not mention being able to see a variety of wildlife in its natural habitat.

Further Reading: Thoughts on Living in a Van and Traveling Around New Zealand

 

Photo by Ravi Kumar

 

Technology Now Allows You to Work from the Road

With all of the continuous tech advancements, it’s now become possible for millennials to work from practically anywhere – and especially from a campervan from the road. Some millennials have even set up online businesses that can be run from their own laptops, which eliminates their need to work standard 9-5 office jobs. It makes it possible for them to earn the money they need to live.

Further Reading: Digital Nomads Living the Vanlife Share the Challenges and Work-Life Balance

 

Photo by James Wheeler

 

Van Life Gives You the Chance to Meet New People

One last thing that several millennials have said they love about living in a campervan or motorhome: they get to build relationships with people they meet along the way. People of all ages and all walks of life hit the road in their own campers, many stopping at campsites or parks along the way. This gives younger people a chance to make new friends from across the globe and from across the generations.

Further Reading: The Young Aussie Couples Living on the Road

 

Photo by Huib Scholten

 

Van living isn’t for everyone, and that includes millenials (despite always being grouped together!). But if you do want to either save or spend less money on housing or you do want to travel and explore places, meet people and see cultures – van life might just be the option for you.

 

Are you a millenial opting for van life? Why? Is living in a van your dream? Do you feel millenials get a bad rap when it comes to living in a van? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

Author’s Bio

Eve Crabtree works on behalf of a company called Wessex Vans who specialise in converting VW vans into fully fledged campers – perfect for travellers that would prefer a custom camper. Because of her passion for van life and travelling, she keeps up to date with the best destinations to visit in RVs, along with top tips for life on the road.