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[Hdutton]

Hi
Me and my Girlfriend are planning to get a van and start the Van Life, but I was wondering how people plan the route they are going to take. Or do you just go where ever you want.
Thanks a lot for any help.
 

[Camper_Dan]

Depending on your savings, many full timers still have to work for a living, so we plan our travels around where the jobs are, moving from one area to the next only after we have secured a job at our destination.

If you are lucky enough to be able to work online, then you need to plan your route around wifi availability. 

Before I started working online, I would pick a general direction I wanted to go, and then start to do a job search which would ultimately choose my next destination.  Some cities have temp agencies & day labor places.  Almost every major city has openings for things like pizza or flower delivery drivers.  Not glamorous or high paying, but the tips can mount up big time.  I've made $1k+ in tips per week numerous times. 

If you're needing an income while traveling, get that figured out FIRST, even before you get a van or RV.  If you're planning on being a camp host, many places require a legit RV, and a camper van could disqualify you.

I usually suggest that people go as cheap as possible on their rigs and on their builds.  If you buy a vehicle that has already been fully depreciated, you will never lose any money.  On newer stuff, you're losing value every day until it bottoms out.  Sometimes a cheap older RV/motorhome can be far cheaper than a camper van too, but if you're planning on parking on city streets, they can be problematic. 

Good Luck, and holler if you need more.