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Derrick & Paula moved into a Dodge Pleasure Way camper van just 2 weeks before their wedding, and then road tripped across Canada in their van for 2 months.
What started off as a honeymoon slowly turned into a semi-permanent living situation for the couple when they continued living in their van, even after they both went back to work full-time.
To-date, they’ve lived in the van for 19 months – including 2 Winters – which is impressive when you consider that they live in Ontario, Canada, where temperatures fall well below freezing for months at a time.
Couple Survives Two Winters Living in a Small Van
The van interior is tiny, but it has everything they need: a comfy bed, a toilet & sink, a propane fridge and stove, as well as a propane furnace to keep them warm in winter.
The captains chairs in the front of the van rotate to create a cozy sitting area, and their DIY curtains are made using blackout material for extra privacy.
The couple has a membership at a nationwide gym which is where they shower, and they park in Walmart parking lots, which is one of the only urban areas where van dwellers can legally sleep in their vans for free.
By living in a van, the couple was able to reduce their living expenses, especially by eliminating the cost of rent. This allowed them to aggressively pay down their debt and get themselves into a financial situation that is allowing them to consider purchasing a home in the near future.
Video: Van Life – Couple Survives 2 Winters Living in a Van!
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Resources
- Exploring Alternatives YouTube Channel
- Original video on YouTube
- Exploring Alternatives Blog
- A Guy. A Girl. And a Campervan. YouTube Channel
- They vlogged about their van life experiences on YouTube at: A Guy. A Girl. And a Campervan
- Today their channel is known as Back to Reality where they vlog about growing their own food
What do you think about this living arrangement? Do you think you could handle living in a van, even through two winters?
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