While most people choose #vanlife or #boxtruck life so they can travel the country and get to hard-to-access outdoorsy spots, Jason built out his box truck so he could fly under-the-radar, live in the city, and not pay rent while going to grad school.
From the outside, Jason’s truck looks like another utility truck, complete with a high-viz vest tossed up on the dash. But on the inside, you’d think this was a sleek city apartment with a high price tag! He has a great kitchen and giant desk area — and he’s never gotten a “knock” on his truck door!
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He’s in Grad School in the City Rent-Free!
Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube
You’d never know what was hiding inside!
Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube
Here’s what he started with.
Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube
Now look at it! Awesome.
Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube
He made sure his student area was extra spacious.
Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube
VIDEO: His fabulous studio apartment is hidden inside this box truck
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Our big thanks to Jenna of Tiny House Giant Journey for sharing! 🙏
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Natalie C. McKee
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Nice but where he parks helps a lot if he gets that knock. This isn’t uncommon though larger than most vans used for this by students back into the 60s.
Such a truck parked would tend to be noticed by police and even illegal to park in many places. Most park on school grounds where they let it happen using the school gym for showers, etc.
Or other private property with permission.
Getting yourself a paid for place to live is one of the best ways to get ahead without the huge cost of rent.
Living on a boat, saved me $300k in rent over 25 yrs in todays money. Ad why van life is getting big saving $30/day in rent is enough to live on frugally.
I liked it as without rent I didn’t need a regular job and got to take ones like sailing to the Virgin Islands for a nice 2 wk paycheck that covered my needs 3 months.
A nice way is a trailer boat designed to be used as a trailer and if you can’t find a free place on land just launch and anchor the boat is always free.
Living on a boat on land in coastal places is legal as always been done .
There’s all kinds of places to park these now a days, I had a friend that did this while we were going to a Tech school in Florida, It wasn’t NEAR this nice but he lived in a campground for the year and a half he was there that cost him $6 a day, that’s $180 and that included bathroom, shower and laundry facilities. It;s a very cheap way to live.
OMG!! It’s absolutely fabulous. I would love to live in it just because it’s a sensational home. The only thing that could possibly make it better is a fireplace but then you would definitely get that knock. From the fire department 😉. In my opinion he did it best 👌
Heat can be done with a space heater. you’d have to have a RV solar panel set-up to run the pumps for the water anyway. There are lots of places to still park it. most campgrounds have bathroom, shower and laundry facilities. A buddy of mine did it while we were in a Tech School in Florida. He was originally from Georgia and just drove it down and then bought a $1500 beater to get back and forth to school and lived in a state camp ground for $6 a night.
Brilliant, Bryan!
There is a fireplace specifically designed from a van, rv, etc, called a Cubic Grizzly that omits zero smoke thanks to a design that re-burns its own smoke. There also are several diesel fired heaters on Ebay called ” parking heaters” that are very solid freindly because the use very little battery power,, and are very fuel efficient with zero fumes inside the van. I have used these for years with excellent heat, no smoke, and very quiet inside and out.
Thanks for sharing, David!
Nice job. It makes me think, I have an older but low mileage box truck just sitting there, only 62,000 miles on it. It was in great running shape when I parked it two years ago but it now needs some TLC (new battery and starter plus of course a redo inside). Your conversion has given me some nice ideas. Thanks. I would use mine as a camper and I’m looking for a campground in Wisconsin I could park it at longer term. Maybe even a place down south to get away from the snow for a month or two. Maybe Alabama, I’m familiar with the Birmingham area.
That would be awesome! You should definitely do it, and then show us your work!
Alot of people already do that, we called them “Snow Birds” in Florida, They will buy an RV/cheap mobile home and live down south from November/December until March or April. Idk anyone who did it in box truck but i’m sure some did.
Wow! Really nice, and it’s pretty, too, in a totally guy way. Great job!
Looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
Great job! Not sure I’d be able to live there longterm, but totally makes sense to get through school.
What is the length of the build?