It Starts

Hi. My name is, well, you don’t really need to know my name. I WILL tell you that I am a 26 yr old female living in Atlanta, GA and I don't actually live in a van. YET. I am in the process of saving up the cash to buy a cargo van and convert it to a camper so I can live in it full time. Complete with camping stove, 5 gallon bucket toilet and sleeping in Walmart parking lots.

Am I homeless? No.

I’m a college grad, I have a good job and I make really good money. Why would a girl like me want to give up my beautiful two bedroom, two bath, 1,300 sq ft apartment with huge walk-in closets and a sunroom with amazing wooded views to live in an old van? The obvious answer is because I’m completely insane. That’s the consensus anyways. I would, however, disagree.

I have a dream. My dream is to be debt free, own my own land, build a house and grow things. I want apple trees and chickens and beehives and rows of corn.

Too bad I didn’t figure out what my dream was until AFTER I racked up $50,000 in student loans, car payments and credit card bills. Unlike many Americans, I’m not ok with credit card companies owning my soul. I don’t want to be paying student loans until I’m 50. I want land in the next couple of years, not 30 years from now. I want to be able to pay cash for my land and the house that I will build. After this debt is paid I refuse to get into more, not even a mortgage. I’m willing to make the sacrifices I need to in order to achieve my goal sooner rather than later.

I am beyond blessed to have had the opportunity for higher education. I am blessed to be making as much money as I do and to have good health insurance. I am blessed that I will be living in this situation by choice and not necessity.

In this blog I will chronicle the whole journey. From finding a van, the conversion process, living in it and everything I experience on the way.