6 Tips From a Dirtbag on Finances

Whether you’re currently living the dream, chasing storms, avoiding them or dreaming to do so and in either scenario find yourself underfunded and dreaming of a lottery win. Well these tips won’t equate to a lotto win and you can keep dreaming on that point but these certainly will keep a healthy sum of cash on hand.

1. 

   Winter time van stoke. Photo by Natalie Noakes

   I cannot reiterate this enough. Know the difference between wants and needs. This will save you more money than you realize if you just ask yourself before big and small purchases alike if you need it or you want it. A new rope because yours is raggedy and has been in the field for years is a need despite it being a rope. Buying a bag of organic kale chips because you’re a bit peckish is a want, do those exist?
2. Never pay retail when you do need to make purchases. There are a gajillion sites out there that will help you on this mission. They sometimes require a bit of patience but they pay off can be awesome. To name a few: Steep and cheap, chain love, left lane sports, the clymb and sierra trading post. Few things will drain your bank account faster than a new pair of full priced skis, a mountain bike at retail or a rack of cams from REI.
3. Accept free things (embrace the freegan lifestyle). Whether things are given from dumpsters, friendship or in exchange for services say yes. Unless they won’t fit in your vehicle they can be of immediate or later use, they can be sold off or bartered with later.
4. Learn as much about vehicular maintenance as possible. What sounds better, $50 for an oil change or $20 knowing you did it right (on most vehicles they’re dead easy) and saved $30? Breakdowns are costly and it’s better to head them off with regular maintenance for cheap when done yourself.

5. 

   Post photo shoot coffee.
   Photo by Dan Holz

   Live for free. Whether it’s rent, hotels or camping costs, spend the extra ten minutes to try and figure out they might be avoided. I figure, conservatively, over the past three years I have avoided many of these and saved easily $5,500!
6. Pay for experiences that last, Forbes agrees. Buy a board game instead of a movie ticket, a plane ticket instead of a new T.V. I guarantee that the memories and relationships formed through the game or trip will far outlast those of the movie or T.V.!
7. Be positive and enthusiastic, good things will come.

Getting the Previa Winter-proofed

Snowed in...almost.

This winter I am back in the mountains of Colorado and according to the farmer's almanac it is supposed to be chilly...chillier than last which had a couple of weeks that it was dropping down to -25F. So far, unfortunately it seems to be holding true with nights dropping down to -7F in the second week of November, last winter I had not yet moved from blankets to my sleeping bag and now I have spent the last week and a half sleeping in my bag, with several of those nights being uncomfortably cold (my fault since I sold my winter bag and have been sleeping in a lighter bag rated to +45F) for more than a few nights.

To ready the van for the winter I have used a few tricks from the previous winters, modified some others and introduced a couple of new ones.

Returning due to popular demand:
-As in has been the case in prior winters when it's chilly and you're warm the motivation to put cold shoes on and step outside to visit nature loses some of its appeal, so the pee bottle has remained a constant.
-Another constant is the memory foam mattress that gets rock hard when cold but almost melts underneath you when it warms up, it's the closest a mattress can get to a hug and it feels great!
-The Coleman two burner continues to make cooking and water boiling a cinch while also cranking out those BTUs and making the van interior feel like a tropical paradise despite the snowy landscape.
-Books and podcasts as I talked about in my entertainment post have occupied much of my evening free time.

Version 2.0 
- This summer when I sold the purple dragon (the van I spent the previous two winters in) the home made tea candle space heater went with it. So far I have dabbled with a modification of placing a small bowl in a low walled pail (for draft protection). It fits three tea candles and I think is just fine for taking the edge of the air while I sleep. I moved away from the prior construction because last winter I knocked it over many times which was something of a fire danger as well as a great way to spill hot wax everywhere. The down side to the new design is that the candles to light up the van which isn't very stealthy and can sometimes inhibit sleep, also the exposed flames continue to present a fire hazard, we'll see if any more modifications occur as the winter progresses as it's still an imperfect system.

The Coleman with the coffee percolator, perfection!

-My hot beverage system, however, has been perfected with the introduction of a new mug in addition to my Hydroflask mug. In the morning I make my first cup of coffee and put it in the new mug that is less insulative and therefore makes for a great hand warmer and makes the coffee a more drinkable temperature faster. My second cup of coffee goes into the Hydroflask for work or more long term sipping as it will keep stuff hot for hours and if you're not careful like me is a recipe for a burnt tongue!

New this Season:
-All Wheel Drive, as you may know I upgraded to a Toyota Previa this year and it has AWD, it is awesome. With new snow tires and ingenious design I have had to work to make it slip. Time and time again I have assumed that I won't get out a snowy parking lot or will slip going around a corner, all of which would have been true in my previous vans. Time and time again I've been disappointed with a mundane and safe drive to my sleeping place or work. I now understand how my friend Nathan was able to pull my old Dodge out of ditches and through town with his Previa last winter, they're amazing vehicles!

The ensolite foam insulation on the sliding door.

-However, the Previa is a mini van and so has boat loads of windows A.K.A. heat sinks. To combat this I've installed the reflective bubble wrap cut to fit, backed with canvas that Velcros to the interior. On the sliding door the canvas wasn't very practical so the bubble wrap is glued to some ensolite foam, the bubble wrap was from Nathan's Previa, saving me a bunch of work which was awesome. For the front I've attached Velcro to the reflectors you can put in your windshield in the summer so that the reflective surface faces into the sleeping area. This set up has proved to be surprisingly warm, keeping the van (I'm guessing) 20-30F warmer than the exterior temperatures when combined with my tea candle heater.
-Down socks, they're awesome also! I wear mine inside the van when lounging, inside my sleeping bag on cold nights, in my snow boots when I'm lazy and it's cold outside. They pack down to nothing so are easy to accommodate in the van and are extremely warm (You might recognize the guy in the  picture in ^ link).

Books on the left, chitenge from Zambia on the right
and a man cave in the middle.

A view of the yard out of my bedroom window.
River front property is as great as they say it is.

Travel Time

Well it's that time of year again, the temps are dropping, leaves are changing and climbing in the west is coming into its prime season. And so, I'll be hitting the road soon to travel to Denver, Glenwood Springs, Zion, Joshua Tree, Moab and hopefully many other spectacular and unique places that the wind blows me! This summer, specifically the past couple weeks, have been filled with new and old friends asking 'where are you going now?' and 'what's next?' and with each conversation the stoke keeps growing, even now I'm struggling to fully describe what I'm feeling, having just had this conversation with a fellow that recognizes me by my bike and now my head's a buzzin' with all of this positive energy. Well needless to say the road is calling and with the end of sedentary work just around the corner I am ready to journey and explore.

One last thing to put on top before hitting the road.

As I write this I'm about to go for a mountain bike ride and then in to my last day of knuckle dragging work for the next couple months. From here in Durango I'll be all over the west, from Indian Creek, Zion and Joshua Tree to maybe Yosemite or Aspen, or where ever the wind blows me.

I'm psyched to see new van setups, meet new friends, reunite with old friends, develop new routes, reclimb the classics, mountain bike unknown trails, hike through new to me but ancient canyons, educate some kiddos on how awesome nature can be and work on my tan for beach season 2015.

Ready for anything including 8000M peaks.

Living in a Van during the Summer

In response to the uber popular winter tips and tricks post here is a summer themed one!

A friend of mine used to say with some frequency that sometimes living the dream ain't so dreamy. Which can sometimes certainly be the case for van life in the winter but I think is even more true in the summa' time.

Location, location, location.
It has been my experience that unless you have a friend's house that you're able to park at or are willing to rent a campsite the summer can be troublesome to a dirtbag as the added camping crowds heighten the awareness of campsite poaching (not paying for an established campsite or camping in a turnout) as dirtbags and respectable folk alike are attempting this. And then with all the regular people looking to enjoy the outdoors, there is tremendous competition for free camping close to town.

Getting an early start on a high country mountain bike ride,
enjoying the blankets of wildflowers. Picture by John Fleury

If you choose to stay within city limits, there is certainly a risk of having a chat with police officers at 2AM about where you are living and sleeping that isn't the most fun thing to do at that hour. It also means that unless you have a driveway to sleep in it's best to keep moving locations to keep a low profile, which is a surprisingly exhausting endeavor.

Food and the heat.
You definitely have to be a bit more aware of food going bad in the heat as refrigeration is a luxury of more sedentary folk. That being said it's not hard to toss a wet towel or shirt on the cooler for some evaporation cooling and taking advantage of freezers when possible, either freezing food or water bottles to put in the cooler. Also, I have found that I just shop more frequently for fresh fruits and vegetables during summers in the van just to minimize the frequency of food being wasted.

All of the pros.

-Daylight Hours They're long and glorious, allowing you to get out and play in off(ish) the grid locations, sleep there and cruise back to town with the early rising sun. It can make for long days but I also personally love rising and falling asleep with the sun.

-Not Cold enough said right? You're not cold while you sleep, while you dress in the morning etc. While I prefer to sleep cold, there is something to be said for being comfortable all the time.

Just doing a little sorting in the park.

-Van Organization is Made Easy it's easy to spend 30 minutes at a park on a fine summer day, unload you're worldly possessions and pack them back just they way you would like to with out worrying about them getting wet, snowy blown away etc.

-More Naps what better way to beat the heat than to sleep through it to awake refreshed and ready to enjoy the extended daylight hours of the summer.

-No Moisture Issues No need to worry about rust, mildew or any other excessive moisture issues as the summer heat should evaporate any condensation that does accrue overnight. This evaporation as previously mentioned, when is does occur can be coolly harnessed for your benefit.

-Easier Night Time Activities if you're not exhausted at the end of your day it is so much easier to get out and enjoy the great outdoors or other night time activities when the nighttime temperatures are pleasant and conducive to not hanging out in your vehicle reading or listening to podcasts.

-Bathing in Rivers is best done in less populated areas to minimize the likelihood of offense; but is an easy way to feel like a badass as well as not mooching a shower off of friends and coworkers. It's also great for getting in touch, literally, with nature and checking out the next great fishing hole! Remember to pack a biodegradable soap like campsuds or Dr. Bronners, I've been pretty psyched on Bronner's citrus orange and classic peppermint scents!

Frugality and the Luxuries of the Van Life

For folks that are unfamiliar with manager's special, allow me to enlighten you. Manager's special, as a term is specific to the Kroger line of stores, however, the concept is used by many chains. Manager's special, is usually massively marked down grocery items that are about to expire. This can include but isn't limited to: veggies, fruits, baked goods, vitamins...well pretty much everything that has an expiration date stamped on it, or is drastically out of season.

Manager’s special is the socially acceptable and sometimes slightly more costly version of dumpster diving, unless of course it's paired with a coupon. Dumpster diving being the hide and seek game of finding edible foods that have fully passed their expiration date and have accordingly been tossed in a dumpster despite still being edible, particularly in the case of processed foods. Manager’s special items are typically identified by bright yellow and orange tags in the Kroger stores or by designated areas that will contain just baked goods or vegetables or refrigerated items etc. 

Additionally, these markdown items are almost always 50% off of their regular price or better.

As a result of this markdown, dirtbags and penny pinchers alike can enjoy the edible luxuries that are also enjoyed by people with a reliable and healthy income. We can appreciate and enjoy the aromas and flavors of cold pressed organic olive oil, imported Wensleydale cheese with cranberries or handmade hummus with fire roasted green chilies.

People that I have worked or lived with know that I love to flaunt the rack of ribs I've recently picked up for six bucks, or the ½ gallon of the aforementioned olive oil for $7.49. If you don’t care to rub your savings in the faces of friends, but still wish to bask in the glory of finding a delicious deal. Simply peel that still discount sticker off your great find and share. Let your friends and family ooh and aah over whatever delectable dish you’re serving and smile to yourself, knowing you only spent pennies on it!

So next time you go grocery shopping swing by the markdown sections first, especially if you’re a fan of baked goods as they seem to be plentiful, and snag some stuff that’s on your list…or not (be careful though if shopping on an empty stomach as the impulse purchases can be most costly despite the savings). Save yourself a couple bucks here and there, toss time in a piggy bank and I’ve found that in a relatively short amount of time you can tack on an extra month to your road trip with your manager’s special savings!

Yes a few spontaneous purchases made their way into the cart...but JACKPOT!

Freeganism

So for this installment of the van life tips and insights (I think that's what these are) I thought I'd touch on a near and dear subject that my cousin has labeled 'freeganism'. Basically, freeganism is a compulsion or motivation to accept and collect free things in order to better or maintain one's standard of living. This can range from a pair of shoes found alongside the interstate, a meal offered by friends, family or strangers, a hand out from work etc.

I'm sure you can all think back fondly on a time when you got a sweet hand-me-down sweater or found a soda in a vending machine that you snagged. This does not make you a freegan. If, however, those both happened in the last week and you have also chosen a profession you know you'll get free samples from, you visit Costco specifically when you're hungry, you choose to use library internet rather than getting your own or, the thought of a new pair of shoes for free makes you giddy and giggly...then you may indeed be a freegan.

This is a perfectly acceptable way to cut down on costs while continuing to do what you like to do. However, I'm afraid that there is a dark side to freeganism that I only recently became aware of. It is possible to become addicted and blind to the fact that you can collect too much stuff. Eight pairs of free shoes may be too many, a full wardrobe of shirts that you didn't pay for but received fairly, daily trips to the supermarket dumpster for expired veggies and cookies may all be indicators of a freegan overload.

The good news is there is a quick and easy fix! You now have the power to enable and encourage other freegans with your excess. Feel free to gift on some of those things you don't really need. Donate to a local thrift shop (not quite a freegan move but close enough for me to allow it). Ask among your friends to see if any of them are freegans or know one and earn some of those good karma points. A sweet side effect of giving your excess (but usable) stuff away is the awesome feeling of doing good while streamlining your life. Those of you that have done this know what I'm talking about. Those that don't well hop on board and give it a go.

Hat, Free. Vest, Free. Shoes, Free. Pure joy, Free. 

A likely bunch of candidates for freeganism.

You can have fun with free stuff and what better way to not waste a 5lb bag of spinach than with a spinach eating contest.

Photos by Kayla Watson.