Living SUPER Cheap: Solo Woman’s Super THRIFTY Minivan Lifestyle!

[@mojo7493]

Worked for 40 years, spent frugally, invested what I could, and paid off my house thinking that if I could pay off the house before I retired then whatever happened I'd be okay. I never thought that the property taxes, utilities, maintenance, repairs, and food would become so expensive that I couldnt agford them. I was just sitting at home doing nothing as I couldn't afford to spend money on gas, activities, or hobbies. Opted to sell the house and moved into a converted 6x10 cargo trailer and life is wonderful. My expenses are a fraction of what they were and I am living instead of sitting in a house waiting to die. I know l am more fortunate than many to have some savings but as this lovely lady shows, there is so much you can do with very little.

[@pawsomfunandfrugal]

And Thank You Brian! It's great to see my video out! I suddenly started getting more subscribers and comments, then someone told me this was up. It was a fun interview and you did great on the video! Thanks again!

[@davidleigh443]

Yes basic necessities- medical, housing, food, gas is really hitting seniors and lower income people hard.

[@kennethgardner3090]

My favorite part is not the build, but the lady herself. I'm also an introvert. I like the way she explained herself. Trying to explain myself to an extrovert is impossible with some. Maybe this will help.

[@renabee8246]

I love how she shows you don’t have to spend alot to go on the road.

[@sherryhicks4156]

It always amazed me to see what people do to create a living environment in their vans.

[@vivianallen9772]

I enjoy seeing people make do with whatever they come up with, and still be happy. The cardboard solution is ingenious!😀

[@pianogal853]

Yes, I'd love to understand that cardboard method better!

[@sandygordon496]

What a smart idea about the cardboard storage.It doesn't get wet inside the van, and it would be really light and easy to replace.Genius!

[@SandysSerenityCorner]

My favorite part of the build is that wonderfully resilient lady. You are an inspiration.

[@GwenMotoGirl]

And the puppies! Adorable.

[@spaceprepper3657]

Nice build and lady. May the good Lord watch over you and your family and friends. Peace and Love 😊.

[@DottieStanley]

Another great video! So many of us are facing housing issues these days. I thought in 2010 that I was going to be OK with what I was going to be getting from Social Security when I turned of age. I'm 68 now and I am going to have to live on the road in my van because I can afford rent in Central Texas. Austin rent is ridiculous and the smaller towns around here have turned into large bedroom communities with high rents too. It's really a national crisis. I hope our government can figure out how to help with this situation. It's supposed to be our golden years. It should not be this hard to survive. I worked all my life from the time I was 16. I supported myself the entire time. Thanks for pointing this out here! It's so important for us all to be kind to each other and help when and where we can.

[@mitchweber7868]

Dottie I couldn't agree with you more I'm only 31 and idk what is going to happen in the future....... I was wondering about her trailer situation, I'm thinking she is probably up to date on her trailer payments... but she CANNOT afford the lot rent, so in that case, they will force the trailer off the lot, and maybe repo the trailer??? Idk what happens in the case of them owning the trailer and having nowhere to put the trailer and having to pay to have it moved??? I watched a documentary on that actually, a lot somewhere had a notice in place for ten years or something not allowing them to raise the rent. Apparently that expired and they finally raised it. The whole documentary was people just becoming homeless basically.

[@thedesertshulamite1967]

Very well done Gretchen!!!

[@jackiemobley8529]

Love Gretchen and the roving reporters helping Bob out!

[@stanbyme7874]

I have dog warming blankets. Great tip that works. ✊🏽introverts unite…oh, wait..👋introverts wave as you go by🥰

[@rebeccaogrady2995]

I like the idea of the cardboard. I bet it helps the gas mileage to keep it so light.

[@janetkoball44]

Gretchen is a friendly lady that has learned a lot that she is sharing. Cardboard cabinets is a new idea for me. Thanks

[@canoefor-one1102]

This pleasant senior nomad proves there is truth in the saying, "necessity is the mother of invention."Well done, Gretchen!"

[@magomago7819]

The pillow blanket idea is great❤.

[@malikaeastonAllahfirstanfamily]

She a real creative lady and smart don't have the weight weighing her van down. My hat goes off for her. Keep living your best life 💟. Enjoy your video. Beautiful lady you will engage many van life to start there journey, thank you

[@susana6917]

Gretchen... What an awesome build! LOVE the click-clack bed/ chair and will be doing that as well. Thanks!

[@simpleighh.383]

Those really are a great idea for cost and people who need to elevate etc.

[@michelle7352]

Like everyone else, I love the last and her ideas. In fact I'd love to see another video where we go space by space and see closer many of her ideas. She is a great example for making do and being creative!

[@MARKCANEER]

Thank You Gretchen for sharing your home and insights. Great Video 👍🙏

[@josephmorgan3715]

The great idea of using cardboard instead of wood or metal to build the interior is a great idea!!!

[@noreenn6976]

The S'mores maker is a clever idea for cooking!

[@teresaweaver6609]

God bless you, keep it moving. ❤

[@bridgetoconnor7229]

Gretchen is such a brave and resourceful person. Love the lightweight cardboard dresser!

[@Ranbuowsatrawarriar]

Great resourcefulness, Gretchen!

[@bambihargrove6499]

❤so smart she is preparing for her future ❤ love the cardboard dresser.

[@crystalerdman3455]

Ingenious using poultry/pet warmers for heat!

[@cotter9751]

I really appreciated this tour of Gretchen's space! I'll check out her KZbin channel. Love the idea of the cardboard cabinets! Thanks.

[@SophiaodC]

Your videos are always so mischievous and entertaining! Thank you for your sense of humor and your ability to make our days brighter and more fun!🐟⬛️🦁

[@Lois-o1f]

Yes, I agree. I love Bob 😍

[@lovingit1538]

Love the lil outside table

[@PassingThrough-p3l]

I love how frugal she is.

[@timgillman]

Cardboard can also work to make sure you get everything the way you want and then use more permanent material.

[@leeleroux9092]

Thank you Gretchen and Brian. Many blessings to you.

[@simpleighh.383]

Very creative and clever. And I get you too.

[@MsVintage61]

love the idea of using the cardboard! also, optimizing table space by placing a smaller table on top and the cat litter container, thank you, safe travels!

[@rogerthat1553]

Hi Gretchen, I retired 3 years age at 59 and the SUV i was using to travel and camp in was to small. I bought a 2015 Toyota Sienna and it works a lot better but in my opinion it's still to small to live in. The problem is when you go bigger than a minivan the fuel economy goes way down. If I ever spend a lot more time on the road I would like to build a small 4 wheel Schoolie

[@stphns1737]

I have often thought the big cat litter box was a perfect human litter box 🎉

[@mojo7493]

Its amazing how innovative you can become when the need is there. ❤

[@jamesconnell323]

This is my 1st time in Q. I came down from camping in the Telluride area for warmer air and pearls of knowledge and to get some upgrades to this Box I live in. She’s so nice, I hope to meet her. The cooker was cool and the bed warmer was also useful. I have a hand held hair dryer I keep by my bed to warm it up and all the blankets keeps it cozy…. when I have to get up to pee or let the cat out, it’s nice to be able to heat it back up quickly. 😊 the temps are just right in Q right now… compared to the Lizard Pass area.

[@justgivemethetruth]

I love how inventive she is, and frugal.

[@Ryder276]

I learned a lot from this video. I will be homeless in about 4-6 months and will be living out of my p/u. Thank you for posting.

[@ML-uk6lu]

The "no build" is best, convenience and function is key. Thank you.

[@kimprocarione5473]

Excellent! I'm off to watch cardboard furniture tutorials! And a folding outdoor lounger is a great idea if you don't have much headroom. Great ideas!

[@marymcquaid7291]

So many clever ideas! I enjoyed this video tremendously. Thank you very much indeed. Love your dogs! Too cute!

[@winsome6705]

Best toilet yet! Awesome Gretchen I'm filled w ideas now ty for the tour. As a matter of fact I remember seeing u in a virtual caravan meeting through HOWA so really cool to see ur set up!❤ omg on that poultry/ pet heating pad thing I've ran into thoes on Amazon and was wondering. Subscribed

[@LoveRise]

Stellar video!! Gretchen can you tell us where you bought the poultry/pet heating pad. What brand to look for?

[@SurfingFLA]

I like the peace sign curtain at the hatchback.

[@stevenmiller1031]

Thank you for sharing.

[@annahopp]

I am watching this on the day I opened my homeowners insurance renewal notice for $4500 a year. Living in a van by the river sounds better every day.

[@anniewisecarver744]

Hey Gretchen, I use a twin sized heated mattress cover that covers the entire bed. I plug it into my power station. Even on the lowest setting, I'm nice and toasty. Good luck to you! 💌

[@AbnRgrDocDad]

Thanks 😊

[@halleluyah757]

Very comfortable!

[@marinarehren7076]

A very interesting tour! Thank you so much!

[@aspielife9323]

Not all of us choose to live van life full time. We're just priced out of the cost of living. Such is the life of a disabled person. I don't know what will happen to me when it happens. I try not to think about it. Especially here in Scotland where it's always cold and wet most of the year.

[@melodyjennings7782]

May God bless and Mary keep you dear soul sister Gretchen. Your attitude is very inspirational and you've solved problems in creative ways. Love the cardboard idea! ❤

[@KimtheElder]

Super interesting about the cardboard cabinets: Went over and subscribed to her channel! :)

[@ramontoro]

Good information. Good interview thanks

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

Good on her .

[@nancyrosen-i9z]

great info good luck

[@gretchenbillings1402]

Hey! Another Gretchen 😁

[@honoluluhelpers]

#Grateful 🙏 love you guys, thank you, #mahalo

[@mojavedesertsonorandesert9531]

Hi Gretchen! 🙌🏼 Another wonderful video!

[@capaddler]

Warming blanket using so little power 👍🏼👍🏼. I have to try that out.

[@madalynnewton5488]

Resourceful Lady.

[@Outdoortodd1234]

She is an inspiration

[@a.mstree]

So many great ideas! ✌🏼🚐✨✨

[@luckywarriorakabonnies.1855]

Thank you Brian and Gretchen for a very informative video with many ideas.

[@justgivemethetruth]

She is from nearby the CA SF Bay Area, down in Santa Cruz - and yeah, it's getting super expensive here.

[@ramonapuckett3059]

Thank you both for a great, informative video! 🩷

[@lisawyer7524]

Great set up on a budget.

[@yunggolem4687]

Main problem I've found with van life is the vans are unreliable. Everyone I've talked to that full times for more than a year has gone through multiple vans or major repairs. This makes these excessive youtube vanbuilds extremely bad ideas since you're tying hundreds/thousands of hours of work & thousands/tens of thousands of dollars to something likely to break & be replaced within a year or two. This goes double for builds on used vans. The quality level of vans is just awful compared to high volume vehicles like SUVs & working on them is extra annoying due to the van chassis & short hood combined with an engine made for access in a truck or car hood. The only manufacturers that seem to care about long term reliability these days are toyota & honda, but neither makes a full size van for the US market... so you're either limited to unreliable vans from euro/us companies or too small vans from japanese companies. RVs Even worse often times, especially since the price vs a stock van, used or new, is often absurd & the quality of the RV box build is usually pathetic except on expensive RVs. Box trucks, step vans, ambo conversions, short bus conversions Lots of space, decent build quality for the rear box, but come with their own problems, mostly being standouts & eyesores attracting negative attention & poor fuel mileage. Beefier engines & drivetrains, but when they break cost extra $$$ to fix & are twice as difficult to fix on your own due to the increased size of all the components. These are fine for stationary use on your land or a friend's land (similar to a camper trailer), but pretty bad for being mobile due to terrible fuel efficiency, poor driving ergos, & increased width/length. Insuring these is often a nightmare & the possibility of creating an accident is increased due to their awkward size. Truck/SUV + Camper After trying a minivan, a sprinter, an RV, an e450 short bus conversion... I finally went back to the truck + camper setup. Its main disadvantage is the length & the fact you must exit to move between vehicle & camper, but the simple fact that they are separate is hugely underrated. Now if either has problems, you can swap it out with minimal hassle. You can leave the camper in a spot & actually use the truck as a vehicle, unlike the single unit options, and if necessary you can separate them & park side by side to fit into parking spots, assuming your camper isn't massive. Camper build quality isn't any better than RVs, but being built on a trailer frame makes them a lot easier to work on & if it become untenable you can go for a new trailer while keeping your truck. I only part time these days, but my preferred setup at this point is Toyota 4runner with a 20ft trailer. Plenty big for me & my dog and accommodates my girlfriend when she comes along Sure wish someone made a full size van focused on low maintenance & reliability. It's just a pain taking even my relatively short setup into a city, especially any downtown area requiring extra costs & prep of finding somewhere to offload the trailer before going into the deep city & even then if it's not at a paid RV park (expensive, a lot of time cost) or a friend's place I worry about it being messed with.

[@ramontoro]

Hello from Puerto Rico Bob and friends

[@melissa-jh4wb]

Great video!❤🙂

[@julierawlins5984]

Good job!

[@dottiewentz5121]

I lived on the Rd with my late husband in a Peterbilt truck. You can do it. I will say tho a utility size van is better and gives you a little more room and I could stand inside it. Good luck honey

[@tikitiki7610]

excellent, nice lady, smart also, thank you

[@LoveRise]

Gretchen rents have skyrocket here I'm sedona as well. I lived in santa cruz for ten years before going on the road. I often consider getting a mobile home in santa cruz. Could you tell me how much rents are going for in a mobile home park like yours these days? Thank you!

[@misst1586]

That was great I need to find out where to get that heating pad you were talking about to takes 7 Watts? I'm going to go check out your channel now

[@lindaroberts2297]

Great - please take care, it still annoys me that hard-working Americans have to resort to their vehicles - even though it has positive aspects

[@michelle7352]

Would love to know brand of pet heating pad as I have found only one small one with that low wattage; however it had only on/off switch, no temp control or timer. Anyone else have idea?

[@MySonsMother]

I’m sitting here in my driver seat in 29° bundled up in my 12v auto blanket that uses 43w on low and 53won high. I cannot find a pet heating pad that uses only 7w. The lowest I’ve found is 30w. can you please share what brand it is? Do you have an Amazon link?

[@brud54]

Not for nothing, Is a woman out in nowhere by herself safe in this world today. I'm pretty much an introvert also, but I'm not in the desert in tweekerville. None of these innumerable videos talk about a safety aspect

[@aspielife9323]

I'm looking at van life because of the fear of losing my income being a disabled person. It's not right. We shouldn't have to live in fear because politicians use us as scape goats to drum up right wing votes. I didn't ask to be disabled, I didn't ask to be unemployed. I didn't ask to alone in this world. So why should we suffer for things that aren't our fault? It's not right.

[@angelabraggs7614]

What kind of van your driving

[@Donald-b8u4v]

I was homeless, did drugs, went into prison, where I got to know God. He changed my life. Now I have a home, a wife and a lovely year old daughter (Zoe), and a stream of income that gets me $32,000 Weekly. Plus a new identity- a child of God. Hallelujah!!!

[@kathleenholt6008]

You’re right. That is CHEAP! 😅

[@jodyrister3230]

Tim walz reminds me of howard dean. Who would shout and wave like a maniac. But i believe walz is touched in the head

[@kathleenholt6008]

Love Tim Walz ❤💙💙💙💙💙