MILLENIALS are ditching expensive rentals for a more minimalistic lifestyle in the back of their vans.
The van life movement has been a growing trend recently – some do it for more freedom, while others find it a more affordable way to live.
South Australian couple Elise Cook and Domenic Palumbo joined the van movement for a more simplistic lifestyle. They got rid of everything they owned to live out of their Kombi van.
The couple are now travelling Australia, waking up to the sunset in a new place everyday.
Domenic Palumbo and Elise Cook say they never get bored living life on the road. Picture: Instagram/elisecookSource:Instagram
WE PROMISED TO HAVE ADVENTURES
Two years ago the couple found the Kombi van they wanted online, but soon realised it was out of their price range.
But once the owner found out the pair were planning to live in the van, he decided to sell it to them despite being offered more money by others.
His wife had recently died and was selling the van they had travelled Europe, South Africa and Australia in.
“He told us he had people offer what he was asking but he liked the idea of a young married couple starting their lives with the van,” Ms Cook told news.com.au.
“We could only afford half of what he was asking but he said he would sell it to us if we promised to have adventures.”
Ms Cook and her husband started with weekend getaways and two month-long trips before they decided to live in the van fulltime.
Domenic Palumbo and Elise Cook enjoy their new life in the van. Picture: Instagram/elisecookSource:Instagram
MAKING THE DECISION
“It’s definitely more cost effective,” Ms Cook said.
“We were thinking about how much we were spending on rent while trying to go on getaways and run a business. Now you just spend money on food and fuel.”
Ms Cook had a desire to go travelling but her husband was a workaholic, spending up to 12 hours a day building up his winery.
“We had a different vision and it was hard to see them coming together. We compromised and bought a van and started going on short trips. Dom realised he could do his work on the road and then one day said ‘let’s do this fulltime’,” she said.
According to Ms Cook, the radical change was the best decision they had made.
They share a coffee at 5am while they watch the sunrise and by 7am they are on the road or exploring their new home for the next few days.
Elise Cook reading in the back of her van. Picture: Instagram/elisecookSource:Instagram
LIFE IN THE VAN
The couple live off the bare necessities and own just one frying pan, two cups, two bowls and two sets of cutlery.
The van has a sink and a small stove where they can cook.
But they don’t have their own toilet or a place to shower and wash clothes.
“We did this knowing we weren’t going to have a toilet or shower for the next year or two,” Ms Cook said.
“We try to swim everyday, even if it’s cold, and use the beach showers and every couple of days we pay for hot showers at local swimming pools and caravan parks.
“People see that as a downside and while the public showers can be gross, it makes me realise the freedom we have.”
Ms Cook said they don’t use a lot of technology and don’t even own a TV, but they never got bored.
“Having the option to sit on the couch at home and watch TV — I love that feeling — but it all blurs into a monotonous week,” she said.
“Now we will watch the sunset, read a book, play cards, and we find the van is a people magnet and we always have people coming over to chat. We’ve become really open.”
Ms Cook said not only are they saving money, they have also slowed their lives down and are much happier for it.
She urged anybody considering living out of a van to just do it.
“You can’t really go wrong,” she said.
Ms Cook herself has seen the “van life movement” take off and believed people desired a simple life on the road without everyday financial pressures.
Elise Cook and Domenic Palumbo purchased their van two years ago. Picture: Instagram/elisecookSource:Instagram
