In recent years, many travel nurses have begun to opt for a life on the road. That is, they prefer to live out of a van instead of moving into apartments during their assignment. 

You might wonder, “Why would they do this, when they get a housing stipend anyway?”

Well, if you listen to the testimonies of the travel nurses living the van life, you will see that there are tonnes of benefits. 

The Top Pros of Living in a Van

Now, you can save a lot of money this way. If you already have accommodation, then most (if not all) of your housing stipend can go into your savings. Once you collect a big enough amount, you can even stop working for a bit and travel without any responsibilities. 

Second, you can free yourself from having to deal with the volatile housing market. As you begin living in different places, you will soon realize that rent and housing conditions can vary wildly from city to city. 

While on some assignments your stipend will be more than enough to cover your living expenses, on others you might find that you have to dip into your savings because of the exorbitant rent being charged. 

If you have special needs or a pet, it is even tougher to find good but cheap accommodation. However, if you already have a place to live in free of cost, then you do not have to deal with any such problems. 

Third, all transport issues are solved. Having your own vehicle will save you a tonne of money since you don’t have to pay for public transport. If you want, you could simply park your car in the parking lot of your hospital. Of course, driving a van is not the easiest task, but it is definitely a lot easier than finding or renting a new car at the beginning of every assignment. 

And last but not least – a new world of adventure opens up! Living the van life means that you can take time off between assignments to take a road trip or even take short trips on your days off. You also get live much closer to nature and can simply move to a new location if you get bored after a few weeks in the same spot. 

Cons Of Living In A Van

Like everything else in the world, van life has both advantages and disadvantages. The first problem is that life on the road and living frugally can get lonely since you do not have any roommates or neighbors around you. 

Second, you might find it tough to adjust to the smaller living space and the lack of amenities in your mobile home. However, it is also possible to build a van which caters to your living requirements. And as even basic research will show, some people manage to convert their vans into truly luxurious spaces that anyone would kill to live in. While this might take a heavy investment initially, it will pay off once you start saving money on housing. 

The important thing to remember is that different things work for different people, so make the decision that suits you best. That being said, it seems like travel nurses who have opted into the van life are having a gala time.