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opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2019/11/02 16:52]
frater_secessus [research] 		opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2020/01/03 10:32]
frater_secessus [power]
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   * etc    * etc 
  
 +The seller must have a title in hand, and it must be in their name.  Breaking this rule typically results in heartbreak. 
 ==== failure to find vans ==== ==== failure to find vans ====
  
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 ==== failure to assess interior space ==== ==== failure to assess interior space ====
  
-It is common for people to **buy a van then decide there is some deal-breaker about the living space**. This will be your home and it needs to suit you.  RVers have a saying about this:  "try to buy your third RV first". +It is common for people to **buy a van then decide there is some deal-breaker about [[rv:cargo_van:comparo#living_area_comparison|the living space]]**. This will be your home and it needs to suit you.  RVers have a saying about this:  "try to buy your third RV first". 
  
-The key to eliminating this mistake is to pay close attention to spend time the cargo area.  Bring a tapemeasure.  Lay down longwise and sidewise.  Stand up, or stoop if necessary.  Can you handle the space? Imagine how your build would work in that space. Step into and out of the cargo area.  Pass from the cargo area to the cab in both directions.  +The key to eliminating this mistake is to pay close attention to spend time the cargo area.  Bring a tape measure.  Lay down longwise and sidewise.  Stand up, or stoop if necessary.  Can you handle the space? Imagine how your build would work in that space. Step into and out of the cargo area.  Pass from the cargo area to the cab in both directions.  
  
  
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 Power in the camper is misunderstood by some and blown off by most.  It's mainly math with some extra reading required, so I get why it's not a fun topic.  But it's **central to the build** and rewards good research and good planning.  Power in the camper is misunderstood by some and blown off by most.  It's mainly math with some extra reading required, so I get why it's not a fun topic.  But it's **central to the build** and rewards good research and good planning. 
  
-**A van is not an apartment**, so stop thinking that way.  A productive approach is to start from nothing then decide what specific you need to make your vanlife workable. This goes hand-in-hand with the math below. A counterproductive approach is assuming you can have everything you had in a house or apartment, then start cutting out devices until you can possibly, maybe, in the best possible scenario actually run them.  +**A van is not an apartment**, so stop thinking that way.  A productive approach is to **start from nothing** then decide what you need to make your vanlife workable. Prefer non-electric approaches to electric ones.  This goes hand-in-hand with the math below. **Wanting everything you had in a house or apartment** will cause disappointment, great expense, or both.    
  
  
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   * **paying for campsites**.  What is it that you are getting from the campsite that you can't handle yourself? [[lifestyle:faq_toilet|Toilets]]? [[electrical:12v:intro|Power]]?  Take that campsite money and use it to make your camper more off-grid capable.   * **paying for campsites**.  What is it that you are getting from the campsite that you can't handle yourself? [[lifestyle:faq_toilet|Toilets]]? [[electrical:12v:intro|Power]]?  Take that campsite money and use it to make your camper more off-grid capable.
   * **overpaying for "unlimited" data plans** when you could [[communication:bandwidth_conservation|use less bandwidth]], use [[communication:internet#mobile_data|an MVNO]] instead of a major carrier, etc.    * **overpaying for "unlimited" data plans** when you could [[communication:bandwidth_conservation|use less bandwidth]], use [[communication:internet#mobile_data|an MVNO]] instead of a major carrier, etc. 
 +
 +===== research =====
 +
 +Generally speaking, any question a beginner asks has already been asked/answered a kerbillion times before.  It's exhausting, and reveals that OP hasn't put forth even minimal effort.  This is so common that fatigued respondents write up Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) articles in the vain hope that beginners will read them.  And not ask the same questions over and over.  And over.  It also makes a place experience folk can link to instead of typing out the same damn answers every time.  
 +
 +So **the first step** to getting a grip on any new topic is to **look for existing FAQ articles**.  If you want to know about solar for vans do a search on [[https://www.google.com/search?q=solar+vans+faq|solar vans FAQ]]. Easy, right?
 +
 +If you are on a forum look for "stickies", which are informative articles stuck/pinned to the top of the post listing.  If you are on reddit look for "sidebars", columns on the sides of the pages that contain useful links.
 +
 +Here are [[communication:internet:search|some tips on improving your search abilities]] ("google-fu").  
  
 ===== advice ===== ===== advice =====
opinion/frater_secessus/beginner_mistakes.txt ยท Last modified: 2024/05/12 13:10 by frater_secessus

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