A couple who moved out of their homes to live in an old ambulance together two years ago have opened up about how they have saved more then $30,000 by making the change.
Raychel and her husband Nick, both from Canada, started dating in 2017 and dreamed of traveling the world together, but unfortunately, they couldn’t afford it.
After spending years struggling to make ends meet, the pair decided to say goodbye to the life they knew and move into a used ambulance that they purchased for $4,500.
They have now transformed the vehicle into a stunning living space – and have saved thousands of dollars along the way by cutting down on expenses.
A couple who moved out of their homes to live in an ambulance together two years ago have opened up about how they have saved more then $30,000 by making the change
Raychel and her husband Nick, both from Canada, started dating in 2017 and dreamed of traveling the world together, but unfortunately, they couldn’t afford it
After spending years struggling to make ends meet, the pair decided to say goodbye to the life they knew and move into a used ambulance that they purchased for $4,500
They have now transformed the vehicle into a stunning living space – and have saved thousands of dollars along the way by cutting down on expenses
‘We wanted to travel but we were living in one of North America’s most expensive cities, Vancouver,’ Raychel recalled of her and Nick’s lives before they moved into the ambulance during a recent TikTok video.
‘We were living paycheck to paycheck and had zero savings to our names. And we also had credit card debt.’
After purchasing the decommissioned ambulance in 2020, the pair got to work on fixing it up – and they have since turned it into their dream home.
They installed new floors and painted the walls – and they also added a 630 watts solar power panel on the roof, which provides the ambulance-turned-mini-home with power.
The van is separated into two sections now, a kitchen area – which has a stove, fridge, sink, counter, fold-out table, and bench to sit on – and a bedroom – which contains a queen-sized bed and a storage area.
In total, the cost of the vehicle and the renovations totaled $8,794 – but it was well worth it, as they claim they have now saved $31,200 on not paying rent.
The couple often document the highs and lows that come with living in the small truck via TikTok, where they have gained more than 157,000 followers and three million likes across their videos.
‘We were living paycheck to paycheck and had zero savings to our names,’ Raychel recalled of her and Nick’s lives before they moved into the ambulance during a recent TikTok video
After purchasing the decommissioned ambulance in 2020, the pair got to work on fixing it up. They installed new floors and painted the walls – and added a 630 watts solar power panel
The van is separated into two sections, a kitchen area (left) – which has a stove, fridge, sink, counter, fold-out table, and bench – and a bedroom (right) – which contains a queen-sized bed
In total, the cost of the vehicle and the renovations totaled $8,794 – but it was well worth it, as they claim they have now saved $31,200 on not paying rent
When it comes to using the bathroom, Raychel explained in one video that they have a portable toilet – but they then have to dispose of the waste at a sanitation dump, which she admitted isn’t fun.
As for how they keep clean, she explained that they shower in local gyms and do their laundry at a laundromat.
In another TikTok, Raychel couldn’t stop gushing about the ‘financial freedom’ she has gained since moving into the van.
‘I pay way less for my lifestyle now than I ever did in any apartment and I get to travel,’ she said.
To make money, she works ‘temporary or seasonal jobs,’ and also earns an income from her ‘content creation.’
But according to Raychel, the best part of her lifestyle is the people they have met along the way.
The couple often document the highs and lows that come with living in the small truck via TikTok, where they have gained more than 157,000 followers
According to Raychel, the best part of her lifestyle is the people they have met along the way. She gushed: ‘We meet a lot of people that don’t care about stupid things’
‘People don’t really care about your career, when you showered last, don’t give a s**t about any of that – just who you are as a person,’ the influencer added
While the influencer has admitted it’s ‘not always easy,’ she said living in the ambulance has left her feeling ‘the most at home she’s ever felt’
‘We meet a lot of people that don’t care about stupid things,’ she explained. ‘You could be like, “I work at a gift shop,” and they’d be like, “That is really cool.”
‘People don’t really care about your career, when you showered last, don’t give a s**t about any of that – just who you are as a person.
‘It can take a while to make friends on the road, but once you do, it’s an unmatched feeling.’
While the influencer has admitted it’s ‘not always easy,’ she said living in the ambulance has left her feeling ‘the most at home she’s ever felt.’
‘Learning to live minimally is so freeing,’ she added. ‘The adjustment period at the beginning can be really hard and lonely and your problems will not go away.
‘There will be breakdowns – van breakdowns and mental breakdowns – but be ready to change because this lifestyle will open your mind to a million possibilities.’
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