What kind of life do you really want to lead? Does consumption and stuff dictate your life more than you’d like? It is so important to examine your own life to discover the small changes you can make right now to give you more freedom to do the things that truly matter most to you. For this interview, we sat down with Chris and Cristi from Life Opted Out to talk about how and why they chose to leave a life they loved in NYC for a much simpler, more affordable life traveling the country in their van. They share that so many of the lessons they’ve learned are not specific to life on the road, and can be applied to anyone looking for more purpose and fulfillment.
Additional Resources
For listeners who would like to build their own van or RV, check out the site Gnomad Home, as they have in-depth tutorials on how to do everything buildout related and were the most useful resource for Chris and Cristi when building their van. And here’s a thorough list of resources they use when it comes to finding a place to camp or spend the night:
- FreeCampsites.net – Most comprehensive and accurate list of free campsites and boondocking locations. Includes user reviews, photos and cellphone network strength listed by network carrier.
- Harvest Host – $79 annual membership fee for free stays at 728+ locations across North America. Locations include farms, wineries, ranches, golf courses, museums and more. All you have to do is call the hosts and ask if there’s availability when you want to stay. They love this program and use it often.
- Ultimate Campgrounds (App) $3.99. Lists all public campgrounds and public lands, from federal to municipal spots. You can filter for free options. This is one of their favorite apps!
- AllStays (App) $9.99 but worth it for full-timers. Lists all campgrounds, truck stops, Walmarts, Cracker Barrel’s, locations of propane, dump stations and camp stores, etc.
- Recreation.gov (Site and app) Free. You use this site and app to make reservations at National Park and other federal campsites. Many times these campsites cost money and must be reserved far in advanced, but sometimes it’s worth it to be in the National Park’s campgrounds.
During this episode we both enjoyed a Nothing Left to Give by Orpheus Brewing which you can find on Untappd. A big thanks to Jimmy for donating these beers to the show! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts- we’d love to hear from you.
Best friends out!