# Are tiny houses/vanlife a good idea or is it all just cope?



## Save Goober (Jul 9, 2021)

Pretty much the title, I find these things appealing but wonder if I'm just coping with houses being so expensive. I don't feel like I want a lot of space but if somebody gave me a mansion with free cleaning services I probably wouldn't turn it down either. Are people really doing these things because they're tired of mcmansions and consoomer society, or to cope with the fact they can't afford it?


----------



## Disheveled Human (Jul 9, 2021)

Cope.


----------



## Dr. Ricearoni (Jul 9, 2021)

improving the materials does not change how sad it is to live in a cardboard box


----------



## Stornoway (Jul 9, 2021)

Every youtuber that starts as a tiny house enthusiast ends up moving into a real house once the money starts coming in. So cope.


----------



## Blamo (Jul 9, 2021)

It is mostly a fad for people who only need a laptop to watch Netflix.

I think minimalism on some level can be a good idea to shift down economically so to speak. Of course the problem with minimalism is... you are not flexible. You lack tools, storage space etc. Your tool box is basically your credit card. Ultimately it depends who are you, what you do and how do you wish to use your house? I mean, if you are just a guy chilling with a laptop and building up some crypto wealth, sure why not. But be mindful that small houses make you dependent on getting tools and services more and going out a lot, because you can't do much at home. 

I would say the frugal living beats minimalism, because one is designed to be cheap, the other is designed to look good on Instagram.


----------



## Disheveled Human (Jul 9, 2021)

Look if you can't properly pace back and forth in your home when thinking about problems its not an adequate space to live in.


----------



## Arminius (Jul 9, 2021)

I would rather live in a cottage on alot of land than in a mansion on no land.


----------



## Save Goober (Jul 9, 2021)

Blamo said:


> I think minimalism on some level can be a good idea to shift down economically so to speak. Of course the problem with minimalism is... you are not flexible. You lack tools, storage space etc. Your tool box is basically your credit card. Ultimately it depends who are you, what you do and how do you wish to use your house? I mean, if you are just a guy chilling with a laptop and building up some crypto wealth, sure why not. But be mindful that small houses make you dependent on getting tools and services more and going out a lot, because you can't do much at home.
> 
> I would say the frugal living beats minimalism, because one is designed to be cheap, the other is designed to look good on Instagram.


I think there's a difference between philosophical and aesthetic/instagram minimalism, and there's a lot of overlap between it and frugality. The minimalism stuff I do find mostly sincere and not entirely cope because of personal experience and there's just a lot of people who went from having a lot of stuff to wanting to get rid of the stuff because they just get sick of it. I try to find a balance between looking minimal, and also being cheap and functional.

There are probably some people who do it to cope though because they get in a lot of credit card debt from buying too much stuff so they go the opposite way and it becomes a "choice".



Stornoway said:


> Every youtuber that starts as a tiny house enthusiast ends up moving into a real house once the money starts coming in. So cope.


That's interesting. I don't really follow the community so this would indicate that it is indeed cope.


----------



## Blamo (Jul 9, 2021)

melty said:


> I think there's a difference between philosophical and aesthetic/instagram minimalism, and there's a lot of overlap between it and frugality. The minimalism stuff I do find mostly sincere and not entirely cope because of personal experience and there's just a lot of people who went from having a lot of stuff to wanting to get rid of the stuff because they just get sick of it. I try to find a balance between looking minimal, and also being cheap and functional.
> 
> There are probably some people who do it to cope though because they get in a lot of credit card debt from buying too much stuff so they go the opposite way and it becomes a "choice".


My personal heuristic is:
If somebody is doing something and is not living from social media doing it, then it's pretty legit. Like I am not a fan of vegans, but there is a difference between a vegan and The Vegan.

Also, stuff is really bloat. I mean if you think about it everybody's house if filled with items that are just there. Having some sensible minimalism would pretty much help in the long run. There is the meme saying "the things you own, end up owning you" after all. There is certainly some merit in it.

A balance is important, as in most things. Having stuff is actually really depending on the stuff. Do the items for example carry some importance or are they just context-less decorations etc. Like I sincerely doubt Funko pops ever gave anybody feels or joy. I think nobody even looks at them again after they got placed on the shelf.


----------



## Govt. Shitposting Machine (Jul 9, 2021)

Tiny houses seem cool but only if you have a shit ton of land to make up for it. You could have the entire family chillin' in little houses and more space for farming and whatnot.
Tiny houses in suburban areas are just stupid and expensive hippie shit.
I would TP their house in Minecraft if I saw that shit in my neighborhood.

Van life is only good if you're doing a road trip for a certain amount of time or just want weekend getaways, long term it doesn't seem viable. 
Maybe bus living? But not the little ass van. Imagine the fucking smell.


----------



## Car Won't Crank (Jul 9, 2021)

I've been researching skoolie (school bus to living space conversion) and the like as a sort of fun project and concluded that having a nice, modestly sized house with a spacious garage and some land along with your RV/camper is the best combo. You have a home base to return to and a mobile living quarter in case stuff goes to shit, or just as a nice road trip machine.


----------



## hotcheetospuffs (Jul 9, 2021)

Any area that allows you put a tiny house there is usually shitty, far far away from anything, or for poors. It's a nice concept, but even if you own the land there can be regulations of the size of what you can live in.

Van life is probably a better idea, but again, you can't just park it anywhere and van resale value is lousy.


----------



## Sped Xing (Jul 9, 2021)

I have a tinyhouse where I stay during the workweek.  It's certainly not bad for one person, and beats the shit out of a sleeper cab, what with having a kitchen and a toilet.

I wouldn't care to live my life in it, and it would be stressful to share.  But it's far better than a sleeper cab or an RV, and I have no need for an entire trailer house to sleep and cook supper.


----------



## Lemmingwise (Jul 9, 2021)

The best thing about tiny houses is that it's easier to check if someone is home or not and easier to break in and steal their ipads.


----------



## Jonah Hill poster (Jul 9, 2021)

Tiny houses and living in vans are almost the same thing as living in pods and subtly calling for eating cicadas in hamburgers.


----------



## raspberry mocha (Jul 9, 2021)

Van life is some stoner hobo shit. Is a tiny house just hipsters appropriating trailer park life?


----------



## Retired Junta Member (Jul 9, 2021)

Mini-houses/vans are a viable options only if you lead a nomadic lifestyle and/or you have a lot of land to compensate for the lack of space. 
Raising a family while having a normal job inside one of those things will destroy you. 

Cope.


----------



## Dysnomia (Jul 9, 2021)

Govt. Shitposting Machine said:


> Tiny houses seem cool but only if you have a shit ton of land to make up for it. You could have the entire family chillin' in little houses and more space for farming and whatnot.
> Tiny houses in suburban areas are just stupid and expensive hippie shit.
> I would TP their house in Minecraft if I saw that shit in my neighborhood.
> 
> ...



I would be fine with one if it were a little bigger. But they are all ridiculously small and it seems like an all or nothing thing.

They aren't even affordable for the people that desperately need housing and would benefit from them. It's just some hipster playhouse.


----------



## Absurdist Laughter (Jul 9, 2021)

I'd prefer a mini house and lots of land just because of my lifestyle. I've lived in a small home and a mid sized home and still prefer a smaller home with a large yard or even acreage. I am a hippie dippy doo though with a smattering of DIY Punk; I think a majority of people on the small home, tent living, van stuff are just doing it for clout.  The ones who aren't more than likely aren't on the interwebs for all to see. 

In OP's case though, I think it is a cope.


----------



## gampboonerisms (Jul 9, 2021)

melty said:


> Pretty much the title, I find these things appealing but wonder if I'm just coping with houses being so expensive. I don't feel like I want a lot of space but if somebody gave me a mansion with free cleaning services I probably wouldn't turn it down either. Are people really doing these things because they're tired of mcmansions and consoomer society, or to cope with the fact they can't afford it?


I bought a 450sqft house. I know what I want in life and a tiny house is perfect for me. when you use the space right, it won't matter how big your place is. I used to rent a 290sqft place. that's a little too small for me but i also had way too much stuff there (i got rid of a lot when i moved out of there).


----------



## Battlecruiser3000ad (Jul 9, 2021)

Living in a van can only ever be based if you're God's chosen programmer and are in process of building His holy temple.


----------



## Unassuming Local Guy (Jul 9, 2021)

Extreme minimalism is an overcorrection from our current hyperconsumerist "BRO JUST GOT MY 500TH FUNKO POP, COME SEE IT AT THE FUCKING HELLHOLE I VOLUNTARILY PAY $5000 A MONTH TO LIVE IN" culture.  It's like seeing a fat person and becoming anorexic.

It's good to be frugal.  It's good to only buy what you need.  It's good to lower your overall impact on the environment.  But you can do those things without living in one of the holes at amigara fault.

That said, if you're genuinely one of those extremely rare super Buddhists who are content living in a 5x5 room with nothing but the infinite energy of the universe to keep you busy, you should.  Everyone should have exactly enough to be totally happy and no more.


----------



## ClownBrew (Jul 9, 2021)

I think they're a great idea. So many people bleed out their nonexistent money to some shady landlord month after month their entire lives...all for the right to crash in a fartbox full of ghetto rats for neighbors forever. I think ANYTHING that gets such people into real houses is a fine thing. It doesn't have to be a zillion s.f. faux chateau just to be a proper house for one.

But no to the van-hobo thing...don't be a cow.


----------



## Had (Jul 9, 2021)

melty said:


> Are people really doing these things because they're tired of mcmansions and consoomer society, or to cope with the fact they can't afford it?


I agree that it's to cope with the costly nature of housing, but sometimes it make sense I knew a guy who worked at google that lived in a van out front of the building because rent was so high it was taking almost all of his salary. Then when he got enough time with google. He moved up worked for a place remotely and got a nice house with the money he saved. In muh modern society living in a closet or something is pretty much to be expected doubly so if your a student. Might as well enjoy it.


----------



## The Wicked Mitch (Jul 9, 2021)

It's massive cope pushed on the servant class by the usual suspects in all except one situation:

You're investing your finite resources in more land/animals/tools/supplies instead of a larger house/cabin.

See also: SUPER CHEAP VEGAN MEALS, HOW TO FEED A FAMILY OF 4 ON 25 CENTS A WEEK!!!!


----------



## Shig O'nella (Jul 9, 2021)

Cope.

Living in a van is unpleasant. Especially working out the whole sanitation problem.


----------



## Stormy Daniel's Lawyer (Jul 9, 2021)

Every time I stay at a Marriot over night, I think its my tiny house time-share, and I can't wait to get back to my forever home..

I'm sure there are people who have that nomadic gene in their bodies, and they need the open road or to have the ability to move around freely without tethers attached. Normally, I would refer to those folks as homeless, but if you're living in a van or hauling your house behind you I guess you are one rung up from urban outdoorsman..


----------



## Vingle (Jul 9, 2021)

My apartment is 409 sqft, and it's good for me. Cheaper to decorate, easier to keep clean. I rarely have visits too.
But I do live in one of the most expensive cities in Europe too, so it's not uncommon for adults here to live small. Could get a bigger one in the more ghetto parts of the city, but chose a smaller one in a nice area. It was planned to be built an asylum centre here. But there was an uproar, so the plans got canceled.
I rather live small, than be close to fucking niggers.

Only reason why it could be nice to live in an actual house, is having no neighbours making sounds. Not that really is a problem, because I'm in the habit of using noice cancelling headphones almost 24/7 anyway.
Was in an much bigger apartment in same city, belonging to an attorney. Because those apartments are like 600 000 usd. Nice apartment, nice potential. Filled up with shit from Ikea, it made my apartment look more expensive in comparison


----------



## WhoIsSutterKane (Jul 9, 2021)

I've thought about doing the van life for a bit once I sell some land I own. Mostly because I want to travel until I figure out where I want to move without spending RV money.


----------



## Unassuming Local Guy (Jul 9, 2021)

Vingle said:


> I'm in the habit of using noice cancelling headphones almost 24/7


That sounds like something out of a dystopian novel from the 30s.  

"In the future, people will wear special machines on their heads, all day, every day, just so they can experience quiet.  Without it, they go mad from the constant sound.  It is otherwise inescapable."

But come to think of it, most of urban western Europe _is_ a dystopian hellscape straight out of a precautionary tale, so I guess that makes sense.


----------



## Oglooger (Jul 9, 2021)

It's just's the new generation of trailer trash millenials: Podtrash


----------



## Pee Cola (Jul 10, 2021)

Vanlife is just a fancy way of saying "homeless".  As for tiny houses, they seem a bit copey to me.

As for minimalism, the nicest form (at least in my experience) is having a house that has far less shit in it than a house its size would usually have.  Do you really need a couch if you're living alone?  How many things do you need to put on the wall? If you don't have a fuckton of Funko Pops, you don't need a bookcase to hold them all.



Spoiler: Minimalism PL



The most comfortable I've ever felt in a house was when I was living in a 2500ft2 house that I had all to myself, and I had just enough stuff in it to fill two Honda Fits. I still had two Fits worth of stuff when I moved out.


----------



## SSj_Ness (Jul 10, 2021)

Some people are genuinely minimalists but it's usually cope.


----------



## Massa's Little Buckie (Jul 10, 2021)

I've tried to build tiny houses on The Sims 4 and they suck.


----------



## Vingle (Jul 10, 2021)

Pee Cola said:


> Do you really need a couch if you're living alone?


Yes, and it needs an chaiselong. 


Pee Cola said:


> How many things do you need to put on the wall? If you don't have a fuckton of Funko Pops, you don't need a bookcase to hold them all.


Not that much, but you do need some decor. Funko's isn't it


----------



## Lord Neeba (Jul 11, 2021)

If you're living by yourself and don't need the space, why not? No different then living in a tiny apartment, and at least you actually own the place. Just be sure to save up so that you can buy a larger house if you actually start a family at some point.


----------



## Lemmingwise (Jul 11, 2021)

Minimalist housing spaces is actually very consumerist in a way. You'll have to get rid of more stuff and when you need it, you always have to buy or rent it again.


----------



## DiscoRodeo (Jul 12, 2021)

Its either something someone is forced into (poorfags and californiafags), or its cope and its the most bourjy person out there.

When we're talking about the hipsters who want to live in a van, its just a dumb thing. Ive considered going out to live in a van, because it seems romantic and novel and all that shit, but consider the following:

1) less privacy, you can maybe get curtains on your windows, but chances are, people will prowl around your van

2) Parking. Can you park your van anywhere? Walmart parking lots, I guess- but driving between cities and trying to figure out where to crash overnight is a job unto itself. Imagine having to search for a new spot to park on a constant basis, unless -

3) Cost. The later part of the last problem. There are places that you can crash for weeks at a time, but they often have their own costs. Now, add in the fact that youre going to have to pay on insurance on your vehicle (which is likely going to be higher depending on the model, custom add ons, etc), you have to pay for gas, you have all your previous living fees, you will likely have to pay to supe up your van to be solar powered among other things, and youre going to have to actually maintain the vehicle if youre going cross country, youre going to be paying a relatively high bill.

I'd honestly just rather rent a room in a place outside of a major city, and have the normal comforts of life and go on vacation instead when I can afford it, if I want to see "the country".

Now, if youre a poorfag who thinks they can save money by living in a van, unless its an actual van and not one of these suped up camper vans that hipsters live in on their parents dime, youre going to need money, and certainly more money than either an apartment and no car, or just a basic shitty van. Almost every hipster I see on youtube, with "vanlife" either has rich parents, is some influencer with money from sponsors, or has some higher level project management or programming job position they can do remotely. If you have that money, literally go to Vietnam instead, harass the population there, and live at a much higher standard of life, or if you really like the country just rent a cottage somewhere picturesque domestically.

If we're talking about tiny houses, and not vans, seriously, why the fuck would you want to live in a tiny house if you had another option? If youre some slimey character trying to save money, okay, I get that, you do you. But like, seriously? A cramped lifestyle is a sacrifice, no matter how you put it.


----------



## Blobby's Murder Knife (Jul 12, 2021)

I could probably live alone in a tiny house while I built my actual house. I'm not sure I have ever seen anyone live in such a thing more than a year or so.

I sometimes think it would be interesting to buy a RV and drive around for a year or so, but I am not sure it would be cheaper than a hotel in the end. I have watched a few vloggers talk about finances and it is really not that cheap to live in an RV, particularly if you are still making payments on it and the truck you use to pull it (if applicable).  Living in a van or small class B thing, yeah, no. Even doing it to save money...would need access to certain things like showers and whatnot to make it work.


----------



## Solid Snek (Jul 12, 2021)

The Wicked Mitch said:


> It's massive cope pushed on the servant class by the usual suspects in all except one situation:
> 
> You're investing your finite resources in more land/animals/tools/supplies instead of a larger house/cabin.
> 
> See also: SUPER CHEAP VEGAN MEALS, HOW TO FEED A FAMILY OF 4 ON 25 CENTS A WEEK!!!!


This. I remember seeing globohomo propaganda on TV a decade ago - Daily Show or Colbert or something like that - about how _cool_ it would be to live in a box and have the Democrats own all your property. I thought it was bizarre at the time, but then I started reading Malthus, and the usual suspects' attempts to normalize low standards of living suddenly didn't seem so mysterious.

A tiny house on a large parcel of productive land would be fine, but living in a pod and eating bugs is definitely a cope.


----------



## Car Won't Crank (Jul 12, 2021)

Solid Snek said:


> This. I remember seeing globohomo propaganda on TV a decade ago - Daily Show or Colbert or something like that - about how _cool_ it would be to live in a box and have the Democrats own all your property. I thought it was bizarre at the time, but then I started reading Malthus, and the usual suspects' attempts to normalize low standards of living suddenly didn't seem so mysterious.
> 
> A tiny house on a large parcel of productive land would be fine, but living in a pod and eating bugs is definitely a cope.


Isn't Japan essentially like this in the major cities? You pay exorbitant amounts for a small one bed apartment in a major city like Tokyo or Osaka. I think the majority of people are renters vs land owners there as well.


----------



## High Tea (Jul 12, 2021)

Rebranded trailer.  The elites trying to prepare the populace for losing property rights.  Here's your box and be happy.  Isn't it cute?  Watch the hundredth show about how even large families are happy to live with 1 foot space each and totally won't end up with a break up or murder.  Why else would there be all this propaganda about it?  Same with the minimalist decorating and the endless shows and magazines promoting it.  Everything is white, tans, and greys.  Your home, the walls, the decorations are all bland.  Cheap furniture.  Disposable products.  Colorless standardization.  Never have humans had so many choices, but everything is the same.  It's all to demoralize and make it feel more just like a random place you sleep and not like a home you love.  People become more comfortable moving because there is nothing personal to the property.  Communities fall because there is no emotional tie to the property or the neighborhood.  It's all part of the plan.


----------



## longjohn (Jul 12, 2021)

Tiny houses, van conversions, and even off-gridding as a concept are nice and in theory solve a lot of housing issues. The problem with them imo isn't so much the lifestyle, but the endless government meddling. From taxes to zoning and code laws, there is a lot of work and research that go into making the choice to go any of those routes and imo a lot of people are unprepared when they jump into the fad. That is the second and more apparent problem: it's been cool for the last few years to get a tiny house.

Because of the rise in interest and demand, the cost for such living has skyrocketed. It's not exactly cheap anymore. Cheaper than an average home? No question. But it can turn into a money pit real quick if you don't have a plan and most of the people you see online living their best tiny life are loaded or have access to money. When they do their cost break downs, they never even give the full picture either for the average person.

It's cheaper long term and easier too to just buy and maintain a single wide. Tiny house people love to act above the trailer life, but in reality, they're a step or two downgrade from a fucking trailer in every way lol.


----------



## draggs (Jul 12, 2021)

Why would deliberately lowering living standards solve anything lol


----------



## Pissmaster (Jul 12, 2021)

It'd be fun to have a winnebago as a second little home that I could park next to my mansion that's so fucking big it has empty rooms I don't even know what to do with so I just fill them up with cat litter and use them as gigantic litterboxes for my one cat


----------



## Car Won't Crank (Jul 12, 2021)

Pissmaster said:


> It'd be fun to have a winnebago as a second little home that I could park next to my mansion that's so fucking big it has empty rooms I don't even know what to do with so I just fill them up with cat litter and use them as gigantic litterboxes for my one cat


If you have a mansion, might as well go all out and get a fancy restored Airstream trailer to park beside it. That curved aluminum body is classic and looks great.


----------



## Long-Nosed Fish (Jul 12, 2021)

Car Won't Crank said:


> Isn't Japan essentially like this in the major cities? You pay exorbitant amounts for a small one bed apartment in a major city like Tokyo or Osaka. I think the majority of people are renters vs land owners there as well.


It's not an exorbitant amount at all compared to US cities. If you want to live in tokyo and don't mind a 10 minute walk to a train station $1000 will get you a small 2br. My first apartment was about $500 and was the size of a dorm room, but I was also 30 minutes from the city center.

People are renters more often than not though because houses are a depreciating asset. Most opt to tear down a house and rebuild a new one when buying a plot and you're hard pressed to ever see something from before the 90's for sale.


----------



## Falcos_Commisar (Jul 12, 2021)

gampboonerisms said:


> I bought a 450sqft house. I know what I want in life and a tiny house is perfect for me. when you use the space right, it won't matter how big your place is. I used to rent a 290sqft place. that's a little too small for me but i also had way too much stuff there (i got rid of a lot when i moved out of there).


Jesus Christ..... My "domicile" is 650 square feet and that's about as small as I can go.

Howo, I'd be A ok with a 1200-1600 square foot house with a garage. Too bad those are NOT BEING MADE a anymore.


----------



## Falcos_Commisar (Jul 15, 2021)

Car Won't Crank said:


> Isn't Japan essentially like this in the major cities? You pay exorbitant amounts for a small one bed apartment in a major city like Tokyo or Osaka. I think the majority of people are renters vs land owners there as well.


Yeah in Tokyo, a 500 SQ foot apartment is very normal. Even thrnz the people live in those don't have much stuff so to speak. No car usually as public transit in Tokyo is amazing. Computer is probably a laptop, etc.


----------



## Dandelion Eyes (Jul 17, 2021)

*YOU WILL LIVE IN A POD AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY.*


----------



## ArnoldPalmer (Jul 18, 2021)

You can only justify a tiny house if:

-It's not your only house. The smallest any primary dwelling should be is an 800-1000 sq ft A-Frame. If a tiny house is your bugout shelter somewhere out of town, that's actually pretty cool.
Or
-You live alone and possibly plan to live alone for the rest of your life. Suicide is preferable, in my opinion, but you do you.
Or
-You have a small house with a very large workshop or garage on-property. I think that's easy to justify, because you're at least not hurting for storage all the time, and have room for activities that aren't long distance biking or eating granola. A tiny house with a pole barn or quonset hut is a neat setup.


----------



## Save the Loli (Jul 18, 2021)

Just get a trailer or learn to DIY a shipping container yourself. Don't pay some people ridiculous amounts of money for tiny house bullshit and definitely don't live in a van like a filthy hippie.

Finally, embrace the fact you're living in a glorified trailer. Put it on a nice rural property of a couple acres and do redneck shit like 4-wheelin' and muddin' and huntin'. Use the money you saved on an actual house to buy yourself a nice set of guns and fishing poles and have yourself a good time on the weekends.


----------



## Jabroni (Jul 18, 2021)

Vanlife is just a cope for people unsatisfied with renting. The living conditions are awful but they’re so desperate to ‘be someone’ that they choose to be the ‘van guy’. They’ll start a social media page… plaster the van in stickers… start blogging… but slowly inside the feeling of regret will be creeping up on them.

Living in a van doesn’t make you a ‘someone’, it makes you a faggot. Micro houses are no better, they might give you a permanent address but it still limits your options greatly in what you can do. Not to mention the price ratio is far from cheap, it being much more effective to just mortgage a small countryside home but that wont satiate these peoples lust for a modicum of individuality that they cannot create through personality so they must create it through their own brand of consumerism.


----------



## cummytummies (Jul 18, 2021)

Blamo said:


> It is mostly a fad for people who only need a laptop to watch Netflix.
> 
> I think minimalism on some level can be a good idea to shift down economically so to speak. Of course the problem with minimalism is... you are not flexible. You lack tools, storage space etc. Your tool box is basically your credit card. Ultimately it depends who are you, what you do and how do you wish to use your house? I mean, if you are just a guy chilling with a laptop and building up some crypto wealth, sure why not. But be mindful that small houses make you dependent on getting tools and services more and going out a lot, because you can't do much at home.
> 
> I would say the frugal living beats minimalism, because one is designed to be cheap, the other is designed to look good on Instagram.


What tools and services? I've lived in a tiny bug box for 10 years now and I've never once had to borrow or hire anyone to come fix anything or bring me any tools. Nor do I go out much, except to take walks in nature, but you can't do that in any sized house. I eat home cooked meals 7 days a week.

As for OP I think it's a bit of both. I personally couldn't live in a van, I need my indoor plumbing and a shower with good water pressure, but I would hate to have some giant house to take care of. Of course the situation would be different if I had kids. I don't agree that avoiding McMansions is just "a cope for people who can't afford it", in fact I think a lot of people in McMansions can't afford it either but have a strange fixation that it's what they're supposed to be doing with their life. Working all the time to buy things and buying things to justify said working.

All that said what is there really to lose in trying any of it if you're curious? Yeah you might take some financial losses if you buy and sell property in an unwise manner, but fuck it, that's what money is for. It's better than living your life afraid and always wondering "what if?" A group of internet strangers will never know the answer as to whether you'd enjoy it.


----------



## hotcheetospuffs (Jul 18, 2021)

longjohn said:


> Tiny houses, van conversions, and even off-gridding as a concept are nice and in theory solve a lot of housing issues. The problem with them imo isn't so much the lifestyle, but the endless government meddling. From taxes to zoning and code laws, there is a lot of work and research that go into making the choice to go any of those routes and imo a lot of people are unprepared when they jump into the fad. That is the second and more apparent problem: it's been cool for the last few years to get a tiny house.
> 
> Because of the rise in interest and demand, the cost for such living has skyrocketed. It's not exactly cheap anymore. Cheaper than an average home? No question. But it can turn into a money pit real quick if you don't have a plan and most of the people you see online living their best tiny life are loaded or have access to money. When they do their cost break downs, they never even give the full picture either for the average person.
> 
> It's cheaper long term and easier too to just buy and maintain a single wide. Tiny house people love to act above the trailer life, but in reality, they're a step or two downgrade from a fucking trailer in every way lol.


single wide, double wide, either way, trailers have pretty much no resale value. Houses usually gain value. Real Estate is a sure thing.


----------



## Lunar Eclipse Paradox (Jul 20, 2021)

For a man who paces a lot. It's a huge no. I mentally cannot live in tiny cramped areas especially with other people around. It would take a massive uprising if they try to evict me from my Real Estate.


----------



## Aqua Panda (Jul 20, 2021)

Small house that is laid out and designed/built well that you keep low on clutter: actually really comfy

Van or RV you live in full time: usually becomes hellish pretty quick. You need to find someplace eventually to deal with black/grey water and maintenance quickly becomes a issue. Gas mileage is also usually terrible and you will have $100+ gas bills every time you need to fill up. If you need internet, pray you find a service provider that let's you use your phone as a hotspot for cheap. Also, remember that many places won't deliver to PO boxes and you need a stationary address for taxes if you file. Parking can be a problem nowadays now that Walmart ended their overnight rv parking in most stores.


----------



## Poppavalyim Andropoff (Jul 20, 2021)

depends if your van is broken down or not & if it's parked down by the river or not.


----------



## fine tooth comb (Jul 20, 2021)

when you are done with your slave labor you will crawl into your hole and your brain chip will tell you you actually live on a giant ranch in montana with your loving family instead of a cold concrete pit all alone


----------



## Plunkie (Jul 20, 2021)

Off-gridding is pretty fun, but the current trend leans more towards tiny homes being an actual replacement for city homes, which is a net negative overall


----------



## Bad Gateway (Jul 20, 2021)

It's neither. Nobody without expendable income used to purchase a real house first actually lives in those things.


----------



## Some JERK (Jul 20, 2021)

It depends on your life, land situation, etc...

If you have lots of land but don't need a huge house then a small house is fine. A _tiny_ house is pushing it, but it's also fine if it's just you and you have lots of outdoor space in which to live. Cleaning, maintaining, heating and cooling a large house is a fucking _pain._ Do you want to spend an entire day dusting, vacuuming, or cleaning rain gutters? Clearing brush and weeds or maintaining a lawn? More volume means more places for things like mold, insects, varmints, etc to take root. A smaller house is easier to live in in the long run.

On the subject of vans and RVs... I'm suspicious of anyone younger than 65 who wants or needs to live in a permanently mobile residence.


----------



## MichaelScarn (Jul 20, 2021)

It really depends on the person, as lots of users here have said. There are some really entertaining television programs about "tiny house hunting" and you can kind of a get a feel for what kind of person goes into it. For example, a single man or woman, just out of college with student loans, who wants a place to his or herself, to live cheaply, used to living in a dorm or apartment, I get it. But then there are couples with children who, for example, might force kids to share rooms or even beds when they could afford a normal house with space. I especially hate when parents force teens to do this. When you're a teenager, you absolutely need privacy. I could definitely see myself in a tiny house because I do not need a lot of space and I wouldn't be dragging anyone along at this point, nor do I use social media so it wouldn't be for clout.


----------



## Uncle Sid (Sep 17, 2021)

Van life is good for about 4 months if you keep moving. But after that long (in North America, anyway) you've basically done a circle and are back where you started. Keep a roofing hammer under your seat - it's equally useful for self-defense and digging quick holes when you need to take a shit.


----------



## Michael Janke (Sep 17, 2021)

Uncle Sid said:


> Van life is good for about 4 months if you keep moving. But after that long (in North America, anyway) you've basically done a circle and are back where you started. Keep a roofing hammer under your seat - it's equally useful for self-defense and digging quick holes when you need to take a shit.


america has 50 states, some are massive and take a decent amount of time to drive through. if you went to each state and tried drive around and enjoy it. it would take years.


----------



## Sailor Kim Jong Moon (Sep 17, 2021)

Living in a tiny house isn’t that bad - if you’re by yourself.

It can easily become the 10th circle of hell if you bring in another person. For example: sharing 100 square feet with a cheating S/O. There is no escape from each other. No sleeping on the couch. No locking yourself in the bedroom. Itd be like a cage fight.

Im honestly surprised there’s not a string of murder-suicides occurring in shared tiny homes.


----------



## Jarolleon (Sep 18, 2021)

Solid Snek said:


> This. I remember seeing globohomo propaganda on TV a decade ago - Daily Show or Colbert or something like that - about how _cool_ it would be to live in a box and have the Democrats own all your property. I thought it was bizarre at the time, but then I started reading Malthus, and the usual suspects' attempts to normalize low standards of living suddenly didn't seem so mysterious.
> 
> A tiny house on a large parcel of productive land would be fine, but living in a pod and eating bugs is definitely a cope.


"Higher living standards have diminishing returns on increasing happiness, so to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people we should have an enormous population living on a minimal living standard."-Utilitarians, probably.


----------



## Stoneheart (Sep 18, 2021)

The last 3 christmas gatherings were nothing but talk about going on long RV roadtrips after retirement.   my parents want to see all of europe and stay in the south for the winters after retirement.      Horrible....


I myself have been thinling about a tiny home for some time. but all the good spots for a tiny summerhome are not for sale.


----------



## Clockwork_PurBle (Sep 18, 2021)

Are there people living in "tiny houses," RVs, and vans that are legitimately happy? Yes.

But in general I think most of it is cope and just another example of pseudo-hippie woke behavior from childless millennials. I see some of these tiny houses and just can't understand how someone could be OK with living in that for long periods of time. Sometimes I get stir crazy just in my own room. 

I'd rather have a smaller home with more (and private) land than a mansion BUT I would rather live in an apartment than a tiny house or van.


----------



## Save Goober (Sep 18, 2021)

So awhile after making this thread I actually did rent a van for a few days, hotels in the area I wanted to go to were expensive and my partner suggested trying out a van since we didn't have a particular destination anyway.

My thoughts are that it's great for travel, but not for long term. The van didn't have a bathroom or a real shower, so that was a big negative. You can get them with these features, of course. It was a little more stressful than I expected trying to find places to park it, though we erred on the side of parking legally. If we just didn't care, I'm sure there are more easy places to stay overnight.

As a travel option, I thought it was pretty great. You can travel as far as you want to and not have to worry about a hotel reservation. If you want to change clothes or something, just go to the van. The guy we rented the van from mentioned that he bought his first van for traveling and just started renting it out when he wasn't using it, but he made enough money from doing that to buy a second van and he's renting out both now. I think that's probably the best way to do it, use it for travelling and rent it out to make money when you're not.


----------



## Vingle (Sep 18, 2021)

Clockwork_PurBle said:


> I'd rather have a smaller home with more (and private) land than a mansion


Do you like doing yard work? Because grass must be clipped and stuff.


----------



## Niggernerd (Sep 18, 2021)

normal house > small house > McMansions
Anyone living in a mansion is a waste of space


----------



## Save Goober (Sep 18, 2021)

Niggernerd said:


> normal house > small house > McMansions
> Anyone living in a mansion is a waste of space


Yes, I think a normal house is best.
Everybody with mcmansions fills them up with consoomer crap


----------



## Niggernerd (Sep 18, 2021)

Save Goober said:


> Yes, I think a normal house is best.
> Everybody with mcmansions fills them up with consoomer crap


It scares me to think people have 2 rooms filled to the ceiling in funko pops


----------



## Vingle (Sep 18, 2021)

Save Goober said:


> Yes, I think a normal house is best.
> Everybody with mcmansions fills them up with consoomer crap


A mcmanison is a nighmare for everybody who are perfectionist at decorating. Because it gets expensive fast, and the cheapest stuff isn't the nicest to look at.


----------



## Ed Special (Sep 18, 2021)

I just want a small house with a fucking huge machine shop. Don't have or particularly desire lots of materialist consoomer possessions, but goddamn I want a big-ass metal lathe and like twenty CNC machines to turn billet aluminum into useful shit


----------



## Lord Neeba (Sep 18, 2021)

Vingle said:


> Do you like doing yard work? Because grass must be clipped and stuff.


Or he could just not stupidly plant everything in a plant that grows tall but which he insists on keeping short and plant something else instead of bizarrely trying to ape the yard styles of 18th century European aristocrats who had servants to do all the work for them.


----------



## totallyrandomusername (Sep 18, 2021)

Pure Cope


----------



## Drain Todger (Sep 18, 2021)

It sounds great at first, until you find that you’ve become an old and childless gypsy diaperfur living in a Winnebago permanently parked in an industrial district with a stiff ganja waft coming off it.


----------



## 50 bit bitch (Sep 18, 2021)

I can't remember the name of the movie but there was a scene with a guy presenting a new apartment design, which consists of hundreds of small coffins stacked on top of each-other. Whenever I see one of these tiny houses or converted shipping containers it instantly makes me think of that scene

It's a pretty popular old arthouse movie, somebody please help me remember


----------



## TheRedChair (Sep 18, 2021)

High Tea said:


> Rebranded trailer.  The elites trying to prepare the populace for losing property rights.  Here's your box and be happy.  Isn't it cute?  Watch the hundredth show about how even large families are happy to live with 1 foot space each and totally won't end up with a break up or murder.  Why else would there be all this propaganda about it?  Same with the minimalist decorating and the endless shows and magazines promoting it.  Everything is white, tans, and greys.  Your home, the walls, the decorations are all bland.  Cheap furniture.  Disposable products.  Colorless standardization.  Never have humans had so many choices, but everything is the same.  It's all to demoralize and make it feel more just like a random place you sleep and not like a home you love.  People become more comfortable moving because there is nothing personal to the property.  Communities fall because there is no emotional tie to the property or the neighborhood.  It's all part of the plan.


Yup pretty much agree with you.  There was a study 30+ years ago and it stated the more density there is in a neighborhood the increase of  crime, particularly violent crime increases.  Your life span is cut short as your stress levels go through the roof.  All you have to look at some 3rd world countries  and you will get your answer. 

Here in the US when high density housing hits an neighborhood give it 20+ years and the area turn into a slum.  They eventually become rental units, to renters who fucking do not care about anything except the size of the rims on their cars and the days of the week that they get their nails/hair done.


----------



## Cool Dog (Sep 18, 2021)

Having lived in a studio apartment I say it sucks but not quite

Maintenance costs are waaaaay lower, you can pretty much keep the place clean yourself. You can have a fancy place for little money since you dont need to buy that much shit (eg: real wood floors or porcelain tile instead of cheapass shitty carpet)

What sucks its the lack of personal space, unless you're living alone and hardly ever getting people over. BTW forget about letting people staying over, its basically impossible

Also you can only store so much, and you cant have shit like a workshop or a game room or any of that. You have to move stuff around all the time just to make room to use some other stuff you have which is why transforming furniture its a thing now. Nearly everything has to be dual-use, I used my LED tv as both monitor and tv

But that was my situation, if you live in a country which cheap shipping, solid logistics, good/decent roads and inexpensive cars (basically anywhere in the western hemisphere including japan and even some parts of china) then theres no reason to living in a tiny apartment/house, specially if you're not in a megacity like the hell where I'm living in now

I swear people having tiny houses in the middle of nowhere are fucking mentally ill. I rather build a full-size pyramid out of sheet metal before a tiny prefab wooden shitcabin like those, at least the pyramid is cool af


----------

