# How do you afford gas when living in a van?



## up2eleven

I really like the idea of living in a van, but vans usually get really bad mpg, so how do you folks afford all that gas? If there are any tips and tricks to get gas, let me know! Thanks much!


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## Ayurveda78

Vans are excellent way to travel/live. Better gas then rv or bus and able to park a lot easier. I had a Chevy g20 that had a v6 got like 17 hwy. you definetly have to plan a little more considering the cost of gas but there is work. Gas jugging. Find people to throw in along the way or even delivering stuff along the way.


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## ped

work temp gigs, drive really slow and stay in one place longer.


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## Ayurveda78

Find a place to park and walk or bicycle when possible getting around town. Maintain regular maintenance tune ups. The few dollars it takes saves in mpg and if something breaks wrong time or place.


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## dprogram

I've got a 2002 e150 cargo van that isn't horrible on gas but it does add up fast. What he said ^^^. I now keep my BMX inside for my future road trips. That way i can get around wherever I am without wasting precious gas. lol There is one company and I cant remember their name but its a courier service which is great if you can hack it. Maybe try to do that. Place an ad on craigslist in whichever city you're at and offer transportation or courier stuff.


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## Deleted member 20

Vans are fine just make sure they ate diesel!!!! Diesels are way better, mileage wise & more dependable.All trucks & heavy equipment are diesel, so its easier to jug truckers with fuel cards. It is also possible to pump out home heating oil tanks found on craigslist. If you are brazen & supet desperate it is really easy to pump diesel from refer trailers, trucks, those portable generator lights for construction. Temporary construction sites for roadwork are great. Most are deserted often. I dont even want to open the wvo grease convo. Been there done it & never will again. It too involves stealing but its nasty, bad for engines & fuel systems & the additional equipment needed is super expensive. Cut out the middleman & burn koolaid(non taxed red diesel) for farm use, boats, construction equip etc that will save you a decent amount right away instead of stealing fuel or paying for green diesel(taxed).


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## smiling mike

i don't know about the US but out here if you burn red diesel ( non taxed) you can get fucked up fines well into the thousands if they catch you with it.


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## incognita

I just bought a 93 Chevy silverado. It's a 6.5 turbocharged v8 engine so I'm a little curious about this too. I want to go traveling SO badly though. Thanks for the thread


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## Deleted member 20

You can get fucked if caught but state police, weigh stations etc dont dip cars/vans/pickups for non taxed fuel. They are after latge commercial truckers.


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## East

If you have enough to afford a van you probably have enough to afford a tablet with a wireless plan. T-mobile is 30 bucks a month for unlimited data and texting prepaid monthly, if you're smart you can use Google Voice for calling since it runs on data. Assuming you have enough resources to invest in that, you can just earn 30-40 a day doing surveys for psychological researchers on amazon mechanical turk. Each one pays about 50 cents to 10 dollars. Plug in when you need a charge, use amazon payments to drop your earnings into your bank account. Run with a credit union because they're all networked together and you can withdraw cash with no penalty just about anywhere where a credit union is. I lost my job awhile back and I've been holding down a studio apartment on just surveys alone.

Actually living this way out of a van or on the road would probably be safer and the only way to go about it. A tablet would probably get you shanked train hopping or squatting. On a really good day I can manage to get about 60 bucks. Of course it would probably be better to find temp work here and there, but if you're ever in a situation where you can't find anything it's nice to have around and would probably keep you afloat. It's basically saving my ass ATM. Assuming you had data coverage or access to wifi it would work out. I'll be honest, it's not that great for holding down an apartment but it would be perfect for living on the road. I'm currently saving up for a conversion van and paying my rent on it alone.


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## Beegod Santana

Find a temp job that where they feed and house you and you can work 80+ hrs a week. Work it for a month, then take next two off and watch that highway fly by. Repeat.


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## Alice B Goode

Get a gas jug and ask for it. A closed mouth doesn't get fed. 

Selling trinkets/shiny rocks/hippie shit will get you by, maintain the vehicle.

Go for diesel and you can split the gas 50/50 with used vegetable oil. Apparently you can push it past 50/50 but it may not start? Do some research on this 'cuz I own a non-diesel vehicle currently, but the guy I spoke with about it was very encouraging about it.


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## birdsonthebat

A closed mouth doesn't get fed is true but a closed mouth doesn't catch any flies either. Dichotomy is a beautiful thing


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## Alice B Goode

Never had anything bad happen jugging. Get told to leave, get told no. One time had a cop show up to tell us to leave. Beyond that I don't think much bad is possible jugging lmao..

So if by flies you mean unsavory things.. I'll take getting run off now and again and getting told no in comparison to all the free gas and money we get doing it.

Besides. Flies are protein.


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## Joni

Ayurveda78 said:


> Vans are excellent way to travel/live. Better gas then rv or bus and able to park a lot easier. I had a Chevy g20 that had a v6 got like 17 hwy. you definetly have to plan a little more considering the cost of gas but there is work. Gas jugging. Find people to throw in along the way or even delivering stuff along the way.




yes there is sites where you can deliver packages for ppl as a courier. i forgot what the site is buttt there is a tv show about these ppl doing it for a living. they make pretty good bank too!

-joni


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## Desert

Joni said:


> yes there is sites where you can deliver packages for ppl as a courier. i forgot what the site is buttt there is a tv show about these ppl doing it for a living. they make pretty good bank too!
> 
> -joni



I'm glad you brought that up! I completely forgot about that site!

It's: "www.uship.com"

TO anyone wondering, the site "www.uship.com" is a place where you can find things that need to be shipped from one place to another. It's essentially an ebay for shipping; you simply bid on the item for a price you think would be reasonable to ship it, and the lowest bid gets the job. If you have a good means of transportation and plenty of room to spare, it's a great way to make money.


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## Matt Derrick

Desert said:


> I'm glad you brought that up! I completely forgot about that site!
> 
> It's: "www.uship.com"
> 
> TO anyone wondering, the site "www.uship.com" is a place where you can find things that need to be shipped from one place to another. It's essentially an ebay for shipping; you simply bid on the item for a price you think would be reasonable to ship it, and the lowest bid gets the job. If you have a good means of transportation and plenty of room to spare, it's a great way to make money.



There's a really good thread on here talking about how to drive someone's car across the country via uship. I've tried it several times but it never panned out. Good way to get across the country with some loot in your pocket though.


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## yoder

Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel

Hands down the best truck 
30mpg!!!
Pulling 20,000pounds all day.
My buddy has one and he just broke the 400,000k


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## Joni

yoder said:


> Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel
> 
> Hands down the best truck
> 30mpg!!!
> Pulling 20,000pounds all day.
> My buddy has one and he just broke the 400,000k




you have a good point. there is fewer parts to break on a diesel vehicle. if its a stick all the better! push to start  batteries are getting expensive!

-joni


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## yoder

Manual is a must 
5th gear goin 35 mph 
Probably get 25-35mpg
o yeaaaaa.
Mercedes have been producing some of the best diesels on the market getting close to 50 mpg!!!


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## Matt Derrick

Damn my Cummins diesel engine on my school bus only got 10mpg and I was thinking that's pretty fucking good.


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## Matt Derrick

How much are those Mercedes tho? Looks expensive


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## yoder

The engine im talking about is the inline 6 Cummings that are in all dodge 2500 diesels
put a bigger exhaust, 5 inch let it breath
manual trans get a 6speed or more,
Fuel injectors
turbo is a must w/intercooler(dramastic difference in mpg)
chip if its 97 or newer 


Now Ups has a 4bt moter( 4 cylinder Cummings diesel) in there trucks. 30+mpg
You can get them at auctions for 3-6 grand

The Cummings in your bus is probably a tank...
Pull down a house...


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## yoder

Mercedes e350van 30-50gs New 
But in the next 5-10years you'll be able to pick up a used one 
Real low cheap...


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## Matt Derrick

yoder said:


> The engine im talking about is the inline 6 Cummings that are in all dodge 2500 diesels
> put a bigger exhaust, 5 inch let it breath
> manual trans get a 6speed or more,
> Fuel injectors
> turbo is a must w/intercooler(dramastic difference in mpg)
> chip if its 97 or newer
> 
> 
> Now Ups has a 4bt moter( 4 cylinder Cummings diesel) in there trucks. 30+mpg
> You can get them at auctions for 3-6 grand
> 
> The Cummings in your bus is probably a tank...
> Pull down a house...



yeah, i was able to tow my friends short bus with my full size bus and my friend's ford explorer down the west coast (separate occasions).

what is 'chip if its 97 or newer' mean?

i'm curious since I'm thinking about getting another short bus/van to live in next year, and i want to do a veg oil conversion (i have a decent amount of experience with conversions on other people's vehicles).


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## yoder

1st Generation Dodge Diesel Trucks 1989 –1993 

2nd Generation Dodge Diesel Trucks 1994 –2002 

3rd Generation Dodge Diesel Trucks 2003 –2009 

2 versions of the 5.9 Cummins in 1998, a 12 valve and a 24 valve. The 12 valve is sought after by most folks for longevity, power and mpg. The 24 valve engine made considerably more power but at the expense of reliability and fuel mileage.

So to answer your question... 1998 and later you are able to plug in a computer chip/little monitor screen. Your able to modify your engine electronicly through this chip to increase horsepower for towing or modify it to get max fuel mileage.

1997 and older use a pea pump 
So all you can do is upgrade your injectors...


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## Deleted member 20

Dont forget about the dodge rot. Cummins are great but the frames/bodies of the trucks they came in suck with rust/rot issues. Great for converting from gas. Id rather have a small ford van, shuttle bus or skoolie with a 7.3 just because they are super cheap & readily available. The fiberglass bodies of the many shuttle busses make spacious rvs & can fit in a normal parking spot & park legally on most streets if need be.


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## yoder

This is very ture...


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## fotorebelion

Heyi am alsoa vn dweller .. The best way to cut dow. On your gas prices for is as mentioned above.. Drive as least as possible.. Put a bike carrier on the back use it get around town..i also did some random material carring fror bands or beer run for giggs.. Also keep the weight down... The harder engine has to work to more gas it burns..
Also the type of van you have is the most important... I am driving a 70s light utility vechicle.. Its big enough to live in small enough to get good gpm!!!! Also go diesle… you can cut by even half with used frying oil you can skip form a resturant... Also cheat with the red diesle..…but my fav is directly stealing it.. I keep some jerry cans and hose..and on the scout for left alone trucks parked at night...caution you dont pick a semi with the driver sleeping inside lol... Most often especially on the older ones the tank caps dont have locks..the best is when they are sidewalk side... Just feed the hose to the bottom of the tank and give a big suck eventually it will flow out dont worry youll learn to like the taste..lol. Just the other day i took from a delivery truck enough to fill up my van 3 times...thats like some 700miles


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## vantramp2016

i"ll be doing a WVO conversion on my sprinter van. i don't want to have to depend on opec and i want to be as self sustainable as possible!!! i drive an old MB 300D on veg oil and i hvent hit the fuel island in years


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## drecc

up2eleven said:


> I really like the idea of living in a van, but vans usually get really bad mpg, so how do you folks afford all that gas? If there are any tips and tricks to get gas, let me know! Thanks much!


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## drecc

up2eleven said:


> I really like the idea of living in a van, but vans usually get really bad mpg, so how do you folks afford all that gas? If there are any tips and tricks to get gas, let me know! Thanks much!


Pull up to gas station and ask for some gas. I did it today and got half a tank in less than a half hour. Seems people would rather give you gas than cash.


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## technotrash

ped said:


> work temp gigs, drive really slow and stay in one place longer.



Cannot stress drive slowly enough. But not too slow! Most vehicles have a "sweet spot" between 50 and 60 mph, above 60 or so your efficiency drops fast


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## drynyn

East said:


> Assuming you have enough resources to invest in that, you can just earn 30-40 a day doing surveys for psychological researchers on amazon mechanical turk. Each one pays about 50 cents to 10 dollars.



Libraries and Macdonalds means that you won't need to spend any cash on mobile data. 

Also if you aren't american you might have issues with mechanical turk, i.e this is what I get:
"
*Your Amazon Mechanical Turk Account has been reviewed*
Your registration with Amazon Mechanical Turk has been declined. Unfortunately, you are not permitted to work on Mechanical Turk. Our account review criteria are proprietary and we cannot disclose the reason why an invitation to complete registration has been denied. If our criteria for invitation changes, you may be invited to complete registration in the future. Thank you for your interest in Mechanical Turk.
"


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## Naomi Leigh

In the whole year and a half I have been on the road my boyfriend and I have never had any trouble gas jugging. If a cop shows up, just go on your way. I personally do not like flying signs for gas (Oregon and New Jersey are different situations all together though ::shifty: but I swear by gas jugging and even when we are stuck in an area for a month or so we still somehow find a way to get by without paying for gas.

My first vehicle I took on the road was a little Chevy Tracker and now I have a 1994 Ford Econoline conversion van that has a v8 engine instead of a v6. Obviously it was way quicker to fill the Tracker but the van holds so much more gallons of gas and although the engine is more powerful it runs out slower than the Tracker would have if that makes sense. So it is totally worth it for me! 

I was nervous when I first started gas jugging by myself but you quickly get into the flow of things and it still blows my mind every time someone decides to help us. You can't forget how to be grateful for things, even if it is just a $3 gallon of gas.

This is how my boyfriend (the juggernaut) goes about it:

"Excuse me sir/ma'am; I am sorry to bother you and I am not asking you for any money at all but me and my fiancé are just totally running on E and were wondering if you could spare a little bit of gas?"

It is good not to ask for money when you are jugging so they will not lump you into the "average" panhandler group and once they start filling the jug or put the hose into he tank Hopper will start telling them where we are going, where we came from, car troubles along the way, how it has been a hard trip but we are so close to our destination, and how much this means to us.

"Thank you so much for this, we really appreciate it. God bless you ma'am. Thanks again!"

I hope this helps a little bit, good luck


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## VanScribed Goat

East said:


> If you have enough to afford a van you probably have enough to afford a tablet with a wireless plan. T-mobile is 30 bucks a month for unlimited data and texting prepaid monthly, if you're smart you can use Google Voice for calling since it runs on data. Assuming you have enough resources to invest in that, you can just earn 30-40 a day doing surveys for psychological researchers on amazon mechanical turk. Each one pays about 50 cents to 10 dollars. Plug in when you need a charge, use amazon payments to drop your earnings into your bank account. Run with a credit union because they're all networked together and you can withdraw cash with no penalty just about anywhere where a credit union is. I lost my job awhile back and I've been holding down a studio apartment on just surveys alone.
> 
> Actually living this way out of a van or on the road would probably be safer and the only way to go about it. A tablet would probably get you shanked train hopping or squatting. On a really good day I can manage to get about 60 bucks. Of course it would probably be better to find temp work here and there, but if you're ever in a situation where you can't find anything it's nice to have around and would probably keep you afloat. It's basically saving my ass ATM. Assuming you had data coverage or access to wifi it would work out. I'll be honest, it's not that great for holding down an apartment but it would be perfect for living on the road. I'm currently saving up for a conversion van and paying my rent on it alone.


It's been a hell of a time getting approval to join mechanical turk. I've been trying to get in on it but no success yet


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## wonder

uship.com is a good website to use to find packages and other things to deliver


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## happythoughts123

East said:


> If you have enough to afford a van you probably have enough to afford a tablet with a wireless plan. T-mobile is 30 bucks a month for unlimited data and texting prepaid monthly, if you're smart you can use Google Voice for calling since it runs on data. Assuming you have enough resources to invest in that, you can just earn 30-40 a day doing surveys for psychological researchers on amazon mechanical turk. Each one pays about 50 cents to 10 dollars. Plug in when you need a charge, use amazon payments to drop your earnings into your bank account. Run with a credit union because they're all networked together and you can withdraw cash with no penalty just about anywhere where a credit union is. I lost my job awhile back and I've been holding down a studio apartment on just surveys alone.
> 
> Actually living this way out of a van or on the road would probably be safer and the only way to go about it. A tablet would probably get you shanked train hopping or squatting. On a really good day I can manage to get about 60 bucks. Of course it would probably be better to find temp work here and there, but if you're ever in a situation where you can't find anything it's nice to have around and would probably keep you afloat. It's basically saving my ass ATM. Assuming you had data coverage or access to wifi it would work out. I'll be honest, it's not that great for holding down an apartment but it would be perfect for living on the road. I'm currently saving up for a conversion van and paying my rent on it alone.


Just curious, how much time do you spend per day filling out those surveys? And how much money does it gain?


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## happythoughts123

fotorebelion said:


> Heyi am alsoa vn dweller .. The best way to cut dow. On your gas prices for is as mentioned above.. Drive as least as possible.. Put a bike carrier on the back use it get around town..i also did some random material carring fror bands or beer run for giggs.. Also keep the weight down... The harder engine has to work to more gas it burns..
> Also the type of van you have is the most important... I am driving a 70s light utility vechicle.. Its big enough to live in small enough to get good gpm!!!! Also go diesle… you can cut by even half with used frying oil you can skip form a resturant... Also cheat with the red diesle..…but my fav is directly stealing it.. I keep some jerry cans and hose..and on the scout for left alone trucks parked at night...caution you dont pick a semi with the driver sleeping inside lol... Most often especially on the older ones the tank caps dont have locks..the best is when they are sidewalk side... Just feed the hose to the bottom of the tank and give a big suck eventually it will flow out dont worry youll learn to like the taste..lol. Just the other day i took from a delivery truck enough to fill up my van 3 times...thats like some 700miles


Why don't you just get a real siphon no need to suck that thing


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam

highwayman said:


> Id rather have a small ford van, shuttle bus or skoolie with a 7.3 just because they are super cheap & readily available. The fiberglass bodies of the many shuttle busses make spacious rvs & can fit in a normal parking spot & park legally on most streets if need be.



Just a quick side note. I live in fiberglass shuttle bus (7.3 actually) and I want to note that these things get the rot bad. Mines an 02 and I had to replace the entire floor and ceiling for to water damage. I've patched the roof so much but it still leaks. It's a great amount io space and I love it but these fiberglass boxes are really prpoor built


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## Heron

happythoughts123 said:


> Why don't you just get a real siphon no need to suck that thing



Oral fixation.

As ppl said, Craigslist for oddjobs can be good. Depends on how long you're staying in town or if you have storage. You might be able to grab a few free nice things from a nicer area and sell them elsewhere. I swear to God people give away free working washing machines and shit here in New England all the time.

Offering labor work or asking restaurants if they need a temp dishwasher for cash is good but I know none of you wanna do reel jobz  dirty hippies!

Selling bud is risky but it can be very profitable and get you in with some skatepark kids to boot, who sometimes treat crusties like their new big bros.

The main thing is to be flexible and ingenuitive. Beggards can't be chosards.

P.s. Having actual skills helps, so learn how to fix cars or computers or something. Since you're in a vehicle you can have a nice outfit for white collar work if you can accept taking off your Fallout costume for a bit and taking a shower. Much love ❤️

P.s.s. Pick the right duckin vehicle. Don't get a gas guzzling bus if you don't have a crew to help keep feeding the beast. And as other homie said, make sure you do the right maintenance so your engine and fuel economy are maximized. Even keeping your tires pumped up makes a notable difference, as well as extra weight in your vehicle.


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