GRAEME MARK

We all know school is expensive. In a quest to save money, I was lucky enough to meet an ingenious student who took to extreme measures and cut his cost of living in half. He moved into a van.

This may not be 100 per cent legal, so for anonymity let’s call him Bono.

Your first reaction might be “How can someone do this?” To find out, I sat down with Bono to discuss the transition to van living and learn why it may even be superior.

He explained that his decision was partly financial but also a lifestyle choice — he wanted to help challenge social norms and break down stigmas. If it’s socially acceptable to sleep in your car when road-tripping or camping, why is it frowned upon to do so while you’re in school?

To chase this dream yourself, you’re going to need a van. Kijiji has some great deals on early 1990s vans that are ideal for inhabitation. Minivans aren’t recommended because of their lack of headroom, but if you go too big it will cost a fortune to fill with gas.

Now you’re already better off than many of your classmates — you’re a property owner and vehicle owner. Rip the back seats out and throw in your mattress and you’re pretty much good to go.

Bono’s first priority when picking a parking spot is finding a place where he won’t bother anyone. Second is finding a spot close to school where he won’t get a ticket.

He has a few favorite spots close to the University of Saskatchewan with 24–hour parking and, interestingly enough, in the morning he has noticed a few other people coming out of camper vans, leading him to suspect he isn’t the only one to have had this idea.

Bono has found that the U of S provides a perfect set-up for living out of your vehicle. It’s pretty much a full-services campground. Amenities include gyms, pools, showers, cafeterias, Wi-Fi and numerous 24–hour computer lounges.

After a peaceful night’s sleep, he heads to the Physical Activity Complex for a shower where you always get a fresh towel. Bono recommends getting a locker so you can store your toiletries and a few clean changes of clothes.

Two of the downsides of van living are using the washroom at night — keep a bottle nearby for emergencies — and cooking, unless you’re willing to invest in some serious upgrades to your van.

To solve the cooking problem Bono has taken up the habit of intermittent fasting and only consuming one large meal a day for sustenance. To make this affordable, he suggests paying for a meal plan with the U of S and hitting up the lunch buffet at Marquis Culinary Centre. The lunch buffet goes for five hours daily during the week, so you can easily get a few meals in while you sit down and do some homework.

After you’re done class for the day, hit up the library for all your studying needs and when you’re done, it’s just a short walk to your bed.

Bono has found living in his van has encouraged him to be more social. He spends less time watching TV and more time getting involved in extracurriculars and campus organizations, as he’s always on the lookout for some free pizza.

Parking outside friends’ homes has also done wonders for Bono’s social life. As winter comes, he’ll be relying on these friends a bit more and maybe crashing on their couches from time to time.

His nightlife hasn’t suffered either. Bono can park his van in the bar parking lot and then, once he’s done partying and ready for bed, he can just walk a few steps and call it a night. I wouldn’t recommend this, though. A quick Google search reveals that living in a van falls in a legal grey area, but sleeping drunk in your vehicle is a little more contested.

Bono is expecting to save $4,000 this year living in his van. If you’re also looking to save some money this year, moving into a van might just be your best bet. You could challenge social norms and even broaden a few horizons while you’re at it.