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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance
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Nick & Raychel

Nick & Raychel

    the interior of a budget van build

    How to Save Money On A Budget Camper Van Build

    by Nick & Raychel February 17, 2022

    If you’re looking to build a van on a budget, you are probably overwhelmed with layout ideas, what wood to buy for a van build, and so much more. When we were building our DIY camper van out of a retired ambulance, we were deep in information and had no idea what to do. So these tips are for first time van builders with no experience looking to understand how we built the interior of our van for less than $5k USD. 

     


    Prefer to watch, not read? Find our in-depth video on YouTube here!

    Using low-grade wood

    Some people would argue that you should use the best grade plywood when building out a van. We think that using a high grade of wood sounds like a luxury! Simply put, we couldn’t afford to buy the best of the best wood, and we opted for low-grade plywood to build the budget van build of our dreams.

    There are definitely downsides to using a lower grade wood in your van build. First of all, plywood in general is not very light and can weigh down your budget van pretty quickly. Then, the lower grade you’re working with will likely have more knots and ugly cut-offs… but that brings us to our next tip.

    Tile stickers instead of tile 

    We used tile stickers from Amazon instead of actual tiles in our ambulance conversion. Our kitchen is probably our most-complimented part of our van build, and that backsplash was one of the cheapest elements. 

    Remember the low-grade wood we talked about? We covered D-grade plywood with those tile stickers, as well as contact paper in the kitchen to give a sleeker finish. Another coverup that we did was slapping wallpaper over the ugly plywood that we used to build our bed. 

    If you want to buy the same stickers as us, you can shop our van build here! 

    tile stickers in diy van build

    Baskets vs. Shelving 

    One of the biggest money saving tricks we used in our ambulance tiny home build was to use baskets in place of shelves. We didn’t spend much time building cabinetry, because let’s admit it, it wasn’t our forte. That said, we saved significant money on wood by using baskets in the place of shelving.

    Installing a foot pump

    In our budget van build, we don’t have an electric water pump. Some electric water pumps are not too expensive, but the installation was not something that drew our eye. Instead, we installed a foot pump, which saves us money on water in the long run because the water is so controlled. Also – we didn’t invest in a water heater. Would we recommend it? YES! We love our foot pump and would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t want to install a water heater & electric pump.

    Using fabric pieces instead of throw blankets

    It’s obvious that you can’t do this for every blanket you have. That said, we used pieces of fabric to brighten up or accent certain parts of the van that cost us less than $2.00. It saved us money on spending $15+ per throw blanket and added the pop of colour we needed in the van. Consider buying second hand fabric! 

    Consider a stationary layout

    Nothing in our van build flips, swivels, folds, flies down from heaven, nothing. If you’ve done any research into building a van (which obviously you have, and that’s why you’re here) then you would have seen the layout we have. We decided to stick with a very standard budget van build layout to avoid spending any extra money on hinges, wood, hydraulics, or other bells & whistles. We love the layout of our van and would recommend it to anyone just starting out with van life.

    budget van build

    Propane is cheaper than induction

    When I was first doing research on all things van life & van building, I had no idea what I was doing. Neither of us understood much about van build electrical and I was buying items before I understood how they’d really work out for us. We ended up investing in and installing an induction stove to later find out that we’d need to upgrade our battery bank to use it.

    Many vanlifers use propane to cook with because of the affordability of propane stoves and the lack of electrical pull it takes to utilize. I would highly recommend looking into the pros & cons of using propane in your van build – but will leave you with this: our induction stove was a huge waste of money, because it just drains our batteries and we can’t even use it.


    If you want to know three things that we DIDN’T do that we could’ve done, they’re up at the end as a *bonus* in the YouTube video above. Otherwise, I hope that these budget van build tips helped you think outside of the box on ways to spend money on your van build?

    Any questions? Let us know below!






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  • How to Prepare for a USA Road Trip (For Canadians)

    by Nick & Raychel November 15, 2021

    After the past few years of travelling the world, we are packing up the van to see the Americas – so of course as we prepare for a USA road trip, we are bringing you along!

  • Things to do in Chilliwack BC

    by Nick & Raychel November 15, 2021

    Visiting Chilliwack can be the perfect Vancouver day trip, just 40 minutes from the city. Here’s our list of the best things to do in Chilliwack BC. Let’s go see the Fraser Valley!

  • Van Life Myths : Debunked

    by Nick & Raychel November 3, 2021

    What comes to mind when we say we live in a van? Some may say we are too poor to afford a home, others may claim we are rich kids living off of mom and dad’s money. Maybe your first question is how do we eat? Or what do we eat? How do we go to the bathroom? These are all valid questions that we will break down in this post where we debunk some of the biggest van life myths and misconceptions. 

  • Van Life Essentials List | What We Can’t Live Without

    by Nick & Raychel November 3, 2021

    This year, we packed up our stuff and moved into a retired ambulance to live the van life full-time. Ditching the mortgage and moving into a van seems to be becoming more…

  • Things To Do During Winter in Vernon BC

    by Nick & Raychel March 17, 2021

    If you’re looking for things to do in Vernon, BC – look no further! We love winters in the Okanagan for the unique winter activities Vernon has to offer!

  • Living in Kelowna vs. Living in Vancouver

    by Nick & Raychel February 25, 2021

    After having lived in both cities, we can say we’ve fallen in love with both Kelowna and Vancouver. Let’s talk about the differences of living in Kelowna vs. living in Vancouver and life in the lower mainland vs. the Okanagan.

  • Travel The World For Free With Trusted House Sitting

    by Nick & Raychel February 14, 2021

    If you’re looking to save money on travel accommodation and fill your pet fix, you can travel the world for free with trusted house sitting! Learn about how we became house sitters in this article.

  • 50 Tips For A Winter in Canada | Survival Guide

    by Nick & Raychel January 31, 2021

    Whether you’re moving to or visiting Canada, you may be preparing for a Canadian winter. Find our 50 tips for surviving a winter in Canada!

  • Things to do in Kelowna in Winter

    by Nick & Raychel January 30, 2021

    Everyone knows that Kelowna is a great place to spend the summer. But how is Kelowna in the winter? Find our 6 favorite things to do here!

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

Not Luxe

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    Australia - Working Holiday

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GUIDE TO MARKETS | PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8v49HKtlIk

IS CAMBODIA SAFE? LIVING IN PHNOM PENH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShIg00dj8Q

KAMPOT & KEP | PEPPER PLANTATIONS, KAYAKING, BOAT TOURS & TAPAS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3DgTbP4SKQ

LONGBOARDING IN THE PHILIPPINES | LAPU LAPU & OSLOB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT6ABZE4mSE

CAMBODIA | PROS & CONS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLMhjVTJUxE&t=14s

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Recent Posts

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    November 3, 2021
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  • 8 Tips You Need to Read BEFORE Moving to Phnom Penh

    March 18, 2019
  • 8 Things to Know Before MOVING to Cambodia

    March 10, 2019
  • Currency in Cambodia: Explained

    March 5, 2019
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  • Day Trip to Phnom Chisor: How to Get to Phnom Chisor from Phnom Penh

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  • WHY You Should Teach English in Cambodia

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    November 15, 2021
  • Things to do in Chilliwack BC

    November 15, 2021
  • Van Life Essentials List | What We Can’t Live Without

    November 3, 2021

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • Slowing down 🚐 

The whole appeal of van life and many alternative living options is the freedom to take a go at your own speed.

But sometimes it feels like you just want to see it all.
And we’ve seen SO much in the past twenty months. 

Especially in the past six.

As Canadian travellers, I find that our slow season is the opposite of others. We escape the cold weather and have been abroad for many Christmases and snowfalls. During those times, we’re cliff jumping, waterfall hopping, cruising, skatepark hunting, friendship building…

Then, when lake season rolls around we’re ready to take on a more conventional work schedule, to save up to do it all again.

But we have to tell ourselves to relax, to enjoy the downtime, to take in the peaceful moments just as much as the epic ones. To soak up the sun, to drink water, to slow down.

It’s a constant learning process.

📍Traditional Hohokam, Patayan, and Yavapai land ⁣

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifemeetup #vanlifemoments #vanlifemovement #vanlifemagazine #vanlifestyle #vanlifeculture #vanlifecouple #vanlifeconversions #campulance #campinggirls #campinglife #rvliving #camperlife
  • But how do you SHOWER? 😅

This photo is from the most ridiculous YouTube thumbnail we’ve had to date. We took so many funny photos this day, we couldn’t NOT share. Or maybe we could. Oh well.

But let’s answer the question while we’re at it.

🚿 We primarily go to Anytime Fitness which is a little pricier than Planet Fitness. In our opinion, however, the equipment is way nicer, there are usually less people, they’re all over Canada & the US, it’s open 24/7, and the showers are private.

🚿 When we’re not near an Anytime Fitness (this has only happened one time when we were in Quartzsite), we find a truck stop shower to go to.

🚿 And that’s about it. We bought a camping shower at the beginning of van living and only used it one miserable time.

Do you think a shower is necessary in a van build?

___

Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifeshower #vanlifecamper #campinglife #campingtrip #vanlifebuild #vanlifediaries #vanlifegirls #vanlifetravel #vanlifetravels #vanlifestyle #vanlifeexplorers #campinggirls #outsideisfree #outsideshoot #vanlifeculture #vanlifecommunity
  • We have been doing so much stealth city camping lately that we felt like we needed a break. When we first moved into our van, we set off to Vancouver Island, where we were constantly surrounded by nature - and even though we had no idea what we were doing, it was just easy to be outside.

As you guys know, we’ve lived all sorts of van life. From brick & mortar jobs, to off-grid living, to city dwelling, to full-time travelling. Lately, we’ve seen A LOT of cities and while we’re grateful to have covered so much ground, we knew we needed nature. 

So we nestled ourselves into Starved Rock State Park and reset.
Full video is on YouTube. Link in bio.

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifecouple #vanlifediaries #vanlifers #vanliving #ambulanceconversion #vandwelling #vandweller #camperlife #campervan #camperconversion #campingbackpack #campinglife #campingtrip #illinois #starvedrockstatepark
  • “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have” – Anna Quindlen

I can’t imagine committing to being the person I was 5 years ago for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine committing to one mindset or one way of life. 

It would be impossible to put into words how much we’ve changed through travel and meeting people. And as we start to hype ourselves up for our next big journey, we’re excited to dive head first with an open mind. 

Whether you’re building a van, starting a new job, buying a plane ticket, or even walking out of the house every morning - you have no fucking idea what’s in store.

Travel has a special way of changing you. 
And the best thing you can do is allow it. 

📍 Traditional Kumeyaay land
___ 

Tags: #vanlifemovement #vanlifecommunity #vanlifecouple #vanlifediaries #vanlife #vanlifers #vanliferevolution #vantravel #vantrip #roadtrippers #roadtrippin #lifeontheroad #livinginavan #ambulanceconversion #vanlifeadventures
  • Our time in Albuquerque was…needed. We originally drove into New Mexico thinking we were ready to seize the f’king DAY but ended up doing a lot of… sleeping. 

Here are the budget friendly, low energy things we ended up doing:

☼ Vegos: By far, some of the best vegan food we’ve had in the USA. Once just a small food truck and now a full-blown brick and mortar business, Vegos is an all-vegan restaurant serving classic New Mexican dishes. We grabbed a $5 breakfast burrito and were tempted to stay all day. 
 
☼ Albuquerque Museum: The Albuquerque Museum has admission-free days each Sunday morning and the first Wednesday of every month. We spent the day exploring the exhibits that are dedicated to art in New Mexico and the history of Albuquerque.

☼ Old Town Plaza: Albuquerque’s Old Town is filled with little museums, art galleries, restaurants and sweet little gems. We wandered around for hours and experienced the charm of the “heart of Albuquerque”. 

☼ El Cottoro: We stopped for $3 craft tacos at this taqueria and heladeria. Mimosas were also on special for $3 😏 so you know that was on the agenda as well. 
*also serves meat and vegetarian options 

& that’s about it! The rest of our days were spent lazing around in the van until we felt ready for our next adventure. 

—

Tags: #albuquerque #explorenewmexico #newmexicolove #newmexicolife #albuquerquenm #travelblogger #travelgram #visitnewmexico #vegantravel #vegantraveller #exploremore
  • This little, imperfect home we built together has carried us through so many places. 

We often try to go into travel with no expectations - just a few bucketlist places on the list and the desire to learn, connect, and have a good time. 

This van has been the vessel to do all of those things, while simultaneously being our shelter and place we call home. 

Van life is quite honestly nothing like I thought it’d be - but instead, this way of life has brought us to the right people, and the right place at the right time. 

📍 Traditional Kumeyaay land
___ 

Tags: #vanlifemovement #vanlifecommunity #vanlifecouple #vanlifediaries #vanlife #vanlifers #vanliferevolution #vantravel #vantrip #roadtrippers #roadtrippin #lifeontheroad #livinginavan #ambulanceconversion #vanlifeadventures
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