This Army Vet is very proactive with his life instead of giving up in/with this challenging economy and high cost of living expenses these days.
Aug 19, 2023
www.insider.com
Jonathan Norris bought the van in early 2020. Jonathan Norris
During his last year, which he spent in South Korea, Norris said he began saving up for a truck that he could live in when he returned to America.
After he got back to Washington State at the beginning of 2020, he found a 1998 FedEx truck he liked in California.
He said he managed to get it for a relatively "cheap" $3,000.
"It was a steal because a truck like this typically goes for at least $9,000," Norris told Insider.
The 37-year-old said he then spent his weekends over the next two years converting it into a mobile tiny home.
Jonathan Norris
Norris said he watched dozens of YouTube videos on van conversions and taught himself how to do the work himself.
"I thought about getting a regular box truck with a conventional cab but it would've meant getting into it from the back doors. The nice thing about the FedEx truck is I can get into the back through the driver's door," he added.
Jonathan Norris
Jonathan Norris
Norris said he got most of his supplies and furnishings from Home Depot, including a refrigerator and a freezer, but went $5,000 over budget.
Jonathan Norris
"I'd work around 10 hours on Saturdays and up to five hours on a Sunday on the van," he said, adding that it was essentially an "empty aluminum box" when he first bought it.
He started by building a wooden frame for the walls and floor and insulating it.
In the first two months, he also installed an off-grid electrical system and a TV.
"It was super, super overwhelming at first," he said. "I did that every weekend for two years until I had built an entire home."
He added that "every single thing" he did was a "learning experience," and that it "took a lot of research to make sure I didn't set my home on fire and blow myself up."
An Army veteran bought a FedEx van for $3,000 and turned it into a tiny home on wheels
Jyoti MannAug 19, 2023
An Army veteran bought a FedEx van for $3,000 and turned it into a tiny home on wheels
Jonathan Norris bought the FedEx van and turned it into a tiny home to live rent-free. He's now training to become a helicopter pilot.
www.insider.com
Jonathan Norris bought the van in early 2020. Jonathan Norris
- Former soldier Jonathan Norris paid $3,000 for a FedEx van that he could turn into a mobile home.
- He spent his weekends for two years converting the van so he could live rent-free.
- It has a queen-sized bed, a TV, a kitchen with a microwave, and a storage area for his bikes.
During his last year, which he spent in South Korea, Norris said he began saving up for a truck that he could live in when he returned to America.
After he got back to Washington State at the beginning of 2020, he found a 1998 FedEx truck he liked in California.
He said he managed to get it for a relatively "cheap" $3,000.
"It was a steal because a truck like this typically goes for at least $9,000," Norris told Insider.
The 37-year-old said he then spent his weekends over the next two years converting it into a mobile tiny home.
He spent more than two years researching van life and the right vehicle.
Jonathan Norris
Norris said he watched dozens of YouTube videos on van conversions and taught himself how to do the work himself.
"I thought about getting a regular box truck with a conventional cab but it would've meant getting into it from the back doors. The nice thing about the FedEx truck is I can get into the back through the driver's door," he added.
Norris paid a relatively low $3,000 for the van.
Jonathan Norris
He had about $25,000 for fixtures and furnishings.
Jonathan Norris
Norris said he got most of his supplies and furnishings from Home Depot, including a refrigerator and a freezer, but went $5,000 over budget.
Norris converted the van while living in army barracks.
Jonathan Norris
"I'd work around 10 hours on Saturdays and up to five hours on a Sunday on the van," he said, adding that it was essentially an "empty aluminum box" when he first bought it.
He started by building a wooden frame for the walls and floor and insulating it.
In the first two months, he also installed an off-grid electrical system and a TV.
During the week he'd research what he planned to build that weekend.
"It was super, super overwhelming at first," he said. "I did that every weekend for two years until I had built an entire home."
He added that "every single thing" he did was a "learning experience," and that it "took a lot of research to make sure I didn't set my home on fire and blow myself up."
