We Saved $37,000 Traveling in Our NV200 Campervan. Here’s How We Pulled It Off
How one couple’s simple campervan carried them through 220,000 miles and over 400 nights on the road.
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When Lauren and Steven Keys of Trip of a Lifestyle first bought their little red Nissan NV200 in 2018, they had no idea it would transform their travel life and their finances.
Back then, they were just a couple with a big dream: to visit every U.S. National Park in a single trip. But hotels at $100 a night for seven months? That didn’t fit their frugal nature or their plans for early retirement.
“We figured it’d take about 7 months, and naturally, one of the first questions on our minds was, ‘How much is this gonna cost?!’” Lauren told me.
What started as a bare-bones solution to save money became a six-year, 220,000-mile adventure that saved them nearly $40,000 in lodging costs.
Here’s how they did it, what they learned, and why they chose another NV200 when it was time to upgrade.
How a Nissan NV200 Camper Became Their Cheap Ride
At the start, Lauren and Steven’s biggest concern was cost. Hotels and eating out would just get too expensive. Instead of shelving their dream of visiting all those national parks, they started researching alternatives. Typical RV setups didn’t seem much better when factoring in campground fees, hookups, dump stations, and the high fuel costs of driving a large motorhome cross-country. Compared to hotels, RVs were actually MORE expensive.
“Rather than giving up, we got creative and said, ‘Okay, but what’s the cheapest possible camper setup?’” Lauren said. “After some research, we came up with the idea of converting a Nissan NV200 into a teeny tiny camper van. It’s fuel-efficient, getting about 26 miles to the gallon, and we figured we could buy a really nice one for around $12,000 and sell it immediately after our big trip for not much less.”
So, they did just that, and their DIY NV200 conversion cost just $455 and took only a few hours to complete. Way cheaper than the elaborate $50,000+ van builds flooding Instagram.
The Smartest Decision: One Vehicle for Everything
One of their most impactful money-saving strategies was deciding to keep the NV200 as their only vehicle, rather than treating it as a secondary, travel-only rig.
“The Nissan NV200 is good on gas and small enough to maneuver into a compact parking space. Having it as our only vehicle allowed us to skip depreciation, maintenance, fuel, registration, and insurance costs on an additional vehicle,” Lauren said.
More importantly, this allowed the couple to keep money that would have otherwise been tied up in a second vehicle, working for them and growing in the stock market, instead — avoiding a massive opportunity cost over the last six years.
How They Saved Nearly $40,000 Traveling in Their NV200
The most obvious savings came from lodging. Lauren and Steven spent around 400 nights in their NV200, which, at $100 per night for hotels, would have cost them about $40,000.
Instead, their nights were free. Their simple setup didn’t require paid hookups or RV parks, so they camped for free most of the time — on public land, at rest areas, and even in Walmart parking lots.
“Our favorite free campsites are the ones on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere,” Lauren said. “They always have the best views of the stars.”
The couple also saved on food by cooking simple meals on a portable propane stove and using a cooler for groceries. They took advantage of restaurant hacks and loyalty programs to keep dining-out costs low.
The Minimalist Approach to Van Life
Lauren and Steven never set out to build a “dream van.” Their NV200 didn’t have solar panels, a fridge, or a bathroom — and they were okay with that.
“For us, it’s really just ‘sleeping in a van to save money,’” Lauren explained. “Because our setup is so basic, we’re encouraged to do all of our ‘living’ outside of the van.”
This approach kept costs low and made them focus on what mattered most: exploring the world outside. The only trade-off? No overnight climate control. To work around that, they plan trips around the seasons, heading north in the summer and south in the winter to avoid extreme heat and cold.
For showers on the road, Lauren and Steven kept an active Black Card membership with Planet Fitness, which allows the cardholder (Lauren) to bring a guest (Steven) for free — effectively a 2-for-1 membership. They occasionally used showers at campgrounds as well.
“Bathrooms are pretty much everywhere you look, so we just use them as needed wherever we stop — from restaurants to gas stations to National Parks and almost anywhere else you can think of,” said Lauren.
Keeping Costs Down Through Reliability
Another key to their savings was choosing a reliable vehicle. Over 169,000 miles of driving, they spent just $1,400 on repairs — excluding regular maintenance like tires and fluid changes.
“The biggest mistake we see vanlifers make is buying an old, junky van and spending thousands of dollars to outfit it for camping,” Lauren said. “We opted for the exact opposite, prioritizing a reliable base vehicle and cheaping out on the frills of a fancy living space.”
You absolutely don’t need to buy a new or expensive vehicle to get rock-solid reliability. Their NV200 was $12,300 because they bought it with so few miles. The couple could have easily bought a significantly older vehicle and still gotten 100k miles of problem-free performance.
“That $12k NV200 was actually the most expensive vehicle we had ever purchased in our lives at the time,” said Lauren.
This strategy gave them peace of mind on the road and prevented expensive breakdowns from eating into their budget.
Selling the Red Van and Buying Another NV200
After six years of road trips, it was time to retire the red van — but not to give up on van life. They sold the NV200 for $4,000 (empty!) with 220,000 miles on the odometer and bought another NV200, this time white, with 100,000 miles for $14,000.
“We were so happy with our Nissan NV200 camper van that we decided not to mess with success,” Lauren said.
Their new van has already taken them on two long Canadian road trips, including a 61-day summer adventure, and they have no plans to slow down.
Their Advice for Aspiring NV200 Owners
For anyone considering a Nissan NV200 camper conversion, Lauren and Steven have a few tips:
- Maintain the CVT transmission. Regular fluid changes are essential to avoid expensive repairs.
- Be aware of limited supply. Nissan stopped making new NV200s after 2021, so used prices are higher now.
- Start simple. You can always upgrade your build later, but a basic bed platform is enough to get started.
The Big Picture: Travel More, Spend Less
Lauren and Steven’s story is a perfect example of how van life can be both affordable and incredibly rewarding. By keeping their build simple, traveling in an efficient vehicle, and using free campsites, they saved tens of thousands of dollars — all while exploring some of the most beautiful places in North America.
Their biggest takeaway? You don’t need an expensive rig or fancy gear to enjoy the freedom of the road.
“Our philosophy is just to spend as little money as we can while living a happy life and attaining our goals,” Lauren said.
