A woman has shared how she quit her job to embrace the nomad life – moving into a Tesla with her two pets.
Stephanie Virovec, originally from Canada, spent years living with her former partner in the US after leaving her hometown of Alberta.
When the pair split up, she decided to uproot her life – quitting her job as a shop assistant in Costco, giving up her condo and moving into a 2020 long-range Tesla with her recuse cat Finley, four, and dog Snow, two.
Stephanie has spent the past year travelling across the continent – saving herself $2,000 per month.
“It was actually my ex’s car originally,” the content creator, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“The relationship, unfortunately, did not work out, and we broke up early last year, but my ex was very kind to gift me the Tesla, as a way for me to road trip home to Canada.
“I wanted to try the nomadic lifestyle because I realised that the life I had been living in my condo was not well-suited to me.
“I was struggling with my mental health, and especially, once Covid began, I realised how short life was.
“I decided to go live while I could, instead of sitting in my condo afraid of everything!
“I had been watching the van lifers online for a few years, so I decided to get out and try it.”
Stephanie first set off in March 2022 and luckily, the car didn’t need any renovations or alterations and was perfect to travel in.
She said: “I haven’t officially renovated anything, not yet anyway.
“I have plans to remove the backseats and maybe install a lift kit, but for now, I just keep the backseats folded down with my mattress right on top.
“I’ve also considered selling the Tesla to move into something bigger, but would miss the features like the AC that I currently have.
“My life is truly different every day.
“I also have a touch screen, which is great to watch YouTube or Netflix!
“[The car’s] ‘dog mode’ allows me to leave the pets in the car with the heat or AC running too, windows and doors locked, and a temperature monitor and interior camera streaming to my phone.
“This gives me the peace of mind that I need to go grocery shopping or take a shower while knowing that the pets will be safe.
“The car also has a ton of storage, there is a front trunk as well as the back one, too.”
By living in the car, Stephanie estimates she spends $1,500 (£1,177) per month, compared to $3,500 (£2,748) back when she stayed in her condo in Canada.
So far, she has travelled to Montana, Washington, Idaho, Utah, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Arizona, and is currently exploring British Columbia.
She added: “I now spend money on the occasional parking spot, campsite fees, my phone bill and food.
“Whereas when I lived in the flat, I also had to pay the car on top, as well as the mortgage and insurance.”
The content creator spends her days going for walks with her pets, hanging out in coffee shops, working out or spending time in nature.
They stay in car parks, campsites or simply roll up the car on the side of the road.
Stephanie added: “Each day is a little different depending on where we are, which I really love!
“They [Finley and Snow] both settle down right away when we get in and since we usually use it [the car] just for sleeping or driving, they’re very used to having quiet time inside.
“Both are usually happy to rest when we settle in since they’ve had so much stimulation through the day!”
In terms of showering, cooking and doing the dishes, Stephanie uses public restrooms to her advantage.
She added: “I shower at gyms, campgrounds, houses that belong to friends and family, pools and truck stops.
“I have a hot plate to cook on but frequently eat cold meals like sandwiches and salads instead!
“I can cook anywhere since I have a portable battery bank that can power the hot plate and also have all of my cooking utensils with me all the time.
“I use a food-safe all-purpose spray and paper towel to clean my dishes, and then rinse with water.”
Stephanie has no “solid” plans for her future and is happy to simply keep travelling for now.
She added: “I don’t have any solid future travel plans yet but I think I’ll be road-tripping to the east coast of Canada and then down through eastern USA at some point in the future!
“Currently, I plan to live in the Tesla until I find the perfect van or tiny house to move to next – whichever comes first!”
