A couple has sparked excitement online with a YouTube tour of the short bus they ingeniously transformed into a mobile tiny home adorned with vintage features.
In the video, the couple, who identified themselves as Gene and Shay (@geneandshay), showed off their converted 2003 Chevrolet Girardin. For the design, they incorporated lessons learned from a previous conversion.
"We had a lot of trial and error with our first build," explains Shay. "That made every decision very intentional in this space."
With rental prices in the United States skyrocketing in recent years, many people have begun to seek alternative forms of housing. According to Consumer Affairs, the national median rent has jumped a staggering 32% since 2020.
For those looking to save money on housing, a tiny home can be an excellent option. Because of their smaller size and less complicated designs, tiny homes are significantly cheaper in terms of construction, utilities, and maintenance.
According to Element Homes, monthly utility costs for a tiny home average roughly $100 to $250, compared to $400 or more for a full-size home, per Inspire Clean Energy.
These factors also make for a smaller environmental impact and can allow for greater resiliency in the event of a blackout or other emergency.
For Gene and Shay, eco-friendly and money-saving choices were made throughout the design and build process. For example, Shay explains how they used repurposed wood to construct a beautiful-looking shelf for their kitchen.
"We just built this little shelf … using plywood and then leftover … tongue-and-groove planks we had for other parts of the build," Shay says in the video.
While the financial and environmental benefits of tiny-home living are obvious, some people assume that living in a tiny home means sacrificing things like having a lot of possessions.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 🙁 In the video, Gene and Shay make it clear that, while living in a tiny home did require certain adjustments, the important thing was establishing priorities. For them, these priorities included a large kitchen and lots of storage space.
"We have a lot of stuff," Shay reveals. "A lot of people think you have to be a minimalist to live in a bus or a van, and we are not at all."
Viewers flocked to the comments to commend the couple on their brilliant design.
"Seriously one of the best-designed vehicle layouts I've ever seen," praised one user. "Great job, Gene and Shay!"
"Impressive build, impressive residents," added another. "One of the most 'realistic' videos I've seen in 4 years of watching tiny home stories on YouTube."
While not everyone can live in a tiny home, there are other steps people can take to save on utility costs while reducing environmental impact. For example, by installing solar panels, homeowners can cut electricity costs considerably, sometimes down to $0.
EnergySage offers a free service that compares vetted local installers, making it easy to save as much as $10,000 on solar panels for your home.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
