It all started with one trip to Honduras
Back in 2019, Ashley Kaye was just another hard-working professional living in Wisconsin — until a scuba diving trip to Honduras shifted everything. On that trip, she met someone who lived life a little differently — a full-time traveler. Their conversation lit a spark that would eventually lead Kaye to quit her job, sell her house, and live out of a truck while exploring the world.
“He told me he wished he had done it sooner because it’s so much easier and cheaper than you think,” Kaye said. That simple remark hit her like a lightning bolt. The very next year, she handed in her resignation and started a journey that would redefine her entire life.
Leaving it all behind — and learning to do nothing
Kaye didn’t leap blindly. By the time she quit her job in 2020, she had $37,000 saved up. But stepping away from the 9-to-5 came with unexpected challenges. “I didn’t know how to just do nothing,” she admits. “The first few months were really hard and I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision.”
But that discomfort didn’t last. As she embraced the rhythm of travel and grew in confidence, Kaye says she’s never looked back — and has no regrets about leaving her old life behind.
From backpacker to overlander
For three years, Ashley wandered the globe—including time spent in South Africa — before discovering a travel style that felt like home. In 2022, a couple reached out to her on Instagram to chat about overlanding. That’s when she first heard about turning a truck into a fully livable vehicle.
Overlanding is more than a trend. It’s self-reliant travel to remote destinations, usually in an off-road capable vehicle. Think of it as RV living for the bold and rugged.
Intrigued, Kaye dove in headfirst. She bought a Toyota Tacoma truck for $42,934, picked it up in South Dakota, and drove it home to Wisconsin — where she had just sold her childhood home for $320,000. No plan, no roadmap — just momentum and motivation.
Renovating her home on wheels
In March 2023, Kaye drove down to Baja California, Mexico and began transforming the truck into her dream home on wheels.
It wasn’t cheap. Kaye estimates she’s spent over $50,000 on the renovation, which included:
- Installing a camper
- Adding solar panels for power
- Replacing the truck bed
- Upgrading suspension and tires
- Customizing the bumper
- Adding an electric cooler
“It was very spur of the moment,” she says. “Most people plan this kind of thing for years. I didn’t even have a truck when I accepted the offer on my house!”
Living the Pan-American Dream
Once her truck was ready, Ashley set off to conquer the Pan-American Highway — a journey that stretches from Alaska to Argentina.
“This is an incredible way to travel because you get to set your own pace,” Kaye says. “If you find somewhere that’s beautiful and peaceful, you can stay as long as you want.”
She’s already driven through more than 20 countries in her Tacoma and shows no sign of slowing down — though she admits border crossings can be exhausting. “There’s a lot of red tape and logistics when you’re alone. You have to find a balance.”
Keeping costs low: How she spends just $1,300 a month
One of the most jaw-dropping things about Kaye’s lifestyle? Her monthly budget is just $1,300 — far less than rent in most U.S. cities.
Here’s how she breaks it down:
- Gas: $556/month
- Food: $453/month
- Cell phone bill: $96/month
- Starlink internet: $200/month
Of course, she splurges occasionally. Kaye spent $6,000 on a scuba diving trip in the Galápagos, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The secret to keeping things affordable? Simplicity. “The easiest part for me is being comfortable in small spaces,” Kaye explains. “I can spend all day inside the camper and not feel claustrophobic.”
The daily grind on the road
Her days alternate between travel days and leisure days. On a travel day, she wakes up early, breaks down camp, secures everything inside, and hits the road for a 5- to 7-hour drive. Once she arrives, she often stays two to three nights before moving on.
Her truck doesn’t have a bathroom, so she uses a portable toilet and a shower bag. And while the camper is cozy, there’s one thing she finds frustrating—the constant setup and takedown.
“It’s simple,” she says, “but doing it over and over again can feel like a burden.”
Still, it’s a small trade-off for the kind of freedom she now lives every day.
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A life of freedom and no regrets
Living in a truck and traveling alone isn’t for everyone. But for Kaye, it’s been the most fulfilling chapter of her life. She says the only thing she’s tired of is driving. “I’m not tired of the camper or this lifestyle, but I am tired of being behind the wheel all the time.”
As 2026 approaches, Kaye is considering selling the truck and beginning a new chapter. But where she’ll land remains a mystery — and that’s exactly how she likes it.
“If I ever buy another house in the U.S., it’ll be an investment,” she says. Her dream? Living in southern France, Spain, or Italy. But she’s in no rush.
“Each place has its challenges,” she says. “For me, it’s about finding somewhere I want to be, and then dealing with whatever hoops I need to jump through to stay there.”
