Solo Van Life Starts Here: Resources for Women

Stop guessing and start knowing — with your actual numbers.

The Van Life Money Calculator™ is a complete digital financial foundation kit for women planning or already living solo van life. Built by Catina Borgmann, Federally Credentialed Enrolled Agent and full-time vanlifer, this system goes beyond a basic budget template to show you exactly whether your income can sustain life on the road — and what you need to save before you launch.

This is a digital product delivered instantly after purchase. No shipping. No waiting. Access begins the moment your payment processes.

At the heart of the calculator is the 3-6-9 Buffer™ — a proprietary three-layer financial safety net designed specifically for solo women on the road:

• 3-Month Living Fund — covers essential monthly expenses if income stops

• 6-Month Freedom Fund — the deeper reserve that keeps you on the road through an extended income gap or major life change

• Breakdown Buffer — a dedicated vehicle emergency fund, starting at $900, so one transmission failure doesn't end your journey

Plug in your numbers, get your traffic light, and know exactly where you stand.

What's included:

• The 3-6-9 Buffer™ Breakdown (PDF) — the framework behind the math, including how to build each layer strategically whether you're launching in 3 months or 3 years

• The Van Life Money Calculator™ (Interactive Google Sheet) — a pre-built spreadsheet that calculates your exact buffer amounts, compares your current expenses to van life costs, and gives you a green or yellow traffic light on your readiness. No spreadsheet experience needed — you plug in numbers, it does the math.

• EA Insight Training Video — a full walkthrough by a Federally Credentialed Enrolled Agent, including how to read your results and what to do next

Format: Digital download — Google Sheet (no software required) + PDF + video access. All three delivered via email link immediately after purchase.

Designed for: Women 45+ planning or living solo van life, including those navigating major life transitions — empty nesters, career changers, and anyone asking "can I actually afford this?"

The Traffic Light indicators are decision-support tools, not guarantees. A green light gives you clarity to make an informed choice — not a promise of outcome.

The manual that covers what no one else is talking about.

Most van life content focuses on builds, gear, and campsites. The Van Life Foundations Manual covers the infrastructure that actually keeps you on the road: legal domicile selection, multi-state tax compliance, financial safety nets, insurance strategy, vehicle maintenance systems, legacy and estate planning, and emergency preparedness. All 250 pages are written by Catina Borgmann, a Federally Credentialed Enrolled Agent (EA), a federally licensed tax professional, and full-time solo vanlifer — professional-grade guidance you won't find anywhere else in the van life space.

This is a physical printed product shipped to your door. 250 numbered pages, professionally printed and 3-hole punched, ready to drop into a standard 1"–1.5" 3-ring binder. Shipping is included. US addresses only.

Also included: Access to the Van Life Money Calculator™ (a $37 value) — the interactive Google Sheets tool built on the 3-6-9 Buffer™ framework. Included because the financial chapters reference it directly.

What's inside — 9 chapters across 3 sections:

Section 1 — Operational Foundations

• Ch. 1: Legal Residency & Address Infrastructure — domicile selection, PMB setup, vehicle registration, mail forwarding on the road, setting up your IRS online account, getting through ID.me verification

• Ch. 2: Insurance — health coverage for nomads, ACA marketplace strategy, COBRA vs. the Marketplace, health sharing ministries, Medigap for Medicare-age travelers, prescriptions on the road, auto insurance for van life, agreed vs. stated value coverage

• Ch. 3: Vehicle Maintenance Systems — pre-launch prep, safety equipment (CO detector, fire extinguisher, first aid kit), maintenance routines, scheduled service intervals, complete tracking system

Section 2 — Financial Command Center

• Ch. 4: The Financial Engine — the 3-6-9 Buffer™ (3-Month Living Fund, 6-Month Freedom Fund, Breakdown Buffer), budget tiers, the real cost of traveling solo, road banking, month-to-month management

• Ch. 5: Tax & Legal Compliance — EA-backed tax guidance, splitting your year between two states, the itinerant tax status rule (the "tax turtle" trap), domicile maintenance, state tax navigation, nexus rules, the 183-day statutory residency trap, multi-state complications for remote workers and retirees, retirement income on the road

• Ch. 6: Legacy & Legal Protection — estate planning, Durable POA, Healthcare Directive, digital asset planning, next-of-kin defaults for solo travelers, emergency pet planning

• Ch. 7: Financial Planning & Protection — retirement accounts, ACA subsidy strategy for the pre-Medicare window, Social Security timing for vanlifers, HSA strategy, life insurance decisions, long-term care planning, beneficiary designations

Section 3 — Life Support Systems

• Ch. 8: The Digital ICE File — cloud-based emergency vault, password management, emergency contact system, what to do beyond the first 48 hours if something happens to you on the road

• Ch. 9: Lifestyle Library — safety and site selection, traveling with pets, hygiene, connectivity, the Nomadic Anchor (family, guilt & connection), cooking, route planning, wardrobe

Plus: Resources & Links, a 60+ term Glossary, and the About the Author section.

Each chapter includes checklists, worksheets, comparison tables, and cross-references — built to be used, not just read. Write in the margins. Check off the checklists. Update the worksheets as your situation evolves.

Format: Physical product — 250 pages, professionally printed, 3-hole punched. Shipping included to US addresses. A binder shopping list with recommended supplies is included with your order.