6 Best Online Shopping Tips for Alternative Living That Save Without Sacrifice
Live your alternative lifestyle for less. Discover tips for finding sustainable, secondhand, and bulk goods online that save money and align with your values.
You’ve got the van, the tiny home foundation, or the skoolie, but now you have to fill it. The initial outfitting costs can be shocking, and the gear list seems to grow every day. Smart online shopping isn’t just about saving a few bucks; it’s about making your limited budget go further without compromising on the quality and function you need to live comfortably.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Equipping Your Alternative Space for Less
The initial outfitting is where budgets get blown. It’s not the big-ticket items like solar panels that sink you, but the thousand tiny cuts from hundreds of small purchases. A water fitting here, a cabinet latch there, a set of storage bins—it all adds up faster than you can imagine.
This requires a fundamental mindset shift. You have to move from asking "What do I want?" to "What do I need to be safe, comfortable, and functional?" This isn’t about deprivation. It’s about intentionality. Every single item you bring into a small space must earn its keep, both in terms of its cost and the physical space it occupies.
Avoid the "van life" marketing trap. Many companies take standard camping or RV equipment, slap on a fancy logo, and double the price. A durable, well-made piece of marine hardware is often better and cheaper than its trendy, branded "overlanding" equivalent. Look for quality in adjacent, less glamorous industries like commercial trucking, boating, and construction.
Score Deals on Facebook Marketplace & eBay
Used gear is your absolute best friend. I’ve seen people buy a $1,000 Dometic fridge, use it for one summer trip, and then sell it for $500 because they sold their van. Their loss is your gain. High-end coolers, camp stoves, diesel heaters, and even lightly used solar panels are constantly popping up.
Get smart with your searches. Use broad terms like "RV parts" or "camping gear" to browse, but also set up saved search alerts for the exact model numbers of items on your wish list. Patience is key here. The perfect deal won’t appear the day you start looking, but if you have a few weeks or months, it almost certainly will.
Of course, there’s a tradeoff. You have to do your own quality control. Always ask for videos of electronics working before you drive to pick them up, and never be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right. But the potential to cut your appliance and gear budget in half makes the extra effort more than worth it.
Choose Multi-Use Gear like an Instant Pot
Simplify meal prep with the Instant Pot Duo, a versatile 7-in-1 appliance that pressure cooks, slow cooks, and more. Enjoy easy cleanup with its dishwasher-safe stainless steel components and access hundreds of recipes via the Instant Brands Connect App.
Every object in a tiny home must justify its existence. Single-purpose gadgets are the enemy. They are the fastest way to fill your limited storage with a pile of things you barely use.
The Instant Pot is the poster child for this principle. It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and sauté pan all in one compact unit. It replaces at least five other kitchen appliances, saving you not only hundreds of dollars but, more importantly, an entire cabinet’s worth of precious space. Its low power draw on the sauté function is also a huge plus for off-grid electrical systems.
Apply this logic everywhere. A high-quality cast iron skillet can go from your induction cooktop to the campfire. A nesting set of pots and pans saves an entire drawer. Instead of a full toolbox, a quality multi-tool and a well-curated socket set can handle 90% of your maintenance tasks. Maximize function per square inch.
The Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet offers unmatched versatility for cooking indoors or outdoors. Pre-seasoned with natural oil, it provides a naturally non-stick surface that improves with every use.
Use CamelCamelCamel to Track Amazon Prices
Never buy anything on Amazon at first glance. Its prices are dynamic, changing daily or even hourly based on demand, inventory, and a dozen other algorithms. Buying on impulse almost guarantees you are overpaying.
This is where a free browser extension called CamelCamelCamel becomes your secret weapon. It tracks the price history of virtually any item on Amazon. With one click, you can see if the current price is a great deal or a seasonal high. It cuts through the "limited time deal" marketing noise and shows you the hard data.
Here’s a practical example. You need a specific Maxxair fan that’s currently listed for $350. You check its price history on CamelCamelCamel and see that it regularly drops to $280 during off-season sales. You simply set a price alert for $280 and wait. A few weeks later, you get an email, make the purchase, and save $70 with almost zero effort. Applying this strategy across your entire build can save you thousands.
The Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe provides all-in-one RV ventilation. Enjoy ten fan speeds, reversible airflow, and rain protection with the built-in cover and remote control.
Find Bargains at Bontrager’s Surplus Online
One of the best-kept secrets in the DIY building community is RV surplus stores. These businesses buy massive lots of overstock, discontinued, and "scratch-and-dent" inventory directly from RV manufacturers like Thor and Forest River. They then sell these components to the public at a deep discount.
Bontrager’s Surplus in Michigan is one of the most well-known, and they ship. You can find brand-new RV windows, doors, water tanks, furniture, and appliances for 50-70% off retail prices. It’s an absolute goldmine for builders who are willing to be a little flexible.
Upgrade your RV entry door with this 12" x 21" window for improved visibility and style. The integrated shade provides adjustable privacy, while the waterproof seal ensures a weather-tight fit.
The catch is that you can’t build your entire plan and then go shopping. Their inventory is always changing. The smart approach is to check their stock first and design around the deals you find. If you can get a perfectly good, brand-new window for $50 instead of $250, it’s worth adjusting your wall framing to accommodate it.
Follow Renogy & Jackery for Direct Sales
For your critical electrical components, you don’t want to take chances with questionable used gear. This is where buying directly from reputable manufacturers during their sales events is the smartest move. Companies like Renogy, Jackery, and Bluetti are staples in this community for a reason—their products are reliable and backed by real warranties.
Get on their email lists and follow their social media accounts. They run major sales around every holiday—Black Friday, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July are prime times. These direct-from-manufacturer deals are often significantly better than what you’ll find on Amazon or through other third-party retailers.
This strategy gives you the best of both worlds. You get the deep discounts you’d expect from bargain hunting, but with the peace of mind that comes from buying brand-new, fully-warrantied equipment. For the heart of your build—your power system—this is the most intelligent way to invest your money.
Measure Twice with a Bosch Laser Measure
Get accurate distance measurements up to 100 feet with the BOSCH GLM100-23 laser measure. Its simple two-button operation and backlit display ensure easy use, while the rounding button provides precise results.
This might seem like a product recommendation, not a shopping tip, but it’s one of the most important money-saving tools you can own. The single most expensive mistake in any build is buying something that doesn’t fit. A $40 laser measure will save you from a $400 fridge that won’t slide into its cabinet.
Van walls aren’t straight, and tiny home floors are never perfectly level. Trying to hook a clumsy tape measure on a non-existent edge to get a critical measurement is a recipe for disaster. A laser measure gives you a precise, instant reading, allowing you to confidently check the dimensions of a space before you ever click "buy."
The DEWALT Atomic Compact 30 ft. Tape Measure offers a 13 ft. max reach for straighter, stronger measurements. Its 20% more compact grip enhances ergonomics and control, while the integrated finger brake provides superior blade management.
Think of it as an insurance policy against wasted materials and costly return shipping fees. You’ll use it to confirm the water tank will clear the wheel well, that the countertop will fit between the walls, and that your lumber is cut to the exact length needed. Accuracy prevents waste, and preventing waste saves money.
Finalizing Your Build with Smart Purchases
As you approach the finish line, "get-it-done-itis" sets in. It’s incredibly tempting to abandon your frugal habits and just buy whatever you need to be finished. This is where budgets quietly spiral out of control.
The final 10% of your build requires the same financial discipline as the first 90%. All those little things—cabinet pulls, light fixtures, fuses, wiring, storage containers—add up. Apply the same principles: use CamelCamelCamel for Amazon purchases, look for multi-functional organizational items, and check surplus stores for hardware.
The goal isn’t just to finish; it’s to finish well. A smart, deliberate approach to online shopping from the first 2×4 to the final throw pillow is what separates a stressful, over-budget build from a successful one. It ensures your new home is not only affordable but also durable and perfectly suited to the life you want to live in it.
Building your alternative living space is a marathon, not a sprint, and your shopping strategy should reflect that. By combining patience with the right online tools, you can equip your rig with quality gear that fits your budget and your life, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice to save.
