A couple have converted a motor vehicle into their dream home to travel across the country – spending just $5,000 and doing it all from watching YouTube videos.

Summer Ginther, 26, and her partner Ryan, 25, used to have 9 to 5 office jobs in St. Louis, Missouri, but quickly grew tired of being tied down to one location.

The couple owned a three-bedroom home and had a fulfilling life but would frequently travel to the countryside at weekends to camp and immerse themselves in nature.

In 2020, they decided to permanently leave the busy city life behind and live like nomads.

The pair began by purchasing a dull and dated 2001 Shasta Freeport – a 29-foot Class C motor home which cost them $9,800 – and then proceeded to renovate the vehicle.

Ryan also quit his former job at an insurance company to work remotely for RVshare, a peer-to-peer RV rental company, while Summer works as an English teacher remotely doing video lessons.

They rented out their bricks and mortar property and set off on their journey – with no current plans to return.

The couple have travelled all over the US and Canada but lockdown halted their adventures and so they decided to stay with family for a few months.

However, both Summer and Ryan have now been vaccinated and plan to restart their travel once more – and hope to go to Alaska one day.

“We have always loved nature and camping,” Summer told Jam Press.

“Ryan and I liked our lives but also knew we wanted to spend more time travelling and feel less tied down.

“We felt like we were spending more money on stuff than experiences, and wanted to change that.”

The couple transformed their motorhome on their own, learning skills along the way through watching YouTube videos.

They started slow, adding a new desk and custom-built sofa, and creating an open living and work space.

After that, the couple tackled the bathroom, building a gorgeous custom shower out of cedar, as well as replacing the bathroom sink, faucet and counter, and painting the interior and exterior of the RV.

Additionally, Summer and Ryan replaced the carpet with hardwood floor, refurbished the kitchen, installed new shelves and even added a small indoor herb garden.

The couple would wake up early in the mornings to get the job done, spending all day on perfecting their home-on-wheels.

The entire renovation took them two months to complete – costing under $5,000 in total – and they couldn’t be happier with the final results, although they plan to add some finishing touches and decorations in coming months.

However, there are some challenges to living remotely in an RV.

Summer admitted that finding reliable internet is difficult and getting access to clean drinking water can be challenging.

They also have to keep up with regular maintenance of the vehicle – and this can get overwhelming.

Summer said: “The most challenging part of the renovation was probably the shower!

"A big one for us is making sure we have reliable internet because we work remotely.

“Sometimes it can be difficult to find places to fill up water or other needs.

“There is also a lot of maintenance and upkeep when you live in an RV.

“It can feel overwhelming for some but for us the benefits have always outweighed any downsides!

“I had a vision of what I wanted but it took us a while to find a way to make that come alive.

“I love how our RV turned out and it feels so much like home.

“When you live in a tiny home, though, you're always dreaming up of more ways to make it more efficient.

“We've lived in this RV for over a year now and I still find little things I want to change. It sometimes feels like an ongoing project but that makes it fun!

“Ryan and I actually just added more solar to our RV and renovated the driving area in the last couple of months so I think we will take a small break from big projects.

“But we have been discussing possibly changing the colour of our cabinets and building a new desk that is easier to move."

In a few words of advice for others who wish to renovate their own motor home, Summer added: “Make sure to do your research before buying, especially if buying used!

“It can be really easy to buy something that turns into a bigger project than expected so really inspect the RV before going through with the purchase.

“If you're dreaming of RV life but [are] scared to take the jump, just go for it!

“The memories we've made these past two years have made it all well worth it.

"No matter where we end up, we will never regret living this lifestyle."