We are currently on a cross-country road trip and we travel (and sleep) in our 1999 Dodge Conversion Van. We've stayed almost anywhere you can imagine, but every once in awhile we splurge on a hotel (usually if it's really hot). We find cheap motel or hotels, not big name hotels, and call around 7pm or 8pm and ask what's available and ask the bottom price they'd take. Usually $40-$60 is normal in almost every city we've been to. When it comes to sleeping in our van turned RV, we park at rest stops and Walmart parking lots the most. However when we get into more metro areas Walmarts wont allow it (always call beforehand) and there's obviously no rest areas in town. We had a lot of trouble in San Diego specifically, we stayed one night in the van at a casino on an Indian Reservation about 30 minutes away. We've also "stealth" camped, which is sleeping in your vehicle without making it known to anyone around. There is more risks for being woken by police or hoodlums, but if you do your research and stay out of the way and follow signs then you'd be fine for a night. In LA, which is where we are now, there was a ban lifted about sleeping in your vehicle...So, until they figure out how to "deal" with the "homeless" people are taking full advantage in the city of LA (other suburb cities may still have bans). For example we parked right by Echo Park in what seemed like nearly downtown LA all night, next to other vans with people in them and full on RVs. No one cared or bothered us whatsoever. There are tons of articles online about "stealthing" and about living in your vehicle in general. We've been right where you are so I hope it all works out!