Full timing since 2005 & Loving it!

[GONMAD]

I guess much can be said about "Home Sweet Home" & I owned a couple as well. What I did not like was being tied down to one area & some of the neighbors were somewhat presumptuous about boundaries & protocol. When getting the hell out of a worn out situation is desirable, it is so very nice to start the engine & go elsewhere to sooth the stress without undesired influences, I like meeting new people & learning different cultures & I have never felt so relieved & content with my situation in my life. It takes a lot of guts to choose this lifestyle, not to mention dumping most of your collected anchors to society (excesses & material clutter) You will be surprised how a simple lifestyle can extend your life not to mention sanity. I celebrate newcomers & know there are a lot of happier people living in this fashion.  Stay cool people! Just MY 2 cents Thanks for sharing C YA! GONMAD   

[moonlitcoyote]

Thats funny, Eddie and I were saying the exact same thing today. I LOVE fulltiming and not having to worry about a mortgage when you want to just up and move.

[LJ-TJ]

Well being out of Canada I can tell you there's not a lot of difference driving a motorhome on wet or snowy roads. Handles just the same as on dry roads. Common cents and good judgment has to prevail. The most important thing to remember is your HEAVIER than a car and therefore it will take a little longer distance to stop and you can't just hammer on the brakes. Just start slowing down sooner and you'll be just fine. Piece of Cake. As far as life's real treasures, maybe if you can afford it rent a SMALL storage spot for a year or two till you see just how full time is going to work for you or what other life challenges are going to be thrown at you. Hm?

[GONMAD]

What I did for  while was to purchase a large car top carrier & attach it to my roof for additional storage, until I procured a permanent storage facility. The only drawback with the carrier was the extreme heat inside the black colored device from Sears. It literally melted some of the plastic items inside. Just be sure not to store anything reactant to heat & you'll be OK. Remember material belongings are a setback in some cases & irreplaceable items could be inherited to another trusted family member unless you are the last of the lineage. I have a lot of baggage accumulated in equipment since choosing Florida as my permanent base of operation. This too can be remedied by gifting it to someone in need or loaned out to a trusted associate. The hardest part is to 'LET GO' of societal dogmas & make your own life paramount to anything else. This sounds selfish a little but who runs YOUR life anyway. Originally It took over six months to literally GIVE away most of my PRECIOUS possessions only to realize I really did not NEED most of it anyway. It becomes easier as time goes on in an RV HOME. Let the freedom be all yours & know you gave something away that might benefit someone else as it did for you. There's a lot more to this giving or gifting & you'll always know you did something for another human in good faith & you'll be rewarded for it in the longrun.I hope this helped with the situation some. Have a great new life! GONMAD   

[Piraterik]

How Does one afford doing this full time?.  Do you work?, retired with a pension, maybe an inheritance, find work where you move to.  I've seen the Workcamping website. but I'm hesitant in making the move.  I love the thought of doing this myself.  And I'm working out the details of how to do this on a limited budget. I would like to know how others have achieved the monthly expenses that would be the result from making a move to this lifestyle.

[jeno]

me to i'd like to know the ins and outs.

[DRMousseau]

I've been nomadic for most of life!!! Tryin to keep ANY kind of car or truck runnin, and boardin rooms where I can because jobs, income, and life circumstances aren't always very consistent!!!

A year ago, I accepted an early retirement. Ain't much, less than $1000 a month. Six months ago, I ran into a GREAT bargain. With it, a whole new life of greater independence, greater freedom, and LOTS of excitement,... as a Classic Winnebago became my year around home. Big trips, like my travels from Michigan to Florida and back, are costly, but easily saved for. My greatest costs were that of initial updates, repairs, and restorations. Those were made possible by returning to a seasonal job for 4 1/2months, and for which I am thankful.

Now, once again, I'm here in Birmingham in route on my return to Michigan!!! Oh I might have to replace a water pump in Kentucky somewhere, and who knows,... maybe even a new tire. And drivin in rain or snow is a nice change of pace!!! Heck! I got hip boots, and there great for knee deep snow too!!! LMAO!!!

[jeno]

i am getting really interested in full time rving. I am on ssi at just about 1000 a month no pension or anything else just didn't think i made enough to even try something like this. i would love to hear other stories from all of you on how you handle things out there on the road.

[moonlitcoyote]

Fulltime Rv living is pretty great for people on a fixed income and can live without. By finding a cheap RV campground you pay your monthly rent which usually includes your electric and water so that is your only utility bill. Then you just pay your food, gas, insurance and phone bill or whatever else you have. Most RV parks also have free internet so that is another bill you dont have to pay. Here is an example, this is what we have paid for the past 8 months...

$375 rv park (elec, water and internet included) (we have parked in places that were only $250/month)
Dish TV $65/month
Insurance $300/6 months
cell phone $45/month
Food $500/month
Gas $100/mnth

Total cost of living $1135/month

[TerryH]

You didn't include beer!
Of course, the more you drink the more you get when returning empties. Simple economics.

[DRMousseau]

Probably the biggest expense, is the cost of labor expenses for maintainence and repairs. Such costs are often added at a min 1hr cost, even if the job is only 15min. Added labor costs are usually per hr for any added fraction. Some labor rates are estimated per job even if the job actually takes half the estimated or standard time. Materials and parts can also be more expensive if obtained on your behalf by hired help.

And of course, the savings CAN be substantial, and are greatly dependent on one skill, knowledge, and experience level!!! For those of us who are retired with such skills, our time can become VERY rewarding!!!!

And the EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE available here by members can help others with limited or minimal skills save too! Living within our means of affordability can be pretty important with minimal income. I certainly couldn't afford a more modern "3-room condo-on-wheels" due to the modern technology of their systems that requires higher skills and knowledge to maintain or repair. Such modern systems also require expensive specialized tools and equipment, while a Classic Winnebago may require nothing more than common hand tools.

I can save ALOT by replacing my own water pump or fan belt right on the side of the road!!! No towing costs, no mechanic labor costs, no special tools, knowledge, or skills needed!!!