You Want to Live in a RV?
This is why many make the jump!
Read below to see some of our “truths” in living this full time rv life!
Welcome everyone to 2023 and the new year! As always with the new year comes new goals, dreams, resolutions, and maybe a leap of faith. Since 2020 the RV industry has exploded as people question their current lifestyle, restrictions, and what they want in life. Remote work has opened new possibilities and serious questions about our society’s idea of work life balance.
The terms “full timers”, “skoolies” and “van lifers” has become common and shows up all over social media feeds. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram show us stunning views of people working in a national park, hiking to amazing waterfalls and more. Suddenly, being threatened with “living in a van down by the river” became a life goal.
In our second year of full timing, we can attest, there are many amazing days and opportunities we have experienced because of the lifestyle. Meeting many great people, seeing incredible places, and loving the freedom to move about as we choose. However, we also feel a responsibility to make sure we share some of our truths of the lifestyle so that if you are considering making the jump you have a realistic picture of what to expect.
Classic Saturday Night Live Skit
What was once a threat is now a life goal for many!
Part 1 of 3
Trading of Responsibilities
A primary reason people seek this lifestyle is to unplug, to get away from many of the societal norms and just the “expenses of being alive”. It’s romantic to think about no electric bills, no city utilities to pay, no mortgage or rent, and to be as free as the wind.
Yet, to truly create this freedom means sacrifices and different responsibilities. Knowing the status of your electrical system, how much fresh water you have, when your tanks are full, and where the heck you will live in the coming days, are all things you now get to plan. Congratulations, you have been promoted to “city manager” for all your resource needs.
Living “rent free” is an amazing feeling but requires work and a varying degree of planning. You will need to find your new neighborhood, to understand the rules (how long you can stay) and to provide for your own safety. It will become a great exercise in learning to follow your “gut” as you decide how far from others you want to be, what the conditions of the road and campsites tell you about the area and what the weather implications could mean for you. There are no more “snow days” waiting for the city to clear the streets before you adventure out. This lifestyle is about leaving before the storm or committing to riding it out.
“This lifestyle is about leaving before the storm or committing to riding it out””
Being out in nature means there is seldom a grocery store conveniently down the road to make a quick run to for that missing ingredient, or to pick up something else because we just don’t want to eat what’s in the pantry. Driving to the nearest store is a luxury for your old life but is a resource drain in your new one. Instead, we find enjoyment in making meals come together with what we already have in the Queen for two reasons. One, we have already purchased them, so financially it makes sense. Two, we get to be creative finding new favorite dishes we had not thought of before.
Here is an inconvenient truth you may not want to hear but it is very true! Living on the road can get very expensive and quickly if you are not mindful about it. Staying in “rv resorts” with all the amenities, pools, gyms, etc.… can easily add up to more than the rent or mortgage you were escaping from. Full time travel will mean vehicle maintenance is essential, fuel costs, propane, camping fees, water and dump fees, can sneak up on you as prices fluctuate from place to place. To prepare for the transition, we recommend you start making a budget and pairing down your expenses before making the leap. Our monthly goal is to keep our fuel and camping fees lower than the mortgage payment we left behind. If at the end of each month we have done that, we know financially we are ahead of the game and exactly where we want to be.
While full time travel certainly gets you away from many traditional responsibilities it adds new ones to your daily life. Being aware of these, learning to plan for them, and accepting that there is no “problem free life” before you make the switch can go a long way in creating a successful transition.
Like Spiderman was always being told, “with great power comes great responsibility”! 😊
