Full Answer
Is full-time RVing a good idea right now?
The first and most important advice I can give anyone who is seriously thinking about full-time RVing right now is to slow down. There are over 46 million people planning RV trips in 2020 according to RVIA . This is a very popular idea right now, especially since most other forms of travel are so fraught with problems caused by the pandemic.
How long have we been living full time in an RV?
We have been living, working and traveling full time in an RV since May 2014 with 4 kids. Here is a ton of information on what we have learned about full time RV living and what we wish we knew before we started!
How do families do full time RVing?
There is such a variety of ways that families do full time RVing. You have your slow travelers who stay in one place for weeks or months, your boondockers who try to rarely ever pay for camping, your Thousand Trails group who only stays at Thousand Trails parks, the list goes on (more on all these different styles below).
How many fulltime RVers are there?
How many Fulltime RVers are there? It's hard to come up with a number for how many fulltime RVers are out there but the best industry guess puts the total at around 1 million. By fulltime, we mean 24×7, 365 days a year, with no permanent address.
Which state is best for full time RVers?
The Three Best States for Full-time RVer Domiciles The best states for full-time RVer domiciles generally come down to Texas, Florida or South Dakota. All three states are income tax-free, the government entities will accept mail-forwarding addresses and they are headquarters for mail-forwarding services.
How much does it cost to travel full time in an RV?
We have seen monthly full time RV living budgets from fellow travelers as low as $1,600 and as high as $5,000. If you really want to go minimal, you can easily live this life for around $1,000 per month by finding a free spot to park your rig for extended periods or by becoming a camp host.
How do people afford full time RVing?
1:5618:01How We Afford Full Time RVing & Traveling - Funding Life On The RoadYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipReally the biggest reason that we can afford to full-time RV and full-time travel is that we justMoreReally the biggest reason that we can afford to full-time RV and full-time travel is that we just live as inexpensively as possible. Now when you're traveling.
What is the 3 3 3 rule for RVing?
By adhering to this simple rule of thumb, you can make traveling easier for your whole family. What is this? First, limit your travel to no more than 300 miles in one day. Second, arrive no later than 3 p.m. Finally, stay at your destination for at least three days.
Is full time RV living expensive?
Overall Total Cost of Full Time RV Living Our initial budget estimate was somewhere between $2500 and $2800 per month. We are very happy that we've been able to make this lifestyle work at much less, around $2000 per month (not including health costs, business expenses, and paying taxes).
Is it cheaper to live full time in an RV?
Living in an RV means living a lot smaller with a lot less stuff. You have less room for everything – clothes, toys, tools and more saving you a lot of money. Along with less space, you save on utilities and home-improvement projects if you own your home. Living in an RV can cost as much or as little as you would like.
Can you RV on Social Security?
As long as you budget and plan, you can enjoy RV life on Social Security.
Can I live in an RV in retirement?
You Can Live on a Modest Budget in an RV It's fairly common for income to dip in retirement, and that can necessitate lifestyle changes. Longtime RVers say that life on the road works well on a limited budget. “We live modestly,” says Charley Hannagan, who has been RVing with her husband, Joe, since 2014.
Does living in an RV save money?
Full-Time RV Living and Traveling Rather than taking up a somewhat permanent station at an RV park, you could also live in your RV while traveling full-time. Believe it or not, this can save just as much money (if not more) as living stationary at a long-term RV park.
What is the 222 rule in RVing?
The RVing 2/2/2 rule is a safe and effective way to plan your travel. It means drive no more than 200 miles a day, stop every 2 hours, and stay 2 nights in each place. Some RVers also put an appendix on the rule encouraging drivers to arrive at an overnight destination by 2:00 p.m.
How far should you drive an RV in one day?
Drive no more than 200 miles in one day. Stop every two hours for a stretch break. Arrive at the campground by 2 p.m. Stay at least two nights at the same campground.
How far should you travel in an RV?
It is recommended to drive no more than 500 miles (800 km) with an RV in a day. Driving a motorhome is not the same as driving a car.
When to show up for public lands camping?
Since these spaces are not reservable, I recommend showing up on a weekday mid-morning for the best chances at securing a campsite.
Will business hours be open in 2021?
This is just another thing to keep in mind when making travel plans. Always call ahead or check online for the business hours to avoid wasted trips, and adjust your plans accordingly.
Do campgrounds have summer reservations?
Campgrounds are booking entirely at a much faster rate than ever before, with many in popular areas having few, if any, summer reservations available. However, most campgrounds that were limiting campsites at the height of the pandemic have begun to allow for greater capacity in their campgrounds.
Is Harvest Hosts full?
Harvest Hosts locations are booked and/or fuller than ever before. When campgrounds are full, or when you need a comfortable place to stay the night when going to or coming from a destination, Harvest Hosts locations are an excellent choice. And yet, even Harvest Hosts locations have become more booked and full than ever before.
Our 2021 Stats
Getting back to more moving around in 2021 we traveled more than in 2020 but not as much as 2019.
Average Costs
Camping: 365 Nights at an average of $13.02 per night up from $11.16 per night in 2020. This includes 155 nights at our site in West Yellowstone. In addition, we spent 112 nights at Thousand Trails Campgrounds with an average cost of $11.10 per night.
2021 Year in Review
To start 2021 we spent time at our “home base” of Las Vegas doing doctor visits and taking care of business. Our plan was to spend the winter in Arizona like true snowbirds! January thru the first week in April we spent bouncing around Arizona.
How much does a state park cost?
State parks cost between $30 and $45 and the amenities can vary. Private parks can cost anywhere from $20 to $120 per night, again depending on the season, location, and amenities. Federal parks, and forest service park prices vary but many of these are rustic camps with no hook-ups.
Is there a warranty on a used RV?
There are warranty (or lack thereof) issues, and maintenance concerns, and wear and tear that may not be evident until you’ve already taken ownership of the RV. And believe it or not, this is true for both new and used RVs.
Is it stressful to live in a big RV?
There are stresses involved in living in cramped quarters, and there are stresses involved in living in a larger RV as well. Just driving, pulling, maintaining, gassing, and parking a “big rig” can be stressful. Then there’s the question of a new RV vs a used RV .
Can you park an RV on public land?
You can park your RV on some BLM or public land for free, so there are no camping fees. You can also stop for free in most rest stops for a night, or stay in the parking lot at Walmart or Cabela’s, without any fees. But when you are living in an RV full-time, that only takes care of a few days while you’re traveling.
A&A Full-Time RVing During Covid In 2021
Thankfully, finding a campsite in 2021 is nowhere near as hard as it was this time last year. I remember how panic took over me as I learned of one closure after another, Governor's closing all camping options entirely - even BLM land closed (free public land). It was a nightmare in the beginning.
Amazon Storefront
I have recently become affiliated with Amazon, through the set up of my own storefront page. Here I am able to list and link all of the items I have purchased through Amazon and would recommend for various needs.
Basics of How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Living
The very first thing you should do when considering the essentials for full-time RVing is doing a bit of research on the topic. This blog is a great place to start but you will find others out there so you can get a variety of suggestions.
Set a Date for Starting Your RV Living
At this point, you should have a huge amount of information available about RVing and know the most common full-time stationary RV living tips.
Create a Budget to Go with Your Plan
You might be like many who are under the impression that living in an RV always costs less than having a traditional house. The problem is that isn’t entirely true.
Create a Task List
Having a to-do list will help guide everything else you plan to do. You can have all the RV living tips and tricks possible, but without a plan, you may not get very far. The first list you make doesn’t have to be overly detailed. It might include items like:
Declutter and Simplify Your Life
Taking small daily steps to simplify your life will be very helpful toward getting in your RV and living the life you want. Getting rid of items that you will no longer be using is a part of that.
Get the Necessities in Order
Deciding what to take on your RV will lead you to a huge number of full-time RV packing lists, but what you bring is going to depend on the lifestyle you prefer. One of the top RV living tips and tricks says that whatever you think you will need; you probably won’t need as much as you think you do.
Wrapping Up
The planning process for moving into an RV can be fairly intense, but it will all be worth it once you find your way to the road. You’ll have freedom few know and the ability to go anywhere you want whenever you want, even if it’s at the spur of the moment.
How old do you have to be to get an RV loan?
For example to get a longer term loan your RV may need to be less than 8 years old.
How much does a campground cost?
Campground prices range from $0 a night to $200 a night. It all depends what you are looking for. If you purchase a membership like Thousand Trails – you pay a flat one time fee to buy the membership.
Who publishes the RV Lifestyle Newsletter?
Each Monday Mike and Jennifer Wendland publish the RV Lifestyle Newsletter, where they share weekly articles about RV travel that inspire and inform. As soon as you sign up, we'll send you for free the RV travel checklist that Jennifer and Mike use. You can save it to your computer and print it out for every trip like we do. No more forgetting things! Plus, besides the insider's newsletter each Monday, you'll get lots of special perks and RV discounts.#N#Enter your info below and you are in!
How many people have RVs?
Conservatively, those “almost” fulltimers probably total about 2 million. The industry guesses that about 10 million people in the U.S. have RVs. So the 7 million others are recreational users, camping over the weekends several times a year, maybe going on a long vacation once or twice.
Is there a life cycle for RVing?
There definitely seems to be a life cycle for fulltime RVing. The first year is always the toughest. There's something about completing a year that satisfies some people enough to be able to say been there, done that, and then move away.