Halftime Hope Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Dh and I are starting to dream about when he retires which could be in less than 10 years. We'd have to sell most of the furniture and our house--which is too big for just two of us anyway--to go full-time in an RV, but we're thinking about it. If anyone has lived in an RV or 5th wheel, could you please share your experience, especially your likes and dislikes, what you'd do differently, and your awesome hacks and workarounds. (We'd have no kids on onboard, but we do want to plan for grown kids and, eventually, grands to be able to join us for some of their vacations, since all my kids like exploring.) ?? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 No advice. But we are thinking about this also. We have a small camper now and we do know we will need a bigger one for full time rving. We are taking notes of what works and what we have seen others do that we need to remember. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbi in Texas Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 No ideas, just wanted to say that sounds Wonderful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 No real advice. We have a Class A RV that we travel in frequently. When we first got it we toyed with the idea of full timing when DH retires, but after taking many trips over the past eight years or so and really thinking on it, we've both decided that we need a home to return to between trips. If we were interested in full timing we'd probably opt for a fifth wheel, since you get more living space for the money and the floor plans most closely resemble a home. If you're interested in an RV board, RV.net is a good one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Oh dear, I'm sorry, but I have no real advice, either. This is our plan as well, but more likely in 15 years. I'm listening in, though! One thing that got us really thinking about it is when we're camping, we go talk to the camp hosts and other nice looking older campers. They also seem to find us, as we camp in the winter frequently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 When we were in Yellowstone two or three summers ago, we met a retired couple who live in Texas the rest of the year but work in Yellowstone during the summer season. They were a retired teacher and bank executive, if I remember correctly, and they drive their RV up in May, park it in a park campground for a reduced rate (the park sets aside some campground slots for their summer workers) , and work four or five days a week for the season. She was waiting tables in the little restaurant, and he was doing maintenance of some sort. They were both healthy but definitely in their mid- to late-sixties, so not super young. The wife said their goal had been for the trip to pay for itself, but they had gone a good bit beyond that with their earnings. They negotiated for their off days to be the same day, and they explored the park together all summer. I have no desire to live in an RV, but there are worse ways to spend the summer than living in Yellowstone! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I have extended family who do this. They planned to travel and ended up working in RV parks which paid thei bills. Comments I have heard six that are small , no room for extras. RV are not built to live I full time. They wear out. no room for company, guests to visit. But they have been living this way for 20 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 My in-laws did it for 15 years. There were many ups and downs. They had a 5th wheeler which they said actually tied them down, and prevented them from traveling as much as they would have liked. It was difficult to travel through hilly country with it, and expensive to pull over long distances, so they would mostly travel to one spot and spend several months there. Do a LOT of research - campgrounds have become very expensive. MIL said they could have had a really nice condo in Florida for what they paid in rent each month at many of the campgrounds. They ended up both taking on odd jobs at some of the campgrounds just to reduce costs, (which meant they ended up making commitments and staying longer that they would have liked .) It wasn't quite as 'free' of a lifestyle as they had been hoping for. I also know that my MIL did not like always having to take their large truck everywhere, especially when gas prices were so high. They did have a smaller car, but did not tow it behind the 5th wheeler, so they had to drive separately - which was no fun for either of them. Most of the time they stored it - but then they always had to travel back for it at some point. Lack of storage was a huge issue. Everything had to be useable/disposable because they had NO extra room to spare. It got to the point where they only wanted digital photographs of our kids because they had no place to put printed versions. In the end they felt that they sacrificed so much - and they said if they could do it all over again, they would keep a 'home base' and have a smaller motorhome that they could just take off in whenever they felt like it. They now live in a retirement village in Florida and have a slide-in camper for their truck. They said they travel way more now than they ever did with the 5th wheeler. (Last summer they drove to Alaska and said it was their best trip ever) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 For everything that you've said, a toy hauler would probably be the best way for you to go. Basically, what a toy hauler will give you is a nice, spacious living area with a garage that converts into a bedroom. They have 2 queen beds in the garage - one rolls up to the ceiling and one turns into a table for room for extra dining space if you have company. They also have a loft room in them that you can use for storage during your day to day. Then it can be sleeping space for grandkids. Some floorplans have a second bathroom in the back. When it comes to RVs, the floorplans are just endless. Every year around this time, you'll find numerous RV shows taking place. You should start going to shows and dealers and just looking at floorplans, familiarizing yourself with brands, and making a list of likes and dislikes. Check the bedroom and make sure there is space around the bed so you don't have to crawl in and out, make sure there is enough storage for your needs, make sure the kitchen will work for your needs, etc. If you're planning on using the oven, make sure you get a unit with a large convection/microwave combo. RV ovens are difficult to master. You'll find a lot of full time bloggers that you can start following. This one is a good start: http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/They cover quite a bit from calculating gas costs to kitchen must haves, and how to manage the black tanks. Take a look at these: http://m.jayco.com/products/toy-haulers/2015-seismic/ http://www.keystonerv.com/mobile/brand/Raptor http://www.heartlandrvs.com/classes/toyhaulers If you're planning on frequenting state and national parks, you need to consider your length. Some have a size limit on units, and length might limit you there. We've owned units from Rockwood, Jayco and currently have a Keystone. Of the three, Jayco has been the most solid unit with the least issues. They have the best warranty in the industry, too. Our brand new Keystone (luxury line) has been nothing but a pain. The unit is beautiful, but we've had to do a lot of maintenance and replacement work on it. Educate yourself before you go in so you don't get sucked into the sales pitch. I hope this helps a little. My apologies for any typos - I'm on my phone. 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Dh and I are starting to dream about when he retires which could be in less than 10 years. We'd have to sell our house (which is too big for just two of us anyway,) and most of the furniture we own to go full-time in an RV, but we're thinking about it. If anyone has lived in an RV or 5th wheel, could you please share your experience, especially your likes and dislikes, what you'd do differently, and your awesome hacks and workarounds. (We'd have no kids on onboard, but we do want to plan for grown kids and, eventually, grands to be able to join us for some of their vacations, since all my kids like exploring.) ?? TIA No advice, but thanks for posting this today -- it really made me smile. Full-time RV living was my parents' retirement dream. They saved very carefully for it their whole married lives. Sadly, my mom died when she and my father were only 56. Still, I have fond memories of how they would talk about their dream. It would have been wonderful, I'm sure. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I've long been interested in this, too, although more recently my daydreams center around a boat, not an RV. But alas, I think we're also too tied in to the life of our local parish to leave. Maybe for a couple of months at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Friends of my parents did this. They sold their house, and off they went. After a few years they returned and bought a small house in the town they started in that they could use as a "base camp." They picked one that was low-maintence that they could leave at times while they did shorter runs. As the wife told me, "We needed some roots after a while." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 No advice, but thanks for posting this today -- it really made me smile. Full-time RV living was my parents' retirement dream. They saved very carefully for it their whole married lives. Sadly, my mom died when she and my father were only 56. Still, I have fond memories of how they would talk about their dream. It would have been wonderful, I'm sure. :) I'm so sorry. We're not guaranteed a tomorrow, are we? Glad it brought back great memories for you. <3 I'm very concerned about dh, as he's been in high stress jobs his entire life, and I have no income-earning potential to speak of, but I think we're going to have to jump in with both feet, and if I have to work at Wallyworld after we've had our fun, so be it. It'll have been worth every moment for him to be able to finally cut loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 I hope this helps a little. My apologies for any typos - I'm on my phone. 😊 My word! You did all that on your phone!?! Thank you. We're looking at 5w TH vs. Class A TH: One of the key limitations on a toy hauler is not being able to tow a little car, b/c I'd probably like to go a separate direction from dh on occasion. We'd also like to be able to park and do local exploring in a little car, although we could do that in the truck, just not as easily. So maybe a ClassA is better? But then again, ClassAs are generally less space than 5W, and the vehicle wearing out worries me, compared to just replacing a separate truck. So maybe back to a 5W? So, back and forth, back and forth. Thanks for the links. I *looooove* the side patios (Cyclone and Jayco) but arghh, who would put in a kitchen sink that you have to bend over to reach!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 We did this for a year and a half. Sold our house, put our belongings in long-term storage, and hit the road. One thing to consider is where you will maintain your legal domicile. You still need to be tethered to a state for things like vehicle registration and insurance, taxes, voting rights, etc. Even though you might never set foot in that state, you will still need a state for legal domicile. The most popular states for this for full-time RVers is Texas, Florida, and South Dakota. These states make it the easiest for fulltimers to claim domicile. There are several ways to do this, but imo the easiest way to do this is to join the Escapees RV club and establish you mailing address through them. http://www.escapees.com/ When it comes to fulltime RVs, not all RVs are created equally. Most of them are meant for the weekenders who use them only a few days or weeks each year, and only in good weather. If you are looking for fulltime living, you need to consider things like "four seasons packages", double-paned windows, number of axles, insulation, etc. Do your research. As far as campgrounds go, the "destination campgrounds" are the most expensive. KOA, Jellystone, etc. Those are hugely expensive. RV resorts are also very expensive. We found that the Corps of Engineers, state parks, national parks, Forestry Service parks, etc. are much more affordable, and nice enough. If you don't need swimming pools, laundry rooms, arcades, etc., then the latter will suffice. Also, the longer you stay in one place, the cheaper the daily rates become. Most campgrounds have daily rates (most expensive), weekly rates (a bit cheaper by the day), and monthly rates (cheapest daily rates). There's also something called Workamping. This is where you work in exchange for your camping fees. Campground hosts, gate guards, etc. You can subscribe to the Workamper News to learn about different opportunities. http://www.workamper.com/ I don't know what else to tell you off the top of my head. We loved every minute of it, and I literally cried when it came to an end. We are likely going to do it again in about ten years or so. You can read my blog (linked in signature line) to read about our adventure. Start at the beginning, when we were still in the planning stages. (And yes, the blog is still unfinished. It is on my to-do list!) ETA: I highly recommend the Escapees discussion forum. I'm Kinsa on there, too. ETA Again: I see that you can't get to the Escapees discussion forum from their website, so here's a direct link: http://www.rvnetwork.com/ Thanks, Kinsa. Lotsa good info here. I've PMed you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 One of the key limitations on a toy hauler is not being able to tow a little car, b/c I'd probably like to go a separate direction from dh on occasion. Depending on how little of a car you want, the right one would fit in the back of a toy hauler, eliminating the need to tow behind. Fiat and VW bug types. I'll have to check out the kitchen sinks in the units I posted. The sink in our current unit is one of my favorite things about it. This is the one we have: http://www.keystonerv.com/laredo/models/320tg/model-mobile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Smart car fits in many toy haulers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 re. Ravin: I just looked up the vehicle weight for several little cars yest. Problem is, the little cars take up garage space which is needed for other essential activities that need to go on the road with us. (Seems like our *thinking* still needs to pare down some. ;-) ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 After reading your posts, I was wondering about your living experience. You've got the "bunkhouse" style, and the kids to go with it. :-) How much are you all on the road? How is it working out? Lessons learned? What's you evaluation of having just one bathroom now that you've lived with it for awhile? pros and cons of a second outside kitchen? I like the look of your main layout, esp. since we're pretty sold on having a dinette. (Would help if I'm able to do free-lancing OTR.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 After reading your posts, I was wondering about your living experience. You've got the "bunkhouse" style, and the kids to go with it. :-) How much are you all on the road? How is it working out? Lessons learned? What's you evaluation of having just one bathroom now that you've lived with it for awhile? pros and cons of a second outside kitchen? I like the look of your main layout, esp. since we're pretty sold on having a dinette. (Would help if I'm able to do free-lancing OTR.) We generally use our trailer for camping trips, and bring along hotel when we vacation at places like Disney. We put our house on the market last summer, planning for our move that's taking place this month - we sold in September and moved into the trailer in October. So, We've been living in it full time for the last 5 months. We had planned on getting a 5th wheel this time around, but decided to stay with the trailer last minute, since we found the floor plan that we liked, and we were already set up for a trailer. A double slide in the main living quarters was important to give that feel of extra space. We're still very pleased with that choice. My husband was big on the outside kitchen, and we're very pleased with the decision. He gets up early for work every morning, and has that area set up for making his coffee. We keep his lunch in the fridge outside to grab on the way out. We have a swing arm that hold a propane grill, so it's a great area for cooking out in nice weather, and for when we have friends over for dinner. I bulk shop at Costco, and I use that area to store extra food so it doesn't take up room inside. The unit we have also has 2 doors, which we really like. We took the extra couch out of the bunkhouse and put a twin mattress down for our third kiddo. That room has a slide also, so there has been plenty of room for them to play and have a little toy box. Some things I'm not a fan of: 1 - The main bedroom area is behind the entertainment center. There isn't really any room in there, and we have to crawl in and out of the bed. Next time, It'll be a big must to have a room area with space around the bed for getting dressed and so we don't have difficulty getting in and out of bed. For short trips and camping, this isn't an issue, but for long term living, it gets old really fast. 2- The unit we have has a table and chairs instead of a built in dinette. I thought I would prefer this set up; however, the table and chairs is a little annoying. Unless we're sitting down to a meal, the area is useless. We don't have the storage benches, like the built ins, and we can't lay down the pillows to make extra seating for movie night - since there is five of us, that would have been nice. Storage options in that area would have been nice. We do have an abundance of storage though. 3- the front storage area is HUGE, but the opening is so small, you can't put much more than a fold up camping chair in there. outdoor storage is great, but it would be nicer if we could fit more stuff through the door. 4- The one bathroom hasn't been an issue, as far as having so many people to share it. It is really small, however - doing it again, I'd make sure we had a nice spacious bathroom. But aside from the smallness, we haven't been bothered by the one bathroom. We had always planned to full time after retirement, but after having this chance to live in the camper for a long period has cause us to revisit that idea. We're not so sure that is what we want anymore. It doesn't have anything to do with the space - 5 people and 3 dogs living in about 450 sqft! It's been surprisingly comfortable, actually. It's the maintenance and upkeep that drives us nuts! One thing right after another, and our unit isn't even a year old yet. We thought it would be a cheap, easy way of living, but it isn't that at all. We've put a lot of money and time into our unit while we've been living in it these last 5 months. We will always have an RV of some sort, but we're thinking a small place with some land for our dogs and a garden is more what we're looking for. When the kids are no longer camping and traveling with us full time, we'll probably trade for a class C motor coach to use for extended traveling. A short unit will make it easier to take it overseas for traveling as well. I love the new A.C.E. by Thor, but I hear bad things about that manufacturer. I'm hoping that other manufacturers start offering that design in the coming years - It's a cross between a class A and a class C, making the front area usable as storage space, but not as large as a full length class A. http://acemotorhome.com I hope this helps! Of course, if you go with a towable RV, your travels will only be enjoyable if you get the right tow vehicle for the job. Kinsa went over a lot of that in her last post, so I won't reiterate. You'll always find great seminars at RV shows so you can educate yourself before you buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks so much, everyone. I appreciate all you've posted. We went to an RV show two weeks ago and looked at 5W T-Hs extensively. There are lots of RV dealers close by so we can go look at other things now that we're also considering ClassAs--we didn't look at any! The trick is to live so that dh can really "play" while not sinking the retirement assets, such as they are, into a home or property. At some point, we'll need that to live on/buy health care/settle into an address near a kid or kids and grandkids. (My kids truly could end up anywhere from coast to coast.) I'm glad there are a lot on the used market. I'm hopeful we'll be able to get something used and reasonable, since time is on our side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 If you look at Class A's for full timing you'll want to look at diesels. I'm not knocking gas Class A's--that's what we have, and it's fine for our use. But the diesels are generally much sturdier and hold up better to full time living. As DH gets closer to retirement and we're able to plan more and longer trips we'll probably start looking for a good deal on a used diesel ourselves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.