The Full-time Traveling Families Teachers Lounge 9-27-2017

[scrapbookbuzz]

Welcome to the Lounge!

 

Today's them stems from the fact both dh and I are a little ( a lot? ) disgruntled with where we live presently and we just need a 

big CHANGE. Plus, I've also made friends with and have been reading about families that RV full time. Hubby has talked about

that for YEARS and is finally ready to MOVE. So who knows where we'll go from here!

 

Anyone on the boards here a Full-time Traveling Family? Here: not yet but it sounds lovely to me and speaks to my wanderlust!

 

Anyone know any full-time traveling families? Here: I became friends with one via FB and she then told me to check out an FB page

dedicated to just that. It's been interesting reading!

 

Do you have a favorite brand of toilet paper? Here: I know that seems incredibly random and off-topic but it isn't really. One of the things

I read on the FTF facebook page is about what kind of tp to use in your RV. Hadn't really thought about it until I read that. Will definitely have

to do more research on that, though, because one person mentioned using 1-ply toilet paper which is my LEAST favorite amongst all of it! LOL

 

Talk to me! :bigear: 

[JustEm]

No we do not travel full-time or know anyone who does but I wouldn't be opposed to it. We'd have to become independently wealthy to do so or make major career changes that we aren't really interested in doing. Plus, I really love living near most of our extended families.

 

My favorite tp is Scott brand that isn't quilted. I have no idea if it is one play or two, never really paid attention

[HomeAgain]

We briefly considered it, but have no desire to spend our lives in an RV. :laugh:  Other people make it look appealing, though!

 

Moving here we got our first experience with a septic tank and looking for specific TP.  The RVs take the same sort of paper, but there is a wide difference between the super cheap single ply and the slightly fluffier (but still safe) Charmin style!

[ScoutTN]

Not much travel for us, sadly. A year on the road would be cool, but I don't think I'd want to do more than that. We have relationships here and would miss our community. Besides, my mom is elderly and really needs me here. And my dh has medical issues that keep us near his neurosurgeon and a big hospital.

I have a friend who homeschools on a boat. They have a large family, but only their last 4 have lived on the boat. I think they have 3 still at home now. They hang out in FL, Bahamas, BVI, etc.

TP. Scott (the nicer one) or store brand.

Edited September 27, 2017 by ScoutTN

[Selkie]

Good morning!

 

Traveling full-time is not for me. I couldn't leave where we live because I love it too much, plus the thought of living in an RV makes me claustrophobic! I do know people who have done it and loved it.

 

My favorite tp is the Prince & Spring brand from Boxed.com. It has replaced Quilted Northern as our brand of choice!  :)  

[scrapbookbuzz]

Not much travel for us, sadly. A year on the road eould be cool, but I don't think I'd want to do more than that. We have relationships here and would miss our community. Besides, my mom is elderly and really needs me here. And my dh has medical issues that keep us near his neurosurgeon and a big hospital.

 

I have a friend who homeschools on a boat. They have a large family, but only their last 4 have lived on the boat. I think they have 3 still at home now. They hang out in FL, Bahamas, BVI, etc.

 

TP. Scott or store brand.

 

When I was stationed in Panama with the military, I had my first exposure to a full time mariner family. Had never heard of that before then and was fascinated!

 

I think at this point in our lives, hubby and I are both a bit disgruntled with the "daily grind" and ready to just change things up a bit, regardless of whether or not each kid wants to do so. 

 

As for extended family, ours is everywhere BUT near us and we'd like to be able to just "pick up and go" to see them. I think an RV would provide us that opportunity better than anything else. And we are relatively healthy right now so I'd like to do this while we still can!

[Wheres Toto]

We don't travel full time and I don't know anyone who does, but I want to do this!!!  It's my dream to travel around the country, staying up north in the summer and going down south in the winter.  Dh and I have talked about it.  He doesn't think he could handle more than a few months at a time without then coming home to a "real" house.  I could live with that.  Maybe someday when he retires.  He does not have a job that can be taken on the road (works in a biopharma lab) but could possibly do some consulting.  I do some freelance work that could be done anywhere but it doesn't pay much since it's super part-time.

 

We use Quilted Northern.  It's dh's favorite and I don't care.

[SamanthaCarter]

Travelling life does not appeal to me. My travel dreams are simply a week long vacation anywhere once a year.

 

Charmin ultra strong. The knock offs don't make the cut.

 

I am here because I need a safe place to whine about my pastors wife starting up the MLM route. So annoying. She already works as a part time paralegal to supplement the income. Seems kind of in poor taste since her husbands salary is pretty darn impressive for a church our size. Blurg.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SamanthaCarter]

Travelling life does not appeal to me. My travel dreams are simply a week long vacation anywhere once a year.

 

Charmin ultra strong. The knock offs don't make the cut.

 

I am here because I need a safe place to whine about my pastors wife starting up the MLM route. So annoying. She already works as a part time paralegal to supplement the income. Seems kind of in poor taste since her husbands salary is pretty darn impressive for a church our size. Blurg.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guest]

We traveled fulltime for 15 months. Sold our house and most of our belongings, and we hit the road. No regrets at all. Loved it tremendously, and dh and I are already talking about doing it again in retirement.

 

While we were on the road, we met several fulltime families. I'm not in contact with them anymore though.

 

And yes, you need to use a certain type of tp when you rv.

 

Eta: My travel blog is linked in my signature.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Kinsa

[mommyoffive]

We thought about it a year ago.  It really could happen.  We shall see.  Or a move overseas could happen.  You just never know where life will take you.  I am open to it all .

 

I don't think I would want to do the RV thing full time though.  But i haven't ever been in one other than at a lot. I would rather live in a place a few weeks and then another place.  Honestly we could just do an endless roadtrip in our minivan.

 

I would only miss the kids progressing in lessons and activities they have here.   But I would do it in a heart beat.  

 

I follow one family that HS on youtube now. They have 9 kids did the RV thing for a year and now are traveling the world.  I would love to do that. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by mommyoffive

[Pawz4me]

We have an RV. A small one now. When the boys were younger we had a really big one. Love traveling in it. Traveling plus sleeping in your own bed every night plus no lugging stuff into/out of hotels. Easy to bring the pooch along. Can't beat that!

 

But I wouldn't want to do it full time. No way, no how. It's not all fun and games, and being in such close quarters for more than a week or two at a time . . . nope, couldn't do it.

 

Charmin Ultra Soft or Quilted Northern Plush (or something like that). We use the same kind of the RV. Special toilet paper is NOT needed.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Pawz4me

[Butter]

Travelling: Nope.  I don't think I'd want to be either.

 

Know Any: Yes, I do.  One family travels because they enjoy it and dad can do his job anywhere.  The other family travels to locations where the dad is sent to work so they stay in one place for anywhere from a month to six months before being sent elsewhere.

 

Favorite Toilet Paper: Cottonelle or Charmin.

[Moonhawk]

We are actually in the same boat move-wise. DH and I are looking at numbers so we will be able to sell the house and move into an RV full time after the holidays (my parents would kill me if I left before holidays, lol). I'd prefer to be able to try out the RV lifestyle for a bit before making a permanent move, but we can't upkeep both styles of living at the same time. So, we'll dive straight into the RV and have our regrets at leisure, lol. At least we know we like road trips :)

 

Costco toilet paper. idk if it's better than everything else, but I've grown so accustomed to it I prefer it. 

[Elizabeth86]

Omg no, I would die. I wish I could live and die in the same house my great great grandma was born in kind of traditional. My dh is a nomad. We are not similar at all. Lol. I would be content waking up looking at the same wall every single day. I would die in the rv life. I crave roots.

 

As far as tp goes, I like cottonelle and dh prefers quilted northern.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Not much travel for us, sadly. A year on the road eould be cool, but I don't think I'd want to do more than that. We have relationships here and would miss our community. 

 

This.  Also, I have health issues and an adult child who needs to be near their psychiatrist for regular check ups.  Dh's retirement dream is to sell the house and most of our belongings and buy a really nice RV.  He thinks we can live in each kid's driveway for 3 months at a time and then we'd get seasonal jobs at a national park somewhere.  Not my dream.  But, as my local ties continue to unravel, it is starting to have appeal.  But, the kids each having their own driveway where we could park is not a given.  The kids all being on their own and independent is not a given either (kid with mental illness.)  

 

Kirkland brand TP  from Costco.  It is a little higher end than Scott.  As someone with varicose veins of the nether region, I appreciate softer TP.  Scotts would just rip me to shreds.  

[wintermom]

The thought of traveling and seeing lots of different places while bringing along my own bed and kitchen is appealing, but the reality would be tougher for me. I also wouldn't do it with dc. I'm still trying to recover from 2 cross-country road trips with our 4 dc when they were really little.  :laugh:

 

And I don't believe my dh would even consider it. He loves short-term road trips, but is a home body otherwise. 

[mom31257]

We don't travel full time, We don't know anyone who does. I think I wouldn't mind like a year of it, but I'd be done probably before then. 

 

Cottonelle is my favorite brand. 

 

 

[Beth S]

My dh and I have several wacky retirement scenarios.  One of which is full-time RVing.  We may end up doing it if it makes retirement affordable.

 

We follow all kinds of full-time RVers on youtube.  The ones who homeschool:

Knorpp and South (9 kids, now in France) = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG2c4aUF3EoLwskydOBrrUw

Keep your Daydream (3 kids, now near Glacier NP) = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEhJLsShZt8McryMf_DHLZQ/videos

 

And TP = the young couple of "Less Junk more Journey" tested TP yesterday for RV toilet suitability:

Jump to the 10 min mark.

They put some TP into a water-filled bottle & shook it.  If it dissolves, it's fine for RVs.

 

Most of the other full-time RVers are a husband and wife, with their dogs . . . and have saved to be financially independent (along with youtube income).

It's a bold choice, but great to learn from those who are living it.

 

 

[mommyoffive]

My dh and I have several wacky retirement scenarios.  One of which is full-time RVing.  We may end up doing it if it makes retirement affordable.

 

We follow all kinds of full-time RVers on youtube.  The ones who homeschool:

Knorpp and South (9 kids, now in France) = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG2c4aUF3EoLwskydOBrrUw

Keep your Daydream (3 kids, now near Glacier NP) = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEhJLsShZt8McryMf_DHLZQ/videos

 

And TP = the young couple of "Less Junk more Journey" tested TP yesterday for RV toilet suitability:

Jump to the 10 min mark.

They put some TP into a water-filled bottle & shook it.  If it dissolves, it's fine for RVs.

 

Most of the other full-time RVers are a husband and wife, with their dogs . . . and have saved to be financially independent (along with youtube income).

It's a bold choice, but great to learn from those who are living it.

 

Knropp and South is who I just started following.  THey are in Ireland now. 

[Ausmumof3]

I used to like the full time travel idea but I like where we live now. Also I know from experience I get a bit twitchy after six weeks in the van. And we have too many pets.

 

I used Sorbent toilet paper exclusively. They changed the only other brand we liked and I can't stand it.

[scrapbookbuzz]

We are actually in the same boat move-wise. DH and I are looking at numbers so we will be able to sell the house and move into an RV full time after the holidays (my parents would kill me if I left before holidays, lol). I'd prefer to be able to try out the RV lifestyle for a bit before making a permanent move, but we can't upkeep both styles of living at the same time. So, we'll dive straight into the RV and have our regrets at leisure, lol. At least we know we like road trips :)

 

Costco toilet paper. idk if it's better than everything else, but I've grown so accustomed to it I prefer it. 

 

:hurray:  So excited for you! I've actually had a couple of experiences today that just tell me God is affirming our consideration of this and it's so exciting. We're not as close to it as you are but maybe we'll meet along the way! Yeah, some of those RVs are as expensive as houses! What do your kids think about it?

Oh, and I like the Costco stuff, too!

[73349]

RV: Nope, definitely not for us. The kid actually probably wouldn't mind, but DH and I would hate driving it, and the cat... bless her heart, she complains all the way to and from the vet's office three minutes away.

I don't know anybody who does it.

 

TP: Natural Value (via Amazon) is pretty good.

 

 

[Moonhawk]

:hurray:  So excited for you! I've actually had a couple of experiences today that just tell me God is affirming our consideration of this and it's so exciting. We're not as close to it as you are but maybe we'll meet along the way! Yeah, some of those RVs are as expensive as houses! What do your kids think about it?

Oh, and I like the Costco stuff, too!

 

Yes, it seems like all the signposts are pointing to this for us as well. There are still some considerations we need to think on, but I'd say we're in the 85-90% certain range at this point. The boys are oblivious (the 4 and 6) and the 8yo is excited because it is currently billed as a 2 year traveling adventure, lol. I don't think she understands we will have to sell the house :( But, baby steps, we will get her there and I know she would LOVE it. We contracted/built this house in a development (found out I was pregnant the same day we signed) and moved in when I was 6 months pregnant, so I think I associate the house most strongly with her, and it will be difficult. But I can feel it's time to move on.

 

Now if we can just find an RV that runs, sleeps 6, can be modified for a small work area, and is actually in our budget, well then we'll call it destiny :)