My Uncle and his wife ( in early 80's) just gave up living/travelling around in an RV after 15 years..because the price of gas made it cost prohibitive for them..Uncle G said , "Too much for gas..too much for tolls..too much for vehicle maintenence.."..so they bought a small ranch house and are quite happy.. just sayin'...

If I had the urge to live in an RV, I think I'd rent one first for a few months and determine what that lifestyle would cost in reality..

__________________
"Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it."

Oswald Chambers

You can save a lot in campground fees by buying a resale of a campground membership. Seems most of them either concentrate on the eastern or western states. You need to read all the fine print but some of them seem like really good deals. $30-50 a night at campgrounds really adds up fast. We've paid $28 in a state park which really surprised us. If my husband didn't have so many medical problems I'd like to be doing the very same thing. Go for it and live while you can. It's a wonderful country out there.

There are lots of free- to low-cost camp sites out there. Check out National Forest or the Bureau of Land Management. There are several books on boondocking that are very helpful, including information on solar, etc. One can overnight at Walmart, Cabelas, Crackerbarrel, truckstops, rest areas, etc., for free. A small fiberglass trailer, which can be pulled by a smaller tow vehicle, will save $$$ on gas. My favorite fiberglass RV is the Escape built in British Columbia. Gonna have one of those someday.

__________________
“If we annoy people, blessed be the Lord.” ~ Pope Francis

Or perhaps long term campgrounds?

I have a 13' Scamp that I bought this last spring up near Butte, MT. Had to hurry home, so didn't get to camp and I've been setting it up like I want it. Plan to visit some southern states this fall...maybe winter...and spend some time up in MI fishing this coming summer.

Mon

It is definately not for me...I don't even like to travel....I love to go places and do things...as long as I can be home by nightfall....

Moon
Over the years on the RV Forums , there have been several articles about Full Timers that have built a " Home Base " or Two ( Pad to park on , power pole , well and septic , and a small building . ) I remember one that had one in New England and one in Florida and spent a few months in each .
Bandit

We were thinking of taking off cross country again ( We Traveled for 2 3/4 months around Az. and Nm. in our Dodge Maxi Window Van with a air mattress in the back , after the wife's job was eliminated after 11 yrs. ) ( Thanks O'Bozo For The Great Economy ).
We were seriously thinking of Building a 4 X 4 Camper out of a used school bus that would not only take us cross country , but out into the gold field's too .
We have our Pop-Up on Craig's List Now .
People tend to forget that a School Bus is required by law to be built to survive a roll-over .
Next time you see a sticks and staples RV after an accident , think of that .
We want to build something like this .
1997 Bluebird 4x4
The Interior
Photo Album - Imgur
Bandit

Bandit,

Those are some nice pictures, I can see that happening. I just need to find a copilot. Like I said I am not brave enough to do it on my own.

Honey, sometimes brave isn't even in the equation, it just kinda ends up that way.

Mon

All that wander are not lost!!! Gypsy Jane I live in a travel trailer when i work construction love it Im gona full time when i retire got a home base in Pa and Florida now

Yes, I've definitely considered it.

If the planets align just right, I will be out of this apartment by next spring or very early summer, and living fulltime in an RV.

It is actually not very expensive unless you're spending lots of time driving around. If you hang out in certain areas for months at a time like you mentioned, the price is really low. You can get monthly rates at RV parks that are cheaper, or you can boondock and save yourself all that money. Lots of places you can boondock for free. Tons of online resources for low-cost fulltiming.

It doesn't feel counter-productive to me because I am not in the place where I want to homestead. The journey for me will be searching out the place I need to put down roots, and enjoying my time living instead of struggling to save money and pay bills for junk I don't really need.

I think you should go for it, MoonRiver, I believe you would enjoy the RVing lifestyle.

Here is a recently article on the top 5 amenities for you to use as a guideline when selecting your RV.
Top Five Amenities Available in the Modern RV | StAug News

Personally, I think you would look good going down the road in something like this.

Good lord! Only if you want to spend thousands gassing that sucker up!

My grandmother is selling her RV that is like the one pictured. A few people said I should go for it. What's the point in owning an RV if you can't afford to drive it?!

The top 5 amenities listed on that site are just... I have no words. *lol*

A fitness center in an RV?! You're out on the road, you're traveling! Get out and take a walk, see the sights! Need more fitness? RUN instead!

A movie theater? Am I missing the point of RVing or what? You want to travel so you can sit every night and watch TV? What was the point of trying to break free? :S

Aah, well... I suppose we all have different goals.

Right now I'm trying to figure out what to "do" with myself--starting over. I can do whatever I want. It's really scary, but also I know I have this opportunity to toatlly be outside the box and really wring out the possibilities. I have a home base at my dad's house.

I have a huge love for the outdoors and "facilitating" awakening people's love for the wild. ie always loved outdoor school, wanted to be a fire lookout, ranger, loved being a wrangler, yayaya. I can DO this --dont' "have" to have a career. I have lots of skills and a strong back that can contribute to places that are "outdoorsy", all I would need is meals and maybe work into a small stipend for gas money. Gaining work experience and networking might get me more of "job"...who knows. SO thinking of getting a small trailer(toy hauler so I can take my moto), got my own little home, already have the tow vehicle.

So really rolling around in my head about "going off the grid". There are so many things I want to see, do. Been checking out volunteering at some summer camps/outdoor schools. I have some friends around I can visit and stay with.

Hopefully, in a year, I will have my dog...

So, add me to the cat of seriously thinking about this.

__________________
THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

PS, could woof

__________________
THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

i've thought about it but that's as far as i've gotten. we did a lot of rving when my husband was alive. the last one we had was similar to the one wayne posted without the boat. i wouldn't want that big anymore. i never could back up too well.

i wouldn't sell my land out in the country though. i would sell this place in the city. i'd always want a bit of land free and clear to come back to even if my shack is falling down out there. i do love rving though. when i think of it now what comes to mind is me laying in the bed in the morning and smelling the bacon that my love was cooking outside. he only cooked in the rv when it was raining hard. dyed in the wool woodsman he was. ~Georgia.

__________________
Georgians

It's been 8 days since my OP and I'm still thinking seriously about doing it. I'm one of those 3 or 4 good ideas a day people, so when a week goes by and I still like the idea, that is BIG.

So far, this is my to do list:

• Get house ready to sell:
  Finish landscaping the front yard and hill
  Spiffy up the outside of the house
  Redo bathroom and laundry room
• Check with County to see if I can live in RV on my back lot - that will determine whether I keep it or sell with house.
• Research tow vehicle and RV's
• Put together a 1 year budget for full-time RVing

I can see me living in a 17' or 19' travel trailer very comfortably by myself, but I think I would go crazy living with someone else in that small a space. I need my alone time. Getting a tow vehicle and a trailer does provide the ability to get away for a while. Guess I'll worry about that if and when it comes up.

What's the smallest space you could live in with someone else if you are both there all the time?

Here's one RV (Evergreen Ascend) I plan on checking out. It doesn't require a huge tow vehicle, so gas mileage is much better.

__________________
Rich

Wife and I did for two years when we were first married, in a 36' Holiday Rambler. But we were both working and not at 'home' much.

There is no way I could live in a 19' trailer with someone else, I would just go crazy.

We currently use a 22' travel trailer for camping, and I've been staying in it lately for 2-3 days at a time every week at some remote property.

Some things that are important based on my experience.

Useable shower - meaning you are not stooped over because you cannot stand up straight, you can actually turn around in the shower stall, etc. Make sure you physically get in the shower on any rig you are looking at to check this out.

Useable toilet - meaning you can actually sit down on the thing without having to back your caboose into the space to sit on it, and once you are sitting you have room to splay your legs out to either side, and you have room to lean over to do the paperwork. Sit on the toilet in any rig you are seriously considering for purchase.

Useable bed - meaning a walk-around queen if there are two of you, or a two sided accessible full-size mattress at a minimum if you are single. Beds that are only accessible from one side or one end are real pain in the rear to make-up. Yeah I know, you 'could' just sleep in a sleeping bag on top of the mattress. Trust me, that gets old after awhile. It's a bed, use it just like the bed in your sticks-and-bricks house. Look for a rig that you can replace the craptastic 'RV mattress' with a quality residential unit.

A comfortable place to sit and relax- meaning not the dinette bench or chairs, and not the back killing 'jack-knife' sofa that comes in many RV's. A recliner or possibly a love seat recliner is required. A quality recliner that fits in an RV is a bit expensive but worth every penny if you are going to be living in the rig. Your back will thank you. So when looking for a rig you want to find one that has such seating or at least has a space for such seating.

Edited to add Evergreen owners yahoo group.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/...ionalvehicles/

space for two is a personal thing and totally depends on the who. remember you have all outdoors to set in, when I'm out camping I'm NOT in the trailer/tent/truck unless it's time for bed or a REAL downpour. the comfy chair is by the fire!!! and that includes below zero, or HOTHOTHOT(just sayin, for me).

I spent a couple trips 3-4 days on a 20 foot sailboat, with the working space about the size of my suburban's footprint. you learn real quick to appreciate a person you can share that space with.

um, I can take a "cozy" bed over one I can't sit up in...and you can always bring along a tent

__________________
THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

one more thing, when we used a trailer I still preferred cooking outdoors. I had my coleman stove on the picnic table, prepped the food inside. It saved me cleaning up the grease mess/fog inside the trailer, and I just prefer being outside(kinda get claustrophbic when all outdoors is out there, ya know?!!)

__________________
THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

our first one was 14 ft. all we could afford at the time. we had no trouble at all. as WT said we spent time outside . we had an awning over the picnic table where we cooked all our meals. we could take a lot of togetherness . that's why we had over 40 years together. i wish i had that many more with him. everybody is different. some people would be stir crazy . ~Georgia

__________________
Georgians

Bought myself a little motorhome a couple years ago. I've been around the state a bit and sis and I took it to Baltimore this year. It is 28 feet overall. Not hard to drive in the city or the mountains or park or back up. It's a van so the mileage was aceptable, 10-12 a gallon. The living space is small, with two of us we were rubbing butts or ----- most of the time. Need to get out of the way for the other person all the while. However, I love it when I'm alone.

Found out I'm not one to go to a campgrounds and stay there for long. Must be the gypsy in me. It is great to have your home with you to travel but living in it for a couple months might be quite a challenge, besides I have two Aussies that would be traveling with me. Most campgrounds welcome the dogs so it would be doable.

A good sized refrigerator is a plus, full bathroom in it too. I'm still considering heading south this winter, with the dogs. Camping fees average $20-$25 on our east trip, It seemed the best part of stopping for the night was the shower, my hot water heater doesn't work. Hesitant about boondocking or parking in rest stops or WM traveling alone.

My plan was to travel around the US for a few months. Being alone and gas prices plus keeping the home place through the winter is just to much money. Guess I'll just keep exploring near home and then sell it later.

That's true and we do spend much of the time outside cooking and relaxing, but when you live in these things 24/7, 365, it becomes a bit of a different animal, particularly when you are in a situation where you will be traveling every week or month, or two months.

I've done 'camping' and I've done 24/7, 365, and I want comfortable seating both inside and out when in 23/7 365 mode.

Hubby and I fulltimed for 4 years. Still have our unit, and in fact we are spending the next 8 months in it again.

Here's some thoughts, based on experience. Is it cheaper than a house? Yes... short term. But unlike a house, the RV and hauler will do nothing but depreciate. Eventually, you have to replace them. But before that time, it's very affordable and FUN living, even with the ungodly cost of fuel.

SPACE... to me that's a biggie. Our first camper was a 26' with a single slide. It was nice and comfy and so easy to haul and park. Perfect for weekend getaways. But the first time we took it on a long trip, it made me crazy. There's no space for food, kitchen gear, or simply food prep. No space for clothes... and worst of all, no room for hobbies. Living in an RV fulltime is WAY DIFFERENT THAN VACATIONING IN ONE. I can't stress that enough. When you vacation, you hardly spend anytime in your RV, so you don't need much. When you live in it, trust me, you will spend a lot of time IN it.

Our next (and current) unit is a 40' quadruple slide. It's a beast to tow and a royal pain to park. And so many free places available for the smaller units are out of the question. However, it has room for food, utensils, food prep, clothing, hobbies, AND a W/D. While it may seem huge as an RV, 300 square feet is not much for two people to share when it's 24/7. If I were alone, I MIGHT be willing go down to a 34 footer, but that's about it for practicality. My take along hobbies include knitting, sewing and photography. Sewing require a little space!

They require a lot of ongoing maintenance, and parts are very expensive compared to standard house repairs.

I find it most fun and economical to find a great place and stay awhile... a month is good. Rental fees are much cheaper, and it's fun to explore a new area and soak up the culture.

The weather does not always cooperate. Have a hobby and have it with you, or you will climb out of your skin when life just doesn't cooperate with playtime.

A folding bike is the best thing ever to have along with you.

Be prepared to share your food if you cook outside a lot. It's part of the "culture"

Travel to places where you don't need heat or a/c. RV units are LOUD... and rather annoying to listen to day after day. It's awesome to park somewhere you can have all the windows open, and much more affordable. If you have to pay electric to heat or cool a unit, it's pretty expensive, as is propane for the furnace.

Travel with a folding clothes dryer. Many places don't allow a clothesline, but you can set a folding unit on your bed during the day to dry clothes.

Travel with a Berkey water filter. You never know what the water quality will be like in a given area, and if you have a sensitive stomach, it will appreciate not being assaulted with new organisms every time you move.

Enjoy your own bed wherever you are. Clean sheets and pillows are rather blissful .

__________________
Have you Tinkled Today?

I have a question for those with experience. If a campground has a rate of $400/month for a campsite with water and electric hookup (30 amp), are you billed additional for water and electricity used?

__________________
Rich

I haven't seen a seperate charge for water, but there seems to often be a "metered" electric for long term.

Mon

I always thought an old military surplus 6x6 would make a killer RV

Hears a link some of you might find useful. Free Campgrounds for RVs

..................I've been 'Full Timing' for almost six years !!!!!!!!!!!! IF , you're going too live in an RV as your home You had better educate yourself about those RV's that qualify as livable units and those that don't qualify ! The older trailers made before about 2003 with names such as Travel Supreme , Teton , Hitchhiker , etc. are units that are made too live in ! They are Heavy , quality made units with FULLY enclosed underbellies , no exposed plumbing of any type , that prevents all critters from taking up residence other than sugar ants . The above mentioned units are all 5'vers , but there are older , quality made travel trailers as well !
....................Were I going to buy a trailer for full timing I wouldn't purchase anything under 30 feet with atleast one large slideout ! Class A and Class C motorhomes are also very nice but can be very expensive too repair . You should spend lots of time visiting RV dealerships becoming familiar with the floor plans of whatever Rv's you are considering as your 'New' home ! The more educated you become the greater the chance you won't get screwed by a slick RV sales person ! Knowledge is power ! , fordy