Considering Full Time RVing

[zed42]

Originally Posted by Mattks

Thanks for the replies. I guess I would have assumed exhaust breaks come standard on diesel Rvs, but thanks for the heads up.

Not necessarily, always check and don't let a salesperson bull**** you about not needing one, especially if it is a pre-owned model; as a matter of fact even a new one.

[Everdeen]

OP

I have been researching this, as of late, for my husband and myself. How fortuitous you started this thread. We cannot adopt this lifestyle right now for several reasons I won't bother you with. I think, though, that by next summer I would like to have a modest rig that would be our starter unit for short excursions.

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Verizon hotspots (for western USA). Currently getting 15gb / mo / device (3x) , then slows down. Don't stream any movies, but you probably could in low resolution.

Get a booster if you are spending time in National Parks (you may want satellite internet if you are in really remote areas a lot of the time)

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview/

My understanding was that Verizon doesn't throttle back until 23 gb, no? And you can adjust your Netflix settings so that you are not burning up the average 3gb/hr for movies, if that's your thing.

I have read and heard that there are some very good boosters for cell and internet out there. Do you by chance have a recommendation? And, of course, a VPN to encrypt your data. Those are pretty cheap.

I read a lot on cheaprvliving blog and Youtube channel. They have really great workarounds for so many things and advice on things you may not have though of. There is even one woman who happily lives in her Prius.

[augiedogie]

We retired 2 years ago, bought a truck and trailer, and hit the road. Weve enjoyed it very much. Visited a lot of places we had not seen. We enjoyed being snowbirds. But the original idea was to find a place we wanted to live in retirement. So now we've found it, so we are ready to give up our RV.

There are negative aspects to full time RV life. 1. Your friends you make in the RV parks are mostly pretty temporary. 2 They arent well insulated, so maintaining a constant and comfortable temp inside becomes difficult and pricy. 3 Very limited storage. 4.You are constantly trying to find reliable Drs., hairdressers, mechanics, etc.

Its been fun, but not for us as a permanent lifestyle.

[Monello]

I'm late to this discussion. Here's my take. We have been full time for almost 3 years. Prior to that I did long stretches solo in the RV, 6 plus months at a time in various locations in the US. I have a 2005 34 foot class A gasoline RV. I tow a Jeep Cherokee and the boss drives separate in a Toyota Rav4.

It's an amazing lifestyle. But it's NOT for everyone. There are a lot of compromises compared to a permanent place to live. The less is better in some aspects. There isn't a lot of room so you can't pack a lot of stuff in it. You get creative in making the best use of your space. Kitchen gadgets have to be multitaskers or they go. We do travel with 2 bicycles and a small boat. Other large items are a weber grill and propane tank. Some folding chairs, fishing gear and a folding table round out our possessions.

We have an air fryer and instant pot that get a lot of kitchen use. I haven't used my range burners in years. We use the oven for storage. Grilled meats and vegetables are on our menu often.

We stay for a month at each campground. 30 days gets you the best rate. Plus you don't burn a lot of fuel sitting. When we hit the road, I only drive a max of about 300 miles. Most legs are between 150 & 250 miles. Takes a few hours and it doesn't wear me out.

When I have an issue with the RV, I'll call the mobile RV repair people if I can't work it out myself. I want the problems fixed quickly. It may cost but in the long run it adds to my enjoyment. Every few years I put the rig in and get the roof resealed and other assorted things fixed. I got new tires 2 years ago. You don't want to roll down the road with shoddy tires.

Our preferences are for nicer campgrounds that have amenities like heated swimming pools & a hot tub. Prices vary by location. Something reasonable in 1 place can cost twice as much in a different location. So far we have only been turned down once due to our RV's age. Length has never been an issue anywhere. State parks and other federal locations usually don't offer a monthly price break. Many state parks have time limits. Few private campgrounds have those. In a few camps you can get a better rate if you stay 3-5 months.

I can answer any questions you have, ask away.