Living in a Travel Trailer (bike, wireless, repair, propane)

[wandax]

i have one of those small electric heaters that put out alot of btu's and close off what dont need heating but for pete's sake dont burn those gas burners

[haggardhouseelf]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread and I wanted to thank everyone who shared their knowledge and experience here.

I have a few questions, I apologize if they seem really ignorant, but I've never even been inside an RV/MH/or TT or 5th wheel before so I'm a big dummy when it comes to this topic.

- What do you do for a permanent address is you are a full-timer?

- What happens if you are called for jury duty and you are on the other side of the country or something like that? Or you are stuck in a hotel room because your RV/TT/MH/etc. is in for repairs?

- Do most of you carry a gun or have you ever felt the need to carry a weapon for protection? How safe do you feel? Have you ever been broken into?

- How is the air quality in the TT's/5th wheels/MH/etc.? Have you ever had your air quality tested?

- Do you think that you eat out more than you would if you lived in a traditional home? Considering you have less storage space and a smaller fridge, etc. I just wonder if you spend more money on food than you would if you lived in a traditional home with a pantry/freezer/regular-sized fridge/etc.? Also since you cannot grow your own food or can your own food in a TT or the like. With a regular home there are many ways you can save on food.

- For those of you with pets and children - how difficult is it to find medical care for them? Dentists? Schools? For human children, has it been difficult for them to maintain and establish long-term and meaningful friendships with people outside of the family?

- If you homeschool, do you find it's easier to unschool or do you follow a more traditional curriculum? Which homeschooling laws do you follow if you travel state-to-state since homeschooling laws vary state-to-state?

- How much do you spend on average if you are renting lots or spaces or at state parks? It seems the most budget-friendly would be to rent a piece of rural land, but for those of you who do not do that... how much do you spend per month on rent? At the state parks in my state, the average nightly rent is $24. I multiplied $24 by 30 (average number of nights in a month) and came up with $720. That's really expensive sounding to me. You can rent a nice apartment for less than that where I live (Eugene, Or). Is that about average - $20-something a night?

- How much do you pay for taxes/registration/licensing on your tt/5th wheel/mh/etc per year? Is it like a car where you have to reregister annually or whatever it is depending on the state where you live?

- Do you have to have a special license to drive a MH or 5th wheel, etc.?

- How much money do you spend on gas per month, on average? Has the increase in gas made you think about changing your lifestyle?

- I've also heard that airstreames leak something awful. That's not a question, just thought I'd share!

Sorry for so many questions, but my husband and I are both very interested in living lightly and frugal/simple living and this topic is very interesting to us! Thanks!!

[scrapiron]

I have a 2008 18' Mallard, self contained with all the ammentities you could want.
I live in it with my wife and we pay $275 per month plus electric and cable TV for a large spot at a 55+ park. The park is quiet, clean and has a lot of great additions, pool, TV room, activity room, church on Sunday, library, tennis court, shuffle board and fitness room. We plan on living there for the next year to save money, maybe 2 years to save even more money for a Surveyor Artic Unit. That one has a washer/dryer and is built to withstand cold weather. 3 slide outs....it will be just like home. We are downsizing for the next 11 years so we can save enough money to buy a house on the gulf coast to retire in. Sacrifice now, to live better later.

[LucyI'mHome]

A lot of parks now have age restrictions for the rvs. Most cut off at 10 years. Some will make an exception if it's in really great shape. This sucks if you have an affinity for the vintage units. Mostly now you have to look at mobile home parks, ones that already have older units. They generally have an area for rvs. If you are just staying for a night or so, yes, they charge more. But all the parks have rates for long term folks. Check the codes/laws for the town you plan to stay in. Some towns have rules that forbid anyone living in any type vehicle anywhere but an rv/mh park. You'll find this mostly in areas that get overrun with campers. The bad apples park on city streets, dump grey water in the street, sit in lawn chairs on the sidewalks, otherwise act as a nuisance. Even Wal-Marts in these towns aren't allowed to let overnight parking. And you can't park at someone's house either, even if you're off the street. So check first.
RVs and trucks are really pretty affordable now, especially in the hard hit areas like CA, NV, AZ. You could fly out, rent a car, look at several, buy one, drive it home, and still have a heck of a good deal.
The OPs post is even more timely, with the economy still bad, and no end in sight. I've lived in a 26' class A with my partner, 2 cats, 1 50# dog and 2 15# dogs for 2 years. It is absolutely do-able. It's not torture. We were able to live in a town that we were not able to afford otherwise. We met a lot of really interesting people from all walks of life, from families with small to teens, to working couples, to sold the farm and retired. I look forward to doing it again, to the freedom it gives.
There is a myriad of books and info online on how to live this life. Check it out!!!

[Home.Grown]

I ran across this thread while doing a somewhat related Google search, and wanted to chime in.

My wife and I just started full-time TT living about a month ago. We are still getting settled after having always had houses or condos. We went with a 32' FEMA trailer,and I have done many upgrades and changes to it. I had the floor & roof replaced due to water damage. The base flooring was upgraded to water resistant, residential grade sub-floor. I converted to all electric, removed the bunk beds and opened up the entire back section of the trailer to make it into a large bathroom with washer/dryer setup. Also converted to 50-amp service. The kitchen was replaced (no stove, smaller sink allowed for MUCH more counter top space). We have a very nice toaster oven that serves us well, and other cooking is done in a crock pot or on a cook top. Even have a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink. I still have some storage issues to iron out, but that will come eventually. It is quite an experience, and so far, so good. Because it's a FEMA trailer with no holding tanks, I'm restricted to parks with only full hook-ups available. That's ok, I have no intention of messing with holding tanks of any kind.

And if the OP is still monitoring this thread, I pulled this 32' monster with my 2011 4-cyl. Tacoma! Certainly NOT an ideal tow vehicle, and if it looks like I may relocate it any distance or very often I will get a more appropriate tow vehicle.

[haggardhouseelf]

Were my questions offensive? I hope not. It's just that no one has responded to them. I know there were a lot, though. I hope I didn't offend.

[texdav]

Originally Posted by Synopsis

I didn't quite know where to put this thread, so I thought Green Living would be as good a place as any.

I am seriously considering selling our house and purchasing a travel trailer to live in permanently.

Ultimately, it would need to be livable with amenities like a stove, refrigerator, shower, and possibly even a washer/dryer.

Can anyone give me any advice on what to purchase, where, and other particulars?

We are a family of three, but can live in tight quarters.

I'm looking for advice on models, price, and so on.

If we sell our house and make any kind of a profit at all, that money would be used to purchase the travel trailer. Also, it would need to be towable behind an '03 tacoma, which is a rather small pickup truck.

Thanks!

I thnik you will want to look at smaller streamline type trailers. They are mean to be pulled alot .many of the lessor trailers are Ok for traveling moderately but you'll find that those who hit the road alot want the better built ;more streamlned trailers.They cost more but stay together better.First thing is to look at maximum trailer load for that truck;get tow package installed if not equippped and proper hitch system and springs etc. might just be better i teh end to get a more suited tow vehicle reallyespecailly with three people. Eventaualy the lack of space wil get old.

[recycled]

Home.Grown, good photos of the FEMA unit. Did you buy that at a government property auction or sale? Your upgrades and improvements look good, but the thing that got my attention is the scarcity of windows. Also, many of us read all sorts of things about chemical contamination issues from FEMA trailers. Was there some kind of safety certificate with the trailer that verified that it was not contaminated? Thanks.

[Home.Grown]

Hey recycled, no, I bought it from a private seller, who's buddy picked a few of them up from an RV dealer who bought a bunch of them. Yes, I read that about the formaldahyde (sp?). No, it didn't have any sort of safety cert with it, but there was no discernable chemical smell in it at all. Plus we've replaced so much of the inside that we probably got rid of a lot of the potential source of the contamination. This trailer really has a very neutral smell to it, and has been aired out substantially since we've had it. I remember when my wife and I were first married (1981) we looked at several mobile homes in the heat of the summertime. Most of the homes had such a harsh smell from being closed up in the heat that after a few minutes inside my eyes and throat would be sore.

Yes, very few windows but believe it or not, it's not too bad inside. There seems to be plenty of natural sunlight and ventilation when we want it.

[retiring in the south]

I am a 55 year old single woman who is nearing retirement. I have about decided to sell my home and purchase the largest used travel trailer I can afford (pay cash for it from the sale of my home) to live in permanently. It would be parked in a local small trailer lot for $100 a month. $100 rent and very small utitlity bills sound very pleasing to me. Close up the travel trailer and go visit friends and family. I am afraid if I stay in my home that I will not be able to go anywhere after retirement due to high utility bills, insurance, taxes, and the up keep on a large home. What do you think? Should I go for it? I live in the south. Extreme cold will not be an issue.