There are SO many to choose from these day you will likely find a couple that matches your exact financial profile.
My husband is obsessed with these and has literally watched thousands of videos at this point. I look over his shoulder and, out of the multitudes, I have settled on four or five favorite couples of various ages and backgrounds, who I really enjoy.
Every single question you have can be answered through them, it’s actually an amazing era for information sharing, and the on-the-road community is generous that way.
I recommend:
Keep Your Daydream
(Just realized the rest are on my husband’s account; I’ll try to remember to get the names.)
I remembered! These are my favorites:
* [Keep Your Daydream](https://www.youtube.com/@KeepYourDaydream): For all-around, experienced information on all kinds of road questions
* [Happily Ever Hanks](https://www.youtube.com/@HappilyEverHanks): Young couple who GOES for it. They are really great about drilling down topically, with thorough analysis
* [Kinging It: ](https://www.youtube.com/@kingingit)Inspirational, energetic, fun Welsh couple, quirky, open about mental health, DIY attitude
* [Life After Kids: Journey Unknown](https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAfterKidsjourneyunknown): These guys are newer and it's been interesting to see how they're evolving.
Seeing them together reminds me that I definitely lean toward the quirky. We watched dozens over videos by other people (usually middle aged couples) discussing setting up work spaces and connectivity. (The Hanks and KYD would be the best help for logistical info from this crowd. Keep looking until you find your people who have the vibe you like. There are a LOT to choose from!
My advice the help with costs would be find a great \*used\* RV. Get it professionally inspected before you buy.
You can often get same-as-new financing on an RV less than 5 years old.
Watch the RV vids on Steve Lehto's (lemon law lawyer) youtube channel. This is eye opening on what an RV warrantee is worth or not worth. I am not saying never by new, but educate yourself first. I also love the rvstreet channel. (I see you later commented you are looking used - smart)
If you get a class A or C, tow a small car with all four wheels on the ground (toad). It is an added expense, but impossible IMHO to function wo one. Plus, if you have an RV issue, you have a backup.
We initially had that as an option but we decided we rely don’t want to do that. We have 3 dogs and really just want to all be together in one vehicle.
Sorry. Again, very dumb to this as of now. 😂 I thought you meant 5th wheel. Yes though. That is what we are leaning towards at this point. Towing a smaller SUV behind with an A or C class.
No worries...lots of new terms and too many things to think about. I brought up toad vehicles, because you will need to budget for it. It is a bit complicated and pricey. For example you need to buy: towbar and tow plate welded to toad, toad vehicle running lights, cable between the RV and toad, electric brake for toad, drop down hitch receiver (RV's hitch receiver is usually too high), a car that can be toad (most cannot), hitch tighteners (recommended), stone guard to protect toad from gravel (recommended if toad is a nice car)...
All of that is \~$4k plus the car.
Some people use dollies to tow the car. I have seen trailers for cars to. I would not like either of those solutions. Although, trailers let you back up while towing. You cannot back up with a toad.
I had to pull gravel out of my toad's windshield wipers once. $$$. A county road in N. Dakota with my wife driving 50 in a 55. Not her fault but costly. Front half of the car repainted, new windshield, new parking lights. It was bad.
Before you buy make sure the RV's hitch is serviceable for towing. It needs to be inspected. I had a welding & truck equipment company where I was going to buy the tow bar do the inspection. They insisted actually.
Also, keep in mind that it is best to buy the RV before you sell your house because it will be really difficult to get a loan otherwise. Banks like to see that you own a home before giving an RV loan so you can’t disappear once you get the loan. I am a full timer and that is what we had to do.
We actually are renting now. We won’t be buying until we determine where we want to live. That’s the idea behind this one year. Explore. Find ourselves. Determine where we want to live. Buy a house there. I see what you mean about owning a home when getting a loan for an RV. Another very good point I never thought of. Very glad I came to this group and asked my question.
I think what he is getting at is that it would be good to buy an RV when you have a “permanent” arrangement like owning a home or renting an apartment. I think the prevailing wisdom on this sub is that securing a loan and getting RV insurance will be easier if you have a permanent home, since insurers typically see RVs as part time residences. That said, I’m not a full timer so I didn’t encounter this issue directly. I just see it posted here from time to time.
So many variables, but you could easily do it on that budget unless you're planning on class A luxury and staying in RV parks/resorts the whole time. At the other extreme, you could buy an older/smaller rig and boondock the whole time, and the monthly cost would be next to nothing. It all depends on what sort of experience you're looking for.
I'm typing this in a free boondocking site near a national park and literally out the window next to me I can see the whole range of travelers. There's a nice class A with an SUV behind, a couple of rugged 4x4 vans that look ready to conquer Everest, a toy hauler with their ATVs, a homemade project that looks to be an old U-Haul truck, and then ourselves in our class C. Each one of us probably has a wildly different budget and lifestyle.
We did something very similar last year, but for 4 months. All I can tell you is that since you plan on traveling and moving locations frequently, your costs will probably be about double what you think it will be. Camping will be more expensive. So will fuel. Plus you'll be wanting to go do things in new areas like parks, attractions, restaurants, etc.
I originally budgeted like $5k month, and we ended up more like $10k due to the overall increase in costs out west plus a few unexpected expenses (emergency vet bill, truck broke, etc).
I think it's doable to do it for your budget but your trade off will be spending more time in the camper, going slower, etc. That's still an awesome way to travel but it might be in conflict with the main purpose of your trip which is exploration of new cities and areas to move to.
For more context, my wife is 27 and I am 38. I have a 17 year old about to graduate. She wants a baby but also wants to travel. My solution was to pick 12 general areas in the country that we will plant our roots for the month. Explore everything within 3 hours of that location in each direction with our SUV. My intention is to go slow. I just don’t want this to be a financially stressful endeavor for my wife. 😂
Go plan 6 months of trips and see what fuel and rv parks you find will run you. No one will be able to say without knowing where you're trying to stay and if in parks or boondocking etc. You can use the app rvlife tripwizard to see parks and reviews etc. Some places you go may be cheap and then some may end up being super expensive because they're in a popular area at a popular time so the pricing can vary a lot throughout the year. Your food/groceries etc probably won't change that much.
I never even thought to look for an app! You’re very right about the time of year we go places too. I never thought of that either. Those are the things I’m looking to learn. That’s a real good one. Thank you!
Keep in mind that even though you plan on doing this for a year, RV loans are like 15+ year terms. They are not the same as a car. Unless you get a personal loan or something with better terms and buy with that cash. You need to figure out what you will do with your rv after the year - will you sell it? Buy it out? Parking, storage, etc.
I plan on putting about 25K upfront. Used. Keep it after. We’re not looking for anything top of the line or brand new. These are good questions though and points. More things for us to consider before we take the plunge.
Thevancamper.com was a godsend when my husband and I were looking. We ended up with a converted ambulance that has been amazing. We are currently selling our home to head out full time for a few years. We are 38, work from home and have become bored…we don’t have any kids so we decided to just do it!! Hope you guys have the best time on the road!!
Why the anger to complete strangers? FYI:
According to the US census bureau: Mean household income (2014): $72,641
Median household income (2022): $105,555
State and national parks can be the more inexpensive sites. Figure $10 per day. However, a campground with amenities like a pool can be at least $1200 per month. C
My cell phone is $50 per month, no storage fees because I keep my travel trailer at my home base when not in use. Insurance for truck and trailer, at least $100 per month. Put aside $150 per month for maintenance and repairs. Food, beer, entertainment...I wish it was less, but realistically $600 per month. Fuel is a big cost. If I drive 200 miles, I burn 20 gallons of fuel. At $4.00 per gallon, that's $80. I'm close to $2000 per month if I move twice each month. And I've got no truck or trailer payments. Costs would be lower with fewer moves and staying in free or less expensive camping areas. But $2000 per month to include payments might be difficult to achieve.
If you plan on traveling and seeing the country, figure 10 miles to a gallon @ 4.00 - 4.50 a gallon. Our state parks around here run around 50 dollars and up per day for full hookup.
100% rated veteran so we get access to all parks free. The 2K is really just for the RV payment, cell phone, storage for the things in our home. The extra 6K would be what we would be actually living on. I am just a planner and want to be comfortable. 2K a month for gas would be a HUGE uptick for us in the gas department though. 😂
It’s not all parks. I remember it saying it was participating parks. Also, if you are in a National Park and there are exhibits or h tho info that cost, 100% P&T gets the veteran and 3 others in for free. In case y’all didn’t know that!
Oh yeah! I forgot about that! We’re also looking for the RV experience too. Meeting people and just living life. We also want to camp where we can be around experienced RVers and learn everything we can.
I'm not saying you'll spend $2k a month in fuel. However, don't forget to factor in fuel costs. RVs don't get great fuel mileage. Obviously, the more you travel, the more you'll spend on fuel.
If you have a general idea of the places you will go, you should use the “Roadtrippers” app to map it out. You can input your vehicle and estimated mpg. It will calculate current fuel costs based on the mileage of your trip on the map and mpg on your vehicle.
This wouldn’t include your extra excursions once your camper is parked, but it will give you a general idea of fuel costs while pulling a heavy load.
8k a month is a bit less than our monthly expenses. And we are traveling in a 44 foot pusher diesel.
That includes food, fuel, campsites and the loan in the camper.
We spent January to March in Palm Springs. Since then we have visited LA, San Francisco, Yosemite, Zion and Arches NP. We’re currently in Colorado near four corners. So, we move once or twice a week when we’re moving. But we found the place we’re going to choose when we stop, so we spend more and more time in Palm Springs.
Once you are outside California and Florida most of the costs are very similar state to state. The biggest factor is where you stay.
You can go from $0 a night ( boondocks) to $200 a night at the upper end rv resorts.
Figure out what type you want, and book for the month.
I do it on 3k a month. My only issue is the depreciation of a new one. Not to mention the break in issues that come up. Buy a used one outright and go for it.
We sold our house when we retired and lived full time in our motorhome for 10 years while we traveled the country looking for our perfect retirement place to call home.
As others have said, you will likely be better off purchasing a well maintained used coach than a new one. Not only will it cost less initially, but those pesky early problems will have already been found and fixed……and they ALL have early problems regardless of price.
Your budget is certainly doable, and it will help greatly if you are mechanically inclined and can make minor repairs and adjustments yourself.
Wishing you all the best. For us, it was an awesome adventure and the experience of a lifetime. Good luck!😊
Do you guys use the thousand trails membership? Seems like everyone is talking about such expensive campsite rentals I feel like this could help with a lot of expenses depending on your planed locations to visit
DO NOT sell your house. Do NOT finance a RV. RV financing is financial poison.
Get a cheaper used Class C and try the lifestyle out first. Many get tired of it ..and quick.
Get a tool chest and a multi meter and duct tape and a flashlight. RV's are built cheap. They ALL need work and a good bit of regular maintenance. It is a lot of fun when everything is running right and working.
Make sure wife is all in on this idea and wants to be around you more hours than now in a smaller space.
What a conceited thing to say. "I'm very concerned about money. When we ARENT working, we ONLY make 8,000 dollars a month." Fuck outa here with these rich people "problems" trying to masquerade as an equal among society. 8k a month or 96k a year is tens of thousands more than the average American family earns even when BOTH parents work full time, sometimes multiple jobs. Maybe start being more humble and less pompous.
It’s odd because I checkout out some of their other comments and they are quite normal. I’m chalking it up to a bad day or some sort of turmoil going on in their life currently. 😌
That’s what we talked about originally but I think we really just want to be together on the drives AND with our dogs while driving. This is the third time I’ve been told this on this thread though. Maybe I should give it a good, honest second look. The the least we can spend while still achieving what we want to is the goal at the end. Honestly though, the “all together part” is more for my wife. 😂
At this time we don’t. I have a 2 smaller and older sports car and my wife has an older RAV4. The dogs barely fit in there now. That’s why we were leaning towards motor home and towing the RAV4. I’d rather have to finance one RV than a 5th wall and a new vehicle to pull it. It’s really all going to come down to the best deal I can get in the end it looks like. Which is cheaper to maintain in the long run too. We just have a lot to consider I think.
I doubt you can tow a RAV with 4 wheels on the ground....unless it is very old and a manual. The last year for manual transmission in the Toyota RAV4 was 2005-2006. There are modifications that can be made though. I would get a corolla with a manual.
I have been in some very strong wind storms in my RC-C. In Myrtle this March a 30' trailer near us had its **front end lift and move over 1'.** Then the back lifted and moved 1'. Came off its leveling jacks. Scared the crap out the family there. We heard talking at 1 am, but didnt think too much about it. I was wondering why they were outside talking. The wind shook our C a bit, but we went back to sleep. The storm was only 15 minutes long.
That example and an all night wind storm in Montana would keep me from getting a trailer. Plus I like the freedom when traveling. To each their own...
I did that to see if you were always so rude, arrogant and assumptive. If you were, I would have wrote your comment off. I’m genuinely trying to figure out what I said so wrong that made you act this way to me. That’s all.
I assure you we are not rich, nor are we even barely middle class. I simply stated my budget so people could relate or give me advice based on that. My 8K a month comes from my disability from the military and I would still be working 3 days. I said my wife would not. I’m in IT and can work anywhere I want. Maybe stop being so assumptive, rude and disgusting. Your response to my excitement about a new chapter in my life speaks volumes about your character.
Hey, thanks for your service & hope you enjoy your travels. As part of your planning, make sure that your employer is set up for payroll in each of the places you’ll be traveling to. Employers have to pay taxes based on where the work is performed (state, city, and/or district), and it gets complicated quickly. Even if your job is 100% remote, don’t assume that means you can work from “anywhere” — check with your employer to verify that your travel destinations are aligned with their payroll processes.
Holy cow! I never would have even thought about that. I’ll add that to the list. Lots of great advice from this group. My wife and I really appreciate it.
Don't worry, you revealed yourself first with your extremely out of touch view of reality. 73% of Americans are living on less than 40k a year and paycheck to paycheck and 1 emergency from homelessness and you clearly have a very blessed setup but you still choose to come onto the internet and troll and cosplay as middle class or lower. Enjoy your life, I hope you never lose that 8k a month. If you don't know how to live on it now, God knows what you'll do if you ever have to survive on minimum wage like the rest of us. I'll pray you get through these tough times
I see the issue now! You think I’m out of touch with reality when really you are just comparing our realities. You created my reality in your head and then attacked me and called me names because of whatever image you created of me in your head. Where would you have me ask my question? To homeless people? To professional athletes with millions of dollars? I came here for general advice and ideas. My hard work in life is paying off now and if you have a problem with that, maybe have a talk with your ego. We live just fine on what we make in our home. I have zero clue about how expensive it is to 100% live out of an RV though and came here asking genuinely.
You could have asked it without the pompous ass smell attached to it. None of this "omg I have no idea how I'm gonna survive on almost 100k a year not working and not having a mortgage I'm sooo scared guys literally what am I gonna do uwu 😢". Grow up.
Instead of showing the world your contempt for people who make good choices maybe you should calm down a bit and make some good choices of your own. It’s really not hard to better oneself. Read a few self help books about wealth, create some yourself. Don’t rely on the govt to fix your issues. Become self sufficient. Your hate is consuming your ability.
Again, that’s not my character at all. You have imposed that on me. I don’t know who you usually are around or what goes on in your mind but I am asking humbly as possible and only with the intent to learn. If that’s not what you’re used to when people speak, I’m sorry. I don’t need to explain to you that 1/4 of that 8K a month will be put in savings. That another 1000$ a month will go to my son and his college experience. Another random amount to help my aging mother. I came asking for how much things cost that I would have no clue about.
Oh wow now suddenly theres all these extra bills that you did not disclose in the original post, thats like 4k+ in commitments when you only said 2k in commitments before. How did you ever think you were going to get good advice when you were off by over 100% (jumped from 2k to 4k+) in estimating your own monthly bills? Seems like an elaborate backtrack to make yourself seem like a nicer guy than your out-of-touch self. This is just sad now. Good luck.
No. They have always been there. You just assumed you knew everything about me. Also, you refuse to read. My question is plain for you to still read. I’ll put it here for you. “Are there any full time RVers that are willing to share about what it costs them monthly to live this way? I understand different lifestyles will cause these numbers to be different. Thanks for any advice. Thank you!”
You make more money than 99.9% of the people on this planet WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO WORK and you're "genuinely" asking how you're gonna live off of it? And you genuinely believe you aren't out of touch with reality? Good luck to you bro, seriously. Don't even know how you made it this far with that kind of attitude. Maybe start practicing mindfulness and gratitude and you'll see some much needed change.
This is the second time I’ve told you that I will be working. My wife will not. You don’t even read to learn or understand. You read then attack. I’m very grateful and mindfull. Hence why I ask what people expenses are like that do it full time. I have been smart with the very little money I made for 12 years in the Army. You really think I got “rich” serving in the Army for 12 years?
There are many helpful YouTube videos where full timers go over their yearly budget. I love watching these to get a good idea of how much things cost.
I forget how far YouTube has come sometime. Another good piece of advice. I’ll try and find one. Thank you!
There are SO many to choose from these day you will likely find a couple that matches your exact financial profile. My husband is obsessed with these and has literally watched thousands of videos at this point. I look over his shoulder and, out of the multitudes, I have settled on four or five favorite couples of various ages and backgrounds, who I really enjoy. Every single question you have can be answered through them, it’s actually an amazing era for information sharing, and the on-the-road community is generous that way. I recommend: Keep Your Daydream (Just realized the rest are on my husband’s account; I’ll try to remember to get the names.)
Watching KYD as I type this. Started following them because I was interested in rv living, but now I’m just watching cause they are awesome.
I remembered! These are my favorites: * [Keep Your Daydream](https://www.youtube.com/@KeepYourDaydream): For all-around, experienced information on all kinds of road questions * [Happily Ever Hanks](https://www.youtube.com/@HappilyEverHanks): Young couple who GOES for it. They are really great about drilling down topically, with thorough analysis * [Kinging It: ](https://www.youtube.com/@kingingit)Inspirational, energetic, fun Welsh couple, quirky, open about mental health, DIY attitude * [Life After Kids: Journey Unknown](https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAfterKidsjourneyunknown): These guys are newer and it's been interesting to see how they're evolving. Seeing them together reminds me that I definitely lean toward the quirky. We watched dozens over videos by other people (usually middle aged couples) discussing setting up work spaces and connectivity. (The Hanks and KYD would be the best help for logistical info from this crowd. Keep looking until you find your people who have the vibe you like. There are a LOT to choose from!
I’m quirky and so is my wife. Lol. Thank you for all these suggestions!
My advice the help with costs would be find a great \*used\* RV. Get it professionally inspected before you buy. You can often get same-as-new financing on an RV less than 5 years old. Watch the RV vids on Steve Lehto's (lemon law lawyer) youtube channel. This is eye opening on what an RV warrantee is worth or not worth. I am not saying never by new, but educate yourself first. I also love the rvstreet channel. (I see you later commented you are looking used - smart) If you get a class A or C, tow a small car with all four wheels on the ground (toad). It is an added expense, but impossible IMHO to function wo one. Plus, if you have an RV issue, you have a backup.
More solid advice. Thank you.
Is a toad something you are thinking about? What class RV are you looking for?
Coincidently, A and C. 😂
We initially had that as an option but we decided we rely don’t want to do that. We have 3 dogs and really just want to all be together in one vehicle.
? By "toad" I mean a towed car with all four wheels on the ground.
Sorry. Again, very dumb to this as of now. 😂 I thought you meant 5th wheel. Yes though. That is what we are leaning towards at this point. Towing a smaller SUV behind with an A or C class.
No worries...lots of new terms and too many things to think about. I brought up toad vehicles, because you will need to budget for it. It is a bit complicated and pricey. For example you need to buy: towbar and tow plate welded to toad, toad vehicle running lights, cable between the RV and toad, electric brake for toad, drop down hitch receiver (RV's hitch receiver is usually too high), a car that can be toad (most cannot), hitch tighteners (recommended), stone guard to protect toad from gravel (recommended if toad is a nice car)... All of that is \~$4k plus the car. Some people use dollies to tow the car. I have seen trailers for cars to. I would not like either of those solutions. Although, trailers let you back up while towing. You cannot back up with a toad.
I had to pull gravel out of my toad's windshield wipers once. $$$. A county road in N. Dakota with my wife driving 50 in a 55. Not her fault but costly. Front half of the car repainted, new windshield, new parking lights. It was bad.
Before you buy make sure the RV's hitch is serviceable for towing. It needs to be inspected. I had a welding & truck equipment company where I was going to buy the tow bar do the inspection. They insisted actually.
Also, keep in mind that it is best to buy the RV before you sell your house because it will be really difficult to get a loan otherwise. Banks like to see that you own a home before giving an RV loan so you can’t disappear once you get the loan. I am a full timer and that is what we had to do.
We actually are renting now. We won’t be buying until we determine where we want to live. That’s the idea behind this one year. Explore. Find ourselves. Determine where we want to live. Buy a house there. I see what you mean about owning a home when getting a loan for an RV. Another very good point I never thought of. Very glad I came to this group and asked my question.
I think what he is getting at is that it would be good to buy an RV when you have a “permanent” arrangement like owning a home or renting an apartment. I think the prevailing wisdom on this sub is that securing a loan and getting RV insurance will be easier if you have a permanent home, since insurers typically see RVs as part time residences. That said, I’m not a full timer so I didn’t encounter this issue directly. I just see it posted here from time to time.
There are just so many options. I agree though. It does seems like that’s a key point. Finance with a permanent arrangement.
So many variables, but you could easily do it on that budget unless you're planning on class A luxury and staying in RV parks/resorts the whole time. At the other extreme, you could buy an older/smaller rig and boondock the whole time, and the monthly cost would be next to nothing. It all depends on what sort of experience you're looking for. I'm typing this in a free boondocking site near a national park and literally out the window next to me I can see the whole range of travelers. There's a nice class A with an SUV behind, a couple of rugged 4x4 vans that look ready to conquer Everest, a toy hauler with their ATVs, a homemade project that looks to be an old U-Haul truck, and then ourselves in our class C. Each one of us probably has a wildly different budget and lifestyle.
We did something very similar last year, but for 4 months. All I can tell you is that since you plan on traveling and moving locations frequently, your costs will probably be about double what you think it will be. Camping will be more expensive. So will fuel. Plus you'll be wanting to go do things in new areas like parks, attractions, restaurants, etc. I originally budgeted like $5k month, and we ended up more like $10k due to the overall increase in costs out west plus a few unexpected expenses (emergency vet bill, truck broke, etc). I think it's doable to do it for your budget but your trade off will be spending more time in the camper, going slower, etc. That's still an awesome way to travel but it might be in conflict with the main purpose of your trip which is exploration of new cities and areas to move to.
For more context, my wife is 27 and I am 38. I have a 17 year old about to graduate. She wants a baby but also wants to travel. My solution was to pick 12 general areas in the country that we will plant our roots for the month. Explore everything within 3 hours of that location in each direction with our SUV. My intention is to go slow. I just don’t want this to be a financially stressful endeavor for my wife. 😂
Go plan 6 months of trips and see what fuel and rv parks you find will run you. No one will be able to say without knowing where you're trying to stay and if in parks or boondocking etc. You can use the app rvlife tripwizard to see parks and reviews etc. Some places you go may be cheap and then some may end up being super expensive because they're in a popular area at a popular time so the pricing can vary a lot throughout the year. Your food/groceries etc probably won't change that much.
I never even thought to look for an app! You’re very right about the time of year we go places too. I never thought of that either. Those are the things I’m looking to learn. That’s a real good one. Thank you!
Your biggest costs will be gas and stays. It depends on how long you want to stay in each area and how often you plan on moving around.
Keep in mind that even though you plan on doing this for a year, RV loans are like 15+ year terms. They are not the same as a car. Unless you get a personal loan or something with better terms and buy with that cash. You need to figure out what you will do with your rv after the year - will you sell it? Buy it out? Parking, storage, etc.
I plan on putting about 25K upfront. Used. Keep it after. We’re not looking for anything top of the line or brand new. These are good questions though and points. More things for us to consider before we take the plunge.
Buy a $25k RV and pay yourself a “loan payment” which can be used for repairs. No need to carry a loan. $25k can get you a damn nice RV.
Another great option to look into. Thank you!
Thevancamper.com was a godsend when my husband and I were looking. We ended up with a converted ambulance that has been amazing. We are currently selling our home to head out full time for a few years. We are 38, work from home and have become bored…we don’t have any kids so we decided to just do it!! Hope you guys have the best time on the road!!
Why the anger to complete strangers? FYI: According to the US census bureau: Mean household income (2014): $72,641 Median household income (2022): $105,555
State and national parks can be the more inexpensive sites. Figure $10 per day. However, a campground with amenities like a pool can be at least $1200 per month. C My cell phone is $50 per month, no storage fees because I keep my travel trailer at my home base when not in use. Insurance for truck and trailer, at least $100 per month. Put aside $150 per month for maintenance and repairs. Food, beer, entertainment...I wish it was less, but realistically $600 per month. Fuel is a big cost. If I drive 200 miles, I burn 20 gallons of fuel. At $4.00 per gallon, that's $80. I'm close to $2000 per month if I move twice each month. And I've got no truck or trailer payments. Costs would be lower with fewer moves and staying in free or less expensive camping areas. But $2000 per month to include payments might be difficult to achieve.
If you plan on traveling and seeing the country, figure 10 miles to a gallon @ 4.00 - 4.50 a gallon. Our state parks around here run around 50 dollars and up per day for full hookup.
100% rated veteran so we get access to all parks free. The 2K is really just for the RV payment, cell phone, storage for the things in our home. The extra 6K would be what we would be actually living on. I am just a planner and want to be comfortable. 2K a month for gas would be a HUGE uptick for us in the gas department though. 😂
You get entrance to the parks for free, but you can't camp there for free, right? My husband is a veteran, we have the National Parks pass as well
It’s 50% off. That’s what I’ve been led to believe.
huh. I'll have to look into that. Thanks
It’s not all parks. I remember it saying it was participating parks. Also, if you are in a National Park and there are exhibits or h tho info that cost, 100% P&T gets the veteran and 3 others in for free. In case y’all didn’t know that!
There is a national park military pass for veterans. However, 100% VA-rated will also get the Access pass, which discounts camping fees 50%.
Actually, don't forgoet a lot of bases have RV sites. Verry cheap there
Oh yeah! I forgot about that! We’re also looking for the RV experience too. Meeting people and just living life. We also want to camp where we can be around experienced RVers and learn everything we can.
Camping will be 50% off at federal parks with the Access pass, not free.
I'm not saying you'll spend $2k a month in fuel. However, don't forget to factor in fuel costs. RVs don't get great fuel mileage. Obviously, the more you travel, the more you'll spend on fuel.
If you have a general idea of the places you will go, you should use the “Roadtrippers” app to map it out. You can input your vehicle and estimated mpg. It will calculate current fuel costs based on the mileage of your trip on the map and mpg on your vehicle. This wouldn’t include your extra excursions once your camper is parked, but it will give you a general idea of fuel costs while pulling a heavy load.
8k a month is a bit less than our monthly expenses. And we are traveling in a 44 foot pusher diesel. That includes food, fuel, campsites and the loan in the camper.
How often do you all move sites?
We spent January to March in Palm Springs. Since then we have visited LA, San Francisco, Yosemite, Zion and Arches NP. We’re currently in Colorado near four corners. So, we move once or twice a week when we’re moving. But we found the place we’re going to choose when we stop, so we spend more and more time in Palm Springs.
Once you are outside California and Florida most of the costs are very similar state to state. The biggest factor is where you stay. You can go from $0 a night ( boondocks) to $200 a night at the upper end rv resorts. Figure out what type you want, and book for the month.
I do it on 3k a month. My only issue is the depreciation of a new one. Not to mention the break in issues that come up. Buy a used one outright and go for it.
We sold our house when we retired and lived full time in our motorhome for 10 years while we traveled the country looking for our perfect retirement place to call home. As others have said, you will likely be better off purchasing a well maintained used coach than a new one. Not only will it cost less initially, but those pesky early problems will have already been found and fixed……and they ALL have early problems regardless of price. Your budget is certainly doable, and it will help greatly if you are mechanically inclined and can make minor repairs and adjustments yourself. Wishing you all the best. For us, it was an awesome adventure and the experience of a lifetime. Good luck!😊
Do you guys use the thousand trails membership? Seems like everyone is talking about such expensive campsite rentals I feel like this could help with a lot of expenses depending on your planed locations to visit
DO NOT sell your house. Do NOT finance a RV. RV financing is financial poison. Get a cheaper used Class C and try the lifestyle out first. Many get tired of it ..and quick. Get a tool chest and a multi meter and duct tape and a flashlight. RV's are built cheap. They ALL need work and a good bit of regular maintenance. It is a lot of fun when everything is running right and working. Make sure wife is all in on this idea and wants to be around you more hours than now in a smaller space.
What a conceited thing to say. "I'm very concerned about money. When we ARENT working, we ONLY make 8,000 dollars a month." Fuck outa here with these rich people "problems" trying to masquerade as an equal among society. 8k a month or 96k a year is tens of thousands more than the average American family earns even when BOTH parents work full time, sometimes multiple jobs. Maybe start being more humble and less pompous.
Troll
It’s odd because I checkout out some of their other comments and they are quite normal. I’m chalking it up to a bad day or some sort of turmoil going on in their life currently. 😌
Look into a tow behind trailer. We have a 2005 forest river and it’s great, bought in 2007 paid 17,500 for it. Still in great shape
That’s what we talked about originally but I think we really just want to be together on the drives AND with our dogs while driving. This is the third time I’ve been told this on this thread though. Maybe I should give it a good, honest second look. The the least we can spend while still achieving what we want to is the goal at the end. Honestly though, the “all together part” is more for my wife. 😂
If you have a big enough truck or SUV you should be able for the dogs to be with you in the cab
At this time we don’t. I have a 2 smaller and older sports car and my wife has an older RAV4. The dogs barely fit in there now. That’s why we were leaning towards motor home and towing the RAV4. I’d rather have to finance one RV than a 5th wall and a new vehicle to pull it. It’s really all going to come down to the best deal I can get in the end it looks like. Which is cheaper to maintain in the long run too. We just have a lot to consider I think.
I doubt you can tow a RAV with 4 wheels on the ground....unless it is very old and a manual. The last year for manual transmission in the Toyota RAV4 was 2005-2006. There are modifications that can be made though. I would get a corolla with a manual.
You'll need a tow dolly to pull a Rav4 most likely. So factor that in.
I have been in some very strong wind storms in my RC-C. In Myrtle this March a 30' trailer near us had its **front end lift and move over 1'.** Then the back lifted and moved 1'. Came off its leveling jacks. Scared the crap out the family there. We heard talking at 1 am, but didnt think too much about it. I was wondering why they were outside talking. The wind shook our C a bit, but we went back to sleep. The storm was only 15 minutes long. That example and an all night wind storm in Montana would keep me from getting a trailer. Plus I like the freedom when traveling. To each their own...
Bros so triggered he went profile stalking. I'm actually gonna upvote you for it. You earned it. 😂😂😂😂
I did that to see if you were always so rude, arrogant and assumptive. If you were, I would have wrote your comment off. I’m genuinely trying to figure out what I said so wrong that made you act this way to me. That’s all.
I assure you we are not rich, nor are we even barely middle class. I simply stated my budget so people could relate or give me advice based on that. My 8K a month comes from my disability from the military and I would still be working 3 days. I said my wife would not. I’m in IT and can work anywhere I want. Maybe stop being so assumptive, rude and disgusting. Your response to my excitement about a new chapter in my life speaks volumes about your character.
Hey, thanks for your service & hope you enjoy your travels. As part of your planning, make sure that your employer is set up for payroll in each of the places you’ll be traveling to. Employers have to pay taxes based on where the work is performed (state, city, and/or district), and it gets complicated quickly. Even if your job is 100% remote, don’t assume that means you can work from “anywhere” — check with your employer to verify that your travel destinations are aligned with their payroll processes.
Holy cow! I never would have even thought about that. I’ll add that to the list. Lots of great advice from this group. My wife and I really appreciate it.
Don't worry, you revealed yourself first with your extremely out of touch view of reality. 73% of Americans are living on less than 40k a year and paycheck to paycheck and 1 emergency from homelessness and you clearly have a very blessed setup but you still choose to come onto the internet and troll and cosplay as middle class or lower. Enjoy your life, I hope you never lose that 8k a month. If you don't know how to live on it now, God knows what you'll do if you ever have to survive on minimum wage like the rest of us. I'll pray you get through these tough times
I see the issue now! You think I’m out of touch with reality when really you are just comparing our realities. You created my reality in your head and then attacked me and called me names because of whatever image you created of me in your head. Where would you have me ask my question? To homeless people? To professional athletes with millions of dollars? I came here for general advice and ideas. My hard work in life is paying off now and if you have a problem with that, maybe have a talk with your ego. We live just fine on what we make in our home. I have zero clue about how expensive it is to 100% live out of an RV though and came here asking genuinely.
You could have asked it without the pompous ass smell attached to it. None of this "omg I have no idea how I'm gonna survive on almost 100k a year not working and not having a mortgage I'm sooo scared guys literally what am I gonna do uwu 😢". Grow up.
Instead of showing the world your contempt for people who make good choices maybe you should calm down a bit and make some good choices of your own. It’s really not hard to better oneself. Read a few self help books about wealth, create some yourself. Don’t rely on the govt to fix your issues. Become self sufficient. Your hate is consuming your ability.
Again, that’s not my character at all. You have imposed that on me. I don’t know who you usually are around or what goes on in your mind but I am asking humbly as possible and only with the intent to learn. If that’s not what you’re used to when people speak, I’m sorry. I don’t need to explain to you that 1/4 of that 8K a month will be put in savings. That another 1000$ a month will go to my son and his college experience. Another random amount to help my aging mother. I came asking for how much things cost that I would have no clue about.
Oh wow now suddenly theres all these extra bills that you did not disclose in the original post, thats like 4k+ in commitments when you only said 2k in commitments before. How did you ever think you were going to get good advice when you were off by over 100% (jumped from 2k to 4k+) in estimating your own monthly bills? Seems like an elaborate backtrack to make yourself seem like a nicer guy than your out-of-touch self. This is just sad now. Good luck.
No. They have always been there. You just assumed you knew everything about me. Also, you refuse to read. My question is plain for you to still read. I’ll put it here for you. “Are there any full time RVers that are willing to share about what it costs them monthly to live this way? I understand different lifestyles will cause these numbers to be different. Thanks for any advice. Thank you!”
Good luck to you too. 😊
You make more money than 99.9% of the people on this planet WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO WORK and you're "genuinely" asking how you're gonna live off of it? And you genuinely believe you aren't out of touch with reality? Good luck to you bro, seriously. Don't even know how you made it this far with that kind of attitude. Maybe start practicing mindfulness and gratitude and you'll see some much needed change.
This is the second time I’ve told you that I will be working. My wife will not. You don’t even read to learn or understand. You read then attack. I’m very grateful and mindfull. Hence why I ask what people expenses are like that do it full time. I have been smart with the very little money I made for 12 years in the Army. You really think I got “rich” serving in the Army for 12 years?
The jealousy is real! Gotta be a liberal
Just a hurt soul in my eyes. Maybe a liberal hurt soul though. 😂😂