Full time

[f350ms38rssa]

When u guys decided to go full time, how long in advance did u start preparing? And what r ur monthly budgets if I may ask?

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by f350ms38rssa

When u guys decided to go full time, how long in advance did u start preparing? And what r ur monthly budgets if I may ask?

I started looking and actively planning about 2 years before the plunge. But we New 10 years before that we wanted to full time. Researched all of our options and ordered everything new.
Budgets will REALLY vary. As some just boondock or staying at 5 star RV resorts. And some states are much cheaper then others to stay in. Some people sit in one spot for 3-6 months. Some move every week. As longer stays are cheaper. Some are more active, like eating out all the time, going to concerts and plays. Some people work camp. I would say we spend about $2-$4k a month. Sometimes more. Like when we spent a week at Disney, it was more expensive. It really all depends on your wants and needs. Feel free to PM your number if you want to talk in more detail. It is a GREAT life!

[Mr Sunshine]

There are a few full timers on this forum, but you might want to search out some other forums dedicated to that lifestyle.

Maybe this post will raise your questions up and you'll get a real response.

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by Mr Sunshine

There are a few full timers on this forum, but you might want to search out some other forums dedicated to that lifestyle.

Maybe this post will raise your questions up and you'll get a real response.

Real response? I have been full time for just over 4 years now.

[f350ms38rssa]

So I spend 2000-4000 just on the site, food, normal stuff?

[Mr Sunshine]

Originally Posted by rynosback

Real response? I have been full time for just over 4 years now.

Sorry, when I started that post, there were no responses. Your response was excellent. My post was an effort to bump the thread up, and not really a response.

[ramn4ver]

We researched two years. That was 10/11 years ago. Been full timing since. 3 different 5th wheels. A 40 ft first 3 years, 32 for 2 years. Then 40 ft the last 5 years. We stay at the same place. Just semi retired in Dec. Now working at the RV park we stay at.
Picked up a 30ft 5th wheel to vacation in.

[Bob Denman]

Does anybody have a list of the kinds of questions that need to be asked?

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Does anybody have a list of the kinds of questions that need to be asked?

I think a lot of reading and research are the best things. This way you can take away what applies to you. Not to say that there are not questions that will come up. I read posts in several forums for a years to get started. I had some RV experience but not the full time life at the time. We just make adjustments as we go along.

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by f350ms38rssa

So I spend 2000-4000 just on the site, food, normal stuff?

Looks like you are making a statement but have a question mark at the end. Is this a statement or a question?

[f350ms38rssa]

I am asking u if that money is just for site, food, diesel or what?

[saddlesore]

Well.....Now we are "Official Full Timers"...

As of Wednesday 6/26/19 We became SD residents....
Got the drivers license's, paid the sales tax, veh. registrations, plates for the rigs and registered for absentee voting..

Then transferred auto/RV insurances to our Escapee's SD address..
Now on to getting the Medicare Part D supplemental for SD...

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by f350ms38rssa

I am asking u if that money is just for site, food, diesel or what?

Everything.

[wingnut60]

Ryan's numbers are a good estimate--we are equipped to dry-camp for a week or more, and that helps lower the number. If you travel daily and stay at commercial CGs, then the number will be at the higher end. As mentioned, you can easily go over the high end if you want to stay at 5-star 'resorts' continually...
We took about 8 months to decide to sell/go FT--helped on by surly neighbor, he wouldn't take my suggestion to move, so we did...house sold in 4 hours.

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Ryan's numbers are a good estimate--we are equipped to dry-camp for a week or more, and that helps lower the number. If you travel daily and stay at commercial CGs, then the number will be at the higher end. As mentioned, you can easily go over the high end if you want to stay at 5-star 'resorts' continually...
We took about 8 months to decide to sell/go FT--helped on by surly neighbor, he wouldn't take my suggestion to move, so we did...house sold in 4 hours.

Congratulations on the selling of the house so quickly Joe.

[Cummins12V98]

I have ZERO Idea what we spend a month. Never paid much attention when I worked. Do what we want and buy what we want as when I was working. FullTiming since 11/11.

IMHO if you have to worry about every $ this is not for you.

[KJNN]

Originally Posted by Mr Sunshine

There are a few full timers on this forum, but you might want to search out some other forums dedicated to that lifestyle.

Maybe this post will raise your questions up and you'll get a real response.

We sold our DC house after the last election and our retirement in 2017. After traveling abroad for 9 months we decided to go full time in a RV have only spent a week in a small Wicked van conversion in New Zealand. We bought a new 24FE in Oct 2018 and have had only a few problems. Most of the problems are with the large slide. We have a noticeable left side lean which made setting up a pain. We are solving this week after waiting 7 weeks for a leveling system.

We've learned alot along the way, having now traveled 10,000 miles since Nov 2018. Being a retired engineer has helped with many of the small issues that cropped up. We don't regret our decision to become gypsies for a second! Not having a house to care for is one of the greatest luxuries imaginable.

I don't really have budget numbers but our food costs haven't changed. We still don't go out very often; maybe 1-2x a month. If we are visiting friends and family we don't have a nightly cost so we take them out for dinner while visiting.

We try to keep our nightly costs to less than our previous mortgage. On average it's about $50/night, which includes occasional boondocking at a public park or Walmart/Cracker Barrel. There's little road noise at a park so that's preferred when boondocking. We add in the daily cost of the RV loan/insurance of $20/day to try to keep to an average of $75/day or less.


The fuel and maintenance is an additional cost that I need to assess now to get the monthly average.

Our other insurances, phone costs, etc. have not changed since before we retired. We no longer have heat/water/electric or cable bills.

Since retiring our income from retirement accounts and Soc Sec for one of us has, on average, exceeded our expenses. I'm waiting until I'm 70 to get my full SS benefit.

Good luck! hope this helps
Kathleen

[Paulred]

we took about a year to plan. Sold our house and pared down our "stuff" New purchases included a bread machine ( priceless when your camp has no store) and a big flat screen TV. Over the first few years we modified our 30 ft class C from an 8 person vacation van with little storage, into a comfy two person unit with lots of storage and personal space. It still a work in prigress.

[retispcsi]

Well we spent about 6 months selling stuff. Put house on market sold cash offer after 10 days. Had 30 days to get out. Have been fulltiming for 5 years. Your cost will depend on how much you drive, want type of places you stay in and for how long. We now stay at a RV resort in the winter and travel the summer. Last summer 18,500 miles and 29 states. We don't budget we just decide where to go and go.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

Well.....Now we are "Official Full Timers"...

As of Wednesday 6/26/19 We became SD residents....
Got the drivers license's, paid the sales tax, veh. registrations, plates for the rigs and registered for absentee voting..

Then transferred auto/RV insurances to our Escapee's SD address..
Now on to getting the Medicare Part D supplemental for SD...

Congratulations on winning the rat-race!