Fulltime

[Teeitup26]

Has anyone started to full time in the axis....

[mjs]

No but starting in the hurricane

[Mr Sunshine]

We've met folks full-timing in smaller coaches. We've met full-time folks who have traded for a bigger rig, because their earlier one was just a bit tight. It depends a lot on how much "stuff" you require, and how you get along in a small space.
Good luck with your decisions!

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Mr Sunshine

We've met folks full-timing in smaller coaches. We've met full-time folks who have traded for a bigger rig, because their earlier one was just a bit tight. It depends a lot on how much "stuff" you require, and how you get along in a small space.
Good luck with your decisions!

Thanks for the reply. I'm single with no pets and tired of owning and paying for a house in an HOA. So far in 13 years i've paid $30,000 in HOA fees and damn tired of it and with little to show for it. The housing market where i live hasn't done anything in those years. . I've got no ties to my town or place with few friends. I'm seriously considering finding a used Axis and selling the townhome. I figure if i try it for a year and don't like it, sell the unit and since i plan to travel maybe find a small place i like without the HOA fees and move back into a permanent place. Being single and retired at 71 i have a few years left before age takes a grip to try something else. So, that's why i put the question to the forum: to get a reaction for or against. I'm not going to rent a unit for a $1,000 a week to "see if i like the lifestyle" . Screw that. So, don't offer it. LOL. Sorry, don't mean to be a curmegeon. The biggest question I have is: whether it's more expensive to do the motorhome thing or the house thing. With no mortgage, I'm spending almost $1800 a month just to sit. Seems like a motorhome would be the same or less. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Dave

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by mjs

No but starting in the hurricane

Let me know how you like it, and how expensive it is compared to a stick built home. Everyone's got different needs and therefore expenses so i'm just interested in knowing the basic differences. The biggest thing i see with a motor home lifestyle is the expense to park it and the gas to move it. . I don't know whether i'm a traveler or a sitter. I imagine if it gets to bothering me how much i spend traveling i'll get to like being a sitter until that wears off right? What i can't stand is sitting in one place i'm specially connected to and wondering . And again, I'm not going to rent a unit to find out, so don't tell me that's what i need. Just kidding. I might do it.

[Kels4g]

We full timed in our 26' travel trailer for ten months (with our three dogs) before we traded it in. We will be going fulltime in our Windsport in July.

As far as expenses, we have found it to be cheaper living in the rv than it is to rent an apartment (now) or own a home (before we ever fulltimed at all).

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Kels4g

We full timed in our 26' travel trailer for ten months (with our three dogs) before we traded it in. We will be going fulltime in our Windsport in July.

As far as expenses, we have found it to be cheaper living in the rv than it is to rent an apartment (now) or own a home (before we ever fulltimed at all).

Thanks. I'd be curious: what was less about the motorhome living than the monthly expenses of maintaining a home. Or put another way, what did you not have to pay in the motorhome that cost you the most in a home other than rent.

[Kels4g]

[QUOTE=Teeitup26;64687]Thanks. I'd be curious: what was less about the motorhome living than the monthly expenses of maintaining a home. Or put another way, what did you not have to pay in the motorhome that cost you the most in a home other than rent.[/QUOTE

As home owners- utilities, yard work, home repairs *all of the parks we have stayed in have had included electric in their monthly site costs or we have been using weekly/daily rates which are also electric included rates


As renters- We are in an apartment in Denver- which is a fast growing city and rents are exploding. The cost of our rent for our 1 bedroom is MORE than the payment of our class a, fulltimers insurance, and 30 days camping at Colorado State Parks.

[Kels4g]

Originally Posted by Teeitup26

Thanks for the reply. I'm single with no pets and tired of owning and paying for a house in an HOA. So far in 13 years i've paid $30,000 in HOA fees and damn tired of it and with little to show for it. The housing market where i live hasn't done anything in those years. . I've got no ties to my town or place with few friends. I'm seriously considering finding a used Axis and selling the townhome. I figure if i try it for a year and don't like it, sell the unit and since i plan to travel maybe find a small place i like without the HOA fees and move back into a permanent place. Being single and retired at 71 i have a few years left before age takes a grip to try something else. So, that's why i put the question to the forum: to get a reaction for or against. I'm not going to rent a unit for a $1,000 a week to "see if i like the lifestyle" . Screw that. So, don't offer it. LOL. Sorry, don't mean to be a curmegeon. The biggest question I have is: whether it's more expensive to do the motorhome thing or the house thing. With no mortgage, I'm spending almost $1800 a month just to sit. Seems like a motorhome would be the same or less. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Dave

RVing is a lifestyle that you can make as inexpensive as possible or as much as possible depending on your preferences.

We are both travelers and sitters We usually do a mixture of monthly, weekly, daily, and free rates. Across the country, you can stay in rv parks that are as low as $200 per month and ones that are well over $1,000. So, it depends. Gas is probably the next big expense but you can limit how much you travel, if you need to save some money.

[Mr Sunshine]

Neighbors of mine had found they weren't home much after they bought their RV, and just sold their sticks and bricks, shed most of their "stuff" and are excited about their new mobile lifestyle.

Suggest you check some internet resources on fulltime rving, and a forum or two on fulltiming. You've earned your retirement, now it is time to enjoy it! So many people live in their RVs full time, talk to them as you travel around.

[Joe-FL]

We had zero experience RVing. In our early 60's we bought our first 5th wheel, retired for the second time, sold the sticknbrick, and started 3 years of full time traveling.

We didn't rent RV's to see if we like it either. We had owned larger live-aboard boats over the years and knew we would enjoy living/traveling in small accommodations. The only significant transitions was figuring out permanent change of address (mail service vs. relative), and our health care.

We still had a mortgage and all the expenses of owning a home, but no other bills. On paper I thought we may save a little money, in reality we saved a ton of money.

Even if you don't sit in one place you can still control your expenses to fit almost any budget. For example, you want to spend the winter in Florida. Find a reasonable CG inland around the middle of the state and get a 3 month rate. Travel to the beaches and other sites in your toad.

When just traveling across country take your time. For example you have a destination 5 states away, maybe 5 days drive. Find a CG half way that has a good multi day rate, maybe 5 days for $100.00. Drive 2 days and use Walmart parking lots for your night stays. Rest up and have some down time at the cheap half way point, then continue on by staying at a couple more Walmarts. You have traveled maybe 2,000 miles and spent $100 on camping in 9 days, compared to paying higher rates for staying in CG's every night to cover that same 2,000 miles in 5 days and spending at least $200.00.

We had kids/grandkids/friends that we wanted to visit each year in Illinois. We found a park district CG close to where we wanted to be for a couple of months. It was a small but very nice CG on a river. Their monthly rate, which included unlimited electric and water, was $325.00. That is under $11.00 per day.

We stayed in some resort style CG's that charged over $100 a night while full time, but they were far and few between. The point is you can control how much you spend while full time.

[Teeitup26]

that was a good story. thanks.

[smitty1020]

We are selling our house. Going full time. We do not have family close by. Portland Me South Boston MA etc. Nothing close. Trying to find a good reasonably priced mail serv. Looked at Good Sam I postal etc . We are looking at the very least 2 years before having another home base. Traveling the country to see what area we like to settle in. Still need to have the Florida residency, so the address will be in fl. Any suggestions on forwarding to a campground if that's possible. Thanks in advance

[momartens]

We use My RV Mail in Crestview, Florida.

[Travelin' Texans]

South Dakota offers mail services, no state income taxes & cheaper vehicle registration fees, I believeyou must return every 5 years to do it in person. Escapees in Texas offer the same services along with cheaper online registrations. Also Florida.
We fulltimed from '08 to '19 then settled in a 55+ rv resort in a modular home. The best part about the fultime lifestyle is if you don't like your neighbors, the weather or the area MOVE & NO PITA HOA fees or ridiculous rules made up by folks that don't have a clue.
Unless things have changed greatly post Covid it a was cheaper per day to stay a week & cheaper per week to stay a month, but typically you'll pay electric if staying monthly. We found that average was approximately $500 per month for the space & average about $100 per month for electric especially in summer areas. Fuel.then was cheaper so our fuel cost was better than now, but typically we would travel about a tank of fuel per day, 200-300 miles stopping by 3pm & usually stay at least 2 days. Packing up to move daily was a real PITA so stayed at least 2 days.
I can't think of anything that I'd do differently except start at a younger age.