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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d end up living in an RV but here I am, marking my 6 month anniversary of RV park living… and I love it! This is the most “at home” I have felt probably ever.
But if we are being honest, it isn’t always RV Heaven. Here is the lowdown on the good, the bad, and the ugly of RV park living.
The Good
Stationary RV park living can save you a lot of money.
I wrote an article over at the Frugal RVer about this. Living in an RV has changed my family’s financial future. We’ve gone from living paycheck to paycheck to hustling to pay off our debt and live free.
The RV park we live in charges only $425 a month for a full hook-up that includes electricity. It also provides internet and basic cable. You really can’t beat that price, people. We did our research and picked this park based on price, location, and amenities. If you’re thinking of RVing to save money, make sure to do your homework and find the best options for you and your family. That’s what we did and we couldn’t be happier!
You get to know your neighbors really well.
While many RVers come and go each day in the RV park, a big number also stay for lengths of time. There are many “snowbirds” here for the winter that I have gotten to know very well. We have potlucks and game night that are very popular and stir a large crowd.
With a 2 year old, these are amazing social events that make RV park living worth it. I love the interaction she gets with these people and it makes my heart happy she is growing up in such a safe and social environment.
Aside from those organized gatherings, on pleasant days people come outside and spend all day wandering from site to site talking, sometimes ending the night in a bonfire. It is nice to know if I’m feeling bored or lonely, I can just go for a walk and find a friend. This is the best perk of RV park living. I love that I know my neighbors and that I don’t have to worry about bothering them.
RV Living is just plain awesome.
I’ve written a ton of articles on why simply living in an RV is great, but I feel like this article pretty much sums it up.
The Bad
Showers are no longer relaxing.
Gone are the days when I’d just step out of the shower feeling relaxed, rub lotion on my legs, and spend 25 minutes deciding what to wear that day. (Excuse me while I daydream for a moment, my friend.)
Bathing was one thing I didn’t think too much about before moving into the RV park. I mean, I’m really only 5 feet tall and every shower I stood when shopping for RVs seemed “totally doable.” And while that is still the case, boy, oh boy, an RV shower ain’t like a house shower, let me tell ya.
Our shower is high enough I can easily clean myself and wash my hair. The problem is the pressure. While it’s not a leaky faucet, it just doesn’t have much… oomph. Also, we have an electric water heater (a luxury for a lot of RVers) and while I never run out of hot water for doing dishes, the water gets SO hot it is just about not worth it. Finding the right mix of burn-your-face-off lave and take-the-polar-bear-plunge cold is nearly impossible! So what’s a girl to do?
Mozy on up to the campground shower, of course. Or shower at the gym. Either way, getting a decent shower involves planning and packing.
I’ve gotten a case of wanderlust so bad it hurts.
If you’ve been following along here on the site, you know it is my big picture dream to travel full-time with my family when my husband gets out of the army in 2018. While this dream is very exciting and I’m working hard every day to make it a reality, I put it in the BAD category because I am just about dying to go RIGHT THIS MINUTE.
I daydream about it all the time and I feel like it’s all I want to talk about. It’s like I have verbal diarrhea and I just can’t help myself but bring it up.
“Oh hi, Ed. Welcome home. How was your day? Mmm hmmm. So anyway, here’s what I was thinking I want to go when we finally get moving.”
“Good morning person at the gym. Remember how I live in an RV? Yeah, that’s right. Do you wanna talk about that for the next 10 minutes? No? Okay, see ya later.”
Ya see what I mean? The travel bug has deeply embedded itself in me and I’m not sure how to relax. I’m constantly working on ways to create my own income so I can work from the road when the time comes. I’m up at 430am brainstorming, researching, writing…
Every time a new camper pulls into the park, I have to go say hello and ask about their travels. “Hi, I’m Liz. I’m RV-obsessed. Can I come in?” I’m not even kidding. Ask my husband. I’ve got to relax and take it one day at a time or I’ll burst and you’ll find me one day in a tent in Colorado murmering to myself “I just had to see the mountains for myself. I just had to see…”
The Ugly
Ants, spiders, bugs, and mud
Okay, people. If you’re thinking that RV park living might be for you, you better prepare yourself. No matter how luxurious the RV park looks in the brochure, no matter the hot tub and the pool and the gameroom, you are still living on a campground. And where are campgrounds typically? In the woods. And where are you? In a box on wheels, my dear friends.
Alright, so what’s it like living in the woods in a box? I absolutely love it! But ya gotta think about all the creepy crawlies, okay? We were completely unprepared for them and wow! Day 2 and we had at least a million gazillion ants in our 5th wheel. WHAT.THE.HE… It was very stressful. We couldn’t just go out and buy ant poison, we have a clueless toddler running around.
If you’re gonna live stationary in an RV park, I would highly suggest you winterize your rig. Seal up all the cracks and it will help with bugs trying to get in to keep warm. We did not do this. Don’t be like us or you’ll get this insanity.
https://www.facebook.com/lizwilcoxblog/videos/1391934887492190/
Low quality video. High quality gross-out.
There are also spiders and while I’m not afraid of them at all, I have gotten bit a few times in my sleep. It’s a catch-22 with them. Do I leave them in the RV so they kill the other bugs or do I take them outside so they don’t bite me in the night? Ahhh… #RVfirstworldproblems, amirite?
Also, let’s just mention mud. It is just gross. It is raining terribly outside right now and I loathe that I have to take the dog out there soon.
Dealing with tanks
Alright, so the Wilcox household has never had any problems with this personally but I need to mention it because it seems a lot of stationary RVers have this problem.
When you’re not moving around in your RV, you might get a little comfortable and forget to pull your tanks. (If you’re reading this and you’re totally clueless, this means your [clears throat] droppings and such are sitting in a holding tank waiting to be dropped into the sewer below.) If you forget, you might start smelling it, get a flooded toilet, sink, or shower. To avoid this, simply
DO NOT FORGET TO PULL YOUR TANKS!!!
I am incredibly blessed that my husband is super paranoid about this possible disgusting disaster and pulls the tanks every few days. Even so, I know one day this is a possibility for us and it only comes with that one piece of advice. So again,
DO NOT FORGET TO PULL YOUR TANKS!!!
The Takeaway
I love living in an RV. I love RV park living. The good far outweighs the bad, and even the ugly. If you’re thinking of living stationary, I say do a little homework, find the right RV and park for you, and go for it! We are saving a ton of money and building a lifetime of memories from RV park living.
And if you’re thinking of traveling too, consider checking out this resource that will teach you how to plan your trips, save you money on purchasing a rig, and even teach you how to fix it yourself when things go wrong.
Hi ! Retirement (well, semi-retirement) is on the very near horizon. My dream is to buy a destination camper and live in it full time near Pensacola, FL. I’ve been living in a 34′ Keystone Sprinter with my 120 pound furry love for the past two years basically in my kid’s back yard. We are on 5 acres so we have plenty of room. During the winter months i do have to fill my fresh water tank every week – in the summer I hook into their sprinkler system for full time water (oh so heavenly!!) There are definitely pluses and minuses to living in an RV full time, but it’s AWESOME!
I so agree! Pluses and minuses, but overall it is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I retired two years ago and have been living in my motorhome. I’ve been in every state west of the Missouri River. I do not care for interstates so I take a lot of two lane highways. For me it is the only way to see the country and what an amazing country we have. I stop and stay wherever I want to until high reach my destination which is usually a friend or relative to visit and I driveway surf. I love it and so do they, we’re talking friends from my service time 35 years ago and family all over the country. Just because the Jones have a big house doesn’t mean I need one.
Love it Randall. You are spot on.
Me and my wife signed the house over to our youngest son and have been full timing since 2014. We love it. Simple living. So simple to keep clean on the inside. Now washing this 49 foot beast is a chore. lol. I love it though. I love the campground life.
40 foot sorry
I live out of mine 3/5 months a year. there is no place like home so no I would not do it full time plus I love my garage hobbies
You sound like my husband, Ken! We are thinking of moving out of the RV and he wants a garage!!!
My wife and I just started living in a travel trailer. We have been living paycheck to paycheck. As that since we just started out we ran short on funds this month and have found that if you buy passes to get a free campsite for 3-7 days. It’s dry camping and we don’t have q generator yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Much Regards,
Aaron
Pawn shops -,You must get to a point of self-sufficiency and living off the grid,, buying damaged or out-of-date food in cans Etc,, saving your purchase money for fuel to get from point A to point B,, toilet paper cheap breakfast food powdered instant,, milk and food you just add hot water to
when you get more money by Cheap generator from Harbor Freight -, with the coupon they can run about $100 or less with a 20% off coupon,, you can buy a cape solar charging panel, a small fold-out cheap cell phone charger,, solar-powered charging lights,, put plastic water bottles on your dash in hot sunlight and it will kill bacteria inside the water bottle laying on the dash of a hot vehicle in sunlight,, 4 drops of unscented Clorox pure Clorox to a gallon of water purify it,, Google websites to learn to live in this new environment -, Want your true are -, learn about self-sufficiency.. because if you buy a generator you need fuel for you need money for it,, a small generator from Harbor Freight,, some you have to keep the motor Lube while it’s running with a oil mixture added to the gas… You must improvise to out think your situation and circumstantial situation..While entering into this new Wasteland of uncertainty
I admire you. I can’t be that frugal. I would be so frazzled. I am hoping to try it this winter. I may not be able to be gone more than a month depending on how mu@ch off the grid i can do. Love to hear about it and trying to get all the information i can. Thank you
haha Sometimes I am frugal,. sometimes I’m not!
My husband and I have lived in RVs = full time – since the late 1990s. and we love it. We moved out of a big 3 bedroom house – after the kids left home. And we wouldn’t trade the lifestyle for a house. We are in our late 70s and may be looking to move into an apartment or assisted living in the next few years – due to medical conditions that keep deteriorating, but right now we are very happy.
To the writer of this article, you say you are in an RV park for $425 a month, including all utilities and free wifi and cable. We are in Mesa AZ right now and would like to go somewhere where the weather is better. Could we ask you (you can send a private email to us) where you are located? We are on a very strict fixed income and don’t have a lot of extras.
For anyone that can afford to and don’t mind giving up “stuff”, then this is the life. Like my husband says, with living in an RV, no matter whether an RV park or mobile home/RV park – if you don’t like your neighbor, you can move – ha ha. That is very true.
We have learned to give up a lot – especially hobbies but have not had too much trouble with that. I still have my crocheting, my sewing machine and especially having room to do my genealogy. I did have to give up a lot of my binders with papers in them, but just save the pages and info to an external harddrive.
We are in a nice mobile home park that allows RVs, and promote free wifi – but right now the wife isnt’ very good but the new owners are supposedly putting in a new company but have heard this for a year. So will see. But give it a try.
And to end with a funny – even though the RV has very limited space you can still “lose” things. We have misplaced things many times, and turned our RV upside down looking for them. So there is a fun side too.
The only thing I have a problem with is when storms come thru and the wind blows hard. But we have withstood several storms with gusts about 40+ mph. Right now we are located right behind the large rec ahll – only about 10 feet and it shields a lot of the western and northern winds.
Forgot to tell what our RV is. We are in a 30′ Class C Motorhome.
Hi Liz,
My disabled husband and I are traveling in a 30 ft Minnie Winnie with a slide out. I retired in February 2019 and left Vegas on March 22. Today is August 5 and we’re already thinking of buying a small house, somewhere, where we can have some roots and space. Why, you ask, because there’s nothing like being with someone 24/7, even if you love them. I like to paint and do art but nowhere to do it. Even if I set up outside there’s still bugs. Crawling bugs, flying bugs, biting bugs. I’m over it! Well almost. We’ll be back in Vegas next February and the we can reevaluate the situation.
Hats off to you and others who are raising children in an RV. Holy smokes, I think I would have “left home”!
Terri
It’s 2:33 am and I’m typing from my tiny twin bed in my RV.
After renting for 3 yrs, a good friend gave me the courage to make the jump and buy my first tiny house on wheels. It’s just big enough for me to live in and my friends to visit.
I’m in a nice RV park and the park manager is showing me the ropes to full time RV park living.
I’m loving it. Go brave rv’ers, go!!!!
My husband and I bought an RV nine months ago and started full timing. We had had a trailer before that and had been weekend campers. It was great at first, but after about five months of being in it fulltime, I started feeling really claustrophobic. Also, while I love my husband, we need our space from each other! We are now looking at buying a house again and i can’t wait to put that “For Sale” sign on our motorhome.
What kind d of motor home do you have?
Hi Liz! Oh my gosh, your article really hit the nail on the head. My hubby and I lived in our RV full time in the campground system before we moved out of state for better employment and apartment living. We hated the solid walls after a while. I had the wanderlust from an early age, and my husband caught it when we started dating back when. We didn’t stay long out there, but had started a family and wanted to be closer to our families so we came back to the lovely high priced CA. The grandparents insisted on condos and apartments and we did that… for sanity’s sake and to make the grandparents less worried about their kiddos, finding compromise
in going tent camping every few months on weekends (yes, with our then infant, now toddler) but now that our son is 4 and our wanderlust is throbbing in our veins so loudly, we knew we had to see how he handles living in a tiny home on wheels. We found a lot under $400/mo with full hook ups, moved our RV (whom we named Dora the Explorer… because she’s an GMC Vandura35 ElDorado. Get it? el*DORA*do? Lol…) out of storage, and said goodbye to the condo… saving ourselves about $700/mo to put towards past debts and future expenses. I love talking to people about it and while most people are so fascinated and in awe over a simple solution to “the struggle,” I’m sure not many could handle the bad and the ugly until they realize the bad and ugly are better than the bad in apartment complexes. Part of me is geeking out that you’re totally excited about the same thing and my first impulse as a fellow crazed RV enthusiast and wanderlust fanatic is “We should be friends. Right now!”
We lost our home in the Camp Fire last November and contemplated getting an RV at that point in time, but we had a 6 month old and it was the middle of winter. We decided to rent a house and then wound up buying a new home a few months ago in another fire danger area of California. It is everything we could want in a home, except we have no friends and family within 2 hours and I feel the looming threat of another fire. I am literally obsessed with the idea of traveling to other states and exploring in the outdoors. I had this dream for years, but now it feels overwhelming and since our careers are up in the air anyways now with our relocation and having a baby, it seems like the best time (maybe once in a lifetime) to do it. I do love our new home, but I have this urgent feeling all the time to drive to the mountains where I can go hiking or sit beside a beautiful lake. But I do love being able to return to my home sanctuary in our private and quiet little rural neighborhood, which is what makes me feel so torn! I wonder if I could make a decent sized motorhome feel like my sanctuary and be able to take it anywhere I want to go…that is the dream, but I wonder what the reality of it would be like? Ultimately, I want to find a place that really feels like home and settle there (somewhere outside of California).
Sounds like you’ve got wanderlust pretty bad there, Katie! I hear what you’re saying to the max!!! I hope you can find something that works for you and your family. It’s so important to do what you love in life! I highly recommend you check out these two blogs to answer your question about making an RV feel like your sanctuary!
https://mountainmodernlife.com/
http://rvinspiration.com/
Not knowing what an RV was when DH suggested it but here I am 8 years later killing it! The hardest part for me was once we decided & before we got started. Been to 43 of the USA states & we’re not done yet. One way to miss bugs & mud is Arizona, where we winter. Then travel when the rest of the country warms up. This lifestyle is not for everyone but theres nothing I cant do in the RV that I could do in a house. I love to cook & learned to quilt while living in an RV. BEST ADVICE, you dont have to stop living because you chose to live in an RV…pick 2 or 3 hobbies you like & incorporate them into your new lifestyle. I too talk to anyone who will listen and RV people are the NICEST!!
Barbara! I like you already. You are so right…pick a couple hobbies and do your best to put them into your new lifestyle. Great, great, great advice! Thank you so much for sharing.
We just got our RV and we are so excited to get going.
Planning a trip from California to Texas.
Any advice??
Hey Maria! Congrats on your new rig and the upcoming trip!!! WOOHOO!
I suggest checking out these articles on how to plan:
https://thevirtualcampground.com/rv-parks-campgrounds/
https://thevirtualcampground.com/rv-travel-tips/
https://thevirtualcampground.com/tvc-live-episode-2-travel-planning/
They will help you learn what mistakes to avoid, how to book properly, and how to figure out your camping style to book the right places along your journey! I hope that helps, new friend. So excited for you!
Thank you so much. I need lots of help to know what places are best for me. How to find safe places to stay but cheap so i can be gone longer.
I retired in 2009,started RVing because I had awful neighbors and a worst landlord. My first RV was 31 foot class A Airstream. No slides. Was a good first time out rig. Then after much reading of RV forums I bought a 31 foot Tiffin Allegro 2 slides . I’m a single 68 yr old woman. I travel alone with my dogs. Have been from Oregon coast to Northern California to Nevada, Arizona, to the Sea of Cortez of Mexico now in Southern Utah. Have met many wonderful people. Learned to fix a lot of things on my own. Don’t buy anything from Thor. Tow my car on a tow dolly. Yes I do it by myself. Even hooked up in a rain storm. Most people are delightful, a few you have to watch out for,, but all in all so much cheaper than a home. I am a gypsy at heart. Nothing like fresh air on a starry night next to a campfire. Happy Trails
Hey Elza! Great to meet you! I love your story. Thanks for sharing a bit of it. And I so agree with you–nothing like fresh air on a starry night!
Built a cozy foam hi/lo camper that sleeps two, 5′ wide inside by 9′-6″, tiny gallley for simple meals, has us traveling away from a FL home base. Wifey and I have done several weekday jaunts and now are chilling out on Lake Erie. Camper took a year and a half to build, weighs in at 1200 lbs and towing with a Prius V that was stripped down of excess weight, 25 mpg towing, 40 plus touristing. Spent years living stationary in an RV ‘Fish Camp’ while building a business, so this is pretty comfortable, TV & DVD player instead of satillite, small a/c, hot plate, microwave, 5cup coffee pot and thermo electric refrigerator, camper cost $3500 to build.
U rock
This is awesome Scribe. Thanks for sharing and congrats on your camper!
What upsets me is trying to find a campground in a 50 mile radius or so to park our RV 24 ft. 1997 Sunline in fabulous condition, well taken care of. For a seasonal site. But, I am being told constantly your RV is to old. But, if you like to come and stay with us in campground for a weekend! Seriously .. Most of the campgrounds look for no older than 10 yrs. Old. We live in Whitehall, Pa. . if anyone out there knows of a campground, with a pool, dog friendly, full hook up. Message me on Facebook.
Thank you. Angelina Phillips Gorin
I dream of traveling and have been for the last five years. I don’t want my 3500 sq ft home in the ozark woods sitting on 31 acres with 17 years to pay it off anylonger. I have learned all kinds of repellant lessons and mixtures for many kinds of creatures. I know how to make nearly everything from scratch including biodegradable soap. I get lonely often even though I have one teen at home still, my dream is to be able to take her and explore state and federal parks for the duration of my 50 year old life. I want to sell everything I have to go about taking photographs and documenting my journey with our teenage child. My husband needs convincing even though I have been trying at it all this time. He is retired, we have a limited income of —-. a month from ___. My thought is we can pay off _____.__ in debt, release our mortgage and go. I would live in a 12 foot pull behind.
Hey Shellie. Thanks for sharing some of your story with me. I do hope you get that pull behind and hit the road one day. You deserve to try out this dream of yours!
Keep going and let me know if there’s any way I can help make your RV life come true!
Ahhh the dream of living in an RV and wandering this great country! But as I have told my friends and family before I buy house with even more problems than just a house please just take me out back and shoot me.
Oh my word Stuart!!
I’m considering living in a RV …what’s the biggest thing I would lose by doing this and the best thing I would gain?
Also should I choose an RV or trailer?
Speaking for myself, the biggest thing I’ve lost is space and the biggest thing that I’ve gained is a feeling of security, comfort and being financially comfortable. We bought a 38 foot bumper pull travel trailer. It’s a it’s own separate living room which is what I thought was important. We definitely have saved alot of money. Right now we are in Houston and
we pay 700 a month for a huge lot including electricity and wifi and cable. Lots of amenities. We been to Wilmington Nc, Savannah GA, Tampa Florida, St. Petersburg Florida, Largo Florida, Kinder Louisiana and now here. So I guess that freedom is what I’ve gained too. Good luck
That is nice that if you stay for big lengths of time at an RV resort, you’ll get to know the people around you who are there for a specific time. Maybe it would be good to find an RV resort that I could go stay at sometime soon. Then I would be able to make some new friends with the people who are there long term.
Thank you so much. I need lots of help to know what places are best for me. How to find safe places to stay but cheap so i can be gone longer.
A few years ago, my husband shared with me a dream of his to follow Nascar for a season. We began to discuss the idea of RVing, talked to people about motorhome vs 5th wheel, attended several RV shows, talked about what features we liked, & decided on a price we thought we could afford, then started looking to see what was available in our price range. We knew we would be selling our home, so we started the downsizing process as well. We thought we’d start the RV lifestyle as soon as we retired, but as I considered the money we could save by transitioning to an RV sooner, we became more active in our search. We purchased our motorhome in October of 2018 & sold our house in March of 2019, taking a couple of weekends away in the motorhome in the meantime. We are grateful that we decided to start our RV lifestyle before going on the road full time, because we’ve learned so much. We are planning to retire in October for me and November for my husband. We’re looking forward to the full time RV lifestyle & feel more knowledgeable after our little trips and living in an RV park for the last 3 months.
Hey Jeanie! Congrats on retirement to you both. It’s so close! WOOHOO!
Yes, I highly recommend stationary RVing to anyone wanting to hit the road and travel. It’s a great way to get to know the rig, learn about living small, and just helps with the learning curve, I think.
Thanks for reading the blog and I look forward to hearing about all your adventures out there in 2020!
Hi…great site! I am placing a small Coachman travel trailer on my parents property for now. I guess you could say I’m dipping my toes in the pond..lol. I will still have some home luxeries like plenty of storage in the garage, a nice bubble bath in the main house etc. Eventually, I would like to travel. For now I will be learning…lol. I am curious, does anyone know if I can empty my black and grey tanks into the septic system? I live in Ohio and also need tips for winterizing. I am worried about plumbing freezing this winter. I appreciate all the experienced RVers share with us newbies. Thanks
Hey Liz! Been following on the site for a while now! We are a current military family of 3 and have a special needs 9 uear old. We think RV life is a goos fit for us for many reasons but i was wondering after reading this post specifically (and also just because it freaks me out) after much longer doing the RV life, have you got any tips on how to keep the critters out? Spiders creep me out SO much. Its really the old thing that hangs me up at the moment… I just can’t deal!
Hey Kayla!
It all depends on where you’ll be stationed, really. We were in Alabama at the time of writing this and parked under a big ole tree. Some people in the same campground didn’t have any problems with bugs…. we were just “lucky” I guess. haha
Also, the longer you live in your rig, the less spiders you’ll have.
Here’s a great article on how to keep spiders out! It can be done!
http://www.doityourselfrv.com/spider-prevention/
Living in the upper desert and getting sick of 20 degree mornings we’re thinking of getting a trailer and spending our winters in yuma
I love that idea Jerry! Let’s do it!
Hubby and I live full time RV, 2 1/2 years now. We’re not stationary at all. Our water heater heats up so fast we’ve never run out of hot water. We really don’t mind the tanks, I have a washer so it’s done often. The adventures we’ve had are fabulous. Who thought at 65 years old we would white water raft? Or zipline? Or mountain climb? It’s crazy wonderful. Last year my hubby had a heart attack, triple by pass, recovery 30 days in the RV and back on the road. We’ll do this until we die. Good travels everyone!
Love it Deena!! You are an inspiration!
❤ very encouraging for those of us who are new to RV living. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Connie!
OK need to know what you mean ‘pull the tanks’ AND how to do it. Thx
That is such good news! My hubby and I Just moved into a 5thwheel(32 foot). We still have a vacation home an hour and a half away, but we love our park and RV living! Our goal is a year or 2 at the most…….then we plan on traveling! Leaving the Idaho winters behind!!
Deena, you are truly an inspiration!! Maybe you can give me some hints. We are traveling in a 23ft Pleasureway rv leaving Fresno and going to Baltimore Md for my great nephew’s wedding. I am looking for tips on routes and rv parks for overbite sleep after driving 5 to 7 hrs. We are early 70’s so would not be safe trying to drive straight through. We will appreciate any info you can suggest. Thanks in advance.
Diane
route 40. Did you know you can stay at Cracker Barrel ? They have parking for R.V.’s in the back. and you are welcome to stay overnight. Have fun !!
From Good Days friends
What kind of RV do you own? I’m happy to hear all Kia well with your husband and you all are back on the road.
You can also park in walmart lots free. My experience is the stores i atop at are open 24 hours so i get snacks and feel safe. I roll out whenever i want. Florida it is frowned on but most states is good. I have seen people in my town stay for a week there.
How about the mold? Make sure you check under the mattress because the moisture in a RV is ridiculous. My husband and I have lived in our 23ft for 5 years. Living this way will definitely save money. Although if something breaks, it is very hard to take it in for repair. Also, you better love being very close to your spouse because you will know everything about them. Wow, I guess it’s time for me to get back in a house.. Good luck everyone.
Thanks for sharing your experience Brandy. Nothing wrong with moving into a house after 5 years! Like I said, there’s a lot of bad and ugly with the good!
That is really nice that an RV park can save me money since the price is unbeatable. That is something I would want to have so we could save money for our children’s education. Maybe I should look into staying at an RV park for a while. https://calallencountryliving.com/corpus-christi
Yep. It definitely saves you a ton of money.
You can also park in walmart lots free. My experience is the stores i atop at are open 24 hours so i get snacks and feel safe. I roll out whenever i want. Florida it is frowned on but most states is good. I have seen people in my town stay for a week there.
A week!? Wow! That’s definitely not a good thing…I don’t think.
We got stuck in Fairbanks in the summer of 2018. We had already disconnected our fifth wheel and were out exploring and hit a moose. 37 days later the truck was fixed and we headed home. We are both 64. Nobody to deal with but each other. We have family in St. Louis. We are both private people. I’m more social than my wife. One guy we met I see on Facebook a lot. But for the most part we left everyone alone and they did us. There were conversations with some over the travelers. Traveling to Alaska is an adventure in itself. There are these things called caravans which to me sound like a version of going on a cruise but you drive. The biggest thing we were were challenged with was keeping busy. I entertained the idea of volunteering at the local army base or some kind of charity. There really isn’t a lot to do in Fairbanks for 37 days. We had a rental but we have a German Shepherd and weren’t supposed to have the dog in the rental. Fortunately the internet worked well. I did have to upgrade my AT&T service. The campgrounds service sucked. Apparently the rainy season starts in August. Permanent living in an RV may sound adventurous for some we met last year they love it. It’s not for everyone. There is no way my wife could make that her lifestyle. There are some really nice campgrounds across the US and Canada. We saw some that were trailer parks. Don’t kid yourself there’s a reason they are called trailervtrash. We go to one in Fort Meyers where a lot of snow birds go. Gated, concrete pads, pool, hot tub and lots of social stuff if interested. But expensive, $2000 to 4000 a month. You can ride your bike to the beach or take the bus. So like you said do your research and don’t make your plans etched in stone
HI i Liz My husband and I want to get out of sucky apt living, ! year ,how hard is it to drive with a 5 wheel, what is most sound used brand to look for?
Hey Verna! We actually just lived in our 5th wheel and never traveled with it. I’m sorry I can’t give you advice on how to travel with it. I guess it depends on how confident your feel driving a truck and trailer in the first place.
As far as brands go, it varies. I don’t recommend anything Forest River or made by Thor. They are very low quality. The lower the price…remember there’s a reason for that.
Hope that helps!
I don’t think you truly know of what you speak. We live in a 40 ft Forest River Cedar Creek destination trailer and would highly recommend the brand to others. Forest River was bought out a few years ago and totally revamped. I would guess they probably make over 50% of trailers manufacturered. My best friend lives in a 40 ft Thor motorcoach and loves it. We have fulltimed for many years way before it was ever popular we traveled with my husbands co. We bought in an rv resort in Florida 2 yrs ago and retired. It’s not for everyone but we love not having all the responsibility of a “normal ” home.
Hey Diane. Thanks for sharing your story. I am so glad you have such a great experience with Thor and Forest River.
Unfortunately, I have heard too many horror stories about these two brands to recommend them to any one.
However, I will say as an industry, RVs aren’t made very well by any one unless you want to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more!).
Sadly quality is not the bottom line. We got a new jayco. Had to rebuild a lot of things. Practical board is better than their using to build. Exposed wiring. It’s been a nightmare.
Yikes! I am so sorry to hear that Linda. Man, these manufacturers really suck sometimes, don’t they!
Make sure you get a certified RV tecnician/mechanic to check all of the systems onboard the used 5th wheel.
It saves you a Lot of money when they check out your electrics brakes, plumbing, etc. before you buy it.
Yes! I totally agree with Dzarrell! You’ve got to know what you’re doing out there before you purchase! My husband is a certified tech and we have a little ebook for people who are interested in learning more about what to look for before purchasing. Just copy and past the link below to grab it. Hope that helps someone!
https://pages.convertkit.com/0e21f2818b/e494772b4d
Oh my, we are kindred spirits… I don’t get to live in my RV, stationary or otherwise, but boy do i dream of it!
Keep dreaming Michele!
Liz,
I respect your enthusiasm for the full time RV living after 6 months of writing this. Let me know how you fare after 13 years doing it. It is exciting at first, but the sheen wears off. Either you like it or you hate it. Those that I have run into doing this life after ten years, myself included, have a very different take on it.Would I ever do it again? No way ever. It has changed me, my life and my relationship with a very long term spouse. While it seems light and happy like being on vacation all the time, the truth is that it grows old….Even the best prepared face too many unique obstacles compared to regular life.
All the best and God’s Blessings on and to you and yours.
Anna
Hey Anna!
Thanks for your honest response. And yes, I wrote this a long time ago. We have been at it almost 2 years now, traveling for about 6 months. We travel slowly, still have to work, and there has not been a day I have felt “on vacation.” This lifestyle forces you to make so many more decisions than you would in a sticks and bricks! There is always something to maintain, a route to plan, a place to call and confirm, the list goes on (as you know.)
If you would never do this if you had to redo…why continue on? Are you stationary or do you continue to move around? I’d love to know!
Liz
Living in tiny spaces period is very depressing. I agree with your authentic insight. I looked into alternative living spaces like revamping a school bus, tiny homes, and living in at an RV park once my home loan fell through last min, ended up at an extended stay hotel with 3 kids. Worst 9 months of my life. No privacy. Tiny kitchen. I hated coming home. So I can say tiny spaces aren’t meant for us permanently because God made us so big inside. There is a point where you outgrow your atmosphere. The only fair trade is traveling constantly & exploring but not meant to be a stationary home situation. Needless to say, I’m so grateful that I am in a very affordable 2 bd apartment, I can breathe much easier, less stressed. We just have to be honest with ourselves & acknowledge when we can do things better. It’s ok, for my comfortability to be different from someone else. I just want to do me, be me, and continue to evolve.
Very true Erica. Every one is different. For me, living in something bigger causes me anxiety and stress. The small living helps keep me sane. That said, I only have one child so I can see how your experience would be much different!
I’m so glad you found an affordable home you love! Blessings to you and your family.
HAve you seen this? Easy solution to shower temperature problems: https://www.amazon.com/Rozin-Thermostatic-Bathroom-Constant-Temperature/dp/B019O4FUM0/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1525409405&sr=8-18&keywords=shower+mixer+valve
Thanks Gary! Checking this out now!!!
Hi Liz! My good friend Drew directed me towards your site – happy to read along on your adventures! We’re about to go full time RV stationary. The campground is only open seasonally so we know we’ll be on a farm for five months of the year. What should our address be?
Thanks for any insight! Kelly
Hey Kelly! Drew is the best, isn’t he?
I suggest simply getting a PO Box in the nearby town. That’s what we did. That way if you switch your park/farm periodically, you don’t have to go through the hassle of switching addresses, etc. Also, being stationary, you don’t need a mail service since you’ll pretty much be around the same place.
I hope this helps!
Omg! Thank you for writing this! I’m 46, living in a highly over priced condo on the water and I’m over it! I’m currently RV shopping and I am obsessed, I simply can’t move into one fast enough. I’m sure there will be days that I will think “what the heck did I do” but I have done the numbers and the money I’m going to save is worth every minute of fear and doubt that I may have had BEFORE I found your blog. Blessings
This makes my heart soar! I wonder how you found my site!? haha
I am so proud of you for taking the plunge and honored to have you as a new member of The Virtual Campground. Glad to be your new friend, too sista!
I juSt happed on your column and really enjoy reading it. My wife and I are tired 3 times (military, 23 years, owned a convenience store and oil company, and have her business now.
We enjoy going to military facilities selling stuffed bears, youth superhero capes and embroidered 9X9 ornamental pillows. We are not fulltime.
But the kids and grandkids grew up so we get the urge and go.
Nothing like it.
Love that Darrell. Congrats on finding what works for you. That’s what I love so much about RVing. We are like-minded but all doing it our own way. It’s great, don’t you think?
lol Lisa! I hope you convince him.
Yes, that would be stressful as a kid. That’s a lot to handle in a home, let alone an RV! I also had 4 siblings and parents that fought incessantly. I’m glad to hear you made it out of that and looking towards retirement. haha
I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.
As a kid we traveled from campground to campground every summer for two months spending a night to a week at each stop. I hated most all of it but I realize it was due to being in a small space with 4 brothers, I am the only girl, and parents that argued constantly. Now as I age closer to retirement the idea to buy a used RV to park on the shore of Lake Erie for the summers and winter with our oldest daughter a bit further inland sounds awesome to me…however my husband doesn’t feel the same…guess I have more convincing to do! Happy trails and Merry Christmas!
Love the info on your blog. Soon to be retired and want to get on the road. I have been looking at travel trlrs and 5th wheels. (used). Any advice for buying used?
We bought our 5th wheel used and found water damage. That said, we survived and still feel it was a heck of a deal. http://heathandalyssa.com/buying-a-used-rv/ is a wonderful article on advice for buying used!
I’m so happy to have found your blog! My wife and I just moved into our travel trailer one week ago tomorrow! We are still learning and adjusting but it’s great so far! We live in Alabama as well so it’s great to find someone who is close to us. Can’t wait to read more 🙂
Really?! Wow! That is awesome. How did you find me? Feel free to find me on my FB to ask any questions or just email me directly at liz@thevirtualcampground.com! I love meeting new people and helping others transition to this lifestyle!
We worked at an RV park for a year and a half before we launched. This was a fun trip down memory lane for me and I can relate to your pros and cons. Here is a blog post I wrote while we were managing the RV park (before we moved into our RV) http://faithtakesflight.com/our-front-door (I bet you see some fun variety of RVs come in and out too) and this one was from after we moved into our RV http://faithtakesflight.com/peak-population. Do you feel the same way about the population flux?
Hey Heather! I love your blog! Thanks for sharing these articles.
And yes, I see the ebbs and flows of the park. I live in a university town and football season is CRAZY around here.
Great blog!!!I will be following. I too have wanderlust so badly that I look at an atlas at least once or twice a day. ( I love maps!). I can’t wait to travel!!! Not quite there yet, and hubby is not exactly on board. We are trying to figure it out, being close to retirement, ( yeah, right) we are searching for an affordable rv to split time traveling and being stationary a bit. Thanks for your blog and your insight!!
Thank you Maryann. I appreciate each and every reader, seriously!!
Let me know if you need any help in the RV search. I am a bit obsessed with “window shopping.”
I am about to live full time in a camper with my husband, two year old, and 3 month old, and our dog. So excited! Also so terrified! We’re preparing now, sealing cracks and such. My question is, what do you do about an address? My husband is leaving active duty military for reserve. Aren’t they obsessed about knowing where you are at all times?
That is a great question! We have a PO Box and use the RV park where we live as our physical address. I am not sure about the reserves but I wouldn’t worry too much as long as you have a physical address somewhere.
I’ve been thinking we’ll just use my mom’s address since we’ll always be within a few hours of her and maybe a Box, too. We’re planning on finding some land to buy and boondocking on it while we build cabins to sell. That’s a whole other beast! Thanks!
Great ideas Mallory! I love your story already. Hope you keep me posted.
I have been living in my rv in a trailer park that has an rv section for almost 4 years now. I LOVE it! I haven’t had too many problems with bugs at all but it could be because this park isnt out in the woodsy woods, lol.
I’m totally with you on pulling the tank, although I a didn’t know that is what it was called.
I’ve been very lucky that I’ve had some great neighbors who have taught me so much because I moved in completely naive to what it takes and have had to learn as I go.
I am single and not very handy, but I’ve learned so much. RVers are generally great people and I highly recommend living like this!!
Wow 4 years! That is crazy awesome. What kind of RV do you live in?
I hear the first thing you need to replace when buying a new/used RV is the shower head!. Evidently the Oxygenics shower head is the one to buy.
Good to know! I will look it up. Thanks.
I admire you SO much! We have recently talked about down sizing and this makes me want to just take the plunge and do it! I have really enjoyed reading your blog. It is always such an adventure. We RV some in the summers and it is so fun!
Thanks Valerie! I hope you RV this summer and have an adventure of your own!
I wish we had tried this when we were in the Air Force. We just kept buying houses and then selling them. We couldn’t see throwing money away by renting someone else’s place and paying them for the privilege!
Yes, I agree. Renting is expensive! We pat ourselves on the back for this decision quite often! haha
Great insights on the RV lifestyle!
Thank you Gwyn! I try hard to be as honest as possible. Haha
Like you I love a good shower. I guess we’ve been lucky or maybe it’s the pressure regulator we use as we have always had good pressure and we’ve lived in two different 5th wheels since we began our adventure. Living stationary definitely has its advantages as we have been that way for almost six months now and were that way last year for about eight months, but again like you the wanderlust gets to me and I need to move on. Hope the next year passes quickly for you, so you can start traveling to see all the wonderful sights you read about.
Wow, glad to know there are some people out there not moving around a ton! I can’t wait either!!!
I can’t imagine how bad the wanderlust would be! I don’t know that I could handle the bugs, but you make it sound like so much fun!
Hahaha the good with the bad. It is fun for me!
Hey Liz, great post! Your sense of humour is evident. Really enjoy it. We will be renovating our rig this spring/summer as you know and will likely be heading out in January of ’18. Sure hope we can meet up somewhere along the way.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment! I hope to meet up one day also!
With my husband traveling for work, we lived in a RV for a few months at a time off and on for awhile. I’d have to agreed with all of your points. I really loved our time in the camper. We ended up using DE around the outside to keep the ants out.
My husband says he’s been looking into that! Thank you for the suggestion!
Thanks for the fun insight into RV living, Liz! Sorry, you couldn’t detour me from the lifestyle! Still waiting to get my RV, but believe me, if you’re still in Alabama when I do, we’re coming for a visit and some lessons on proper RV etiquette! Thanks for keepin’ it real!
Awwwww Shelley I can’t wait to meet you!!
The bad and ugly just made me want to do this even more!! It’s not scary me away form sure! Oh how I want a camper so I can just travel! Plus it is incredibly cheaper! Wow! My only problem would be that I have a dog. She has to be on leash or in a fence if she is outside of the house. Would they let you stay at the RV Park if you have a dog? I mean permanently? Anyway, I am dreaming of doing this!
Yes we have a dog we keep on a leash/lead when outside. Join in on the RV fun!!!!
Yes dogs are allowed.(on leash)
If you really want to go 1st class look for a place that he’s a “dog park” or doggy play ground.
You can take a camp chair to sit & watch your dog have the run till they drop fun.
I’m glad that the good out weighs the ugly. I’ve been considering scaling down. Thanks for painting a good picture. Congratulations on your anniversary.
Do it!