I'm 39, been considering an RV as a fulltime lifestyle for years and am about to take the plunge!
I sort of live a vagabond lifestyle already. I'm a truck driver and have been for 16 years. I have nearly 2,000,000 miles in a truck and am ready to see what it's like in one of those slow poke campers that are always clogging up my left lane. LOL Just kidding.
But seriously, I'd love some advice and information.
Here is what I'm looking at. A vintage motorhome dragging wither my 01 Cherokee or my 73 CJ Five. I really want to drag the CJ!
I pretty much owe nothing to anyone and don't really have anything to tie me down to one spot anymore.
I do have a few questions if ya'll don't mind.
Does anyone work at RV parks, national parks etc and are able to sustain themselves on the road wholly by doing so?
Are there a lot of people my age living full time? It seems, on the surface, to be more people of retirement age.
I just reread this post and may come off as a little quirky (nuts). LOL
I'm cool with that!
Thanks in advance for any advice and information!
Chad
Terry and Jo said
07:45 PM Oct 8, 2009
Welcome Chad.
You have really come to a good place for part of your research. I recommend you go to Howard and Linda's link to Workkamping for your information on using that for an income. If you have read any of their pre-planning journals and all, you will know that they started full time about the time that Howard was 45 years old. So, it isn't completely out of the realm of an idea.
Also, look at their Financial data (also linked) to see somewhat of what it takes to live the lifestyle. While they went the route of a fifth wheel instead of a motorhome, they still have a lot of information that you can glean.
Also, look at the "Site Map" link to find a lot of information, listed by title of articles that Howard and Linda have written.
I went back to the beginning of their pre-planning journals as well as all of the journals that they have written as a means of research. There are lots of little nuggets of information that has been written that is helpful. Howard is an honest individual when he writes and willingly writes about his mistakes as well.
In addition, there are a lot of knowledgeable people that frequent the forums and also comment at the bottom of Howard's journal entries. Even those comments can contain information that is helpful.
Jo and I have our house up for sale and when it sells, we are planning on buying a luxury fifth wheel and Ford F450 to pull it. We will still have a few years here in Oklahoma City before we retire, but once we retire, we will hit the road full time as well.
Do a lot of research on the vintage motorhomes, keeping in mind their need for more frequent maintenance.
Good luck and have fun.
Terry
Colorado_Kid said
08:05 PM Oct 8, 2009
Welcome to the forum. you will find the people here are very knowledgble and helpful.
I know national parks have places for RVs like Yellowstone and Death Valley. I will be full timing next year and plan on working at different parks in my RV.
Speedhitch said
03:27 PM Oct 9, 2009
Sherri and I have lived in our RV for 4 years now and just started traveling. I worked in Dallas all those years while living in my RV and loved it. You don't have to move off someplace to fulltime and yes you can make it fulltiming but you don't need to have a lot of debt. Good luck to you and let us know how everything goes...we are here for you.
WhatWasIThinking said
03:36 PM Oct 9, 2009
Thanks for the good advice and kind words folks.
Speed- I am indeed almost entirely free of debt. I plan on living in the RV fulltime locally for the first year to eleminate what little debt I have left.
It also looks like I will be able to put away a nice rainy day fund as well. Which, for me, is important.
After that I am looking at just living a nice rubber tramp lifestyle.
I've been doing a LOT of research the last few weeks and it looks like, for me, the best plan of attack is to buy a vintage, roadworthy, motorhome and fix up the inside as I go.
I was having a talk with a good friend just now and he made the observation that compared to the lifestyle I've had for the past 16 years in a tractor trailer that living in an RV is a step up. LOL
My next question is have any of you purchased an antique/vintage motorhome and what advice can you give on such a purchase?
Again, thanks folks!!!
Chad
PattiRon said
10:49 PM Oct 10, 2009
According to today's forum members' birthday schedule, 31% of RVers are 45 or less.
One answer you are looking for is at gypseyjournal.net/busconversion_page_1.htm
That rig is now for sale for about $35,000. Contact the folks at gypseyjournal.net
That is not me. I am not advertising. Simply providing you with options. Ron
Thanks for the info! While I'm not looking to buy a $35,000 bus conversion that does get the juices flowing thinking about doing a bus conversion!
In fact, there are some locals here with some old busses for sale...
Hmmm...
pierreandcolleen said
09:54 PM Oct 11, 2009
Welcome Chad! I'm in my mid 30's and my hubby is in his late 40's. We took 15 months to travel the country and had a blast. We met some other couples along the way doing a similar trip. We just moved out of the RV and, although I love having the extra space and the feeling of being more settled, I miss the freedom that fulltiming gives. It is a great lifestyle!
Happy travels! Colleen
princess tonya said
09:28 AM Oct 13, 2009
Hey Chad!!!
My husband and I are both 26. We are still in our S&B house now, but will be closing on it and on to full timing in an RV in 3 weeks. So no, you're not too young to do this.
We're buying a fifth wheel to live in, but if we didn't have the kids we would be getting a motorhome. We're not traveling in it really, my hubby is in the Air Force so we are stuck in one spot, but when we do go on leave it will be great to just hook up the house and go. :)
DagoRanch said
03:38 PM Oct 14, 2009
princess tonya wrote:
Hey Chad!!!
My husband and I are both 26. We are still in our S&B house now, but will be closing on it and on to full timing in an RV in 3 weeks. So no, you're not too young to do this.
We're buying a fifth wheel to live in, but if we didn't have the kids we would be getting a motorhome. We're not traveling in it really, my hubby is in the Air Force so we are stuck in one spot, but when we do go on leave it will be great to just hook up the house and go. :)
Tonya, I think what you're doing is sooo smart. It makes me wish I would have thought of this lifestyle sooner when I was in the Navy for 13 years.
Instead I went the sticks -n- bricks route, and when it was time for me to go I was stuck with a pile of sticks I couldn't give away if I tried (Volatile SoCal Housing market)
Kudos to you and your hubby for thinking outside the box while serving our country.
My name is Chad and I am a wannabe!
I'm 39, been considering an RV as a fulltime lifestyle for years and am about to take the plunge!
I sort of live a vagabond lifestyle already. I'm a truck driver and have been for 16 years. I have nearly 2,000,000 miles in a truck and am ready to see what it's like in one of those slow poke campers that are always clogging up my left lane. LOL Just kidding.
But seriously, I'd love some advice and information.
Here is what I'm looking at. A vintage motorhome dragging wither my 01 Cherokee or my 73 CJ Five. I really want to drag the CJ!
I pretty much owe nothing to anyone and don't really have anything to tie me down to one spot anymore.
I do have a few questions if ya'll don't mind.
Does anyone work at RV parks, national parks etc and are able to sustain themselves on the road wholly by doing so?
Are there a lot of people my age living full time? It seems, on the surface, to be more people of retirement age.
I just reread this post and may come off as a little quirky (nuts). LOL
I'm cool with that!
Thanks in advance for any advice and information!
Chad
You have really come to a good place for part of your research. I recommend you go to Howard and Linda's link to Workkamping for your information on using that for an income. If you have read any of their pre-planning journals and all, you will know that they started full time about the time that Howard was 45 years old. So, it isn't completely out of the realm of an idea.
Also, look at their Financial data (also linked) to see somewhat of what it takes to live the lifestyle. While they went the route of a fifth wheel instead of a motorhome, they still have a lot of information that you can glean.
Also, look at the "Site Map" link to find a lot of information, listed by title of articles that Howard and Linda have written.
I went back to the beginning of their pre-planning journals as well as all of the journals that they have written as a means of research. There are lots of little nuggets of information that has been written that is helpful. Howard is an honest individual when he writes and willingly writes about his mistakes as well.
In addition, there are a lot of knowledgeable people that frequent the forums and also comment at the bottom of Howard's journal entries. Even those comments can contain information that is helpful.
Jo and I have our house up for sale and when it sells, we are planning on buying a luxury fifth wheel and Ford F450 to pull it. We will still have a few years here in Oklahoma City before we retire, but once we retire, we will hit the road full time as well.
Do a lot of research on the vintage motorhomes, keeping in mind their need for more frequent maintenance.
Good luck and have fun.
Terry
I know national parks have places for RVs like Yellowstone and Death Valley. I will be full timing next year and plan on working at different parks in my RV.
Speed- I am indeed almost entirely free of debt. I plan on living in the RV fulltime locally for the first year to eleminate what little debt I have left.
It also looks like I will be able to put away a nice rainy day fund as well. Which, for me, is important.
After that I am looking at just living a nice rubber tramp lifestyle.
I've been doing a LOT of research the last few weeks and it looks like, for me, the best plan of attack is to buy a vintage, roadworthy, motorhome and fix up the inside as I go.
I was having a talk with a good friend just now and he made the observation that compared to the lifestyle I've had for the past 16 years in a tractor trailer that living in an RV is a step up. LOL
My next question is have any of you purchased an antique/vintage motorhome and what advice can you give on such a purchase?
Again, thanks folks!!!
Chad
I'm in my mid 30's and my hubby is in his late 40's. We took 15 months to travel the country and had a blast. We met some other couples along the way doing a similar trip. We just moved out of the RV and, although I love having the extra space and the feeling of being more settled, I miss the freedom that fulltiming gives. It is a great lifestyle!
Happy travels!
Colleen
My husband and I are both 26. We are still in our S&B house now, but will be closing on it and on to full timing in an RV in 3 weeks. So no, you're not too young to do this.
We're buying a fifth wheel to live in, but if we didn't have the kids we would be getting a motorhome. We're not traveling in it really, my hubby is in the Air Force so we are stuck in one spot, but when we do go on leave it will be great to just hook up the house and go. :)