How many people are fulltimers? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

How many people are fulltimers?

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hello Dixie,

I have never read or heard about any organization that compiles that sort of information. I did just watch a show on HD Theatre called, I think, RV Dreams, how about that, and they said at any one time there could be up to 3000 motor coachs on the roads. FWIW, I liked Jeff Gordon's $1.6M coach the best of the one's they showcased. But not every coach you see is a full-timer. Some use their coach's as second homes or just for short vacations. There is just no way to come up with the numbers.

Comments on the economy...I have read that people are delaying retirement so they can recoup losses to their retirement funds, and that means they are not going to be full-timing as soon as they would like. Also, some well known RV manufacturers have gone out of business while others have downsized or limited production. Prices are probably down on new coach's, but choices may be limited and modification's may not be available from the manufacturer. And the housing market, yikes, attempting to sell a home will mean cutting the selling price and in turn reducing the escrow. None of this can be good for the market. So my guess is that the RV industry will slump right along with everybody else.

We retired early, before the market collapsed, allowing us to start debt free. Being retired military provides us with income and medical coverage, so we decided to jump in and go for it. Impulsive, but we have loved every minute of it. I'm just glad we didn't wait...

Dachiegirl · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would have to agree with Dan, I don't see how anyone could really keep track of the fulltimers.
Now about the economy, I think that the RV industry is suffering as everything else. We spoke with our dealer a few weeks ago and he offered us a good deal on a new one! lol Ours is an '08! I know they must be hurting.
IMO with all the troubles with the economy there may very well be alot more fulltimers joining us. You'd think if a family had an RV and had to choose on the house to give up (in foreclosure) or to let the RV go, they would opt to keep the RV, which in most cases is a lower payment!
That's just what I think. When I talk to friends still living in their stick builts, that's what they say they would do in a crisis. Keep the RV and live the simple life!

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

I've heard nuimbers from 100,000 to 1M for fulltimers. I don't think anyone really knows.

TheBobGuy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Dixie.....I don't know the answer but it is A LOT!
We are grateful to be one!
:)
Molly

AnnDon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Dixie - We don't know the answer either, but we see more and more RVs going down the highways here in the Keystone state, than ever before. We are one of those people that if we can't sell our home it will be going up for foreclosure. We opted to live in our MH, rather than go into subsidized housing, that way we still have our freedom. Here in PA, I have seen on the news, that 1 in every 4 persons are loosing their homes to foreclosure on a daily basis. I have also seen on the news and talked with a friend that is a snowbird about the increasing numbers of people who are living in tents, cars and RVs due to the economic situation of our nation. It wouldn't surprise me at all as time goes by and the economy is getting worse that more people opt for living a simpler life. Stress is a major killer and causer of illness in the baby boomer generation. Ann

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Make sure we keep this number a secret!!! When the government finds out how much fun we are having and that we are not paying the taxes others do....they will start taxing us...maybe a fun tax for fulltimers?? If you get this number....lose it and don't publish it where they can find it.

Thanks

Speedy in Hiding

RodnReal · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speedhitch wrote:

Make sure we keep this number a secret!!! When the government finds out how much fun we are having and that we are not paying the taxes others do....they will start taxing us...maybe a fun tax for fulltimers?? If you get this number....lose it and don't publish it where they can find it.

Thanks

Speedy in Hiding
Mums the word.
I watched a financial analyst last week and he spoke about all of the baby boomers that will have to step down a class with today's economy. He was talking about companies laying off or going out of business right and left will leave boomers without a job and not much of a chance of getting another one at their age (of course he was in his 30's) LOL.

With that in mind, I'm not sure why there isn't more FT'ers than there is.

We do need to keep it a secret.

Readytogo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would love to add one more to the fulltimers list now. I think it will be 2-3 more years in the rat race though. I keep asking if they want to give me a severence package. They think I am kidding. I have been a claims adjuster for 29 years. Would love to handle CAT claims for a few months a year and take the rest of the year off.

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

This thread got me to thinking.

I remember my Grandmother, Grandfather, Great Aunts and Uncles living in their homes, some on small pensions and some only on Social Security. They were happy and enjoyed life. They tended to stay close to home. They took pleasure in the simple things and enjoyed time with family. The women all did crafts and the men tinkered in their garage or fished.

My parent's generation were the travelers when they retired. My parents and most of their friends would camp or RV, take vacation car trips, cruises, go to Hawaii or Europe. They had a little more money due to better pensions, but still kept things simple. They would buy used instead of new. Build what they needed and repaired what they had.

These two generations would stretch their dollars.

My generation are conspicuous consumers. We tend to buy new. Throw away instead of repair. Spend fortunes on trips. Our dollars come to us already stretched.

The fulltimer lifestyle allows one to get back to the basics, take pleasure in the simple things, enjoy time with family and friends..... Like my grandparents did. Stretch your dollars to enjoy life.