After we sold our house back east we lived in our TT until the children finished up the school year.  That's 2 adults, 4 kids & 3 Shih Tzu's!  The manufacturer claims that our TT will sleep 8 comfortably but I wouldn't say we were all comfortable.  The children have grown a lot in the past 9 years so we may have to move to a larger TT.  We have used the camper for recreation, home and it has been from the east coast to northern AZ without any problems whatsoever.  Between camping trips it serves as our guest house.  I have it parked next to the house and it stays connected year round (just in case the mother-in-law shows up) and the children, friends, relatives, can use it when needed.

Our trailer has one set of bunks, couch/bed, full size bed and the dinette that can be used as a bed but we chose not to use it.   You may be able to find a TT with a bunkhouse that would work for you and with the economy like it is you can probably find a great deal on one (we paid 9,500 for our TT in 2001).   We pull our TT with a Ford F-250 Super Cab with the 6 passenger seating.  I usually can find a spot in most campgrounds level enough to leave the truck hooked to the TT that makes leaving the campsite a relatively quick process.  Don't give up on the dream to FT!  I wanted to stay in the camper for a couple of years because I knew the housing market would take a nose dive eventually but my wife insisted that we buy another house and now we won't be able to FT until the housing market recovers.  Good luck.

Not meaning to sound too negative, but I have to agree with the majority of the posters that you should probably rethink the decision to full-time at this point.

One short outing in a trailer is not enough time/experience to make a decision to adopt it as a way of life.  I strongly suggest more outings to be fully aware of all that is involved.

A fifth wheel is very easy to hitch up.  I do the towing, driving a 1-ton crew cab truck pulling a 38'4" 5er.  Previous to that, I took our travel trailer out twice on solo trips, and it was more labor intensive to hitch. 

As a woman, there are a couple things I pick up from your post. 

If you are already unsure about hitching up a rig, you should keep in mind there are other things to consider besides just that.  Like hauling a propane tank for refill, dumping the tanks, raising and lowering an awning, troubleshooting things that go wrong and being able to make minor repairs or at least having an idea of what is wrong so you will not (hopefully) make a bad repair decision or get ripped off by a less than scrupulous serviceperson.

Have you thought about the everyday things?  Laundry, for instance.  With 4 kids and you, that sounds like a lot of laundry!  Yes, your rig may have a washer/dryer, but most likely you'll be in campground/public laundry facilities quite a lot.  That may mean going into town and then also keeping watch over 4 kids while you are doing the laundry.

What about the refrigerator?  Will it be big enough to hold food for that many mouths?  Do you buy large containers of milk, etc.?  Typically there is not as much room in an RV fridge.

I am afraid, too, that finding a rig you describe within your budget posted will mean you will have a rig that will need repairs right up front or will at least be prime for things needing repair simply from age and/or normal usage.

If you decide on a motorhome, will you tow a vehicle behind it?  Keep in mind that if you do not, every time you want to go to the store, etc., you will have to break camp and drive the motorhome unless you have an alternate mode of transportation.

My husband can do the hitching and towing of our 5er; however, I come from RVing roots and I absolutely enjoy towing and messin' with the rig.  We share responsibilities and maintenance.  Even if a woman has a husband/partner/whatever to share the load, it is my opinion that she should know and be comfortable doing these things, especially hitching the rig and towing it.  Even a man can get a broken leg/foot/arm/not feel well.

I am certainly not saying it cannot be done, only that I feel you might need to really research the lifestyle and different types of rigs and what is involved in their usage and maintenance.  Folks here in this forum are very happy to answer questions and provide suggestions, guidance and support.

I hope that whatever you decide you will be happy and safe.  These have been only my impressions and suggestions; only you and your family know your situation.

Cheers!

With the proper tow vehicle and the TT loaded properly - not overloaded and the weight distributed inside correctly - towing a TT is no big deal and certainly not horrific.  Been there done that.  As to sway, a weight distributing hitch and sway control bar can do much to eliminate the "wagging."  Again, one must have a good match of tow vehicle to trailer.  One must also be very aware, alert, and sensitive to one's rig and traffic/road/weather conditions to ensure a safe and pleasant towing experience.

Pansen wrote:

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Ah thank you. Well I looked into TT's and I don't like them much. Right now, there seems to be lull in available RVs as it is...

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Life is full of trade offs and full time RV'ing maybe even more so.Some times you need to give one thing up to get something else.Prioritize things and eventually you will come up with a solid plan.