Mike: Two thumbs up on this thread. I was just at another website where someone was, well, sort of making fun of a couple that were full-timing in a pop-up until someone else brought up that they knew of a couple full-timing with a motorcycle and a tent that were going to AK! And, if you visit the other forums, many are dominated by the absolute necessities that have to be in place like type of RV, size of RV, amount of money you need monthly being at least $3,000 a month and on and on not to mention that the lifestyle is really just met for those with a retirement income that have earned the right to live it. I've seen a lot of people just curl up and crawl away after the attacks they endured on other websites. So, I'm anxious to see this thread take off. A little encouragement can go a long way. "Planning" is the key though.

when I first became disabled I lost Everything but a sleeping bag and a bridge abutment...They got my possessions but not my pride and gumption   ...So I'm more than happy to share what Ive learned and practiced first hand , not to mention the wisdom of those that taught it to me!!!!!

Simple common sense and a positive attitude goes a long way!!!!!

There is no such thing as failure......failure is for quitters and handouts!!!......I dont deal with those types , but if someone wants the knowledge and a hand -up and doesnt care what someone else has or thinks , I can help !!

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Thursday 5th of December 2013 01:38:45 PM

I guess we didn't start out with nothing but we only have a little (very little). We do have to work, so far work camping jobs (with pay) has provided for us and we use the jobs as a way to enjoy and spend extended time in a nice area. We would love to find and are still looking for our own little "niche" in the world where we can make our own $$'s and not have to depend on finding a job.
One thing I find funny is that when you tell people you are a full time RVer they assume you are just merrily traveling around on a permanent vacation. I guess some people do that, moving every few days and chewing up the miles like there is no tomorrow. For us that is not even remotely possible, we would be broke and hungry in less then 6 months. Although we do get to travel some it is more for the purpose of getting to our next work camping job or, after working all season, heading back for a visit with family before heading out for another gig. We are certainly not living everyone's dream but it sure is our dream and we're enjoying every minute of it.

Phil

Thank you thank you thank you for this thread. Was thinking maybe we shouldn't do this (3 yrs 5 months and 6 days away) because I was worried about finances and such. But looking at the big picture I don't think I can afford not to. I have hope again.

I actually started the work camping gig in the Summer of 1998. My brother and I traveled from Central Florida to Waterford; Mi. in the Classs C i live in now, where I worked at a day use recreation area until Labor day. I had the chance to visit my daughter and grands in Grand Rapids a few times. I bought an old truck pop-up camper and cleaned and painted it. We then went to the Adirondacks of NY u ntil Nov. Went back to Fl. found a local job delivering auto glass and I live in the truck camper. Did some swapping an ended up with a 17.5' tag-a-long needing more repairs and beautifying. I then bought a 1975 GMC CL/C 21' that I did major renovation to and completed in the Spring of 2000. Found work at a Yogi Park in Hudson Falls NY about 1/1/2 hrs. from my sister and brother-in law; whom I got to visit and they visited me. Oh yeah; Found a job from 2001- to the Fall of 2009. My brother died in June 2006 and I was left as the owner of this Class C.

I worked from Maryland to Mississippi to Iowa; visited the Grands again; went to KY at the Amazon gig spent a winter on the gulf came back to KY; then to Iowa; Mi. and Back to Ky at Amazon. The second year at Cave City; KY I had my Heart Attack and now I kind of Hung up My Hat at my signature line. With another Dream floating in my air space in the conference room (Head). LOL! PIEERE

I done this on as little income of $7,700.00 to $10.5 thousand. Almost 3,ooo miles and a 7.3 MPG fuel burner. It can be done if you put your mind to it. I enjoyed most places I worked; met a few friends who still stay in touch and miss it the most!

Great Thread! You're the best, Mike. Yes, people can full-time on any budget. We plan to retire to a full-time mobile lifestyle in 5 years. Having recently lost my S&B house to a bankruptcy I understand the mindset of financial hopelessness. Changing one's mind is the and deciding what one wants to do is the first step. Fortunately I have a good paying job and my DW is doing as you suggest, turning a crafting hobby into a steady paycheck. Though her business is not generating much more than minimum wage for the time she puts in, she is doing shat she likes, and working toward a goal makes all the difference.

In fact I just purchased our tow vehicle for our full-time lifestyle. I bought it a little sooner than needed for full-timing, but DW needed a new vehicle for her business. It's a 2008 Ford F-250 6.4l diesel. A new diesel truck costs big bucks these days, in fact the Kelly bluebook value of my particular 109,000 mile 3/4 ton diesel is $18,500. Through persistent looking, I found it on Craigslist (a well maintained leased truck) for only $11,900, which is $6,600 below bluebook. So it is possible to get a good deal if you look long enough. Now I know this is still a lot of money for many people, as it is for us, but we were able to save enough since our BK to put 1/3 down and finance the rest (though our interest rate is an astronomical 14.5% because of our BK) on a 3 yr loan, we needed to re-establish credit and appreciate the credit union taking a chance on us. Our plan is to scrape up every penny to pay it off ahead of time, saving unnecessary interest that we can put toward the purchase of a lightly used travel trailer that will be our home for the rest of our lives.

To save money in retirement we are making a list of inexpensive RV parks in south Texas and out west (in the $200-$350/month range). We plan on snowbirding to avoid harsh weather, moving monthly (or perhaps seasonally) to reduce fuel costs and enjoy monthly/seasonal CG rates. Where there's a will there's a way.

BTW I was one of those motorcycle campers back in the 70's and 80's, taking extended trips with my DW on a 750 Honda, a couple changes of clothes, small tent and lots of camping gear, tools and chain lube, but very little cash!

Chip

Mike: I would like your opinion on budgeting. For us, budgeting is essential so that I can track and understand where the money goes. This doesn't include accounting specifically for every penny (thank goodness not anymore) but knowing the basics. This was part of the reason that we became debt-free combined with deciding that if there were money when an emergency did come that that same money, if I could figure out where it normally was spent and maybe not necessary, could be saved to be spent on travel and relocation. I have had people really disagree with me and that is fine but to me it is essential. I just wonder what your thoughts are on budgeting.

We have always lived below our means and frugality is sort of a religious principle for me. When I look at the budgets of others, I can usually cross off at least 1/3 of the listed items.

We hope to work for concessionaires on public lands and I know what it pays but it has been our "dream" from the beginning.  The "dream" is sort of like working a Rukic's cube, the answer is there but it takes some work to get there.

-- Edited by SnowGypsy on Friday 6th of December 2013 10:15:03 AM

Great post Mike! You'd probably be surprised if you knew how many people you inspire that never speak up. Keep up the good work.

Red

May I ask what phone ans data service you use?

I know that there are a lot of low cost conversion vans, travel trailers available and used by Work Campers.  And I know from my 5^th wheel shopping experience that there are plenty of barely used recreation vehicles that people buy thinking they will use them and sell because they do not use them.   

I think due to Christmas around the corner that this is a good month for shopping so parents can travel to see family members or buy nice presents for their children.  I am a Camphost/work Camper at a campground in Georgia and I can give you a couple of Camphost buying examples.  I know of vehicle homes for Camphosts that range from a $3500 Class C to expensive motor coaches. 

 

1.  The $3500 van was bought on Craigslist from a dealer who wanted to get rid of cause it was a trade-in that the dealer did not want staying long at his dealership.  The camphost bought the $3500 vehicle on payments because they did not have that amount of money without a loan. 

2.  I bought my 5^th wheel from a bank repossession site called CrankyApe.com.  I bought my 2005 5^th wheel in 2012 and have been living in it permanently.  I bought with a 10 year bank loan and my bank payments are less than $200 a month.   And my bank said I could have received a loan for $10,000 more than what I paid for the 5^th wheel. 

 3.  Another Camphost lives in an older model 20 foot travel trailer that I would guess the blue book value at less than $5,000.  That camphost does not have a vehicle to pull the trailer and she is a permanent Camphost.   

 

I agree with Pierre…… It can be done if you put your mind to it.

Mike, thank you. I like your budget since it is uncomplicated enough that people can customize it easily.  Ever consider a career as a motivational speaker?  You have the calling!

-- Edited by SnowGypsy on Friday 6th of December 2013 12:26:48 PM

I have seen many requests for budgets on bare bones. I think this is the first thread that addressed that question. Maybe we could list budget items and break each one out by importance and cost. For example, TV; over the air, free, cable in a park, typical $, satellite, pay as you go, $, satellite, HD with DVR, $$. From cheapest to most expensive. Then whoever is creating a budget can select the cost based on want/need and budgetary constraints.

Cheryl ......Keep in mind that car/RV & Health insurance will be dependent on where you domicile out of and as far as car and RV will be age , year & plans....not to mention driving history.....big variables in those alone...but if you already have car and health you already have 2/3 of the equation!! they wont change that much..

Thanks for the reply, Mike. I think you might have missed your calling - full-time RV consulting. Your plans and ideas sound great. Thanks for sharing.

My DW has a unique craft business. She has an agreement with a local brewery to make and wholesale her specialty branded products, crafts and jewelry to the brewery who then resells them. Unlike many crafters who spend more time selling than making, she spends her entire time in production - at times pressured to keep up with the sales volume. Unfortunately she makes such a small percentage that she can't afford to pay anyone to help her and still turn a profit. It's steady work and makes her happy, so it could be much worse. I'm sure when we full-time, we could explore the flea market sales plan. She certainly has the talent, if we can find some marketable items without infringing on anyone else's ideas or copyrights. She is drawing a small pension now, so we will have that plus our social security, which should be more than sufficient for our needs, if everything is paid for. At 65 we'll have access to a little more money to fall back on when things go awry. Who knows what the health insurance situation will look like in a few years. Oh well; it is what it is. We'll either be able to afford healthcare or we won't. So far we're in good health, but who knows what the future holds for any of us? I guess the only thing that is certain is death and taxes - and I've heard of some people who don't pay taxes. ;)

Chip

Duly noted. Thanks!

 

Chip

Mike generally what type of crafts/items do you sell at the festivals and fairs. Is there one or two types of product, goods, or services that you see that is popular and that is profitable?

Great thread Mike!.......I'm working on a business plan where we can bottle your tenacity, gumption, positive attitude, creativity and desire not to give up and sell it.......make a fortune and spend the rest of our lives traveling to give it away!  How bout it? 

Snow Gypsy! I think Airplane Guy is talking of "A Bottle of Charisma" that Lucky Mike has the patent for! The charm of the gift of mesmerizing your audience to believe not only in your "product" but to believe in you I think is what increase sales whether you are selling tangibles or intangibles. Help me with this Mike??? Pieere

I was thinking!!!.................(Boy did that hurt!!!)


If you are on the road , Try this experiment with yourself....

for 1 week no parks.....boondocking only...try to survive off of onboard resources only....all meals , entertainment and day to day living is to be done with only what you have onboard....going for walks , free sight seeing or any free activities only..

keep a daily log of expenses.......and activities

at the end of the week go back to normal living , wait about 2 weeks and now just monitor a week of good living at the parks and activities.(it will take 2 weeks for you to get back to normal habits)

Now take the 2 lists and compare spending and habits and it will amaze you just in costs and habits for yourself!

you can trim your budgets this way....add to your interests and recreation....and most of all see all of the Waste$.......


If you plan on doing this let us all know.....that way we can give input while your doing this to help in comfort , and at the same time it becomes a learning process for all....

in the meantime....those that are going to be in southern Florida around the time of the Boondock rally, Look them up....the basic skills of boondocking are a must!!

The only things I go without during boondocking or Wallydocking is having nieghbors and FHU's....other than that I conduct my business online and make my product outside.......I still play tourist and if Im wallydocking I leave my wallet behind when I'm bored and window shopping!!!!!

The inside of the coach never changes other than waste habits....energy consumption and simple scheduling to make sure that waste & energy are at a minimum.

Mike - do you have a website?

Greetings Jiggs Casey and welcome to the board!

It's OK to be indecisive at this point as it gives you flexibility to "think outside the box" so to speak. Finding ourselves in a similar situation a couple years ago, we too are planning a full-time mobile lifestyle, just a little further down the road than y'all are. I've done the tent thing in the Germain Alps courtesy of Uncle Sam, plus I've tent camped extensively on a motorcycle too. As we age, our capabilities, needs and goals change. I'm too old to sleep on the cold, hard ground, or in back of a deuce and a half anymore. When choosing what would be our "ideal" RV we realized that everything in life is a compromise. At first, we looked at hard-walled, pop-up RVs (Like the Chalet XL, the now extinct Hi-Lo, and Trailmanors) for both ease and economy of movement, imagining retirement as a life-long vacation, which would quickly wear old. But after a time, we realized that unless we were planning on boondocking most of the time (a possibility, but definitely a chore with the limited holding tank capacity of these diminutive rigs) this type of rig was not ideal for our needs. I'm sure you'll find the same limitations apply to a Class B. I know you can expand your living area with outside tentage/screen rooms, but the limited interior space that these types of campers provide might put a strain on family relations over the long term, especially in foul weather. Togetherness is great but everyone needs a little private space from time to time - especially if you plan on traveling with pets. We plan on traveling with at least one noisy sun conure.

Our thinking evolved to being snowbirds (so a heavy, expensive 4 season rig is not needed in our case) spending most of our time in RV parks, moving monthly (perhaps seasonally, as we age) for the best rates and to save fuel, though retaining the ability for limited, moderate duration boondocking in remote locations, which we both love and are not willing to give-up. A fiver has many advantages, but one of its disadvantages is the loss of the bed of the pick-up for storage. Since pulling a toad behind a fiver is out of the question for us (and most folk) the only solutions are:
a. Driving an economy car separately, (necessitating extra fees at many RV parks) burning extra gas and making travel a lonely prospect (perhaps fulfilling some of those "alone time" needs.)
b. Purchasing a HDT and configuring the space in front of the fiver to carry a sub compact car or motorcycle.
3. Forgoing a fiver for a TT pulled by a flat bed truck with a small car on the back or a pick-up with a couple of small motorcycles in the bed.

The latter is our plan. A class C pulling a toad is another viable option, but compromises space, fuel mileage and your towing components (engine, drive-train, etc.) are part of your home requiring moving out for perhaps a week or so for major repairs. A class A with a toad probably has the least compromises other than the expense to own and operate. Your budget will determine if this is a viable option for your family. It wasn't for us. Whatever you decide there is no right or wrong answer. Our decisions were made to minimize our retirement expenses to fit a tight budget while maximizing comfort, retaining some flexibility at the compromise of some flexibility and luxury, but best satisfy our particular needs - your solution will most certainly be different, but that's how it should be in this free land of ours. Thanks for your service to help maintain this freedom.

We no longer have a house and have just purchased a TV. Next, for the size, brand and features of our (slightly used) TT..... Ah the planning never ends.

Chip

-- Edited by Sushidog on Saturday 14th of December 2013 07:30:09 AM

Freedom!!!!!......

Keep in mind ....we are not Disabled until the brain shuts down and the blue screen appears!!!!

I see myself in so many ways as I read your post and the key word is " Determination " once I accepted that it was time to re-learn how my life was going to go forward and set basic goals it took off fast!!!

some will think Im crazy, but if you add up the basic costs of sitting at home in that easy chair its cheaper to just pull out of the driveway in something self contained period!!

just to put a roof over your head without basic utilities is 8 to 1200K a year and once you add utilities you can add another couple thousand!!

if you try within your town to generate an income you are limited to a static amount of customer base,sooner or later that income has to dwindle.

like I have said in earlier posts, you can pull out of that driveway for under 5k.....and be in a sustainable RV that will be a good start on your first year of freedom for half or less of a static S&B!!

Go for it!!...........We are not disabled....We are Challenged......and so isnt everyone else in some way ,shape or form. its motivation and the want to succeed that will get you there , and setting simple realistic goals that keep it going!!

Good luck and ask as you go ,If you get to meet me on the road we can trade stories ....in the mean time...just ask ,its easier than it seems....(the first 2 days out are the scariest)..LOL

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Saturday 14th of December 2013 05:57:13 PM

Jiggs Casey wrote:

---

Thank you everyone for the great information. I just joined this forum from the link on the RVing on a Budget Facebook page. My wife and I recently became interested in full-time RV'ing but can't do it now because I work for the State Department and work overseas. However, I'm 52 now and can retire in 8 years with my State pension plus my military pension, so we should be able to full-time at that point. We are both frugal - my German wife especially -- and plan to pay cash (or as much as possible) for an RV at that time....the problem is ....WHAT KIND? We've bounced back and forth and back again, from a Class B (my wife's preference) to a Class A with a toad, then a Class C, then just a tent, and then at our last RV show we fell in love with a fifth wheel! Fivers are extremely rare in Europe, where we live now, and it just stood out. Last time I was in the US, I went to REI and priced out a complete camping equipment set-up for going out with just a tent. When we think in terms of tent camping, we're thinking we'll get out there and meet other people, see different rigs, and then figure out what we want. So I guess you'd say we are pretty indecisive at the moment but in our defense we are in the planning and dreaming stage.

So my question, after the rambling intro: How do we decide (and how did you decide) what RV type is best? Quite frankly I think we could make just about anything work, we move around every 2 to 3 years and are assigned a house or apartment that we have to accept and make do with. I've lived two years in a small shipping container-like living quarters in Iraq, and I lived 8 months in a tent with the army in the Balkans. We're pretty low maintenance.

Still, there are a LOT of choices and a lot of rigs out there - which one is right for us?

---

 

Welcome, Jiggs Casey.

For your benefit and so as to not "sideline" this thread, I'd suggest you copy the above comments and start a new thread in the "Introduce Yourself" or "Buying an RV" category of the forums.  That way, we can concentrate on your questions and what would be things to consider.

Terry

Moderator

Great thread Mike and everyone who has posted!! It really is inspirational to read and see everyone join in and give helpful information. On the budget...what kind of things does everyone plan on for their emergency fund? I was thinking repairs, and enough $ for a couple nights stay if our RV is in for repairs...I realize that it's budget driven but what amount is a good stash to have availible?

it would depend on your comfort level and actual finances......when I was in the poor house and really couldnt afford to save....I tied my hardest to keep it at 2500.00 so I knew I could handle being down in an emergency.

Iv'e built that up to 10k......so that most emergencies even major dont hurt so much...


if your flying by the seat of your pants I would suggest folding up a couple hundred dollar bills in your wallet and know your safe in survival mode for a few days!