Article on why people quit fulltiming - RV-Dreams Community Forum

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Article on why people quit fulltiming

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Interesting that they link to Technomadia's post on this one.

I know we're in a small, but growing minority of RV'ers who chose to go on the road before retirement which the author of this article doesn't touch on at all. The only reason we've even considered coming off the road is the pattern we seem to be in right now with continual repairs / mechanical issues and trying to balance that with work demands. His comment that it can be more expensive has certainly not been our reality, much cheaper to be on the road.

Someday · RV-Dreams Family Member

The comments and references in the article could be applied to almost any major lifestyle change, and anyone with a shred of common sense going into FT RVing likely realizes that as with most things in life nothing is usually "forever" and make provisions for the day one may have to or "want to" leave the road.

Examples of other lifestyle changes:

Having a baby = some think it will bring them closer together, however for many it's added stress and drives them further apart especially if one partner is more into it than another and no consideration is made for the added financial pressures, what's truly involved from becoming a couple to becoming a family unit and what sacrifices to accommodate a.n.other have to be made!

Emigrating = in our case simply it was for a better future for our children and if truth be known somewhat boredom with our birth land and our adventurous personalities equally. Same deep rooted reasons for many others (I was a licensed immigration consultant so dealt with hundreds of families over the years undergoing HUGE lifestyle changes). However, there are a large percentage that are "running away from something" without addressing it and it stays with them = we've seen many new migrant divorces, returns back and forth to birth lands and so on and so forth invariably then adding further financial stress in the process. A large percentage of folks often forget why they left in the first place with their rose coloured glasses on - when they return it's not the same with friends/family as when they left, as those folks have created a life now without them in it. Life moves on so to speak.

As Bill quite rightly stated, it's great for he and his wife but not for everyone. Thank heavens it's not, as can you just imagine if it were?

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Also notice the place it is hosted is a Real Estate site.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yeah ... grown up adults need to be accountable for ALL their decisions. We're pretty good with ours.😀

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Like many of these types of articles I question the person writing the piece. What their bias? What drove them to write it? Do they have an underlying motovation? These are just a few of the things I think as I read the articles.

Here my take on this article, this person is trying to sell/rent real estate. Or they were on the "other" end of that argument where they acquiesced to go full timing. Just reading this article and the one sidedness that it presents leads me to really take anything mentioned with a grain of salt.

Finally, while I agree with RonC's statement about grown adults being held accountable, I think even young adults need to be held accountable. This needs to be ingrained since childhood as there isn't a "magic" switch at some point in ones life's that is all of a sudden thrown to make them accountable. Our society today seems to always blame the "other guy".

Ok, off my soap box!

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

As Bill said, this way of living isn't for everybody. We aren't even on the road yet and that could well apply to us too. There is no way to "reeeeeally" know beforehand. You can research and plan only so far for your particular situation and then you have to make a leap of faith. If you are a "play it safe" type, you'll probably never reach that point. Those with a sense of adventure... a different story. I liken the wanderlust attitude to the the saying "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." But that is just my opinion.

If one goes full time and then changes their mind that is no better or worse an outcome that continuing the lifestyle. It is neither right or wrong, it is just a choice. Life would be really dull if each of us did not make choices, we just followed the "groupthink" advice. Beat your own drum and make the kind of music you want to hear.

And if you wish to heed the advice of one line of though or another, know the real you before you decide. Then stand by that decision until you know of a better one. Now, to me, that is really living.... RV or no RV.

FWIW, Brian

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
Interesting article on "Why People Stop Living Full Time in RVs"- http://hubpages.com/living/Why-People-Stop-Living-Full-Time-in-RVs.
There are some good points made here. The article is why people quit, not what keeps them on the road, so it talks mostly about the downside. Obviously my wife and I love being fulltimers, but it is not for everyone.

Yes this was an interesting article. I actually can agree with some of what the author is saying. I have seen some people come off the road for most of these reasons but is disagree with the red flag issue. It should be a yellow flag issue. I believe the author is trying to discourage people from entering this lifestyle . My wife and myself have loved this lifestyle for the last 9 yrs. We look at is as temporary because life is temporary. We have hit some "Bumps in the Road" but have face them realistically and gone on. The yellow flag is for caution. Do extensive homework before taking the plunge may prevent heartache down the road. This is true with finance, choosing your rv, choosing the way in which you travel [miles driven daily and where you stop and for how long], potential destinations, short term plans and long term plans. Planning and dreaming can be half the fun. My wife and I come to agreements about long term plans in advance of starting. We know that we will have to hang up the keys some time in the future and we have made some tentative plans:. What will we do if one of us passes away on the road or if our health fails us and we need to be under doctors care or close to a hospital? This is not stopping us from traveling and enjoying today and hopefully tomorrow.

Trikester · RV-Dreams Family Member

I see much truth in what the article says, although the language has a negative affect. For example, I note the question at the end: Do you think you could live in an RV for the rest of your life?

Well, no, I suspect a time will come to return to a more stationary life, maybe once we move from the go-go stage of retirement to the slow-go and then the no-go. Being reality junkies, we see what's coming down the road, assuming we last that long. The wording of the question strikes me as pejorative.

That said, some of what the article talks about we are ever working through, like the sense of loss in having a fixed home base, neighbors, familiar resources like doctors and grocery stores. We miss being near a 14 month grandson. We miss friends and colleagues and bike-riding buddies and more.

So, yes, there is a cost to full-time RVing. Maybe the time will come to unhitch and stay put, either where we lived in Iowa before retirement or near my hometown in Florida (think Mickey). But not yet.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think each person has to decide for themselves to do or not to do and for how long. The first is optional with regard to RVing, but the second (how long) is pretty much the same in a S&B "rig". We all bought a ticket for the same ride ... the only difference is when that ticket gets punched. I plan to use up ALL the gas in my tank.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Brian: I like your thinking as it was similar to mine! wink wink I am a member of another forum and when I first started in 2009 at 58 yrs. from a layoff; I had to work camp! Well don't you know how many nay sayers were on that forum!! I will not say it was easy with an old Class C, but had the will power to make it work; well it did up until the end of March of 2012 when I had my severe heart attack! As of August 2012 I live at the RV Park in my signature line, fortunately I found a good location with VA care and a small pension; SS, had hopes of joining others on the road; but 2-4 hrs of activity just isn't enough to continue on traveling!

I will say it again if you don't do it now situations can change in the blink of an eye and then one may not be able to!! Life is to short! I had lived in an RV since the Fall 0f 1994 traveled, worked a few long term jobs and live in my 5th wheel now! biggrin biggrin

Dave and Denise · RV-Dreams Family Member

Who is the "author"? I wasn't sure.

rodeojoe · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for sharing the article. Anyone thinking about going into full time RVing needs to see both sides of it. They need to evaluate the pros and cons as it isn't for everyone. We are still two years away but articles like this allow us to think about things and discuss before we finalize our plans.

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Interesting. Agree with many of the points but not crazy about this statement which seems biased "This is because they let their emotions and dreams overtake their common sense and don’t take the time to learn what they need to know."

Personally I don't know what's wrong with letting your dreams and emotions overtake common sense once in awhile. As a matter of fact most of the amazing things in my life (having kids for one) happened because I did just that.

Trace

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our rig is Figment II, as in a Figment of our Imagination! My parents fulltimed (both boat & RV) so we had a pretty good ideal of what to expect, but I'm glad there were things that surprised us along the way - how boring if no one ever dreamed or tried something new and different. Of course, that is what differentiates us from those who say "I would but ...." they never get to imagine and try.

Barb

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would say that the difference between "figment of your imagination" and "follow your dreams" is largely driven by perspective. I fully support each person's privilege to follow their dreams ... others may "judge" and call those dreams "figments of their imagination" ... I'd suggest that people stop judging others and focus on their own happiness. If you empower others, by requiring their "approval" of your decisions, it diminishes your fulfillment. I would say "screw them" but that would be crude. What I would say is "do what YOU want to do" ... and smile, and laugh, and hug ... it's good for your soul!!

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thankfully we both came from Nomadic families. Mine being military that moved regularly, hers that followed the logging industry across Canada. My sister can't stay still now that she's widowed. Her husband didn't like to travel, so she "settled", but now she is gone like the wind. 2 weeks here, 2 there, comes back to work for a month, and then gone again. Our friends thought we were nuts..... so we send old fashion postcards on occasion.... harder to forget than an e-mail pic...
We do have our longterm doctors that we return to for checkups... they think were nuts too, but work with us on meds, and bloodwork, long distance when needed.
But we love the lifestyle and wouldn't change it for anything.

Trikester · RV-Dreams Family Member

This discussion reminds me of a verse in the Frank Sinatra song, "That's Life":

I said, that's life (that's life) and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks
Stompin' on a dream
But I don't let it, let it get me down
'Cause this fine old world it keeps spinnin' around.

Good song. Helpful thought. Even for reality junkie.

gdsmit1 · RV-Dreams Community Member

We aren't full timing yet, but plan on it in the future.
I see that article as a common sense piece. I haven't been on this forum long so could be way off, but I doubt there's many people here that started full timing on a whim. Didn't run the numbers, do the research, think about it for YEARS before jumping into it. That article isn't written for the type of people on here.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually, a lot of people start fulltiming on a whim and within 6-12 months go off the road because they hadn't thought it through. Not a lot come back and tell other people that they had made a mistake and hadn't done their due diligence, but we meet them all of the time on the road and in talking with them - and answering the number of basic questions that they have, we give each other a wink and try our best to help - we know they won't make it. And yes, a lot of them will check in on various forums and never go back when they receive answers encouraging them to slow down and think things through - - they look for validation and get angry when lack of planning is pointed out and never come back. Lots of long time fulltimers eventually quit trying to explain the lifestyle and pros/cons because the people who really need it don't want to listen. Sort of like all teachers who know that the only parents who show up for parent/teacher conferences have children who aren't having problems.

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

We fulltime and I work full time. Change job and locations. Construction. We enjoy our life. Look forward to retiring and traveling more.

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

We fulltime and I work full time. Change job and locations. Construction. We enjoy our life. Look forward to retiring and traveling more. Been at this since 2008

Hazel · RV-Dreams Family Member

Who said that 'full time RVing' had to be 'for the duration'? Who made the rule that if you try full timing, you have to stay full timing forever? The rest of life's choices don't usually last forever, do they?

If you try it and love it, then continue. If you try it and dislike it, then stop. Simple as that. Life's too short to be judged. There are many adventures out there and many ways to live. Let's all try to find the one that brings us contentment.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think Hazel just dropped the mic!!

Hazel · RV-Dreams Family Member

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are in our 11th year full time rving. After reading this thread it is good to see this forum continue to be fair and reasonable about many issues. We haven't contributed in quite a while but we have been enjoying a terrific lifestyle. Full time has so many adherents but few of us do it anywhere near the same way. Flexibility is the strength of the lifestyle and as time passes we adjust our approach. I respect those who have chosen to go back to that other way of life because they have adjusted to their circumstances. I hope they are enjoying life just as much as we do.

MSinMS · RV-Dreams Community Member

I enjoyed this forum for the information and the truthfulness of it all. Thank you all and please keep it coming.
Class is in session for about 7 to 8 more months till we hit the road in a much slower pace, than the old vacation
point A to point B, hurry up go pee, we gotta go to get there on time, to be back home, to be at work on time, to pay
for this wild wind trip. Vacation? is that what that was? Wow, work isn't so bad after all.
Yep, we need to retire.