As a new fulltime RVer, you are about to head out on a great adventure. It’s a whole new way of life that is totally different from any other.
As a true full time RVer, your mobile residence is about to become your only home — your immediate world. Full timers are similar to turtles, because everything they need is right there with them.
Many parts of the transition will be difficult, even bordering on traumatic. There will be some hard decisions made that you will struggle through.
These full-time RV tips will help you make the right decisions when you’re just starting out…
#1 Have your finances in order.
Nothing is harder to deal with on the road than debt. Your freedom will vanish in a heartbeat if you need a regular paycheck in order to make monthly payments. Some full timers will be retired with a stable income that can accommodate payments, but some will need to work in order to support their new way of life. If you’re planning on working to supplement a small retirement or you’re too young to retire yet, then you’ll have to stay in one place until you have a job lined up at your next destination.
If you’ll be working while you travel, it’s best to always maintain a 90-day reserve of funds. Knowing that you’re not trapped due to lack of funds will provide a sense of security that you can’t imagine. If the cash kitty drops below that point, it’s time to scramble and find some kind of work in order to regain that cushion. Sometimes you just can’t be too picky in what kind of job you’re willing to do.
#2 Pick the right RV.
Take lots of time when it comes to deciding which RV you’re planning to call home on the road. And don’t underestimate how much space you’ll need. Personal comfort will determine how happy you’ll be and ultimately whether you will enjoy the experience of fulltime RVing or not. If the RV you’ve chosen doesn’t work out, making a change later can be very expensive.
#3 Get rid of STUFF.
This is the hard part… the house is sold and now you have to decide what you keep and what goes. Be generous, give personal items you want to stay in the family to relatives. Be heavy-handed when it comes to selling things that you’ve hung on to just because they still have some value. Pack only the essentials into your RV.
I recommend that you do not rent a storage unit or impose on relatives to “keep” things for you. After you’ve been gone for a year, you’ll realize that you didn’t need that stuff anymore anyway. And having to deal with it later will be both a financial burden and one heck of an inconvenience.
Once you have only the essentials in the RV, then go back in and remove about half of what you just put in the RV. Get rid of that stuff. Trust me, even after you hit the road, I guarantee that you’ll still be getting rid of things that you thought you’d use in the months to come.
Stuff just gets in the way. And if you’re like my wife and I, every time you become house bound in the future you’ll become less attached to the trappings of life with every move. We’ve become full timers twice now, and we’re hoping to do it again at least one more time in the future.
#4 Slow down, smell the roses.
This can be one of the hardest thing to do. It’s difficult to mentally shut off the diving force of “hurrying” to get somewhere because you have to get back to work… back home… back wherever.
Soon, you’ll realize that casually moving across the country is even cheaper than parking permanently in an RV park. Use that extra time to explore and enjoy the communities you’re traveling through. If at all possible, try to avoid setting a timetable. Now is the time to wander… you can drive later. Once you’ve achieved that mindset, then you can call yourself a full time RVer.
5. Enjoy life.
The whole point of this new adventure is to adopt a more laid back way of life — see new things, meet new people. So grab each day and enjoy it. Leave the stress of climbing the ladder of success for those who place importance on such things.
You’re free from those worries now, so point your rig toward the sunset and head out with a smile on your face. Enjoy your new life on the road!
More Tips For Fulltime RVers
- How To Plan Your Fulltime RV Budget
- Dollars & Cents Of Fulltiming
- Full Time RVing: Choosing A Home Base State
- More Of My Tips For Avoiding Costly Mistakes As A Fulltime RVer
- Fulltime RVing Budget & Expense Report
I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
