Thinking about becoming fulltimers

[DKing]

Hi,

My name is Donna and I will be able to retire in about 8 years. We have always wanted to travel and see the US and currently do this by camping. My husband and I are seriously contemplating selling our home and buying a 40 - 45 ft RV to live in permanently. When I retire, we will be unable to stay in our home. I have a hefty mortgage (and the home is much too large for us) with many years left until it's paid off. However, I am also very fortunate to have significant equity to be able to sell the home, pay off the mortgage and home equity loan and still have enough cash left to buy an NICE RV and still have money left in the bank. As a teacher, I will have a decent pension, proceeds from a tax shelter I set up when I first began my teaching career, and health benefits. Since our children live all over the country anyway and due to their jobs rarely get home, home has become merely a house we live in. We have always wanted to travel the US, Canada, and Mexico and would love to downsize on the items we have accumulated over the years.

We know that making this kind of a leap would take a great amount of courage, planning, and that we be as informed as possible. We would love to have some conversations with others who have made the leap to RV fulltime and get some advice. I am currently 51 and my husband is 50. We are both in exceptionally good health. I plan to retire at 59 1/2 (to get my health benefits).

So, if there is anyone out there - please send an email to me at donnaking1@verizon.net

Thanks.

Donna

 

[TexasClodhopper]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Hello Donna. Welcome to the forum!

I'm sorry you've put your email address in your post. You'll probably get a bunch of spam from that. Same thing in your profile in the Control Panel.

There are lots of people looking to do what you want to do. It will take a lot of research on your part to find the 'perfect' RV for you.

Believe it or not, a lot of people will get on here and tell us what they bought to see if it will work! I suggest that you look around at RVs for a long time and post your results and questions to get some real world advice and opinions BEFORE you buy one.

You have less than 10 years to do it, so you better hurry! :clown:

 

[DL Rupper]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Hey Donna, welcome to the forum. It's a big step to sell out and go Full-time. I retired early at 51 years old and sold out (house) and went RVing. It took about 18 to 24 months before I felt real good about not working. A lot of full-timers get disillusioned after a year or two and really regret the decision and then they don't have enough money to go buy a house again. The RV will depreciate.

You need to research carefully. Get a couple of books on Full-time RVing and get a subscription to TrailerLife and Motorhome magazines as well as join Good Sam. Good luck.

 

[Kirk]

RE: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Donna

We have now lived in our RV all of the time since April of 2000. We love the lifestyle but you do need to learn a great deal before you start. Let me suggest that you visit the following website and get a few of the books there to read.
http://www.escapees.com/store/listproducts.asp?ORC=20080831172132XLO&Category=Books

I would also suggest that you take a look at the Escapees RV Club as well since it is the only complete support system for we who live and travel by RV all of the time, with no home base, anywhere. You can find them at:
http://www.escapees.com/index2.asp

Let me also invite you to visit our website which will tell you the story of our life and what we have done and how we do things. We will happily respond to any questions, either myself or my best friend, (and wife) Pam.
http://www.adventure.1tree.net/

Welcome to the forums. Feel free to come and ask questions at any time.

 

[debsu50]

RE: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Hey Donna. You all go for it! My husband and I are going to retire Jan. 1st.He will be 55 and I am 50.We have been planning for a few yrs now.Talking to people who have gone full time.and reading up on trailer life magazines ect have helped us plan.Trying to sale our home since April. Weve been married 34 yrs.Our sons live away.We started taveling.and we love all the beauty out there.why sit home? We hope to be on the road Xmas.If house sales! We plan to buy a sm.5th wheel.we have a Diesel 3/4 ton GMC. We want to be on the go and dont want a long trailer to slow us down,,we love the Mts. Keep on w/ your dreams! Debsu 50

 

[onthecoach]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

HI Donna!! Welcome! My husband and I have been full-timing since June 2005! LOVE IT!! He is away working overseas now, for the next 18 months, so I am living on the coach alone, with our dog, Lady! I agree with everything everyone has mentioned here and will add my 2-cents:
1. REASERCH---RESEARCH----REASEARCH!!! Go to as many shows and dealers as you can...look at everything, spend lots of time in the coaches! Remember - this is your new home!!!
2. Think long and hard about how you will use/need your coach!
3. Storage is a HUGE issue!! When you have no other place to keep stuff...it can get to be a problem! Our rule is: when one item comes in, another must go out!
4. Consider WHERE you will be using your coach!! Is it able to withstand winters? Snow, sub-freezing temps? You may not be planning on this, but you just NEVER KNOW where you may end up! Summers? 100degree temps? Sun?
5. What will you keep on the coach? Kitchen stuff, clothes for all seasons? Hobbies? Toys? Linens/towels, plates, cookware? Tools/Chemical for toilet, -- again, no real garage for storing a lot of this stuff!
6. Think long and hard about slide-outs. All coaches have them now, but my experience is that with each slide-out on the coach, you lose about 30% of the storage space. We have 3 slides on our coach, and I would opt for just 2 next time.
7. Think about towing a car...make sure whatever you buy has the ability to tow whatever car you plan to keep with you.
8. Washer/Dryer question: many people hate them and do not opt for this....I LOVE mine!! When DH is home, I use it everyday! I can even do the sheets and towels -- AND JEANS -- in small loads! Being in one place and plugged in, it's a no brainer!
9. CHECK OUT THE BED!!!! You may laugh, but often the mattresses on these things are lousy!!! We suffered for about 1 year, and had to get a new GOOD mattress!!!
10. Think about the oven!! I have an oven, but never use it! With the convection/microwave oven...the propane oven is really not necessary. I wish I had more drawers in the kitchen, instead!
11. COUNTER SPACE and PREP AREA in the kitchen!! VERY IMPORTANT!! Remember...you have to cook there everyday!!
12. What will you do for communications? Laptop? Internet? cell phone(s)? Mail??? There are lots of mail forwarding services, we use Alternative Resources in Sioux Falls, SD -- they are EXCELLENT!!!

You are smart to start doing you research now!! Take your time...it is very exciting and can also be a little intimidating! I would recommend you video tape the coaches that you think will fit the bill. It's too hard to remember everything about each one when you get home.

OK! Having said all that (and I am sure there is lots more if I think about it!) GO FOR IT!!! Full-timing is an AWESOME way to live!! You will meet the nicest, friendliest, most helpful people in the world. You will form many long-lasting friendships with people you may never even see again!

Oh---one more thing -- I know you love your husband... and he loves you!! However, you better make VERY SURE that you will both LOVE living in a 'tin can' 24/7/365!! You need to be REALLY GOOD FRIENDS to make this work!!!

Donna....I hope you and your husband do your research, find the perfect coach and hit the road!! We will all be out here waiting to welcome you to our wonderful world!!!

 

[utmtman]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Hey Donna welcome to the forum.
The wife and I also threw in the hat two or three years ago and hit the road as full timers. But because of the economy we are workamping in National Parks until it gets back to where we can hit the road full time and see the country. I am hoping within the next 15 month. We do luv the lifestyle and have not looked back.

 

[8-Dell]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

This seems to be the best thread to post to for the information already included here, but I'm not sure how well this works since the last post was in October 2008. How closely are these things monitored? It's worth a try, though.

Brief introduction: I plan to retire in five years. My dream is to sell everything and move into a motor home to travel the USA. It will more than likely be my last home. I will be a single lady traveling alone unless you can recommend a group I can get in touch with. This isn't just a foolish dream. I am used to tight spaces since I lived on a sailboat for ten years. Back then I had a husband so I'll have even less consideration for space now. I have been to a few RV Fairs, subscribe to several motor home magazines, purchased a few books by the Escapees Club, and camped extensively as a kid with my parents. I have my sights set on a 2008 Jayco Sport QB which had everything I wanted including NO slide outs. I figure five years from now I'll maybe be able to find one of those second hand for less money. The only downside is that it is a bit bigger than I thought I could handle, although, I have driven a 32' Bounder. I don't really have any questions right now, but I'm sure they'll come later. I just want to be a part of a group of people like yourselves who know where I'm coming from and understand what I want to do. Thanks for listening. 8-Dell

 

[utmtman]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Welcome to the forum 8-Dell

 

[LEN]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Welcome 8-Dell
Not sure what you mean "How closely are these things monitored?" Do you mean responded to? If so I think quite well, if not it is because no one has had an answer for a question that is very specific. But for general questions on RVs and on the road there is a vast knowledge base here. The thing is if this will be your home you must get all of your want in and have room left to live. I know you said no slide but we have two and want more. Look Look and Look some more for the floor plan that is best for you. Look for storage. If you have driven a 32 you can easily handle a 36 and at this size the storage is great. You will need a toad=tow car. There are several singles groups of RVers and even a women only group. Stay with your dreams.

LEN

 

[Kirk]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

8-Dell,

I guess we notice pretty well. But in the future just start a new thread as that works find too. When you post to a thread it moves to the top of the list so most of us will notice.

Welcome to the group. You may want to look into the organization Loners on Wheels and ( http://www.lonersonwheels.com/ ) and also with RV Singles ( http://rvsingles.com/ ). There is also RVing Women ( http://www.rvingwomen.org/ ) for single women that you may what to check out.

 

[rjf7g]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

You've been busy today, Kirk.

Welcome to the forum 8-Dell.

 

[brodavid]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Kirk is always busy, just read his website,
welcome 8-dell to the forum

 

[8-Dell]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Oh, Wow! This thread really is monitored! Many thanks to the suggestions, especially to Kirk. I've marked the sites off in favorites and will check them out including your own web site. Okay, my idea is to stay simple. No slides because I don't want more problems when the things don't work. Yes, also, I will need more storage; I have a collection that I will want with me. I want smaller than 36' like suggested because I don't want problems with pulling into anywhere I want to, even a "K-mart Campground". My "toad" I'm thinking could be a motorbike locked to a lift on back. If I need to drive somewhere over 10 miles, I'll just take the motor home which will be smaller to begin with and not so hard to break camp with. Am I thinking clearly here? 8-Dell

 

[brodavid]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

So far , so good

 

[8-Dell]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

I have checked out the web sites mentioned above and rvingwomen seems to be just the ticket. That's probably the forum I will end up going to more often, but I'll still try to check back here from time to time since this is a Jayco forum(or at least that's how I found it) and that is what I've been attracted to the most so far. Thank you all for your welcome and suggestions. 8-Dell

 

[DL Rupper]

Re: Thinking about becoming fulltimers

Don't know about being a Jayco forum, we just try to help out other RV'ers and have a good time while helping. If you haven't noticed we get off track from time-to-time. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: