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Is it Cheaper to live in a House or RV?


Bob52

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Lorna.

 

I don't want to get it a peeing contest. I was mostly wanting to make the point that their are many ways to reduce site fees. I stick by my claim that NM state parks are a pretty good deal. even with the annual permit the rate for full hooks would come out to $6.45/day if you could find and stay in parks that had them all year. Just for your information, when we were at Bottomless Lakes in October, they had free WIFI in the campground that was adequate to do email and surf the web.

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Guest David & Lorna Schinske

Lorna.

 

I don't want to get it a peeing contest. I was mostly wanting to make the point that their are many ways to reduce site fees. I stick by my claim that NM state parks are a pretty good deal. even with the annual permit the rate for full hooks would come out to $6.45/day if you could find and stay in parks that had them all year. Just for your information, when we were at Bottomless Lakes in October, they had free WIFI in the campground that was adequate to do email and surf the web.

 

And I am just pointing out that a private park is often cheaper once you bump that stay up over a week. We found it out thru actual experience. We lived for 6 months in a State Park. Wasn't our money, someone else was paying our site rent and insisted we stay there. I finally got tired of not having full hookups and located a private park for quite a bit less per month (and a bit farther away.... darn it :rolleyes: ). As for the wifi at Bottomless Lakes, I know they have it. Some folks we spoke to said it was a little off & on. That was back in the Spring. Also they are a little limited on the number of full hookup sites. When the "popular" times roll around, you might have a hard time finding a full hookup. Not that we have found a non-holiday weekend where the campground was full. And it's such a nice park too! Lovely swimming area. Great hiking trails. I don't get it. When it comes to site rental, like most other things, the main thing to do is look at all your options. I think we can agree on that. Actually when it comes to keeping prices down, I think we can agree being an "informed" consumer is key. By not assuming one thing is lower or higher priced can either save or cost a few dollars. Those dollars add up over the course of a year. And with the internet, it is so much easier to look things up than it used to be.

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Not really, two weeks at the weekly rate is close to the month rate at most places..

 

Newt

 

I certainly have not experienced this. I have found generally that a weekly rate times 4 is significantly more than the monthly rate. For example the place we are at right now the weekly is $146...monthly is $350 plus electric.

So 146 times 4 is $584. Where as the monthly of $350 plus electric which would roughly be $60=$410. Works out to a difference of $174. And the weekly rate is shy a few days of a monthly rate on top of that....so to be more accurate you would have to figure it on a yearly basis.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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Every RV park has their own charges. I have found, in most, the weekly rate is 6 times the daily rate. After that, comparisons get harder.

 

Three different parks we have stayed at in the last 6 months.

 

daily $36, weekly $216, monthly $550, including elec

daily $45 to $55, weekly $270 to $310, monthly $445 to $570 plus elec

daily $40, weekly $240, monthly $394 to $420 seasonal, plus elec

 

Newt

2012 HitchHiker Discover America 345 LKSB

2009 Dodge/Cummins

 

LIVINGSTON TX

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just as an update, the figure of $12,540 that I spend on my living quarters per year, is not the amount that I must live on per year. I will try to live as frugally as possible, but will not deny myself any luxuries.

Since I will be turning a magical age this summer, the government says that I must take a percentage of my investments out each year. This will give me more money and also give me a larger tax bill.

I must keep in mind that a bad day in retirement is better than a good day of work. I hope it won't be too bad.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well I'm no expert as I am not Fulltiming yet but I have just joined the website and am planning to full time in 8 years, 2 months and 21 days ;-)

Reading this long discussion, mainly to learn from many of you that are doing what I hope to, to identify if my thoughts on costs are realistic and determine if my dream is reachable. What I have discovered, is yes, it is reachable as long as I set realistic goals I can easily meet my and my wifes needs and if we maintain control of our wants at a level our additional income allows, we can live very well and be very happy.

 

Luckily, my wife and I are just as happy eating a home cooked meal as we are eating at some fine dining establishment. We would rather have a picnic lunch by a secluded spot with a nice view as we would go shopping and eat out. Finding things to do that we love that are reasonably inexpensive is not a task, but fun to us. Spending time walking a museum or visiting a horse barn, visiting amish shops or walking the streets in a small town or farmers market, all are great afternoons. Feeding the squirels at a park or ducks at a pond or spending the day drowning worms in the hopes of catching a fish are all good times to us both.

 

We will have $2500 a month along with a nice sized nestegg in the 401k to draw from for emergencies if needed. I appreciate all that contributed to the discussion to enlighten me on how they do it, things to consider and ways to trim costs if the need arises. Exactly the kind of diverse opinion and experiences I was hoping to find when I registered.

I've never seen a tombstone that said "He was a great employee". Be one but be an even greater husband, father, friend and person. That's whats important.

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Yes, We started off tent camping which I have done since I was a teen and my wife and daughter took to immediately. We bought a used popup camper about 5 years ago and did that for 4 years and last year we bought a Keystone Passport 235 Travel trailer which we love. The daughters 14 and a freshman and we are planning on retiring the minute I hit 60. She will be through college and the plan is to sell the stick and bricks and get a 1 ton and a toyhauler, one or both likely used. We plan on leaving the 401K as an exit plan if we ever need or want to come off the road and live off my pension and our ability to part time work or workcamp, volunteer for sites to reduce campsite costs or increase our income to the point we don't have to worry too much about site fees/electric.

I've never seen a tombstone that said "He was a great employee". Be one but be an even greater husband, father, friend and person. That's whats important.

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The daughters 14 and a freshman and we are planning on retiring the minute I hit 60. She will be through college .......

Keep in mind that nowdays, some kids come back home after college. :) Either get a big RV or don't leave a forwarding address!! Seriously, you'll do very well ad full-timers.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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  • 3 months later...

If I had say $150,000 to buy a S&B home - That home has two elements - the raw land it sits on and the improvements. The raw land is an appreciating investment and the improvements depreciate over time and are what require continual maintenance and upgrading to retain their value.

 

So why not split the two and get the best of both worlds. Find a nice $100,000 piece of raw land (with well, septic and electric and a nice pad) where you may want to end up and make a nice home base. Then take the remaining $50,000 and get your RV and hit the road.

 

Seems to take care of the negatives associated with each lifestyle. Even if you guessed wrong on location in later years you can sell the land and purchase wherever you now decide to end up. At least you have captured the investment and appreciation of S&B ownership over the years.

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Um... you will never "capture the investment and appreciation of a S&B" that you never build. And raw land really does not tend to be that great of an investment.

 

Also, this isn't the 1980s anymore. You're not likely to see 10% gains on your real estate from year to year anymore, (especially in locations that will allow you to park your rv on your land and live in it. Those places are not as common as they once were). A lot of people saw the values of their properties drop dramatically in the past few years and I don't see an economy that's going to recover to the point of giving it all back let alone a tidy profit for them hanging on. I hope I'm wrong but I'm not betting my money on it.

 

That said, I like the idea of a piece of land for a home base. I owned one for a couple of years that I put electric, water and a septic system onto as well as building a 12 X 24 barn. FWIW, I got enough out of it when I sold it to replace what I paid for the place and pay the real estate commission, almost. The losses that I took for my improvements amounted to about what I'd have spent had I just parked the rv in a nice rv park. It turned out to be a place to park some cash and it all worked out ok. And I enjoyed the time I spent there. But make money? No.

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A commercial lot, or 10-20 acres in the country, or a beautiful mountain top with magnificent views. Wherever you want to end up. You can always build your S/B home when you come off the road, whether that be a Park Model, a MFG home or a full retirement home. Point is you have the location locked in and paid for.

 

Too often I see people selling their S/B home to go on the road and dump all their money into a magnificent all electric wonder bus which continues to eat away their "investment" through depreciation rather than splitting it and investing part in land as a place to park the money and get some enjoyment/use out of it during their traveling years.

 

To each his own I guess.

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Boy here's another side of the equation:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-14/granny-s-gold-bars-are-key-to-vietnam-push-to-boost-dong.html

 

"Nguyen Thuy Huong, 64, is marketing her five-story house in downtown Hanoi for 7 billion dong ($330,000). She bought the house seven years ago for 190 taels of gold." 1 Tael of gold = 100 grams (About 3.2oz) so 190 taels = 19,000 grams

 

7 years ago in mid 2006 Gold sold for ~$550/oz = $17.68/gram so 190 Taels of gold = $335,920.00

Today Gold $1280/oz = $41.15/gram (1 troy Oz = 31.1 Grams) so that 190 Taels of gold today would be worth $781,850.00

(BTW - At its peak - mid 2011 gold was $1900.00/oz = $61.09/gram so that 190 Taels of gold was up to $1,160,710.00!)

 

So she bought her house in mid 2006 for $335,920.00 And now has it on the market in mid 2013 for $330,000.00

(Sounds like the US market)

 

Point is, had she kept the Gold, instead of buying the house she would now have $781,850.00 (Even in this down market!) - Instead all she has is a house worth $330,000.00

 

So if you are selling your S/B today and heading on the road where would you park your money?

 

 

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Tom,

 

You're making the assumption that we want to own a house again - not so. And 20 acres, why at 75 or 80 would I want to have to take care of that much land. Which will be miles away from (1) our daughter and (2) good health care.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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You're missing the point - It's do you dump 100% of your S/B sales $$ into an RV or park some somewhere for when you come off the road and buy a lesser RV with the rest. Your parked $$$ may be in land, stocks, gold, whatever. Big question is where would park it in today's market?

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Well our investment funds are doing just fine, we're up for the year and WAY up since the crash - as is anyone who stayed in and held on. Now you are qualifying your original statement so it makes more sense. You made the assumption that everyone wanted to own a piece of land/S&B when they get off of the road and you also assume that if they put everything they got from the sale of their S&B, that they had no other savings/assets set aside. And neither assumption is true. In fact, loads of people will never own a S&B and get along quite well in life. The last time I looked, you can't take anything with you.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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You're missing the point - It's do you dump 100% of your S/B sales $$ into an RV or park some somewhere for when you come off the road and buy a lesser RV with the rest. Your parked $$$ may be in land, stocks, gold, whatever. Big question is where would park it in today's market?

 

Easy question. In blue chip stocks that have a long history of increasing their dividends every year for 25 or more years.

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Big question is where would park it in today's market?

Good chance you would be parking it near the top of the stock or bond market like folks buying a house in 2006 at the top of the housing bubble.

 

Cheers John

John & Karen "1/3 - timers"

 

The best things in life aren't things.

Avatar: Padre Island National Seashore, TX

2008 17' Taylor Coach, Lightweight Trailer, 2050lb Dryweight (axles and tongue)

2007 Chevy 1/2 ton, Reg Cab, 8' Bed, 4.8L, 2WD, 3.23 Lock. Diff., Highway: 25 MPG Solo, 15-16 MPG Towing

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Every time I see someone fantasizing about buying land to become a home base, I am reminded of the ladies who wanted to buy land in rural Arizona (sand, no water, power or septic, inhabited mostly by rattlesnakes, nice view) and found they would be prohibited from living in an RV on the land because the county had zoned itself residential. One must always be aware of the wisdom of local governments or home owners associations.

Larry & Alicia SKP 72871

2003 Discovery 38T 2003 Acura MDX

Free in '03

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  • 1 month later...

what about the property taxes, maintenance, insurance and utilities? After being put on waivers by my ex, I took my rig out of storage, and have lived in it ever since. $400 per month rent. includes wifi, directv and all of my utilities. A lot cheaper than a house or apartment in SoCal

Solo Fulltimer

Former USAF SAC Cold Warrior

Senior Missileer

300+ Missions Under Montana

Keys in Twice

 

"While you slept.... I didn't"

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what about the property taxes, maintenance, insurance and utilities? After being put on waivers by my ex, I took my rig out of storage, and have lived in it ever since. $400 per month rent. includes wifi, directv and all of my utilities. A lot cheaper than a house or apartment in SoCal

Welcome to the forum, Gerald.

Arizona for a spell.

1995 HR Endeavor LE, 36' 460 Ford with Banks Systems
2005 PT Cruiser, 5-speed, ragtop

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While I couldn't live on that per month, nor would I want to. Without some type of work camping, I don't see how one could be happy living on that amount?

Many things are missing from the budget: health insurance to supplement medicare, set aside to replace your truck, RV or MH and the maintaince and repair cost, insurance on RV and truck, if rent is only RV space and utilities, TV and cell phone, internet, food, clothing ( which could not be much) and propane. Unless you were going to sit in one place all year and be hot or cold one half of the time fuel at almost $4 per gallon. It cost me about $400 in diesel to go from Texas to the UP of MI, one way. I also wonder what that monthly amount will buy in ten years? Good luck you will need it.

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Wow this thread is still running .It is interesting and of course everyone's way is the best and actually it is. As we have stated before we live the best of both worlds. We have the S&B in Northern Ohio and now a property in Florida, We have been long timing since 2006 and it works well for us. We will be out of here in about a month or the first snow flurry which ever comes first. we do not keep very good records of our travels. We do have a sort of personal blog but it is not for public view. It is so we can remember where in the ^&%$# we have been.

 

We have traveled around 60K miles+ since winter of 2006 maybe more. We have put over 75 K miles on our tow vehicle and it rarely goes anywhere without a 5th wheel following it.

 

We worked a long time, invested , saved, planned and we are enjoying our great adventure. We have not yet ran out of $$$ and Mother nature has been kind to us. .

We kind of took a summer break this year the first since 2006.We enjoyed it. The S&B came in handy. We continue on...We all do the best we can...

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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