DannyE

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

On my website, I have reprinted by permission, a column about the cost of RV living that even though it was written back in 2001, it is as true today as it ever was and is still the best answer to the question of cost that I have ever read. I strongly suggest reading it.

Fulltime... How much does it take?

Thank you again Kirk. That was a well-written column. The idea that the expenses for full-timing will vary according to the lifestyle one is accustomed to makes sense, and I'd be wise to take a hard look at the must-haves vs. nice-to-haves. 

4 hours ago, fpmtngal said:

I think you could do it, not sure how much money you would actually save though.  It depends on where you stay, how much traveling you will be doing (higher fuel costs with a Class B compared to a small car), things like that.  Some people would not be able to do it nicely - depends on where you are going to go and what you plan on doing once you get there.  You’ll need to dump your holding tanks and refill your fresh water tank - while there are free dump places out there, much of the time there will be a fee.  I know some people will just plan on staying at a campground with hookups once in a while to dump and refill, perhaps to top off their batteries if their solar/generator options aren’t quite keeping up with things.  And don’t forget about the cost of the storage unit - mine is fairly expensive since it is air cooled (located in Las Vegas).  And insurance for an RV is more if you are full-time, something to add into your figuring.

Go for it - it would certainly be a better view!

Appreciated. I need to pin down the fuel costs and dumping/restocking logistics. I'd like to upgrade solar/energy storage and carry extra water to stay away from campgrounds for ~2 weeks at a time. 

Storage runs about 80/month here, so not too bad. Insurance on this sort of class B looks like 2k/month.

10 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Welcome to the Escapee forums! It would appear that you are in a good position to join the trend to working from the road. There is a growing portion of the Escapees RV Club who are doing similar to what you are thinking about and they now have a special section called X-scapers to better support them. I suggest that you visit the site and especially their community portion for some good advice.  

I do question the money you are looking at, but it is impossible for us to accurately predict what you will spend on the road without a lot more information on your lifestyle. One of our members just recently posted a their end of the year expenses for 2019 which is probably worth spending some time looking at. Keep in mind as you do so that these are retired people who do not spend time working and they live in a large motorhome, so their expenses probably be higher than yours but it should give you a starting point. 

The other caution that I would give is to realize the amount of depreciation that an RV typically has over the first few years of use. It will typically decrease by about 10% of current value each year, which after compounding means that in 3 years it will likely sell for between 70% and 75% of what you pay for it, and about 35% of purchase after 10 years. For this reason you might be wise to shop for an RV that is used but low mileage to save yourself those early, highest years of depreciation. Also it is important to understand that the depreciation will not be an acceptable deduction for the IRS. 

I hope that these thoughts do not deter you from pursuing this adventure as you seem to be an ideal candidate, but do so realizing that even though it probably won't save you a lot of money, it will give you a lifestyle of experiences that few people ever get to enjoy. I am now 78 years old and back to part-time RV travels, but as I look back I consider that our choice to retire and go full-time RVing at 57 and doing so for 12 years was one of our best life decisions. You have an opportunity to start before you actually retire!

Thank you Kirk! A lot of good info. The end of year expenses you linked to were eye-opening. I do hope my maintenance and cell/internet costs aren't that high. I'll have to dig in there to ensure I have it pinned down.

Your perspective on full timing @ 57 also jives with what I've heard from many others.

I'm still working on the math, but if I can end up no worse off when compared to renting an apartment,  I'll consider it a win. 

19 hours ago, sandsys said:

Before you get too far along in your plans I highly recommend you go to https://www.rvmobileinternet.com and learn about staying connected on the road. Lots of people are doing it but this couple will help you figure out your best way to do so. I am not connected to them other than being very happy to learn from them over the years.

Linda Sand

Thanks Linda. That site has a wealth of relevant info, and I've been reading about exactly that over the last few days. I used to work as a sys admin, but for my current role I'll only need a solid LTE connection for calls and the occasional video meeting. All else I can do without, or deal with the inconvenience of a slower connection. My plan was to pick up a direction antenna, amp, and LTE/WiFi router, but I'm early days on catching up with current tech, and I don't yet know how limited my boondocking options will be with those criteria. Seems like others are doing it.

Hi all! I have been kicking around the idea of full timing for a while, and I need to bounce my logic off someone to see if my plans are realistic.

I sold my condo and had been renting for the last 12 months, living downtown in a larger metro and paying around $3500 all in (rent/parking/utilities). My lease is up shortly, and I’d love to move my stuff into storage, buy a higher end/rugged/teched out class B, and spend a few years exploring. 

I work a 9-5 but am 100% remote, and I have 6 weeks of vacation that I can use for flexibility. I’ll need to stay within cell data coverage or close to it, but other than that I’m limited only by how much gas/water I can carry. I’m aiming for something like last years Winnie Revel, upgraded with lithium batteries and enough solar to power my gear. So ~125-130K all in, based on what I’ve seen via rvtrader. I’d be purchasing in February.

Here’s where I’m looking for another set of eyes. By my logic, even considering the monthly (~$1500 depending on term/down payment), maintenance, depreciation, and the plan to sell in 2-3 years, I’m still saving money vs. renting and I'll have a much better view. 

Please tell me where I’m being naïve, or what I should really consider before making this sort of leap. Thanks!