Is it Cheaper to live in a House or RV?

[Kirk W]

"Is it Cheaper to live in a House or RV?"

You need to define the term "live" first as it probably does cost less to maintain subsistence living in an RV than in most houses, but even there the range in what it costs is far less in a dump than in a mansion. Do you want to just survive, or do you want to enjoy life? And if you wish to enjoy life, what does that require as some people are happy to sit in a rocking chair while others want to play golf, fish, go to national parks, and on so on. No matter what you choose to live in, lifestyle will determine what the cost is.

[champ_49]

Said it before. It's no cheaper in an RV than a S&B in my opinion. You will spend what you always spend on everything else. And if your like most people, you will spend what you can afford. We have found it pretty much a wash. Your just living a different lifestyle is all and if your responsible, then you will only spend what you can afford no matter where you are at.

 

It's like anything else in life. Life is what you make it.

 

Dave

[Pieere]

Said it before. It's no cheaper in an RV than a S&B in my opinion. You will spend what you always spend on everything else. And if your like most people, you will spend what you can afford. We have found it pretty much a wash. Your just living a different lifestyle is all and if your responsible, then you will only spend what you can afford no matter where you are at.

 

It's like anything else in life. Life is what you make it.

 

Dave

 

 

X's 2+ Totally agree! If you got you spend it; just part of living!

[LFDR3116]

Various opinions, but it costs us much less to live in our RV than it did our house. Currently we use very little propane and our electric, water & sewer are included in our lot rent. Our monthly heat bill alone in the winter up north was as much as we pay for site and all utilities down here. We then are north in the summer so avoid the huge expense of running the AC all the time as they have to do in the south and volunteer for site/utilities in the summer, so even more savings. What we spent for gas in 2 vehicles running back and forth to work each month goes a long ways towards our travel expenses as we move around. Food and other expenses remain about the same.

[wa_desert_rat]

An RV gives you the opportunity to live cheaper than in a Sticks'n'Bricks. How you use it is up to you.

 

WDR

[ganto]

there's just to many variables involved!! id'e def do a lot of boon docking and make trips into town once a week to dump my tanks fill up my propane tanks groceries laundry. what kind of motor home are you planning on buying a class B B+ c or A. if you want to do a lot of boon docking or stealth camping I would go with a class B no longer that 21 feet so that you'll fit in with the community and not stick out like an eye sore!! there's lots of options available as well from solar panels to rain water collection systems!! I heard people spend any where from 400 a month to 1200 a month living in there RV. though I still think there's to many variables involved. I priced an rv park here in so cal and they wanted 300.00 a week so not for me. as well as califorina has a special force to write down licence plates and cameras all over the place to try and bust people. but they have something to where rvr's can buy some kind of sticker and park over night to that's not available where I am though

[majolle]

My 2 cents worth. I just decided on my RV and bought a 28' 5ver. The decision boiled down to simply this. I was sick and tired of the same crappy view I have had for last 12 years, and with the crazies running the government and taxes exploding like a lottery ticket from hell. I decided on a changing landscape and NO property taxes made the best sense.

[CapnDad]

From me personally, look at what you get from a house to an RV. You will make more money renting out a house. In a few years, you would be able to afford a nice RV and travel while collecting rent money from the house.

But if you are well set on travel, I would recommend just getting a motor home. It would solve your transport issues and give your transportation in an emergency. If you buy sa fifth wheel and rent a truck to move it, how do you plan to get around once you've reached your destination.

As to living more cheaply in a house or RV, well it depends on how you live (as has been said 100 times already) Rule of thumb though, you have less items in an RV and a more constant reminder to unplug them. Likewise, if you adopt that mindset in a house, you will save. Now, buying a house has its share of closing costs and property tax, homeowners insurance etc. Where as RV's have simply RV insurance with item coverage.

From my perspective, it would be EASIER to live less expensively in an RV, though profit turnout is greater if you buy and rent out a home.

[Gypsy Traveler]

I have grappled with this subject as well. We bought a fixer upper house in Idaho last May. Ever since, we've been working on it non-stop. What are the odds you buy a house with everything done. We've had to paint, new appliances,new flooring, outside deferred maintenance issues....the list goes on. Problem is, we are not happy here. The people around here are 'different'. My husband and I have always volunteered for Sheriff, SAR or Fire Dept. It's different here, and volunteer opps are scarce. I've survived cancer once. I have other chronic health issues. It's just me and him and our little furry son. We have investments that are doing well. We are debt free, except for the house, and we both get SSDI so income is fixed. For us, it all comes down to what will make us happy. We want to experience life, have fun and not be 'tied' to a house. Sure the RV will depreciate. Do I really want to live my life always being 'safe'? Not really. We only live once. When my Cancer comes back or when I'm 80 and too disabled, I want to look back on my Wild RV adventures!

[Kirk W]

I have grappled with this subject as well. We bought a fixer upper house in Idaho last May. Ever since, we've been working on it non-stop.

Welcome to the Escapee forums! It does sound as though its time to sell that house and get out on the road with an RV. Do you have previous RV experience? If not this is a good place to get help so join in with any forum and feel free to ask any & all questions as someone is bound to be able to help.

[ganto]

for me an RV is cheaper than a house. no property taxes just registration fees insurance is cheaper no public utilities you buy less things but I have to agree with dave with what he said about spending money on other things so it's never ending!!! sure a rig costs money but your buying your own hotel room and it will pay for itself over time. plus if I don't like my neighbors I can put the key in and go!! I would say that's a very big advantage!! then again I do a lot of boon docking and I know that's not a lot of peoples ideas of rving but were all different

[rjenkins]

Just for fun, I did a little research in our current location, (Casper WY). Our rent is $1200 for 1,000 sq. ft house, 3 bdrm, 1 bath, single-car attached garage, fenced back yard for the spoiled rotten pooch. Utilities, even in frigid Wyoming are fairly reasonable, about $200 a month for gas, electric, trash removal, water and sewer. Another $130 for over-priced cable TV, wi-fi, and house phone. Total for S & B's: $1,530 a month

 

About 5 miles from us, nestled in the trees in an ox-bow bend of the North Platte, is a typical RV park in these parts. Monthly rate is $680 a month. That amount covers all electric, water, sewer, trash removal. For $20 extra, you can have wi-fi, and for another $30 cable TV. Propane is whatever it costs to cook food, heat water and heat your rig in the dead of winter in Casper, Wy. I would estimate $150 a month, perhaps more. The park has full laundry facilities, estimate another $40 dollars a month or so to keep your skivvies clean. Total for full-time RV living in Casper: $920 a month, and that's assuming the RV is paid for. If it's not, you might be better off renting a house here. Also, the dog can't be left alone in the RV per park rules, and we can't just let him out the door into a fenced yard. Which means, one of us has to 'walk the dog' 2 or 3 times a day. It's a small thing, but quality of life is made up of small things.

 

I know living in an RV and also living in S & B's can be done a lot cheaper then these two examples, I just thought it would be interesting to compare apples to apples; that is, two options that are currently available in the same western oil-boom town. Which for us raises the question: Is having the extra room we currently enjoy really worth the extra $610 a month we're paying? That's the question that occupies my mind at present. But when I think about that difference adding up to over $7,200 a year... Well, just looking at that number has me thinking about moving in to the RV before I officially retire, give my notice, and leave town.

[Barbaraok]

But when it gets cold, you just move the RV south to warmer weather. Can't do that with a house.

 

Barb

[Jimalberta]

I think the long term people at Slab City live cheaper than they could in a stick and bricks. Question is ...is that the lifestyle you want to live? Its all relative .

[ganto]

200.00 a week is much cheaper than my house payment and insurance maintance utilites . no property taxes just registration fees

[ganto]

But when it gets cold, you just move the RV south to warmer weather. Can't do that with a house.

 

Barb

same thing if you don't like your neighbors also you can just put the key in the ignition and go

[ganto]

my rent for an apt was 1,675 a month not including utilities . my lot rent where I am now is 775.00 a month plus power. and I don't have to put up with noisy neighbors above me walking around all hours of the night

[richfaa]

Fortunately we have no problems with our Neighbors, City, Noise. We do move our Rv South in the winter. We do travel wherever we want when ever we want health permitting. Our S&B cost are low taxes are fair and affordable. We are very fortunate.

 

Having said that is should be less expensive to live in a RV than a House.

[ganto]

I have no problems with my neighbors also there a nice older couple who are retired and enjoying the life no problems with city noise as well. I live in a park fulltime because I got sick of paying the insane rent in so cal hell I even drive my house to work . I went with the E TREK because I basicly wanted an off grid system and I bought a second generator from power tech to run the power suckers and charge my batteries so I wouldn't put all of that wear and tear on the vans motor since these new diesels are already problematic why make things worse!!. for someone buckling down and wanting to pay someone to live I would go with an off the grid system because paying for a spot and the power takes away from the overall savings. I have no problems with paying for a spot and power I just understand that there's people out there that want or need to be more frugal than me!!

[Bob52]

Sold my travel trailer that I lived in for one year in a RV park. The rent plus utilities was only 300.00 a month and It was the same price for all the RV's in the park all year round. Bought a cheap house and now might just sell it and buy another camper for 8900.00. It is a Host 2005 model short bed. Been in the house for one year and getting tired of it. All I do is cut grass and take the garbage out.

 

The camper is below,

 

Host Bachelor 2005 one owner. Electric jacks. Slide out, rear awning, LPG, black and fresh tanks, A/C, wired for generator, 16x8.5 ft, bathroom/shower, kitchen.

 

 

[ganto]

Sold my travel trailer that I lived in for one year in a RV park. The rent plus utilities was only 300.00 a month and It was the same price for all the RV's in the park all year round. Bought a cheap house and now might just sell it and buy another camper for 8900.00. It is a Host 2005 model short bed. Been in the house for one year and getting tired of it. All I do is cut grass and take the garbage out.

 

The camper is below,

 

Host Bachelor 2005 one owner. Electric jacks. Slide out, rear awning, LPG, black and fresh tanks, A/C, wired for generator, 16x8.5 ft, bathroom/shower, kitchen.

 

 

Now see i'm full time and i don't have to cut the grass though i do have to take out the garbage . yes it cheaper to live in an RV over a SB house yes it is as well as it's less stresfull to . but it also really depends on the lifestyle that you want to live. you can make it as expensive or as cheap as you want, one more thing to adding into the cost of weather or not living in an Rv is cheaper than living in a sb house. have you added up all of your property taxes and the intrest that you paid on your morgtage. though i don't know how much your house is worth and it's none of my business but i'm almost sure that you could have had a top of the line RV with what you paid in all of that.. my light bill went from 600.00 a month to 5.00 a month why it's because i'm not running 10 tons of ac to keep the place cool!! where i'm at i don't have to pay for water and sewer it's included in the rent as well as garbage is to and my lot rent is 600.00 a month!!

[BrianT]

Sounds to me like anyone can argue the merits of their position, no matter what it is.

 

Mowing grass was never something I did more than once a week unless I really wanted to. And even then, I didn't mow from late fall into early spring, at all. How long does it take to mow a postage stamp? Some houses don't even have grass. (Our son's house in Phoenix, AZ comes to mind.)

 

Taking out trash? Wow, that made me scratch my head a bit. I've lived in an RV and I've lived in a house. I didn't see a whole lot of difference in the amount of trash output from one to the other. FWIW, at our house in Louisiana, I had about 40' to walk with the trash can to get it to the curb. At the RV park we're staying at now, it's about 500'. I think I average about once a week for that little stroll. It's not a life altering event.

 

I hope those who look at the RV lifestyle as 'cheap' do consider the costs of depreciation and repairs to said RV and consider the comparatively short life cycle of a typical RV. Not saying either a house or an RV can't be cheap or expensive. But apples be apples and oranges be oranges. Some places, apples be cheap. Other places, oranges be cheap. It's not usually the same places.

 

Whatever is right for you, enjoy! Just understand that what's right for one person may be wrong for another. And that's OK. Plus... if something in life changes, you don't need anyone's permission to change your mind. :-) Now go live your dream! LOL!

[Dutch_12078]

Owning a house is an investment, owning an RV is an expense. Living in a house is a responsibility, living in an RV is a lifestyle. The answer to which is cheaper to live in is easy: yes...

[Barbaraok]

Not all houses turn out to be good investments. In fact if most people included all they spend maintaining a house over the years in their calculations, it would be an eye opening experience for them.

[Dutch_12078]

Not all houses turn out to be good investments. In fact if most people included all they spend maintaining a house over the years in their calculations, it would be an eye opening experience for them.

 

Note that I only said "investment", Barb. Good or bad is a different issue...