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Is our budget realistic?


Krash

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I'm not one to urge people to go for it before they feel ready "just in case" something bad is coming down the road. For one thing, it's no fun to be out there if you are worrying about money all the time. For another, you can have a perfectly good life living in the stix and brix a bit longer. It's not as though it's fulltiing=good not-fulltiming=bad.

 

Personally, I'm glad we pushed it just a bit and moved to this lifestyle. At the same time, I don't see anything wrong with a person holding steady waiting for another shoe to drop before making the move.

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2005 Safari Cheetah Motorhome

 

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Scott,

 

Often times when one partner is saying they need to wait a little longer for more money it is because they really aren't sure so it is a delaying tactic. There is a difference between having enough to be comfortable and having more 'just in case'. It is like waiting to get married or have a baby until 'we have enough' - - most of us never got to that point, but the rewards were worth not waiting for everything to be perfect.

 

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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Scott,

 

Often times when one partner is saying they need to wait a little longer for more money it is because they really aren't sure so it is a delaying tactic. There is a difference between having enough to be comfortable and having more 'just in case'. It is like waiting to get married or have a baby until 'we have enough' - - most of us never got to that point, but the rewards were worth not waiting for everything to be perfect.

 

Barb

 

Good point. If it isn't really financial then it's a relationship issue. Likely it's time for the one who wants to sell it all to acknowledge that that's probably not going to happen and begin to seek compromise. We who love fulltiming tend to think we're the normal ones and the spouses who don't want to get rid of everything for a life on the road are somehow just not understanding. Really, though, we're the ones who are marching to be beat of a different drummer and they are simply looking for a normal life.

 

The response of the spouse who wants to go fulltime is, I think, to seek compromise; maybe trying long-timing for a winter.

 

I feel really uncomfortable with the idea of coaching someone in ways to drag their spouse into fulltiming. I think it's great for a couple to sit down and really talk it out - both expressing their desires and concerns. Sometimes if we really listen to each other we realize we're not very far apart after all. For instance, she might be concerned about missing Christmas with family - the fix could be a flight home for the holidays. -or- It might be a really big deal like fear of losing everything (something that is possible if the fulltiming wannabe spouse wants to take all the house money and put it into a motorhome). If the couple works together they can likely find some middle ground and start from there.

Our "Here and There" Blog

 

2005 Safari Cheetah Motorhome

 

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Often times when one partner is saying they need to wait a little longer for more money it is because they really aren't sure so it is a delaying tactic.

 

I feel really uncomfortable with the idea of coaching someone in ways to drag their spouse into fulltiming.

 

These are both very good points. My post was addressing allowing yourself to obsess over finances. I am a firm believer in financial planning before one goes on the road or makes any major lifestyle change including the basics of an exit plan, but I also believe that it is vital for a couple to both want to go fulltime for that to work well & both live happily. I could name you more than one couple who we have known where one partner reluctantly went on the road just to keep the other happy. None of them stayed for very long and the reluctant one usually has less than ideal memories of their fulltimer experience. There have been several active participants in these forums and Escapee members who left the road because of that problem. Not so very long ago, one of our members here made his final post in these forums ending with the remark, "My heart aches as I sit looking out the window of the house at the RV sitting there idle." The author of that post is still a friend and he has adjusted but his motorhome is now sold and he has moved on to find other ways to be happy and occupied because his wife was never really comfortable on the road. It is my opinion that if they had only gone out seasonally or part-time they might well still RV today.

 

I can't think of even one couple that we know or have known who stayed happily on the road for many years who were not people who were more than lovers but also best friends and the other person's favorite company. You may be able to travel happily for a few years with a reluctant partner and a few even convert the reluctant partner into an enthusiastic team member but if your partner is finding one flaw after another with your fulltime plans, be very sure that the problem isn't that they really don't want to fulltime!

 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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...but also best friends and the other person's favorite company….

 

I don't think this can be stressed enough. Especially when there are problems (and their will be problems, things happen) having your friend with you can help in turning lemons into lemonade.

 

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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Well, our new RV is in the driveway. We started out this life in our late 50's and our grown kids were not ready to let us go. We have listened to other people. We have helped raise a child to her teenaged years. Now, she wants to live with her mom, which releases us, even if we did not want to be released. We have lived for the whims of others, now it is our time, even though the road might be shorter. But, we do have to get rid of "stuff" again. In my 50's, stuff did not matter. Kin have passed away and left us "treasures" they could not take with them to their happy hunting grounds. Neither can we. I do think I will have to store the big round oak table and chairs, the 1920's bedroom suite, a few other things. Maybe the grandchildren will want them one of these days. If not, the storage place can make money off of our departure. My mom is 94 and has no use for this "stuff" and really, neither do we. The retirement has not kept up with the cost of living, but we can still live comfortable and now we have an RV that will not push us down hills. Pulling it home Friday, we could not even tell it was behind us. After three 5th wheels, one overhead truck camper, and now a travel trailer, we are going to head for the blue roads again. We might make it to California this time. The budget? We will have to see how that goes. We only know this, living in that travel trailer could not be too much more expensive than the upkeep on this big home we have now. Husband is hard of hearing now, and know we can keep up with each other in the TT. Budget will be made as we go. Plan ahead? We did that before, and now nearly 20 years later, still think it is able to be done. We live in a very expensive big house now. We will find out "how bad it can get." One time we saw a stranded camper on the banks of the Caddo River. The water was rising.

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I love reading these types of threads and study them any time they are brought up and find them so very useful to us based on different perceptions and thoughts. I wholeheartedly agree with Jack about the more, more, more or "One More Year" thoughts of some (that was me for the past few years!), but equally that having enough is most definitely important before embarking.

 

We are not full time on the road by any means just yet (very much extended timers for the past several years on and off). We have toyed with the lure of going full time, remaining extended time, back and forth purely due to concerns on finances, as once we cut the umbilical cord for us there is no opportunity to return to what we gave up. Making the wrong move could totally shoot ourselves in the foot for restoration in the future. Now we have managed to come up with something in conjunction with our youngest that can be a total win win for us all, besides which she's said she'll look after her mum and dad in their old age if the proverbial hits the fan and we end up penniless (LOL = we'd never expect that!). For us, our dilemma truly was worrying about running out of dollars before air, finding out the grass isn't always as greener on the other side of the fence as it sometimes appears, and YES both of us want to do this, so that wasn't and isn't an issue.

 

Whilst I agree, as indicated to, that some folks do put up masked excuses when one isn't as committed to the FT lifestyle as their partner, I know that there are others out there that truly do have bonfide concerns about the emotions of leaving family/friends/community and definitely financials, based on how you are set up (we are all set up for finances and abilities/skills differently!). Absolutely there is no one size fits all budget, but we all need some kind of a financial map, just as we do when we set out on a journey to a set destination we've never been to before.

 

We look at those that are earning income on the roads, and for us there is not one thing out there we feel we have the ability, skills or legal status at the time to perform, but more importantly for us, we are early retiring, and wanting the choice of volunteering or working where and when we want not because we are financially struggling and have to. If we still wanted to work we'd be better off staying as we currently are. You could argue that we could host in Canadian CGs for 3 or 4 months of our limited summers to save on costs, but that's not our dream in hitting the road - our dream is to see and experience all this wonderful continent has to offer, whilst still fit enough to do so. We are unlikely to spend (well at least that is our intention!) more than a week or two in anyone specific area unless we really really like the feel of it and want to stay. I can see us moving 50 miles further down the road, so travelling slowly, more like a tortoise - exploring an area then moving on a bit further. Consequently we are trading off savings by boon docking for higher gas consumption and needing a little more budget than when typically staying put somewhere. We are most conscious of this being a lifestyle not vacation mode, but as almost all have admitted before us, for most long term on the road fully retired, they started off moving more often - I can see us doing the same initially (we have never been sit back doing nothing lying on a beach for days on end types), and eventually settling down to spending a month or two at a time in organized CG's/Resorts when we've covered most of what we want to see and do after many years. With so many states and provinces, to say nothing of intricate little towns, NP's, SPs, and more to explore, it's going to take us years and years to work through our list (LOL).

 

One thing that's become very clear to us if it helps Krasher and Kilted Pig, is that when you view a lot of the "more recent" budget blogs kindly posted by folks like Scott here, Roadslesstraveled, wheelingit, technomadia, gonewiththewynns, Lee&Trace of camperschronicals and many others - when we adjust based on our style the majority seem to fall in that $3,000 to $4000 range somewhere per month giving somewhat comfortable wiggle room. Of course there are tons of others out there proudly reporting to live on less than a $1,000 or less than $2,000 per month, but one has to question is that how they would be comfortable living their "dream" on the road? RVSue and her Canine crew work on a wonderful budget and she loves the way she travels, but is that the way you'd want to? Same with Ms Tioga and George (off the road now bless him) who I enjoyed reading for years a long time ago. As I said, we all have to consider that not one size fits all our dreams and aspirations moving forward to FT RVing.

 

Something in many threads started like this one I rarely ever see budgeted for is inflation = increase each year of the budget as costs invariably increase. Look at what we were paying for a site, services, etc 10 and even 5 years ago. I know our monthly expenditures have increased exponentially over those years, especially grocery costs. As well no mention of an emergency fund budget or setting aside of savings for the future. For us I know we want to continue to add to our TFSA until hopefully if we are spared we are able to collect OAS & if necessary GIS. The reason being, that monies realized in these accounts are not counted as part of our income so wouldn't affect our entitlements in future years of the aforementioned. Monies earned through a RRIF, non-registered savings or income would affect it.

 

I realize none of us have a crystal ball and have no clue what may come around the next bend, but we have become very conscious over the years of how many folks headed out on the road ill prepared or overspent at the front end on a brand new huge rig when "their" particular budget and way of living didn't lend itself to such a capital outlay. They came off the road due to not being able to realize what "their" dream of FT Rving was longish term. I also have taken the attitude that if we want this to happen we've got to make it happen, accept some risk, a lot of compromise, and we truly won't know how the dice will fall on our finances until we actually get out there permanently and have eliminated our SnB's costs totally.

 

Speaking very hypothetically and based on those retiring from what's deemed successful/good income careers: Whilst anyone of us could say "we need $5/10million in the bank to feel we can retire comfortably to the road, realistically a) can we, the majority achieve that in this lifetime? or B) Can we manage on $1.6m or $500,000 based on our ages and when we are due for pensions/supplemental incomes etc and make this happen? c) Do we want to FT that badly we are willing to sacrifice having enough finances to support the lifestyle by being prepared to work either on the road or at set areas for months or longer at a time. OR: d) Are we looking to FT purely as a cheaper cost of living and happy to set up in a permanent trailer park type situation or close to? e), f) g) etc...... there's just so many different reasons folks look into becoming FTers, and so many ways to make it work on any budget.

Another item I rarely if ever see budgeted for on FTing budgets is for "vacations". Whilst many may retort and say RVing is a vacation, when it comes to FTing lifestyle after the initial honeymoon period is over, I've read most like to have something like a cruise or vacation style trip to look forward to at various times.

 

Like Barb and Kirk concurred, I do truly believe that being best friends and enjoying each others company, not just spouses is the major key to success going FT in 300-400sq ft. Hubby loves fishing, I tolerate it, he loves having me as his caddy for fishing, I oblige every so often which makes him happy. He loves soccer and hockey which I detest - he watches I go elsewhere and do something else where I can't hear it. I love kayaking and rafting, his shoulder and back problems makes it not as easy for him, but he'll support me in my quest. I don't enjoy at all driving the RV, but I do it to give him a break and ensure I can get us out of anywhere should he be unable to. We work together at everything, no matter what we like or dislike and get things done quicker when united. We recognise each others strengths and weaknesses and plan around them accordingly. We've learnt to compromise for the past three and half decades and both of us thrive on making the other one laugh or smile many times a day. We try never to say no to each other, same as we reared our kids trying never to say no, unless it's a genuine safety concern on the others part or would have a major impact on our lives ie; he wants a $300,000 DP, I am concerned how our budget will work when we get out on the road. He agrees lets get out there with our old reliable gas engine coach and test the waters for a year or two first.

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