You girls keep me looking forward!

[Irmi]

Anne, for $ 350.00/mos at Wandering Oaks in Ocala, we have a lot that is 100 feet long. They have a club house and an immaculate bath house and laundramat. There is no pool or Jacuzzi or golf course. We don't need that. We need a campground that is kept up well and has level site. We also don't need to be on the ocean or a lake. For lots of people, that is important, but it comes with a price.

[MelissaD]

There are annual memberships like Coast to Coast than can lower you to around $10 a night but there is an initial load if you will. You need to be a member of a Coast to Coast (C2C) campground or a "home CG" and those can be expensive to join and normally include annual maintenance fees. We belong to one such "resort" but don't travel enough at this time to maintain the C2C membership ($179 per year). C2C also gets you access to condos and other resort destinations but that's not us.

There are places you can buy memberships to different "home CG's" at reduced prices for members that no longer wish to maintain their memberships (that's my story and I'm stick'in to it). The memberships can range from a thousand dollars to $10,000 or so depending upon the location. Some memberships are transferable to family members for a fixed number of generations. Some include access to cabins and boat rentals. I can rent a pontoon boat for $20 a day plus fuel on a choice of 2 near by lakes.

We figure 10 days of camping per year cover our maintenance fees. 250 nights pays for our initial membership. So 60 nights a year for 10 years and I've recouped my investment. We can camp for 13 consecutive days as part of our membership for no cost and then we have to come off site for 5 days. Then we can go back on for another 13 days at no additional cost. If we wish to buy our "off week" and camp in the back, we can do so for around $100 (5x20=100). We camped at our home CG around 60-70 days this year (did not keep count). I can also store my RV there for $200 per year. Have you seen storage rates? That's a deal!

Point is; there are many options. Depends upon your budget and needs/wants. Some people like to move every week and thus ask for the weekly rate, boondock for a week or so and others move from state and federal parks as they do their annual migration. Others like to sit for a month or so at a time. I like my full hook ups, pools, activities, pot lucks, "CG friends" and other amenities. Resort life is for me. Someday it may not be, but the beauty of a camper, "home is where I park it".

[BarbaraRose]

My plan is to take up to a year on the road to see a good part of the country. I calculated my figures and came up with approximately $1800/mo for all my expenses. It will be more or less depending on where I am, how much I am moving and any emergency issues.
After that, I will find a place to call "home" and travel just part-time from then on.

I will be using the money I get for my dad's house when we eventually sell it, most of which I will put aside for future expenses/housing. I only plan to spend around $15K to $20 on a used Class C. I don't plan to stay in fancy places since I will be on the move a lot that first year and will boondock as much as possible too. I don't eat much so that expense is low for me. I won't watch TV other than maybe for watching movies. Can use internet for news, etc. like I do now, so that saves on satellite costs. I have cheap Tracfone service. Other expenses are insurance (health, vehicle), road side assistance, and misc personal necessities. (Can't remember all what I wrote down and can't find the paper I figured it out on right now). Also figured in for emergency/maintenance costs. Being that I haven't done this before, I may be way off and need to recalculate these amounts once I get going, but I do have a little wiggle room, if I am wrong. There are always ways to cut back, or take time to do some workkamping to make a little money when needed, too.

Where there is a will, there is a way!!

[IrishIroamed]

Bear -
Money is probably a big consideration for all of us. I do not have an RV at this time, and no one in my family has had one either, but it's something I've been thinking about for a long, long time.

I found this website's information helpful. http://www.rv-dreams.com/financial-information.html This couple has uploaded to their site a lot of good information such as one time major things, as well as their budgets and actual expenses for everything you can probably think of. Granted these are for a couple, but it may give you a better idea of costs, and then you can take it from there on how much you want to do (eating out, seeing things, staying in one spot, etc).

Louise -
Your link didn't work for me. Here's the link -hope it's the one you were thinking of. http://rvsueandcrew.net/

[havingfunnow]

Sorry my link didn't work! Yes, that's the one.

[Readytogo]

This involves a lot of personal choices, just like when people always ask "what kind of rv to buy"? I have thought about it myself, because my house is paid for but my rv is "upside down" So this goes thru my mind every oce in awhile, because I think maybe the expense of keeping up the house is more than living in the rv wold be. But I don;t really want to do it. Im like water, pools and spas, (Irmi and Steve were teasing me about this a couple of years ago!) so I would rather "camp" a couple times a year right now as opposed to sleeping in Walmarts! But I think I am in the minority. For those who know about the recent drama in my life, I think this may have been a factor too. I was willing but the new person I think may have been more willing. Wendy

[chalet05]

The past 9 months I have stayed in driveways, WalMarts, spent 12 days at Disney World, used my Thousand Trails membership, COEs, casinos, Passport America, pricey nights at the beach. RV Parking has been roughly $2500, (about $769 of that was Disney World) but I think I paid some out of pocket without recording it. These are all things you learn along the way. When hubby and I first started out in 2000, we were shocked at campground expenses and joined Thousand Trails (not for everyone). It is just a matter of how you choose to do it. There are so many options.

Since I started travel in April, I have spent almost $4,000 for diesel. That is $445 a month roughly. I have been in 27 states. Of that time, the total amount of time I was off the road was 3 months - staying in one place here and there.

I have been full timing for 6 years. When I can't do this anymore, I wouldn't want a house to go back and take care of - nor all the stuff in it. I know this from experience because that is what I did after my husband passed away while we were fulltiming.

My approach was to figure a budget based on my income and plan according to that for fuel and parking.

Recently I bought this booklet at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Campgrounds ... ampgrounds.

[BirdbyBird]

For many of the folks that sell homes and take up Full-timing...the reasons and choices are all individual. The reality that down the line....a year or many years.....there may be reasons to return to a home without wheels but the reality is also that by that time a smaller home or an apartment fits lifestyles better than the original larger family home......

Nick Russell has presented seminars on the frugal RV'er for years. It can be done on a tight budget. The alternative is to not have tried and sit in the rocking chair and think about what you might have done or seem.

[Bethers]

I have not yet put over 10,000 miles a YEAR in my 9 years full-time on my rig (unless I did my very first year - would have to look that up). This past year has been one of more mileage for me - I ended the year early - as I'm including my Baja trip on 2014 - and put 9100 miles on the rig.) And believe me I travel. 3 trips to Alaska, on my 2nd to Baja ... it's all in the planning and knowing of where you want to be. There is no reason for me to travel across the country and back every year. So, there are several ways to travel and it doesn't require a ton of miles, or a ton of money. I couldn't imagine spending all that money talked about on camping. Yikes. lol. I also discovered workamping and enjoy doing it - so that saves me even more.

I not only sold everything - after keeping things in storage for 2 years, I gave away things I should have sold - some worth good money - to get rid of the storage locker. What I spend on storage I could replace everything and if I still had the storage locker now, after 9 years - well, I hate to think how many times I could have replaced everything). Well, almost everything. A few pictures are at my sisters. If, by chance, I ever had wall space again, I wouldn't mind having them back - although I know one is hanging on one of her walls now and I'd never consider asking her to remove it. Just glad it found a good home! But I'm not saying some shouldn't keep a storage locker if necessary - for their peace of mind - at least for awhile. I wish I hadn't, though.

If this is a dream of yours, I say go for it. But only you can make the final decision.

As to my health and a house - to be honest, the house I was in wouldn't be where I'd end up if my health went bad ... just sayin'.

[JudyJB]

I spent more on campgrounds and less on gas than your estimates. (I drove about 19,000 miles my first year, and will probably drive less this year.) There have been times when I do a lot of traveling, but I try to travel a bit more slowly now--maybe 4-8 days in each campground. I stay almost entirely in state and national parks. State parks very seldom offer weekly or monthly discounts, unfortunately, but my goal is to see things. I would like to stay in more COE parks because I love them, but they are concentrated in some states and almost non-existent in others.

I eat almost no meals in restaurants, so my food bill is a lot lower than some estimates I see online where the couples ate out a lot. Not very many restaurants where I go anyway. I also save money by not having a towed vehicle which would cost more in insurance and payments. In your estimates, make sure you include medical insurance and copays, and insurance for all vehicles and your belongings.

So the difference is really what kind of "style" you have in terms of camping. I suspect as time goes on, I will probably do less moving and more staying in one place.

[BarbaraRose]

. The alternative is to not have tried and sit in the rocking chair and think about what you might have done or seem.

That would be a real shame...

[Redetotry]

Wendy, I'm with you and MelisssaD, we should team up for a trip, I think I would like the parks with the amenities and entertainment. I get enough of the outdoor experience right in my own back yard.
There is really a lot of good information here as to the various traveling options and budget planning. I personally think not selling your home until you try life on the road for at least a year is a good idea. Like others have said, it may or may not be what you thought once you try it, or there here is the possibility that you will find that you would like to live in a different part of the country. To begin with think about buying used with the idea of starting off smaller and if you find this life style is what you want, trade up when the time is right. I also would not pay cash for a rig if/when you sell your house, invest the $$ and pay part of your expenses with the interest.
Barbie you said you plan to spend around $15K to $20K on a used Class C. Speaking from expensive experience, don't buy something that is too old

[Cudedog]

Barbie you said you plan to spend around $15K to $20K on a used Class C. Speaking from expensive experience, don't buy something that is too old

So. . . (having never looked for one) how old is "too old", and what would be a ballpark price for a good used Class C or Class B?

Good thoughts, everyone! I am really enjoying this thread.

Thanks!

Anne

[Bethers]

Depends on what YOU consider too old, lol. Barbie's price would probably have me buying a bit older than I want, only because of the low mileage and how long I'd want to keep it. I purchased my 1999 in 2005 for the mid-20's and still have it. Age isn't the problem as much as what damages and how it's been cared for. I expect to turn over 100,000 miles this year - if my leaks agree to not get worse - and those happened under my care. I couldn't have bought a better first mh for ME ... it's been wonderful. And for a couple years now I've been looking at possible replacements, and even with the leaks, etc ... nothing has made me want to make the switch.

[Redetotry]

Barbie you said you plan to spend around $15K to $20K on a used Class C. Speaking from expensive experience, don't buy something that is too old

So. . . (having never looked for one) how old is "too old", and what would be a ballpark price for a good used Class C or Class B?

Good thoughts, everyone! I am really enjoying this thread.

Thanks!

Anne

Anne, in my opinion, anything over 10 years old is too old to buy used unless maybe a diesel. I bought my Pleasure Way which is a class B three years ago in Sept. and it is a 2003 model on a 2002 Dodge Ram 3500 which was reported to be a good engine. I bought it from a dealer who had the highest ratings for Class B's according to RV.net and people fly in from across the country to buy because of their reputation. So, I did not have the engine looked over, but based on the inside and outside appearance which looked new, the fact that it had less than 60,000 miles and it was what I was looking for I purchased it for $28,000. I knew I would need new tires in a year but besides those I have replaced the timing belt, (which usually is good until 80K or 90K miles, the water pump, oh and another thing that is near the timing belt, the radiator, and a repair to the A/C. There may be a few other repairs but those are all I remember off hand. The good thing is though ,small RV's are very in demand right now & I wouldn't take to big of a hit if I sell. Class C's sell for less, I recently saw one advertised near Chicago that I would have looked at if it hadn't been a 6 hour drive in bad weather. It was $30K and I believe a 2005, one owner with low mileage. Right now in the used inventory at the place I bought mine, there is a class C '08 Forest river Lexington, 28' with 3 slides priced at $53,000. and a 2007 Class B Roadtrek 21' for the same price. I found they discount the online prices about 20%. Hope this helps!