trucks...

[Colliemom]

Anne, I have seriously given thought to doing what you have done with your van only I would do like my folks did and have it wired for electrical hookups.. There is a lot to be said for being footloose and fancy free. But, what has stopped me from doing it, is living in a snowbelt. They are not good for winter driving up here. One really should have either an all wheel or 4 wheel drive here. There are vans with all wheel drive, but going through deep snow in our side roads like here, on weekends when they are not plowed, can be tricky sometimes if we have really heavy snow. I see more and more vans around in summer, but very rarely in winter. , So I would have to have two vehicles which I don't want to do. So I stick to a trailer for now.

I don't know you folks in CA can live out there with all the high expenses you have. Might be nice weather and all that, but sure wouldn't be my cup of tea. But we all live with what we choose to have and do.

Out of curiosity, how much is gas out there on average. Ours is around $2.21-23.

[MandysMom]

Just a thought to add to above--- Unless you could plan to live full time in your chosen new trailer or motorhome?
Velda

[BirdbyBird]

There is another issue that has been mentioned before. The difference in moving to California to retire...from a state with retirement systems and earnings based on that's other state's economics and retiring in CA after working there for 30 plus years. It makes a difference. My retirement funds are related to the working wages of Ohio teachers. Nice enough but I don't think I can retire comfortably to places like NYC or CA. But I can travel around and visit!

Tires and tire replacement is also different whether you keep a vehicle around forever until it dies I like I do or you are mostly leasing vehicles and trading them in every so many years.

We are a diverse people with personal choices, preferences and past experiences and personal insights. We throw it all out there but we also understand that each of us sorts through the useful information from our own perspectives.

[MandysMom]

Sue, you asked about gas price. Today's low in my region is $2.49 with Costco at $2.55 and average for regular is $2.88.
And as I said legislature in process of raising gas tax by 13 to 20 cents a gallon over next few years and summer blend gas coming soon will raise it more. Welcome to California ! We live here where I grew up and where we worked and earned our retirements. Our house will soon be paid off so we are ok. Our medical care and insurance coverage are good. Mel needs UCD Cancer Center so we don't have a lot of choice. We would be limited as to where we could move with major medical center with expertise in rare cancers and be able to afford to live as well as we do. Then there is our disabled son with established doctors.
Velda

[dpf]

I'll throw in what I've been told and observed. If you plan to buy a truck the best time is late spring and summer. Yes some of them ride as smooth as a car. I love driving our Silverado when I need it and can pry the keys out of DH hands Actually I think it rides smoother than my Escape. I had to drive a friends Ford 250 to the dealer for them and it drove and rode like a dream. Have been told that in the Midwest the best time to buy trucks is in the late spring and summer. The middle of the winter especially after a storm you aren't going to get a deal. As far as RV's we've never bought new for the basic reason that we pay cash for them and have no desire to pay big bucks or interest on something for recreation that we can only use maybe four months out of the year. However our four units have been 6-7 years old and purchased from retired couples who had pampered the units. All of them were purchased in the late summer early fall when the owners were either moving, trading up but wanted more for the unit than the dealer offered, or didn't want wait until spring to sell it and have to pay for the winter storage. Dealers are going to offer lower prices at the end of the season too. I imagine the "season" depends on where you live.

I believe that Laura is telling you the truth about the cost of living in CA. My sister and all of her friends who moved to CA in the late 60's and early 70's have retired and moved back to the Midwest because the cost of living was so high in CA. All of them had very good jobs with excellent retirement benefits. I know that you love the San Diego area but as someone else mentioned it's expensive.

You have mentioned on several occasions that you will be receiving inheritance from your dad's estate. My suggestion is to use that windfall to secure your future on something that will appreciate in value. An RV is not likely going to do that especially if you just plan to use it for recreation. I don't want to squelch your dreams but even if you are one of the younger members of the forum retirement is not that far away. You have also mentioned that you aren't sure how much longer you will be able to take the strain of being on your feet all the time as a cosmologist. Right now things don't look that favorable for seniors in the future. JMHO

[Pooker]

Reality check! One should not choose the RV lifestyle thinking they will save money. As others said: camping in a tent may be cheap; doing it in an RV is not. Can it be done? Yup. But the more amenities you demand, the higher the cost. And the more folks who enter this lifestyle each and every year drives costs even higher. I know my hobby is expensive and many would think it's not worth it, but it's something I love and if I seriously worried about the cost of filling the fuel tank I wouldn't be doing it.

I also feel I must defend my state just a bit. Most Californians have moved here from someplace else - for a reason! They moved here primarily for the weather - the year round lifestyle - because they are sick of snow - not because it would be cheaper to live. You CAN live in California cheaper. Depends on where you are willing to live; and how you are willing to live. The community I live in offers a fenced RV storage lot to residents for only $12/month! I live in a mobilehome community. Many people wouldn't want to live in a "trailer park". If you insist on living close to the LA area and it's surrounding cities and valleys you are going to pay a higher price for that. Same could be said of any large urban area - Chicago, New York, and I'm originally from Massachusetts - you want to discuss costs in the Boston area?

Barbie likes the San Diego area (what's not to like?), and since she's lived here before she knows it will be more expensive than other areas and yes, RV storage is pretty expensive and hard to come by. But if that's what she wants, she will have to face the price. I have friends who moved out of California when they retired. I also know many of them aren't living that much cheaper than they would be back here. We have 50 states to choose from. If fuel cost is your biggest concern, don't choose CA! But usually we swap one type of tax for another. Perhaps vehicle license and registration costs are cheaper. Or maybe property taxes. State income taxes or sales taxes higher or lower. I'm not sure there's one place where ALL the taxes are cheaper.

We all have different needs and desires. Just look at how varied we forum gals are. Whether we love motorized RV's, or towables, or vans, or like a turtle carry our portable homes on the back of our truck, we still have a lot in common.

Oops! Sorry - I got carried away. Stepping down off the soapbox right now!

Pooker

[monik7]

I feel a little taken aback by what some from other states have said about California. As a flight attendant after graduating from college I visited just about every part of the country. Having RV'd now for 5 years, I've seen much of the country in between all those cities I flew into. My take: there's no place (other than Maui ) I'd rather live. Yes I'm a native so that may have something you do with it.

I too hope Barbie puts away the majority of the proceeds she receives from her father's estate. It's the prudent thing to do. But I also hope she doesn't get frightened away from her dream. Having dreams is important and gives purpose to our lives. Making the move she so dearly wants will take a lot of time, research and planning to determine what will be best for her now and in the future. Barbie, keep your dream alive but use the information provided here and in other threads to make informed decisions that will affect you now and way into the future. Personally, I wish you could make it to California, but in a way that won't be detrimental to your future. Study everything. Good luck!
Sandi

[Colliemom]

Well said ladies, well said I love the way we can all chime in our opinions as being such a diverse group as Tina and others have said, living in different parts of the country, we all have our different views, which we should. I think we gave Barbie enough to think about and yes, I agree with the others Barbie, make sure you cover yourself, put a little aside for an emergency fund or a "rainy day" fund. Once you do that, you will at least have something "just in case". We all have our hopes and dreams and plans and the future is something none of us can see into. But we can prepare best we can.

[monik7]

I agree with the others Barbie, make sure you cover yourself, put a little aside for an emergency fund or a "rainy day" fund. Once you do that, you will at least have something "just in case". We all have our hopes and dreams and plans and the future is something none of us can see into. But we can prepare best we can.

What I would add to Sue's comment is: I believe you need to put more than "a little aside for an emergency fund." Yes you need an emergency fund, but you should also be putting away a substantial portion of what you get from your father's estate into your retirement fund. You are younger than most of us, but you'll be surprised how fast the years go by and how soon you'll be just like us. Getting a lump sum can be tempting especially if times have been hard and you have dreams. So as part of your planning, be sure to include research on where to best put a big portion of your inheritance.

I sure hope all works out for you, your dreams are realized and your future is secure.

Sandi

[Redetotry]

I lived in San Diego for two years and moved back to Illinois. I loved it and have always wondered how my life would have turned out had I stayed. Go for your dream Barbie, but like Sandi said do make a plan to save!! I still long for the fog and the smell of the air that comes off the ocean. I love entire coast of CA & OR, so I envy those of you who live there!

[gingerK]

As someone who received an inheritance when a parent passed, I second what has been said about squirreling it away. Yes, I did take a portion and buy my little mh, but the majority went into investments. Good luck Barbie, I hope you figure out what's the right way for you.

[AlmostThere]

Adding my two-cents.
*Concerning CA;
My friend was born and raised in San Diego. In fact, she is there now visiting her sister. I hear her talk all the time about how that city has gotten too expensive and wishes her sister would move. Alas, her sister has medical issues and has established Drs and medical facilities there so she isn't willing to.
My son retired from the air force in CA, and now works in the northern part of the state and lives in Yuba. He has made several trips to interview for jobs in other states because of the high cost of living there.
*Concerning RVing costs;
I wasn't enjoying RVing/my motorhome, because it not only was expensive using it occasionally, (all that has already been mentioned), but I felt I wasn't being prudent with my money which had to last me the rest of my life. Almost anything that has wheels is not an investment but an expenditure, and depreciates. I would advise Barbie to talk with a financial planner about her inheritance to get a realistic picture of her monitary future.
*Lastly;
Unless I was towing something like a small pop up camper/chalet type, I would definitely go with a full sized pick up or something with a similar wheelbase, power depending on what I was towing.