Quoted:
So I’m 53 and considering the RV retirement lifestyle of buying a nice RV and living in some RV areas for a few years just to kinda get away from it all.
I know the state parks and national parks usually have some kind of program for “full timers” where you can get discounted rates or even more-so if you’re a veteran.
Has anyone done this and what can you tell me about your experience or lifestyle while doing so?
I spoke to a lady that did it with her husband for several years and she loved it, but he passed away and she had to buy a residence.
Please tell me your experience if you will.

Quoted:
If you aren't handy and able to fix most things on the rv it's going to get expensive fast.

Size the rv so it is large enough too. Be comfortable in if there's a week of freezing rain outside.

I'm planning on buying a used Volvo sleeper semi truck to haul ours in the near future. Never have to worry about weight again and cheaper than a new or used dually.

If you are a veteran I know allot of bases have campgrounds on them that are available to active duty and vets. Have no idea on details though.


Look into being a campground host. In Missouri it's a non paid position but you get free rent and utilities. Duties vary by park. The one closest to me the host don't do much at all because the local prison inmates do most of the work.

There are companies that set up mailing addresses for you in places like Montana to deal with all the banking, taxes, insurance issues.

Quoted:
Best Think for you since you are still relatively young is to hit the road with a single female in her 30s.

She's old enough to realize that she needs a man and you enough to where she will actually help with shit on your trips.

Quoted:
Thanks again for all the replies.
I've talked quite a bit to my wife and this thread has helped a lot.
We've decided, after we're done with the rat race, and ready to retire, to try this lifestyle and see how it works for us. There's a ton to consider, but I think both of us could use some time away from the norm to get back to ourselves.
We just bought our new travel trailer to spend some family time with my son before he decides he likes girls more than nature. Once he leaves the nest it's all about us.
Thanks again for the replies.

Quoted:
I don't want to be the turd in the punch bowl, but the lifestyle you see on YT is not the one based in reality. For every beautiful day and vista, there are also days of rain, wind, shitty rv parks due to locked up reservations at increasingly busy national and state parks with the most horrible reservation system, etc. People are spending more nights at Walmart or Cracker Barrel along an interstate then they would like.
And boondocking is an option, but one that is starting to get more regulated with overuse as forest roads see closures and entire areas being closed to camping. You have to stay up on this and plan accordingly. And boondocking will rattle the piss out of any RV if its done enough.

And then there are the rv's themselves.
Take the shittiest, cheaply built house you've ever seen and hook it up to your truck and subject it to hurricane force winds and sustained earthquakes for hours at a time while you watch your gas needle drop like there's a leak in the tank. People believe somehow this was due to Covid. No, it has always been the case its just that more people know about it and are feeling it now than ever. They have always been shit.
There is nothing more expensive as a cheap RV. And getting parts to fix them is quite a challenge. Getting service is a whole other issue.

I know quite a few people who do this and yes, they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't want to. However, most of them have now figured they will not be sticking to their original plan and doing it as long as they hoped. It's a lot more expensive then they had realized. And those costs keep going up. We have met some great people out traveling like we do. And even have ran into them again and again. A few have stayed at our place while traveling through. And even more have my contact info if they ever need assistance while out in my area.

Our plan is that we travel in a very sturdily built very small off road teardrop with no systems to break down pulled by a Tacoma and go out for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. The model I have is fully skid plated, has a beefy custom frame and even the cabinetry is 3/4" high grade plywood. There is no water , heat (even though we have camped down to 11 degrees in it comfortably) or plumbing systems to break or maintain. It's one of those things everyone thinks is cool, but it's not everyone's style. And I get it.
I know a couple who rolled theirs 3x at 70mph and the family owned shop that builds them were able to fix it. I saw it in person as my build was underway. I still work a little and have flexible time so we use our home as a "basecamp". We hope to get out 85 nights this year and start doing 100+ next year.

Jump in, but jump in with realistic expectations. Figure in more nights at full featured rv parks, fuel and lots of maintenance. The boondock guys I know with the slide ins and large travel trailers do a lot of maintenance , tweaking and beefing up their rigs to avoid breakdowns.
The allure of that lifestyle, sadly comes with a price tag that a lot of people don't see coming until they are a few months into it.
But a lot of people make it work also. I guess half the fun is figuring it out as you go along.

Happy travels.
This is how I go. A queen sized bed on wheels, galley in back and interior cabinets. Its all I need. Canoe goes on top of the Tacoma. Bikes on a rack on back of the teardrop.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/130027/20220222_075706_jpg-3194155.JPG

Quoted:  i keep thinking about this, except boat vs RV.

Quoted:
i keep thinking about this, except boat vs RV.

Quoted:
I don't want to be the turd in the punch bowl, but the lifestyle you see on YT is not the one based in reality. For every beautiful day and vista, there are also days of rain, wind, shitty rv parks due to locked up reservations at increasingly busy national and state parks with the most horrible reservation system, etc. People are spending more nights at Walmart or Cracker Barrel along an interstate then they would like.
And boondocking is an option, but one that is starting to get more regulated with overuse as forest roads see closures and entire areas being closed to camping. You have to stay up on this and plan accordingly. And boondocking will rattle the piss out of any RV if its done enough.

And then there are the rv's themselves.
Take the shittiest, cheaply built house you've ever seen and hook it up to your truck and subject it to hurricane force winds and sustained earthquakes for hours at a time while you watch your gas needle drop like there's a leak in the tank. People believe somehow this was due to Covid. No, it has always been the case its just that more people know about it and are feeling it now than ever. They have always been shit.
There is nothing more expensive as a cheap RV. And getting parts to fix them is quite a challenge. Getting service is a whole other issue.

I know quite a few people who do this and yes, they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't want to. However, most of them have now figured they will not be sticking to their original plan and doing it as long as they hoped. It's a lot more expensive then they had realized. And those costs keep going up. We have met some great people out traveling like we do. And even have ran into them again and again. A few have stayed at our place while traveling through. And even more have my contact info if they ever need assistance while out in my area.

Our plan is that we travel in a very sturdily built very small off road teardrop with no systems to break down pulled by a Tacoma and go out for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. The model I have is fully skid plated, has a beefy custom frame and even the cabinetry is 3/4" high grade plywood. There is no water , heat (even though we have camped down to 11 degrees in it comfortably) or plumbing systems to break or maintain. It's one of those things everyone thinks is cool, but it's not everyone's style. And I get it.
I know a couple who rolled theirs 3x at 70mph and the family owned shop that builds them were able to fix it. I saw it in person as my build was underway. I still work a little and have flexible time so we use our home as a "basecamp". We hope to get out 85 nights this year and start doing 100+ next year.

Jump in, but jump in with realistic expectations. Figure in more nights at full featured rv parks, fuel and lots of maintenance. The boondock guys I know with the slide ins and large travel trailers do a lot of maintenance , tweaking and beefing up their rigs to avoid breakdowns.
The allure of that lifestyle, sadly comes with a price tag that a lot of people don't see coming until they are a few months into it.
But a lot of people make it work also. I guess half the fun is figuring it out as you go along.

Happy travels.
This is how I go. A queen sized bed on wheels, galley in back and interior cabinets. Its all I need. Canoe goes on top of the Tacoma. Bikes on a rack on back of the teardrop.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/130027/20220222_075706_jpg-3194155.JPG

Quoted:
Go to an overland expo.  
Read expedition portal.  

Quoted:
If its what you really want to do ...

RV life after work issues:
- medical and dental stuff is a fucking pain
- banking is a bitch if you are not with a national institution
- mail and such are a fucking pain
- road gets lonely
- shit doesn't last as long as you think it does

Those were the reasons my aunt/uncle un-retired and bought a smaller home after 9 years doing it.

Quoted:
I don't want to be the turd in the punch bowl, but the lifestyle you see on YT is not the one based in reality. For every beautiful day and vista, there are also days of rain, wind, shitty rv parks due to locked up reservations at increasingly busy national and state parks with the most horrible reservation system, etc. People are spending more nights at Walmart or Cracker Barrel along an interstate then they would like.
And boondocking is an option, but one that is starting to get more regulated with overuse as forest roads see closures and entire areas being closed to camping. You have to stay up on this and plan accordingly. And boondocking will rattle the piss out of any RV if its done enough.

And then there are the rv's themselves.
Take the shittiest, cheaply built house you've ever seen and hook it up to your truck and subject it to hurricane force winds and sustained earthquakes for hours at a time while you watch your gas needle drop like there's a leak in the tank. People believe somehow this was due to Covid. No, it has always been the case its just that more people know about it and are feeling it now than ever. They have always been shit.
There is nothing more expensive as a cheap RV. And getting parts to fix them is quite a challenge. Getting service is a whole other issue.

I know quite a few people who do this and yes, they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't want to. However, most of them have now figured they will not be sticking to their original plan and doing it as long as they hoped. It's a lot more expensive then they had realized. And those costs keep going up. We have met some great people out traveling like we do. And even have ran into them again and again. A few have stayed at our place while traveling through. And even more have my contact info if they ever need assistance while out in my area.

Our plan is that we travel in a very sturdily built very small off road teardrop with no systems to break down pulled by a Tacoma and go out for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. The model I have is fully skid plated, has a beefy custom frame and even the cabinetry is 3/4" high grade plywood. There is no water , heat (even though we have camped down to 11 degrees in it comfortably) or plumbing systems to break or maintain. It's one of those things everyone thinks is cool, but it's not everyone's style. And I get it.
I know a couple who rolled theirs 3x at 70mph and the family owned shop that builds them were able to fix it. I saw it in person as my build was underway. I still work a little and have flexible time so we use our home as a "basecamp". We hope to get out 85 nights this year and start doing 100+ next year.

Jump in, but jump in with realistic expectations. Figure in more nights at full featured rv parks, fuel and lots of maintenance. The boondock guys I know with the slide ins and large travel trailers do a lot of maintenance , tweaking and beefing up their rigs to avoid breakdowns.
The allure of that lifestyle, sadly comes with a price tag that a lot of people don't see coming until they are a few months into it.
But a lot of people make it work also. I guess half the fun is figuring it out as you go along.

Happy travels.
This is how I go. A queen sized bed on wheels, galley in back and interior cabinets. Its all I need. Canoe goes on top of the Tacoma. Bikes on a rack on back of the teardrop.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/130027/20220222_075706_jpg-3194155.JPG

Quoted:
I think it depends on what you're wanting to do and how long you plan on doing it.

Just doing the rough numbers to get a decent RV then figuring in gas, lot/camping fees, extra time to get to where you're going due to slower speeds in the rigs vs a car, maintenance, tow rig (if not self propelled) etc, it makes more sense in most cases to just road trip or fly to your destination and stay in a nice hotel, cabin, airbnb, etc.

Also +1 for the do the international travel now before you get too old.

Quoted:
I had two friends do it in retirement many years ago. Bought really expensive RVs and just live in them full time. They have been to every inch of the USA and Canada. Have not heard from either one in years so I guess they like it. Not for me though.

Quoted:
If its what you really want to do ...

RV life after work issues:
- medical and dental stuff is a fucking pain
- banking is a bitch if you are not with a national institution
- mail and such are a fucking pain
- road gets lonely
- shit doesn't last as long as you think it does

Those were the reasons my aunt/uncle un-retired and bought a smaller home after 9 years doing it.

Quoted:



We do the numbers too. 650 nights so far in our coach. Average cost in a hotel is appx. $180. 650x180=117,000. We paid $106K for ours in 2016. Today it is an EASY sell at $85K. Sooo if you add fuel ( 65,000 miles @ 7 mpg, 500 nights RV campsite rental @ $45/night, insurance and a few repairs) and everything else we get appx. $50K. Add in the negative price reduction over the time we've owned it and I get $21K.

I'm hard cost all in $106K+$59K+$21K= $181K. We still have an $85K equity in it, hence $181K-$85K=$96K that we've spent (food excluded) for 650 nights of comfort, Direct Tv, Wife having her own bath, no car rental fees as we tow my truck, fabulous boon docking spots and more and more. All for an actual cost of $146 per night. These numbers are approximate as we've had full weeks FREE on beaches , free weeks in forests and untold overnights with no cost. My suspicion is that we're closer to $100 per night as we don't keep records on "free" nights.

Now for the best part. IF IF IF we were to sell it (we're talking about it) the reality is that the "$96K" figure will be reduced by $85K when we sell which leaves the math as follows. $96K-$85K= $11K of actual cost on the road for almost 8 years.

I'll say that using any RV as much as we have will result in similar numbers just as any RV sitting unused with payments on the drive way makes any nights spent costly nights. Being retired is a completely different plan that weekends or full time.

Quoted:


@ACEB36TC

You deducted the 85k resale value twice….  So you are off by 85k.  You didn’t get 8 years of use for 11k….  

Quoted:  I’ve wondered if the RV life is for me.

How is dealing with your own “black water”

Handling my own shit seems really low on my list of wants.

Quoted:
@autumnsong:
"We are Thousand Trails members but it is camping not luxury RV resorts. Buy a yearly membership to try it out first. Some love it some hate it. If you decide to buy a full membership buy it on the pre owned market. Not new."

Interesting!
1. Are these campsites for Thousand Trails Members only, or do they rent the spaces to anyone? Especially the seasonal Encore RV Resorts...
2. Where do you find the "Pre-owned market" for these memberships?
3. Do all of the campgrounds have hook-ups and waste water dump spots?
Note: They do have a Glamping Cabin membership as well if you want to get fancy.

Thanks for your info - very good!

Quoted:
I’ve wondered if the RV life is for me.

How is dealing with your own “black water”

Handling my own shit seems really low on my list of wants.

Quoted:
If you’re a single guy, you will love it. Because there are a lot of single women doing the same.

Quoted:
So I’m 53 and considering the RV retirement lifestyle of buying a nice RV and living in some RV areas for a few years just to kinda get away from it all.
I know the state parks and national parks usually have some kind of program for “full timers” where you can get discounted rates or even more-so if you’re a veteran.
Has anyone done this and what can you tell me about your experience or lifestyle while doing so?
I spoke to a lady that did it with her husband for several years and she loved it, but he passed away and she had to buy a residence.
Please tell me your experience if you will.

Quoted:


All of this. Having lived in an RV for over five years when I lived in Texas I can say that there are several issues never discussed on the youtube channels.

One- No RV, no matter what the cost, is meant to be lived in. If you read the manufacturers warranty info you will see that living in most of them for more than a month a year will void any warranty.

Two- No two RV's are the same. Even ones that come off the same assembly line. Pipes, wiring, etc... are almost always 'One-offs'.

Three- Mine never moved and I was constantly fixing plumbing issues, sewage issues, electrical issues......etc...

I got so good at fixing mine that I started a side business as an RV handyman. That's how I found out that warranties are shit! Parts are not universal even in the same make and model....and that people expect the RV to stand up to everyday wear and tear as if it was a house. Most RV Service centers will require you to drop your RV off for an extended period of time in order to fix issues as simple (and nasty) as cleaning out a black water tank that gets clogged.

If it is your goal I suggest you learn how to fix EVERYTHING in the RV yourself. To include the water heater, the wiring, slide motors, the plumbing, and for God's sake NEVER use a plunger if your black water tank is clogged.

I could go on for hours....  living in an RV can be a good thing if you realize that no matter how much you spend on the RV shit will break and at the most inconvenient times!