Find better hacks to live in RV full time like a pro. The proven hacks can make your new RV lifestyle the best decision you ever made to choosing to go full time RVing.
Living in an RV has become the most preferred form of lifestyle in the modern world. You can engage in RVing as a family, couple, group or solo. You can also do RV living with kids since an RV has most if not all home appliances, then you have nothing to lose while on the road. The comfort and luxury you desire can still be obtained RVing.
So, how to do you live in an RV full time? You ought to buy the right RV, have a monthly budget plan for spending, abide by the law, get insurance, be able to live a minimalist lifestyle, manage other basic needs such as education, medical, and internet among others.
This guide provides an overview of
- Reasons RVers live in RV full time
- Things you must consider before deciding to do full time RVing
- Choosing your RV for full time living
- RV buying options (New RV vs Used RV)
- Benefits for full time RVing
- How to set up your RV at a campground (video)
Reasons to Live in RV
Love for adventures:
RV will not only be a home but enhance your curiosity to tour various places whenever you desire. Besides, it is cost effective to engage in adventure in comparison to renting places each and every time you go for camping.
Love of simplicity:
In comparison to living in an apartment, RV life is much simple since the RV will accommodate what you need.
You do not have to litter or engage in unnecessary hording with unwanted electronics since while in an RV, a malfunctioning device ought to be fixed or removed to create space for a replacement.
Healthy lifestyle:
Full time RV would enhance your mental well-being since your mind would be engaged in appreciating nature than thinking of stressful issues. Also, through engaging in fun outdoor activities, you become physically healthy by exercising.
Reduces expenses:
Travelling in RV saves cost. For instance, engaging in an RV camping as a family would be much cheaper than paying a hotel accommodation for a family for camping of the same duration.
Work remotely:
RV power system can allow you to work remotely. In fact, subscribing to an internet provider would go a long way to ease your internet access and you can still deliver your task while on the move.
Retirement plan:
You may wish to spend your life after retirement in an RV.
Considerations Before RVing
Before making the final decisions to engage in fulltime RVing with family, be sure to have the following issues sorted.
Analyze Your Budget
Can you manage the RV lifestyle? A fulltime RV lifestyle may entail working remotely, or perhaps being self-employed where you simply manage your already established businesses. Thus, you still need a sufficient supply of income since spending still exists.
Monthly expenses include
- fuel such as gas or diesel, (50 amp dual fuel generator for RV), propane,
- campground fees,
- mortgage payments,
- RV insurance,
- your medical insurance,
- RV maintenance,
- internet subscription,
- TV channels subscription,
- food, among others.
The list of expenses varies depending on the life you choose since a luxurious lifestyle would definitely have more expenses that a lifestyle that accommodates basic needs a few luxury if any. Insurance Cover
Just a normal apartment home, you need an insurance cover for your RV and your belongings. RV insurance cover would ease unplanned expenses in the instance you encounter damages while on the road such as a tree falling on your RV or vandalism or theft.
Expensive maintenance and replacement needed can be insured so that whenever you need help due to an accident, the insurance would sort you out.
You also need to get a health insurance cover for your family and yourself. Fulltime living in an RV does not make you resistant to disease and illnesses.
An insurance cover would go a long way to minimize paying over the pocket that sometimes you may not have yet you need medical attention.
Abide by the Law
Once you decide to live in RV fulltime, you ought to declare a state of domicile based on the States laws. The declaration acts as a license to allow you freely move about and you won’t get in trouble with the law.
The domicile is essential for obtaining a drivers license, medical coverage, voting, insurance, taxes, and issuing of plates among other issues that may need an address when applying.
Minimalist Lifestyle
Unlike living in a home where you may have lots of luxury including the backyard, fulltime living in an RV requires a minimalist lifestyle since space is limited. A checklist guide on what to pack is essential.
You will have to equip the RV with only the things you need and not the things you want. Familiarize yourself with some RV travel hacks since you need to do away with lots of items.
Directly shifting from a home living to RV living may require you get rid of most of you items including but not limited to personal items, kitchen ware, furniture, and leisure items among others since the RV space cannot accommodate them all.
Other Necessities
You need a strong internet or perhaps a phone services to accommodate your usage even in remote areas. For the internet, you may require a signal booster to enhance the network reception.
Some TV channels may not be accessed in remote areas and you may consider cancelling the subscription. Also, you can get a subscriber who uses satellite to air the signals to enhance connectivity in remote areas.
Be an active member of an RV club and forums. It is a place you can always look for whenever you encounter a problem since more experience RVers may have known how to maneuver such a problem. Besides, the RV community makes RVing fun and you can also make friends.
Education is essential even when RV living with kids. You may decide homeschooling. Also, you can schedule when to take them to school or perhaps where you will be meeting once they have completed normal schooling.
Remember the home is on the move and communication with your kids is essential so that they can know where the home can be found once school is over.
Choosing Your RV
Unlike renting an RV you will have a varying taste depending on what you desire to experience and your current budget, full-time RV requires you one a specific RV. The choice of the RV would go a long way to directly influence your new way of life.
When choosing an RV type, you can either go for a towable RV or a motorhome most often the choice would be based on the occupants you intent to host during the fulltime living.
Besides, if you are choosing an RV for full time living the space ought to be sufficient enough to accommodate all your belongings as well as offer the desired privacy.
Towable RVs for Fulltime RV Living
These are RVs that ought to be towed to be able to move it from one place to another. They include toy haulers, teardrop trailers, travel trailers, fifth wheel trailers, tent trailers, and folding trailers. Each of the listed trailer has a varying size.
The size is suitable for families since it can have a number of rooms as well as beds. Thus, the desired privacy can be obtained in a towable RV. Before purchasing a towable RV you ought to have a suitable towing vehicle in place.
For instance, a folding trailer can easily be towed with most vehicles. However, long towed trailers may require specific vehicles to tow and keep in mind reversing, parking and also maneuvering with long trailers can be challenging.
When compared to a motorhome, towable RV are much affordable such as the small truck campers, travel trailers, and pop-up RVs. Besides, they are easy to tow and can fit in your budget since you do not have to have a high end capacity towing vehicle.
Besides, with towed RVs the ability to detach it enhances flexibility and convenience. If you do not intent to move to a place with the towed RV you can simply park and detach they you move out with your vehicle to run other errands. So you only tow when you need to use the trailer.
The most common limitations of a towable RV is that you need to purchase a towing vehicle. The trailer is immobile until you have a towing vehicle. So, you may have to incur an extra cost to realize your dream of having a full working towable RV in place.
Motorhome RVs For Fulltime Living
You do not require a towing vehicle since they are self-motorized. The motorhome RVs are categorized into various classes most often based on size, the number of appliances it can hold, and the luxury being offered. Thus, the prizes do vary.
Class A, Class B, and Class C are the common motorhome RVs. Often, they are self-contained motorhomes having basic amenities you may have in your home including but not limited to kitchen space, living space, bedroom, and toilet among others.
Being self-contained and self-motorized makes it is ideal for a fulltime living. Besides, the various classes are suitable and the choice can fit in your budget. Furthermore, for the lovers of pets the motorhomes can be big enough to also accommodate your pet.
Motorhomes are easy to drive, park, reverse, and maneuver the routes in comparison to a towable RV. However, motorhomes are more costly than the towable RVs.
However, the choice of either a motorhome or a towable RV should be based on your budget and needs.Be sure to compare the RVs in the market before deciding on one.
RV Buying Options
Fulltime RVing requires you own an RV. Renting is not an option since in the long run renting an RV for fulltime living is very expensive. Renting can be suitable for the RVers who occasionally engage In RVing. Based on affordability as buyer, you have two options:
- Buy New RV
- Buy Used RV
It is recommended to buy an RV from a trusted dealer rather than a private seller especially for first timers. It is because a dealer is likely to offer some coverage such as some repair cost based on agreement which is less likely done by a private seller.
Private seller may perhaps only want to get rid of the RV completely and doesn’t care about reputation since probable he or she just owned that one RV.
Either way, there are benefits as well as disadvantages of buying a new or a used RV. The following are some likely
Pros of Buying Used RV
- It is less expensive to buy
- You can upgrade to suit your needs
- Lower cost for insurance cover
Cons of Buying Used RV
- Easily to encounter a mechanical problem
- Cost of repair can be high since devices have aged and worn out
- No insurance cover by manufacture
Pros of Buying New RV
- All things are new and perhaps fit your expectations
- It will take longer before the need for repairs other than regular maintenance
- You have warranty benefits from the manufacturer
Cons of Buying New RV
- It is expensive
- It may lack customization since it will attract more cost
- Costly insurance covers
Other Factors
As a full-timer, be sure to consider basic RV features ease of access and affordability in the long run such as propane, electricity, forms of sewer since some RV do not come with a sewer and you require portable toilet, dumpsites, ability to upgrade, space, and family size.
Also, you should learn how to maintain the RV holding tanks including the sewer or the waste tank of the RV to prevent bad odors from ruining your comfort.
Benefits Of Fulltime RVing
- Makes travelling easier, fun and affordable since you have a home everywhere you travel
- Saves money while having fun with family
- You embrace a minimalist lifestyle enabling you differentiate a want and a need as space has to be considered before purchasing an extra item
- Offers freedom: having a home on wheels makes your life flexible to move about without worrying of your belongings at home. Also, you have all the time to engage in adventure at a minimal cost if any.
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How To Set Up Your RV at a Campground (video)
Watch this video to get more tips of a step by step illustration of how to set up your RV at a campground including but not limited to selecting your RV site, hooking up to resources, and more.
