Should you Live The RV Life For Retirement?
12-20-2017
Author: in The Road Less Traveled
Retirement—for many people, the notion of a permanent vacation is enough to make their tears well up from joy. My dad, for example, was calculating his retirement for as long as I can remember…. several decades before it could ever become a reality. Some look forward to working in their garden or spending time on their hobbies; others long to take to the road. Plus, with people living longer and retiring earlier, the options are wide open. Retiring in an RV is the American dream for some, but it can become a nightmare for others. How do you know if living—or at least traveling in an RV—is for you? Consider the following aspects before deciding.
Are You Married or Single?
If you're married, you may want to think about whether you and your spouse would enjoy spending so much of your time together….in limited space. Even the most luxurious coach is probably smaller than your previous living space. Plus—whether you travel frequently or stay in RV parks as your semi-permanent residence—unless one (or both) of you plans to get a job outside the RV, there's a good chance you'll be spending nearly ALL of your time together. How well do you cooperate? There's a lot that goes in to RVing and if you have trouble working together, this will surely make or break you.
Single people have other things to consider. First, there is quite a bit that goes along with RVing and if you're traveling alone you'll be handling it all yourself. Do you feel competent and confidant in the prospect? Plus, where the limited space is an issue for married people, you'll have the entire area to yourself. In fact, loneliness is one of the things single travelers should look out for. Are you independent? Do enjoy spending time by yourself?
Either way, consider taking a few long trips to see how you like it. It's also a good idea to speak to other “full-timers” to see what the lifestyle offers before committing to it full time yourself.
Can You or Are You Willing to Downsize?
Most people—by the time they're ready for retirement—have a lot of "things". Some of these are necessary—such as furniture and appliances that are replaced by those in the RV—and others are more decorative or sentimental. Even if you're wanting to only spend half the year on the road as a "part-timer," you still may want to minimize so you aren't burdened with the costs of a large brick or stick home. If you want to become a full-time RVer, however, downsizing is necessary.
If you want to RV when you retire, you'll need to give away or sell your extraneous possessions, or put them in storage. People tend to have their possessions for a reason and getting rid of them can be difficult. Is that something you can do? Sometimes, if you're determined to RV, it might be easier to do it in stages over time.
Do You Enjoy Traveling?
If you've found that vacations involving travel usually stresses you out or you miss your home-base, full-time RVing probably isn't going to be for you. However, if you love to travel and see new places, a retirement of RVing could be quite an adventure.
Keep in mind, there is a wide range of ways to "RV". Maybe you want to travel full-time, staying no more than a week or two in any location. Perhaps, taking up residence part of the year in a specific RV park that you return to annually is more what you have in mind. There's no one "right" way to become an RVer; do what's right for you.
Will You Be Able to Afford It?
The short answer to this is "YES." Of course, that answer comes with a lot of stipulations. As with any lifestyle, it requires you determine what your budget is, get a rig within your means, and live within that budget. With only a few thousand dollars, you can easily purchase an older motorhome or fifth wheel, or even a small, new travel trailer. If you want a coach that'll provide the living space of a small apartment, you'll be paying about the same as a small apartment.
Other expenses to keep in mind include site rent costs, propane for heating and cooking, any satellite or Wi-Fi you want, insurance, and fuel for traveling. You should also keep a "slush fund" for maintenance, repairs, and emergencies.
In Conclusion
The idea of hitting the open road is extremely alluring to people, especially those who feel they've been "stuck" in one place during their working years. If you're concerned that you can't afford it, there're many work-camping jobs available at campgrounds all over the country. Plus, almost all the above-mentioned questions can easily be answered with a bit of prep-work and a few extended trips. If you don't have an RV, there are many places that you can rent one from so you can get the full experience before committing to a complete overhaul of your life. Good Luck!
Are You Married or Single?
If you're married, you may want to think about whether you and your spouse would enjoy spending so much of your time together….in limited space. Even the most luxurious coach is probably smaller than your previous living space. Plus—whether you travel frequently or stay in RV parks as your semi-permanent residence—unless one (or both) of you plans to get a job outside the RV, there's a good chance you'll be spending nearly ALL of your time together. How well do you cooperate? There's a lot that goes in to RVing and if you have trouble working together, this will surely make or break you.
Single people have other things to consider. First, there is quite a bit that goes along with RVing and if you're traveling alone you'll be handling it all yourself. Do you feel competent and confidant in the prospect? Plus, where the limited space is an issue for married people, you'll have the entire area to yourself. In fact, loneliness is one of the things single travelers should look out for. Are you independent? Do enjoy spending time by yourself?
Either way, consider taking a few long trips to see how you like it. It's also a good idea to speak to other “full-timers” to see what the lifestyle offers before committing to it full time yourself.
Can You or Are You Willing to Downsize?
Most people—by the time they're ready for retirement—have a lot of "things". Some of these are necessary—such as furniture and appliances that are replaced by those in the RV—and others are more decorative or sentimental. Even if you're wanting to only spend half the year on the road as a "part-timer," you still may want to minimize so you aren't burdened with the costs of a large brick or stick home. If you want to become a full-time RVer, however, downsizing is necessary.
If you want to RV when you retire, you'll need to give away or sell your extraneous possessions, or put them in storage. People tend to have their possessions for a reason and getting rid of them can be difficult. Is that something you can do? Sometimes, if you're determined to RV, it might be easier to do it in stages over time.
Do You Enjoy Traveling?
If you've found that vacations involving travel usually stresses you out or you miss your home-base, full-time RVing probably isn't going to be for you. However, if you love to travel and see new places, a retirement of RVing could be quite an adventure.
Keep in mind, there is a wide range of ways to "RV". Maybe you want to travel full-time, staying no more than a week or two in any location. Perhaps, taking up residence part of the year in a specific RV park that you return to annually is more what you have in mind. There's no one "right" way to become an RVer; do what's right for you.
Will You Be Able to Afford It?
The short answer to this is "YES." Of course, that answer comes with a lot of stipulations. As with any lifestyle, it requires you determine what your budget is, get a rig within your means, and live within that budget. With only a few thousand dollars, you can easily purchase an older motorhome or fifth wheel, or even a small, new travel trailer. If you want a coach that'll provide the living space of a small apartment, you'll be paying about the same as a small apartment.
Other expenses to keep in mind include site rent costs, propane for heating and cooking, any satellite or Wi-Fi you want, insurance, and fuel for traveling. You should also keep a "slush fund" for maintenance, repairs, and emergencies.
In Conclusion
The idea of hitting the open road is extremely alluring to people, especially those who feel they've been "stuck" in one place during their working years. If you're concerned that you can't afford it, there're many work-camping jobs available at campgrounds all over the country. Plus, almost all the above-mentioned questions can easily be answered with a bit of prep-work and a few extended trips. If you don't have an RV, there are many places that you can rent one from so you can get the full experience before committing to a complete overhaul of your life. Good Luck!
Related Tags:Carrie Todd
Comment
joanncase123July 10, 2018 | 10:25 PM
Thanks for the blog post! This shirt seems fitting: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FD2LYSV. "Retired and Inspired" I hope more folks choose to hit the road in their RV in retirement!
Author: Carrie Todd
