How much does it cost to fulltime? Answer this question to yourself: How much do you have? That's how much it costs
We know people who live on $1200 a month, and we know others who spend that on their motorhome payment alone.
And add us to the active fulltimer list. We'd rather wear out than rust out!
We're younger than average to be FT, and we still work. I put in about 40 hours a week, and Chris does 20+ some weeks, zero others. We have several hobbies, Gambling, Poker, eating out, visiting national parks & beautiful places, snorkeling, bird watching, blogging (2 web sites) and fairly active on several forums. I do most of our repairs and maintenance on the RV. We dry camp about 50% of the time, and we often camp free at casinos. We also visit several military RV parks yearly.
We travel from Florida to the West Coast and back by a wandering route, out by the South in the Spring, back via the North in the Fall. About 12,000 miles a year. Average under $10/night camping for the year.
Happy travels
Mac
Mac & Chris
1996 Fleetwood Southwind 37Y P30
Internet via Datastorm Satellite or Sprint EVDO Aircard
Full-Time since Sep. 1, 2004
Official RV.NET Blogger for Casino Camping
Personal Blog www.MacAndChris.com
Our Hobby www.CasinoCamper.com
WTTCS wrote: we-rv, your post dredges up the age old question. Not to pick on your post , b ut to put it in prespective on how people live when fulltiming.
Makes us wonder just what some people expect to derive from fulltiming. You say all these things you do, yet do you do them if you were living in a stick brick?
People who fulltime for a few years, yes I can see them doing all that you state, but after awhile out here, that stuff becomes mundane. Living in an rv fulltime to us , is exactly the way we would in our stick brick. I think most people do the same. You say just
go and sit", well my answer would be , "What else do you expect to do when it becomes mundane?"
So the OP needs to know if this is a life change or a vacation.
The MH is our primary home 8 months out of the year.
You are correct that over the years things change. The first year we were on the road extensively, we covered a lot more territory (28 states and 6 trips into Mexico) than we do now. But we still enjoy traveling. There is so much to see that in a lifetime you couldn't do it all. For us it has not yet become mundane. And yes, we traveled a lot when we were living full time in a stick house.
I do agree that it all depends on what a person wants from the experience, and I did not mean to sound like our way is the best way. It's just best for us. If we were primarily going to stay in one place, there would be no advantage to RVing. But if a person wants that, it would be an inexpensive way to live. However, it seems it would not be a lot different than living in a trailer park.
I wasn't under the impression that the OP meant that, or why would it have been so complicated to figure out what it would cost? Find a park, figure out the monthly rent, and everything else should be about like it is now. It would be kind of like moving as I see it.
We are fulltime workampers. We do eat out 1 maybe 2 times a week. No debt other than cell-phone and directv. We work 4 – 5 hour days a week. Half the hours for site and half for pay. Didn’t figure up a budget but, grocery bill is in the $400 - $450 range for a month.
At the present time we are in the New England area and have spent time in Mass, Maine, Vermont, as well as Montreal. These were two night trips, as you see we do a lot of sightseeing.
What can be better than living at a campground? Never had a bad day yet.
Bills we don’t have: Rent, Water, Electric, Garbage, Sewer, WiFi, Taxes, (we are registered in SD) cost to drive to work, I use the VA. as my ins.
Other costs: MH and car Ins. $1650. Per year, registration for vehicles $210 per year, other costs about $500, (Good Sam, Mail service, Internet subscriptions, FMCA, etc)
Fuel cost est. $5000 per year car & MH. We do need new tires for MH this year $2500 (no tax in NH)
From our S&B house that was debt free it still cost about $1000 per month to run
The costs again as from all of the other posts are subjective as to what you want or need.
Full time workampers.
2001 Safari Serengti MH 350 hp DP pulling 2005 Saturn Vue.
Now sitting in Cameron, MT.
I have considered this topic and have mulled over an observation. I feel that sometimes people think they can buy an RV, live fulltime and it wouldn't cost anything.... or very little. When they do go fulltime and find that many costs continue from those they incurred in conventional living, they become disenchanted with the fulltime lifestyle.
There are some costs that will be the same or similar to that in a stick/brick:
Insurance
Food
RV Payment vs Home Mortgage
Cell Phone
Internet (WI-FI, Aircard etc)
Fuel (for automobile/rv etc)
Propane
Campground Fees (not in a stick/brick)
Medical
Entertainment
Clothing
Animal Care
Household Products
Automobile/RV Maintenance - tire, battery etc.
Personal Items (Haircuts etc.)
This list is probably not conclusive. Feel free to add to it.
I do not believe anyone can get an idea of what fulltiming would cost for them by asking this question on a forum. You get variables, but they may not apply to you. The range could be from less than $10,000/year to $80,000/year.
I believe firmly that anyone considering this lifestyle, prepare a detailed budget listing actual outgo versus income. Readjust their expectations on reality and then determine if they are suited to the lifestyle.
I also do not believe anyone should pursue this lifestyle if their total heart is not in it. If it is a dream/passion and they are totally focused on making it happen, it will.
2Rovers has it right, its going to cost what it costs. Everyone is different. If you got 10 home owners and compared budgets they would be very different. Its no different for Rvrs.
You have to budget, for yourself, because only you know what you are wanting / willing to do. Do you want to boondocks a lot off the grid? Stay in CG's on a daily / weekly basis? Stay monthly or seasonally?
All those things will make a pretty big dent in your budget and thats just one minor category. How often will you eat out? What type of rig will you buy? Any payments? How much will you drive? Health insurance? Internet? Phone?
You get the idea. Most expenses do not go away simply because you RV they are just classified differently. Instead of spending $200 a month on electric its included in the CG fees which can get expensive depending on where you stay. WE have $900-1100 a month just for CG fees in our budget, may months they are lower but if we spend a month at Disney it will be higher.
So you have to take what you have available in income on the road, subtract your costs and see if its viable. You can cut some corners but don't push it so tight you can't enjoy yourself because that is just uneeded stress. You should have a decent cushion for emergencies and preferablly extra cash every month for incidentals that will pop up.
We are not FT yet, but plan on going once our house sells. Take my advice with a grain of salt just my perspective.
Fuel (1000 miles per month)
Site Rentals
Food
Wine & Beverage
Mortgage
Taxes Income
Taxes Nimbus
Internet Access
Audio/Video
Propane
Mail Forwarding
Memberships
Cellular
Service Car
Service MC
Storage HH
Emergency Airfare
Insurance MH & Car
Insurance Life
Insurance Disab
Insurance LTC
Insurance Health
Entertainment
- Horse Stuff
- Golf
- Dinning
$$ For Daughter
Clothes
Hair
Gifts
MH Deprec
Misc
Insurance, Taxes, Depreciation all add up big time... Everytime I add all this stuff up it comes to over 90K per year.
Now we figure to start FT next fall at age 50 but we also figure to work at least 6 months a year at something we'll enjoy. DW and I both in the rat race biz world for past 30 years so time to play wine expert or wrangler or musician or workamper or whatever.... I know it won't pay well but at least we won't be spending when we're working... and maybe we'll even have some fun. If we can live a simpler life if we can find fun work if we remain healthy great if not.... well it's back to the grindstone
The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine
2007 Foretravel Nimbus
Cummins ISM 500HP
Allison MH4000w/Retarder
Insurance, Taxes, Depreciation all add up big time... Everytime I add all this stuff up it comes to over 90K per year.
Now we figure to start FT next fall at age 50 but we also figure to work at least 6 months a year at something we'll enjoy. DW and I both in the rat race biz world for past 30 years so time to play wine expert or wrangler or musician or workamper or whatever.... I know it won't pay well but at least we won't be spending when we're working... and maybe we'll even have some fun. If we can live a simpler life if we can find fun work if we remain healthy great if not.... well it's back to the grindstone
OHMYGOODNESS. That's WAY over our budget! We both plan to work along the way as well...hopefully at something fun and different. Thanks for your post.
Ruth Ann (RA)
Giving my son his inheritance NOW! The sticks and bricks!
SW VA.
We're not FT yet. Still working my real job. Test run starts this winter.
After 90 days if it feels good we'll self the business and make it a long term change. FT for us is as much about a career change as anything else... hoping we can button down the budget and make it work as we simplify our lifestyle. Depending our ability to adapt which will have a lot to do with our passion for the new lifestyle... that will determine if we FT for 3 months or some number of years.
Oh yeah and if after the test run we have issues well I'll be selling the Nimbus not the business. My mental and physical health seems to be saying go now or drown.
Offline
