Hello all , I am new here , My gf and I have a baby on the way its due around the first week of feb , we want to full time in april of next year , i wanted to know if anyone else has full timed with a baby , and if so how did it go , also i need advice on what to buy im looking to buy either a cargo van and redo the inside so we could live in there or im looking for an older 70's to 80's 25 foot motor home , to live in , we will also be at a camp site with ac hook up and power and also in the winter have heat with power hook up i dont have a lot to invest because we have the baby on the way but any ideas would be good another thing is those slide in truck campers ? as we dont have any transpertation right now until i buy something for us to live in so we will have to use that too to go places , i really like the cargo van idea because i can rebulid the inside the way i want it
IMO, the van or truck camper would not have enough room, and I'm not sure the 25 foot motorhome would.
If it were me, I would go for a 28 to 32 foot motorhome, with a rear bedroom (there is a Class A in Billings Heights for $6900). A Class C might be better, in that in addition to the rear bedroom you would have the over-cab bed.
I have seen Class C's from the late '70s/early '80s advertised for $2500 to $8000. Some of them looked very nice, some were pretty much junk.
It is truly incredible how much room a baby takes up!
I recommend a late '70s early 80's Dodge based Class C. Either the 360 engine or the 440 will do, but I think the 440 would be best. Ford based would be the second choice, and Chevy/GMC I would not even consider. But, that's just my personal prejudices showing.
Good luck.
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Wow. MH? Cargo van? TC? No current transportation? Are you looking at fulltiming because you think it's cheap? Most long term stays, the electric is metered so you pay that extra. If you buy a cargo van to remodel, you'll have major expenses for that, plus you'll need to buy a vehicle for a daily driver.
It sounds like money is a major concern and traveling can get very expensive quickly.
Here's another suggestion if you don't really plan to travel in the RV. Buy a used mobile home and renovate it. You'll still have lot rent and utilities but your initial cost will be lower.
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We need more information here. Is the purpose of the RV to travel around a great deal for your work? Is it something you think will be considerably cheaper than staying in an apartment? Why the RV vs other types of lodging? How are you planning to get to work if the only transportation you have it the RV? Will you be parked in areas with other transportation options? Are you prepared to loose your transportation and lodging at the same time should you need major repairs?
Here is a page of answers for the last person that thought this was a good idea just a few days ago. His story is a little different but the problems will be the same.
Bottom line: Your solution doesn't make life easier or cheaper, it makes it harder and way more expensive.
Retired and visiting as much of this beautiful country as I can.
First of all buying all the items to install inside any type of RV is going to be at full retail and a great deal more expensive than buying a used RV. It will also result in a much lighter weight vehicle that will be easier and cheaper to drive.
Travel trailers are the cheapest in terms of what you get for your dollar and decent ones can be purchased for under $2000 and all the interior space is usable. Class C motorhomes are going to be more expensive and you do not have an inexpensive way to drive around an area once you get there unless you tow a second small vehicle which is convenient but more expensive.
With motorhomes the price is mostly a function of age so a 15 year old MH with 10K miles on the odometer is going to cost less than a 5 year old MH with 80K miles. The trick with an older MH is making sure you can still get parts and servicing for the installed items (genset, fridge, etc.) as replacing them outright will can be very expensive.
Traveling around with a baby is doable but unwise in that if it should need medical care you could easily be a half-days travel or more to a hospital. If you have a mechanical breakdown or cannot heat the RV it is a lot more serious with a baby on board. If one of you becomes injured how is the other person going to help you and continue to take care of the baby? Things to consider before heading out.
elkhornsun wrote: Traveling around with a baby is doable but unwise in that if it should need medical care you could easily be a half-days travel or more to a hospital. If you have a mechanical breakdown or cannot heat the RV it is a lot more serious with a baby on board. If one of you becomes injured how is the other person going to help you and continue to take care of the baby? Things to consider before heading out.
While I certainly agree with the other ideas of cost and inconvenience, this thought seems a little off. These situations can easily apply no matter what you live in. Many, many people live far from a hospital. Also, full timing in an RV doesn't mean you have to be out in the wilds! It will probably be harder to full time with a baby, but more dangerous? Not buying it.
OP, have you ever lived in an RV or cargo van before? I would be very hesitant to try it with a new baby. You're going to be surprised at how much space a baby consumes.
I would strongly suggest you think long and hard about your plan. There seems to be a lot you're taking for granted. If you need a home and you have no transportation, it seems like it would be a better idea to rent a low-income apartment or a mobile home on public transportation routes. Not saying you *can't* go full-time with a baby, but the challenges will be great if you pursue the course you've laid out.
As far as healthcare, I think that will be the least of your problems. Their are doctors and urgent care facilities nationwide. If the baby gets extremely sick, there's always the ER. If you decide to stay in one place, you can get regular newborn checkups and immunizations at your county health dept for a nominal cost.
"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956
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Me & DH in non-parenting mode!
We started camping with our youngest when he was 10 days old. It would have been sooner, but I had a C-section... Camping with a newborn isn't a whole lot different than living in a s&b IF!!! you have all the amenities of home. I don't think I would want to fulltime with a newborn if I were in a camper that didn't have a full bath, kichen, a/c, lights, etc.
I nurse my kids, so my needs are different than those that formula feed. I don't need to wash bottles constantly, and I don't need to heat formula. Those are factors you want to consider - you aren't going to have a dishwasher, and washing bottles in a small sink may get old.
No matter how you trim it down, a newborn is going to have a lot of gear that you will need to store somewhere, in addition to your own stuff.
Can it be done - absolutely! Is it the best scenario for a bf/gf with a newborn??? Not so sure on that one, but life is what you make of it! A newborn can be trying, even for mature (as in old) married couple like my DH and myself. I certainly wouldn't want to invite any more stress into the suituation by living in a less-than-suitable RV or van.
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I also think a cargo would be to small. If I had little money and a lot of talent I would think about buying an older RV or trailer. We just purchased a 2000 29' trailer for $4000, it was a repo and needs a lot of work but its sound and tight and the big stuff works and what does need fixed little by little.
You might get better deals at the end of the season if you live in the north when camping season ends.
One thing you will need is a refrigerator and a good one. Some trailers have enough room for a small apartment size refrig and they are a lot cheaper than RV refrigerators. Used, reconditioned RV refrigerators can go as much as $900.
You will need enough room for a crib. Babies grow out of bassinets really fast.
A stove is also a must with a baby.
Check Craigslist and go out and see what is out there. Once you get started rebuilding, this forum is a great place to come for help and advise.
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