was_butnotnow
Fulltime: Emery, SD
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As the OP. Time to reply to the flames... I think I hit it big, both moderators flamed me. Both of which I respect.
My point was to ask people to think about what they are doing before they just jump into it. (Are you nuts?) to get your attention. Seems many get advice on the forums that say "Just go for it" and some later regret it. It is more costly for obvious reasons. Now more than ever they need to plan this lifestyle out. You know some people don't have a plan. And also for posters to offer how they felt they could go for it. And no we don't travel everyday. Months in Iowa and many months in AZ. Who has money to pay $100 - $150 a day for fuel every day while traveling.
It is cheaper to live fulltiming and not in a S&Bs by far as we know as we have been doing it for about 5 years. Would we want to go back to a S&B NO. We are not whining as we are about ready to buy a brand new NuWa HitchHiker 5er. (Got an offer from my local dealer just this afternoon). If we are going to spend more down time boondocking or in campgrounds why not do it in a new 5er. I'll spend my money on the 5er and not on fuel.
Now again do you have a plan to fulltime?
Perhaps I should explain my Sig. was_butnotnow has nothing to do with was a fulltimer and not now but was employed and worked in an office cubicle environment but NOT now. Retired and fulltiming it for over five years and not about to stop. 
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Gruffy
monominto mb ca
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Joined: 10/02/2003
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Where do you folks winter?? We had frost every night from 12 Dec to 26 January just outside Phoenix last winter. Nice days but chilly nights.
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was_butnotnow
Fulltime: Emery, SD
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Quote from firedude...
"I recently sat down with a friend for a couple hours and he in his case was shocked at how much cheaper he could live full-timing in his RV."
We love this lifestyle but for some, they have to understand they will be living in 400 sq feet of space, without for some their pool and hot tub. Many RV parks are not much more than parking lots. And if you're in a RV park with pools and hot tubs the price of this lifestyle goes way up. It is all about money and what you can afford or waht you want to spend. Go for it if you can.
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DianneOK
Sioux Falls, SD
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Was...perhaps you should have worded it a tiny bit differently 
Dianne
Fulltimers (8 years)
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John & Angela
Full Timers in Canada, USA and Mexico
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Hey Gruffy. Our lots are in Palm Springs and Blythe but we spent 3 months travelling the Baja last year so I guess we were cheating a bit  . I heard it was frosty in the Palm Springs area last year. This year we'll be doing the same thing although we'll be on the mainland this year. If your in the Palm Springs area before Jan 1st send us a PM and we'll do some quality control studies on Angelas margueritas.
Come visit us at our website and share in our great fulltime RV Adventure.
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firedude
somewhere COOL!
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Joined: 01/21/2003
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was_butnotnow wrote:Quote from firedude...
"I recently sat down with a friend for a couple hours and he in his case was shocked at how much cheaper he could live full-timing in his RV."
We love this lifestyle but for some, they have to understand they will be living in 400 sq feet of space, without for some their pool and hot tub. Many RV parks are not much more than parking lots. And if you're in a RV park with pools and hot tubs the price of this lifestyle goes way up. It is all about money and what you can afford or what you want to spend. Go for it if you can.
Absolutely and I agree. By the way I wasn't flaming you. You brought up good points. I wanted the flip side of the coin shown too. Like I mentioned and you elude to it as well. We are ALL different and have different needs and situations so really there is no correct answer and no official rules to go by, but your own. It is good though that all facets of the lifestyle are brought up so those out there have a better picture during their planning and decision making. I was just counter pointing.
Incidentally I am currently in a nice park with a pool and hot tub and it's only $350 per mo. and electric.
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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Well I think it's a real easy no-brainer answer.
You either have the money or you don't.
What's to ask about it?
I have to believe in my heart of hearts that if someone posted about going fulltime and had no money........that they wouldn't take it literally when the responses where 'go for it'.
I mean really think about, how far would anyone get in their MH with out enough money to go and do it? It's like asking why some people live in a 700 ft square home versus the guy that owns a 4,000 square foot home.....because he can!!
I do think that the people who do it for the sole purpose of trying to live cheaper won't last doing it compared to the person who does it because it's in their blood and 'want' to do it.
IMHO you either have the money or not and 'how' much money you have will dictate 'how' you do it. Not rocket science here by any means.
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We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
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Southwind85
Where I Park
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was_butnotnow wrote:So the bottom line question here is do think you can still go fulltime?
People and spreadsheets I keep running across from everywhere keep telling me I can't afford to fulltime. I have yet to see anything that says I can fulltime successfully. I mean, the numbers I see are often way way out of my income range. I'd sort of expect those numbers if I were driving 4000 miles a month but I'm not driving like that and those numbers often don't include fuel costs. Curiously my fulltiming costs in any given area is under half of what it costs to live in the same area in an apartment, much less the considerably higher prices of a house whether buying or renting. I simply don't know where the spreadsheet numbers come from or where people come up with their numbers. For some reason my carefully balanced real world bank account numbers simply don't agree with the unverified numbers that I've been told in the least.
IMNSHO: Anyone can talk themselves out of anything by overthinking it. Having too many what if's and worrying about how to justify the funding for every teeny detail of the cost of life is nutters. (I ran across something saying it costs 10 cents every time you go pee plus your fiscal income rate worth of time lost plus a bunch of other hogwash) Life is about living, not overfocusing on a bunch of little numbers to the point that one has a catastrophic heart attack from the stress.
was_butnotnow wrote:Tell us what makes you think you can afford to do it?
Because I am doing exactly that right now and having absolutely no financial problems at all doing it. Q.E.D.
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2Rovers
On The Road
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I think the OP brought out some good points. I also think one of the reasons for failure in the FT Lifestyle results from a mental attitude of "can't do". It's not just about finances. That's the easy part. If you can afford to live in a stick/brick, you can more than afford to live fulltime in a RV. It's simple math.
I would suggest anyone considering FT to do a checklist. One column for Stick/Brick and one for F/Ting. List all the known costs for each (that means counting all those trips to Home Depot - not just the major stuff). When you reach the tally at the bottom, you will see the difference as it will apply to them. Only then can they make the decision.
Now, if you choose to live above what you can afford in the FT lifestyle, then the chances of remaining in this lifestyle are slim. (i.e., too much RV, staying in Resorts, spending more time on the road etc.)
Since we went FT 13 years ago we have been able to save far more money than we ever could have with the Stick/Brick. I can say for a fact, that house was taking our paycheck and eating into our savings and it was a modest house. It was just the taxes, MUD fees, HOA fees, maintenance, and all the other money draws attached to it.
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Wingnusa
Scott and Brenda Albuquerque, NM
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First of all, I have to agree with Firedude's comments. And...how could you not afford it. I see people with a lot less $ than what I have do it. I think it's more of the idea of what can you live with? We can live pretty cheap if need be. Just have to make adjustments here and there and do more volunteering. If you say you can't do it with the fuel prices, don't do it. Personal choice on these matters is a wonderful thing!!
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