Have ever thought about selling everything and buying an RV and living in it? And, travel...lots!

I had some relatives who have chosen that lifestyle but they waited until retirement ! I would think with the price of gas being so high it would cost a few C-notes to fill the double tanks !

@Pretty_Lilly understood….but, I’m retired.

There are lots of people that work in these parks for a short period of time and then moved to another one. That way, the gas would not be so much a factor!

Never, I’d go stir crazy in such close confines. I’d feel so restricted.

@hug_of_war not for everyone…but, most people travel to areas where you stay outside a lot. In the winter, go to Fl…and the hot summer, travel North…Canada etc.

I’ve got a friend at work that wants to sell up and buy a houseboat and live in Holland, certainly to do this you would have to be in a place like Europe but I imagine the lifestyle is great and fuel would’t be such a HUGE factor as you don’t move around constantly…

I’ve seen a few houseboats out while cycling there and there huge, car park space for your car, 2 stories high its like a barge…just seems to me like such a nice lifestyle :) go for it!

@BoBo1946 Word to the wise if you visit FL. stay clear of South and Central Florida !
South FL is just too hot even mid-winter,it usually hits 80 and crime is high !
Central FL. tooooo much Mickey Mouse stuff,tourist heaven,they’re every where !
The pan handle is so much nicer !

@Tobotron the first one I bought was a 39 feet long…too long…this time, will go with a smaller one that easier to back-up…going forward is no problem, but had a lot of problems learning to back a real long one!

@Pretty_Lilly understood…I’ve spent a lot of time down there and certainly understand your comment!

It wouldn’t suit me at all. I love the sense of space and airiness I have in my own home. (Besides, I’d have to teach Milo how to drive.)

I’ve already seen enough of the world to be thrilled to be here. No place like it….

@BoBo1946 you don’t fancy Europe? You don’t have to travel very far before the scenery has changed, everyone’s speaking another language and your in a new rich diverse country. A lot of EU countries are very cheap and just use the Euro not to mention free health care too all! National or not! :)

But its quite a step, maybe you could just use it as a test bed for your permanent thing in the US?

@gailcalled got’cha…

well, i’m a very “outdoor kind of guy,” and would be inside probably only to sleep. Would love to travel and play different golf courses. Canada and Alaska would be would be a great trip..

Having said that, I really love my pad…but, i have a garden home and having an RV would be out of the question. Could not have both..unless i parked it somewhere else.

@Tobotron not really…thought about that, but feel better here! Ahhh…you named some great perks…

@BoBo1946 true and to travel the US is always something I’ve wanted to do but at the moment there’s too much on the door step to deal with, Croatia this summer! :)

but I guess life is for living and Canada – Alaska sounds like one of those dream trips, golf, fishing, and the rest…I just like to get out of my comfort zone last summer was the previous war zones of Bosnia and alike and the open plains and mountainous regions of Siberia…nothing beats getting back to our roots, even if city life has its day to day perks adventure is our strive for enjoying life…I really hope you do it because by the sounds of it you really want it :)

I you are single, I’d say do it. Living a less cluttered life is very liberating. Most everyone I know is far too attached to “stuff” and to “places”. As long as you have an income, I think RV life would be a great way to live. If you change your mind down the road, so be it. I does not have to be a lifelong decision.

I’ve thought about it and we even considered it briefly. We’re still of working age so that’s a bit of a stretch for us. Also, we have several animals and it’d be torture on them to travel. One of our cats, I know, would be ill the whole time. I’m thinking when we retire we’ll get the travel bug out of our system.

I would love to do this. I say go for it!

I would love it! It is in fact something my husband and I talk about often! We travel to different parts of the country doing odd jobs for money and when we get tired of one place we simply pack up and move to another!

well, the consensus says, go for it….really think i will!

:) Have a BLAST!!!! :) :) :)

Yes, that is my one and only ‘bucket’ dream.

I’ve seen the world in my earlier life. If I was going to chuck it all, I’d head for my cabin in the north woods of Maine. I’ve done it once, but was lured back by the needs of others. One of these days I may do it again.

Make it a water going RV and you have the ultimate lifestyle. Living on a yacht is healthy, enjoyable, and you will find that there is a huge very supportive community of “cruising yachties” almost anywhere you go. (And nothing can beat the “multi-millionaire” views.)

I spent many years living on a ketch and intend to retire on one. One fascinating thing you find all over the world with cruising yachties is that even into their eighties and beyond – they have exceptional health. The constant “side effects” do this. You tend not shop for junk – shopping becomes an expedition – not a run to the corner store, and requires careful consideration as to what you stock up on. Most use set lines or traps and eat a lot of fresh seafood. The day to day requirement of living on a yacht keeps you fit, climbing up and down ladders as the tide changes, rowing dinghies ashore when you need to, and the simple fact that the boat is always moving slightly – requiring a constant shifting of balance. A sort of built-in, unnoticeable exercise program that keeps joints and muscles from atrophying.

The biggest plus is the community spirit – the cruising yacht fraternity are very social and very supportive of each other. If something happens you have an huge amount of willing help. Shared meals and social gathering – via dinghy likely as not – a a regular occurrence. Nightly in most of the places that I have moored.

Look into the local mooring areas and Marinas and have a chat to some of the permanent live aboard boat fraternity. (If you don’t like sail, large houseboats are similar.)

@DarkScribe wow…that sounds really cool…my only problem would be that I’m 63! Got one hip replaced and the other one needs it now. Too many trips up and down the basketball court…

@BoBo1946 ! Got one hip replaced and the other one needs it now.

You wouldn’t be alone – many of them have that. The lifestyle seems to benefit recovery after hip and knee surgery. My father is in his nineties and still sailing a large ketch around the Pacific – single-handed – and he didn’t buy his first yacht until past sixty – after retiring from the Navy. He has a series of younger women who sail with him – most younger than I. He is extraordinarily fit for a guy who was a WW2 pilot and a Japanese POW.

One last thing to note. Many people regard yachts and houseboats as expensive, but a good livable yacht costs less than half the price of a very average house in an average suburb. Houses have climbed in prices, yachts and houseboats have dropped.

@DarkScribe damn…that is so cool…that is the coolest thing i’ve heard all day. An inspirational story! Thank you DS!

Yes! @DarkScribe I think I need to do that too! So, how to elderly cats and dogs do on houseboats, do you know?

@susanc So, how to elderly cats and dogs do on houseboats, do you know?

I have always had a pool scoop net with a telescopic handle to use during the feline “adjustment” period. Cats soon learn, just as they learn not to jump out of high rise windows or off balconies, and dogs just love the life from the start – as much fun a riding in the back of a pickup truck. A small patch of “roll-up-able” artificial turf for the dog toilet and the salt water pump to jet it clean when needed. Cats just use a normal litter box – use sand if you don’t want to bother with commercial stuff. They seem to like it better.

ps If you use sand you need a doormat – one of those coir types – that “cleans” their paws and stops sand from tracking everywhere.

cool…

Oh yeah! A palace on wheels to be in a different state each night if I like would be great but I’d still want a homebase.

What a superb idea. Go for it I say, but don’t forget to send me a postcard from wherever you are!!

@partyparty hey, will send you a postcard..

Not for me. First, I’m claustrophobic. Second, I’m not a big fan of the itinerant lifestyle. I prefer stability. But most importantly, I would hate having to dry camp if there’s no place to refill the water tank. I must have guaranteed access to a shower. But if you like it and can afford the gas and RV park fees, then go for it. It’s your life, after all. If you are sharing your life with anyone else, make sure that they’re comfortable with this lifestyle.

No, I’ve never thought about doing it . We just sold our 33’ RV.
I can see how the experience could be romanticized: see the world in your own cozy , familiar environs. But there are drawbacks.
I’d need a Prevost to consider it. Ever consider high winds? On the
highway they would scare you to death. How about food poisoning ?
I’ve had that on more than one trip and oh, how a nice house would’
have made a difference. Who wants to be driving down the highway
while vomiting? I have things I’d never want to part with : hundreds of family albums, photos, record players, books, a Real fireplace.
Toilets that dont need to be emptied! That don’t fill up! Air conditioning that doesn’t HUM loudly than switch off with a thump.
King sized beds. An Obscene amount of food stocked up. Not worrying about slipping and sliding when it snows. Dependable satellite tv. Nice, large shower. Computer and printer—full size.
No; a Prevost for a couple weeks, home for a couple months, etc would be ideal.

We are 66 , bought a camping car in Europe 5 years ago and used it and it’s replacement for 3 months in the spring and 3 months in the fall again since then. It is not overly expensive ,easy and rewarding. We landed there in France with a rental car and 2 weeks to find us a vehicle to our liking. In 10 days we had one. All you need is somebody to grandfather you with his address so you can register the vehicle. We did and got insurance valid in all the european countries that we visited and we visited them all over 5 years (including Russia and all the other ex communist countries and Turkey). Every step was not that difficult: buying, registering, insuring,driving, overnighting, lay overs, etc… We spent over 500 days there and stayed in campsites only a dozen times in all that time and felt safe at all times better than in America. Our 2nd RV is now for sale in France as we will start doing it in America now. It is a 2007 25 Ft. top of the line Mercedes Integral diesel that we bought for $135,000 and are reselling after 2 years of use for $60,000. Not cheap but the best of Europe has to offer with most of the depreciation already taken care of . You can contact us for any info on the subject or for the RV. Our sponsor can help you get started. The RV is turnkey ready with all possible equipment and a motorcycle in the inside garage. By the way, we lived on a 42 Ft. trawler in the Carribeans for the 5 years prior to this and I recommend it also, although it can become dicey at times on the high seas or at anchor in thunderstorms. We were younger then and the RV is planted on firmer ground.

This RV life style is great!
What kind of experience is it to eat, sleep, or even take a bath in a RV?
Let me talk about which hardware conditions and facilities support “like living at home”.
Hardware conditions: Lithium battery with larger capacitance, 47gallon water tank (usually a person needs 8 ~11gallon to take a bath)
Electrical equipment: refrigerator, washing machine, heater, air conditioner with inverter, microwave oven, water heater, projector, hot water bottle, hair dryer, rice cooker, vacuum cleaner, and various Electronic equipment. Backup camera don’t need extra battery, my Haloview backup camera can be supplied by cigarette lighter.
We are long-term residents and need to balance the space occupied by other storage and hardware equipments. Some people can use 20+ kWh for more than a week, even with dishwasher, range hood, and cooking machine. In short, you can “build blocks” according to your own living habits. This kind of equipment can last for 2 to 3 days with water and electricity supply for one time. These appliances also ensure that there is no difference in compare with normal daily life, and the rest is just a matter of space.
First talk about sleep, The bedroom has limited space, the bedside is left with a storage bag, stuffed with my water bottle, mobile phone, mosquito repel and other things,patch board and reading light are essential, the hook next to it is used to hang pajamas, home clothes and clothes to go out. Soft mattress, quilt and cushion can make sure you get a good sleep.
The experience of eating in the RV begins with the ingredients. Comparing with car travel and tent camping, the advantage of the RV is particularly obvious, that is, there are both refrigerators and heating sources, it’s expensive to go out to eat and give a tip of 20%. These are not the point, the most important thing is the food taste bad. I can purchase the local fresh vegetables and meat, then cook the dishes myself, The storage space of the RV is especially precious, and the kitchen utensils and tableware are extremely simplified. I have a kettle, a coffee machine, a toaster, an electric baking pan, two metal pans and a glass pot. It’s perfect to make coffee in the morning.
The experience of taking a shower in a car is not as enjoyable as in a house. Even if there are electricity and water with suitable temperature, the space is still small, the water pressure is still low, and the time spent bathing is longer. It is said that changing the shampoo can save the washing time and the volume of water, ready to try.
At the beginning, there was still a little bit of awkwardness. I always felt that I had to be a little uncomfortable. Now, when two people live in their own modified cars, we completely subvert their previous understanding of the RV. We can do the same with their homes, day after day, and tirelessly.