Full-time RV living is a popular lifestyle, allowing users to have a new life experience! How much do you know about full-time RV living? Or are you just curious and excited about it? If you’re looking to start your full-time RV life next, we want to give you a few ideas.
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Full-time RV living isn’t as simple as you think, and there are benefits and disadvantages you need to consider.
The benefits of full-time RV living
Experience the joy of mobile life
If you make your RV your home, you can move your “home” anywhere you want! There are many attractions and cities worth visiting in the United States. You'll always have somewhere worth visiting during your travels!
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If you’re a travel enthusiast and don’t want to stay in the same place all the time, full-time RV living is for you! You will have the opportunity to explore more fun and exciting attractions!
Less debt
For some families with limited funds, full-time RV living can save them even more. If they live in a house, they will need to make monthly mortgage payments on this fixed property. Mortgage is a significant expense for many families.
If you choose to live in an RV, this means less or no debt. Although there are expenses associated with living in an RV, they are nothing compared to a home loan.
Typically, full-time RV living expenses include gear, maintenance costs, Wifi, internet access, insurance, campground fees, food, and other expenses.
Choosing full-time RV living means that some families can spend their money traveling to more places that interest them.
If you have the budget, you can visit multiple state and national parks. If you need to save money, you need to control travel costs and venue costs.
Simpler life
If you’re a minimalist, full-time RV living might be right for you. Since space in an RV is limited, you have to plan carefully to avoid filling your space with clutter. While this may be an inconvenience, it is also more comfortable and freeing.
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Some minimalists feel more relaxed and free after living full-time in an RV for a while. They don’t need to think about whether they need to add too many decorations to the interior of their RV, just simple decorations will do. They can spend more energy on RV travel and RV socializing.
Closer relationship
Although the space is smaller, full-time RV living does bring family or friends closer together. Families can work, entertain, and live together in a smaller space, which will make everyone more closely connected. You can spend unforgettable holidays and vacations in your RV. When summer comes, you can set up a tent or a pop-up canopy outdoors, and you can enjoy a picnic, BBQ, or fishing together.
Stay away from annoying neighbors
Various neighbors are annoying and you have to deal with interpersonal relationships. When you live in an RV, you save yourself the hassle of dealing with neighbors you don’t like. You are free to do what you want. If you’re not a social person, RV living may be the best lifestyle option for you.
Disadvantages of Full-time RV Living
High maintenance costs
If you want to live in an RV all the time, you'll need to deal with a variety of RV issues all the time. If you choose a used RV, you’ll have more breakdowns to deal with than with a brand-new one. Over time, you will need to regularly inspect and maintain your RV. High maintenance costs have caused some users to give up full-time RV living.
What does the RV maintenance fee include?
- Insurance fee
You need to pay for insurance on your RV. RV insurance typically includes bodily injury, property damage liability coverage, and medical payments coverage. RV owners pay approximately $1,700 per year for RV insurance.
- Fuel costs
Fuel costs are a big expense. This also means high fuel bills if you want to RV to many places. RV fuel costs are related to many factors, such as the type of RV, its size, and its fuel efficiency rating. Typically, a month of RV living costs $100 to $400 in fuel costs.
- Daily necessities replenishment and equipment maintenance
You'll need to regularly restock a variety of daily necessities, including toiletries, filters, and others.
You may need to replace badly worn carpets or curtains, replace your water system, replace your battery, and replace your tires.
High campground fees
More than 60% of RVers choose to campground, so they need to pay regular campground fees. Nightly rates range from $40 to $120, depending on campground configuration level.
Many campgrounds offer electric hookups, usually for $20 to $30 per day. Weekly power hookups can cost as much as $180/weekend at some glamping sites or during peak season. If you wish to use cable TV and WIFI services, additional charges will apply.
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Some RV parks and RV campgrounds charge for additional amenities such as swimming pools.
If you want to experience RV life at a campground, you’re going to have to pay a lot for it.
Difficulty staying safe in extreme weather
You'll love living in your RV on sunny days, and even the occasional rainy day won't make you uncomfortable. However, weather changes throughout the year, and you have to deal with sometimes extreme weather, such as tornadoes, snowstorms, and heat waves.
During the summer, the RV can withstand wind speeds of up to 75 mph (120 km/h) without tipping over. You want to avoid living in your full-time RV during high tornado seasons.
During the winter, snow can freeze pipes and water storage tanks, causing the propane tanks used to heat your RV to become inoperable.
Storage space is limited
In addition to minimalist enthusiasts, other full-time RV travelers may be faced with limited storage space inside their RV.
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As full-time RV living gets longer, travelers need to store more and more things. To keep their living space from shrinking, travelers will have to make some sacrifices, such as throwing away clothing or selling their beloved musical instruments.
Some RV enthusiasts choose to give up their full-time RV life because they don’t want to throw away these emotional things.
Dealing with an RV water system is a hassle
You need to clean and replace the filter regularly. The water in your RV needs to be changed at least every two weeks. Maintain water systems at least every six months.
If you choose full-time RV living, what should you do?
Choose the right RV
Choose the right RV based on the number of people and your needs. Popular types of RVs now include travel trailers, Class A RVs, Class B RVs, Class C RVs, and fifth-wheel RVs.
Plan travel route
Plan a route for your RV trip. The travel information you need includes RV campgrounds, popular national parks, and scenic RV travel routes.
Maintaining an RV
Maintain your RV to keep it in tip-top shape before you go. You need to troubleshoot those common faults. In autumn and winter, you also need to prepare for frost protection. Remember to use an RV cover, it helps.
Participate in RV life socializing
Don’t let your full-time RV life get boring! Connect with people who live the same lifestyle as you!
There are many full-time life enthusiasts active on Facebook, Twitter, and many other social platforms, find them and share your wonderful life!
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You can join an RV club or an RV party! These are places where you can find people who share your interests!
Don't let you lose contact
Before setting off, make sure your internet connection and WIFI hotspot are ready. You need to stay connected at all times while traveling. For RV travelers who need to work remotely, internet connectivity and Wifi are important. If you enjoy online entertainment, a sudden disconnection is a bummer.
