Should You Hit The Road Full-time?
The RV life is not for everyone but there are many ways to define that life. Some may spend part of the year in a home and the other part living in their RV in one spot.
Others may live in their RV full time and travel around the country, moving every couple of weeks and seeing the best the US has to offer. Some may work camp, changing where they live seasonally but still enjoying different parts of the country. Some may do a variation of all of these.
Is RV Life For Me? Here’s 10 Signs It Is
If you are considering an RV life, take some time to research the positive and negative aspects. There are plenty of both. If the thought of quitting a job, selling a home, and moving away from family and friends makes you quiver, with excitement or dread, you might have hit your comfort zone regarding hitting the road. Check out some of these signs that RV life might just be for you.
1. You are adventurous
There is no doubt RVers are, for the most part, adventurous people. Heading out on the open road and seeing places you’ve never been can be very exciting. If you like to hike, bike, kayak, or just have a taste for outdoor adventure, the RV life might be for you. Even if your tastes run more indoor than outdoor, there are also plenty of museums, historic venues, and beautiful places to satisfy you.
“Traveling around the country was what Marshall and I both dreamed about before we met. Shortly after we crossed paths, we decided that we wanted to make it a reality and live on the road full time. Not only does this lifestyle offer freedom to explore and work wherever our heart desires, it gives the opportunity to meet down-to-earth people, and make memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. And, let’s be real not every day is rainbows and butterflies, but we are genuinely happy no matter what road we land on. We have learned so many valuable lessons along the way and look forward to learning so many more. One major takeaway from this lifestyle is that we are living our lives on our terms and not how society wants us to. Life is so much more than following a step by step template.” Marshall and McKenzie, full time RVers, work campers and millennials living their dream lives
2. You get bored with the same ol’ same ol’
You may be retired, or just tired of the same commute, the same job, the same everything every day. RV living allows you to pick and choose where you want to go and how long you want to stay there. The view from your RV window can change as often as you want.
Lake Irwin near Crested Butte, Colorado. Photo courtesy of Todd Nighswonger
3. You are flexible
Flexibility is a must for RVers. Weather changes, route changes, delays and more can work to frustrate and irritate an RVer.
A mechanical issue can keep you in the same place for longer than you intended or, you might just want to stay put and enjoy the ocean or mountain view for a little while longer. If you enjoy throwing the schedule out the window at times, this may be the life for you. There may be times when you “have” to be somewhere, but flexibility is key in the RV life.
4. You love a challenge
The RV life can be challenging. There is always something to learn, whether it’s backing up your fifth wheel, troubleshooting a problem, or navigating to your next destination.
5. You enjoy meeting new people
People who enjoy making new friends will revel in the RV life. In general, RVers are outgoing, friendly people. Don’t be surprised if you have a helping hand to back up your rig or have an invitation to a neighbor’s bonfire on your first trip. Let them know you are new to RVing and you will probably have more advice than you need. You will make friends for life in this lifestyle.
You will make lifelong friends while RVing. Photo via Flickr
6. You enjoy seeing new places
There is so much to see across the United States. Mountains, plains, oceans, rivers, and lakes offer a diverse landscape of backdrops that will provide an ever-changing view from your RV window.
7. You like change
Most change in human life can cause some stress and anxiety. The very act of leaving friends and loved ones to jump out on the RV life might cause your heart rate to go up. Depending on what level of RV life you choose, you might need to pare down belongings, put things in storage, or just sell it all. The change may be overwhelming but don’t let fear keep you from moving ahead. Embrace the change.
8. You are spontaneous
Even if you are a serious planner, the RV life can allow you to embrace your inner spontaneous person. Unplanned stops on the road can lead to some awesome scenery, a fantastic out-of-the-way café, or just time to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Don’t forget to stop and take in a beautiful view. Photo via Flickr
9. You don’t believe money is a deal breaker
At this point, you might be asking yourself, “Isn’t the RV life really expensive?” That question can be answered both yes and no. You can pay millions of dollars for a luxury Class A motorcoach. You can also find a rig within your means and maybe upgrade later when you are sure the lifestyle is for you.
Repairs can be expensive as well. Many can foot the bill for this lifestyle from retirement and savings. Some can’t. There are tons of ways to make money on the road including work-from-home jobs. It’s a great way to travel, see the country and still earn a living.
Becoming a work camper might be a way you want to pay for the lifestyle. Work campers take seasonal jobs, sometimes with RV parks across the country. Amazon has its own Camperforce where you spend several months working at one of its facilities, usually during peak times in the fall and winter.
10. You can adjust on the fly and go with the flow
Life on the road isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Living in a small space can cause tempers to flair. Directing your spouse when backing up into a tight RV spot can be challenging. There are times when driving, or pulling an RV, can be a white knuckle experience.
Even the most experienced couples can find living in an RV a challenge some days. If you are quick to forgive in a stressful situation and ready to head to the next adventure, you definitely need to give the RV life a try.
One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and much more.
Continue reading: If You Have These 10 Personality Traits, You’re Meant To Be A Full-Time RVer
Terri and her husband, Todd, are full time RVers and work campers. They have been living full time in their RV for nearly three years with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Newton, and their Mini Aussie puppy Remi. They are currently wintering in Arizona with plans to continue their travels next summer. Writing is Terri’s passion but she also loves hiking, kayaking and anything she can do outside.
Finally some 1 who knows rving!!!
We would love to become a full-time RV travelers but recently we just left the respite and we have encountered cancer and other types of ailments no savings on fixed income so we need to know how to come about an RV and get on the road my question is how to get a loan and then get started
Enjoy your freedom, while you still can…
We lived the rv life for a year but got frustrated with it due to too many rver’s and not enough campgrounds. It became a challenge to book reservations, even in the same park you were staying at. That nice river view is there for you now but someone booked it year ago for the next 2 weeks. We ended up buying a cabin then watched its value double so were moving back closer to our kids and said goodbye to rving
Right now I have too many questions I have never seen covered.
How do I receive my mail?
How do I do doctor visits?
Right now I order groceries on-line, go to the store, they are carried to my vehicle, and I take them home. Can I do that on the road? And how?
There is more, but these are at the top of my list.
I’d agree that getting a campground space can be very challenging. It’s probably a wise idea to try to keep your campground reservations lined up for as long in advance as you can. Obvious challenge there is once booked and you get there and don’t like the campground you might be out of luck until it’s time to move on. We’ve seen nightly rates do nothing but go up, up, up. Popularity increased during COVID and even full time telecommuters have hit the road and work from their RV. That and the number of campgrounds not increasing make full time RVing a challenge and less of a joy.
I’m retired for past few years and have a compact TT that use primarily for summer travel for days at a time. No desire to be a full time RV’er but plan to use my TT for more extended periods in the future for weeks or months at a time while I explore the many different regions and NP’s of this great nation that have never been to.
I became interested in amateur radio and also got my father to get his license. He went camping in the smoky mtns and i talked to him from New Jersey.
I had another friend in Florida that I talked to a few times a week. You have to study to get the license. My father passed and I lost interest. Signals do get out in remote areas on some frequencies where there is no cell service.
Another way to meet friends. Look up information on the subject on the internet.
just bought our first class A. spent two months on the road earlier this year. we want to keep our home or a home. so not full time. i enjoy the road but love returning to home base for a break. we have been about 10k miles in the last 3 years. we still work and want to maintain our income flow, so we need to be home for a while. i think we’ll get away more as time moves on but we like where we are now.
i like the cabin idea, also, these things are worse than boats when comes to the financial side.
I think like you Paul C. I want to see more of this great nation’s beauty, but only weeks or months at a time. I need my garage/work shop, and my place to call home most of the year. A month or two at a time RV’ing, several times a year would be perfect!