Costs & Mistakes After 6 Months of RV Life [Full Time RV Living]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ย. 2024
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In this video we share our costs & mistakes after 6 months of full time RV living. RV Newbies experience special challenges as they take on full time RV life for the first time. Even though we've RV'd for many years, we still made some BIG RV mistakes. Full time RV living is NOT the same as weekend RV'ing. Learn from us as we share our costs & mistakes and what went right in the first 6 months of full time RV living, plus, what this means for the next 6! Will we continue full time RV'ing? Have the challenges & full time rv living expenses taken their toll? What will we do differently going forward? We've learned some valuable lessons in a short period of time.
We share how much it cost us to live full time in our RV for 6 Months. How does it compare to your expenses? Did we set the right expectations? Did we keep our cool? What will we change and what will we continue doing?
We are Brian and Shawnna, a full time rv couple who enjoy the rv lifestyle. We are empty nesters who recently quit our corporate jobs, sold our home and auctioned off just about everything we own to live a simpler, more purposeful life in our RV. As Full Time RV'ers, our goal is to experience life and make awesome rv lifestyle videos for our community. We decided to "retire" from life as we knew it so we traded our stuff for experiences. We travel in a 2008 Winnebago Motorhome (RV) with a preference for RV boondocking. We vlog, blog and update social media with our RV travel experiences, advice and challenges with a goal of helping other RV'ers along the way - find beautiful places to stay and save money by seeking out low cost campgrounds and awesome boondocking sites. The RV life is a great life, but it's not without its challenges. We plan to share those with you and offer advice along the way.
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“Dine out” at lunch, instead of dinner. Stay longer at stops. Limit sightseeing expenses. One big savings, to meet budget, is to stay out if the northeast! Love your honesty.
Ted D. Thank you! We appreciate the advice.
That has always been our regime, Breakfast and Supper at "home", try the local at noon when you are out and about!
Very true. We went to the northeast once and I had sticker shock. Come south and eat at taco bell. :-)
@@libertysprings2244 👍
Cut back on liquor/beer/wine/cocktails at a restaurant. Think of it as a treat vs. a regular thing.
Byob if you are dining out. Most restaurants don't mind byob if they do not have a liquor license.
Go to nice restaurants for lunch only. Most serve lunch till 3 or 4 pm.
Eat mostly at home. Use a crock pot and let it cook while u are sleeping.
I rarely drink wine or a cocktail out bc it adds so much more to the bill, more tax, more tip, etc. Sure, it's nice and if money is no object, then go for it. If money is a concern, think twice about ordering that beer or cocktail.
An added thought: Have your own happy hour at home or a glass of wine before you leave for an evening dinner out. OR if you have a fancy lunch out have wine & cheese at 6 or 7pm.
No need to cut out alcohol but consuming it at home or byob saves you ton$ of money.
I know as far as checklists, we try to keep in mind, that no matter how seasoned and how ingrained that "to do" list is in your head, all it takes is one interruption, someone coming over to talk, one question asked to get you squirreled....and it could potentially be a deadly mistake. Take the time to use an actual checklist and if interrupted, go back and recheck what you've done. Dont skip steps and recheck each other. When I put the "ahh, why do I need a checklist, it is habit" mentality in check by remembering that all it takes is one mistake to change a life, it helps me snap back to focusing on safety first, no matter how lazy I feel.
Thank you for doing this video and recognizing that you needed to take steps to remain safe while on the road. Many people forget the "bug out bag" with insurance info and necessities they need if they need to leave their rig behind to survive something quickly. They forget about the weather radio and being situationally aware of thier campground and where to run for cover or info on the fridge with the campsite address and important info if they need to call 911 when they are in a panic situation. Having those things ready saves precious time when it matters most.
Oh I’m relieved! I was so afraid you guys were going to talk about how much you regretted your decision to full-time! Instead, I’m even more interested in this lifestyle. The problems you guys have experienced are more than manageable in the big scheme of life. Great video, and I look forward to more content.
Thanks for watching!
I worked construction and traveled the United States and stayed in my RV for 38 years. The biggest thing I learned on saving money was do not stay in RV parks stay in mobile home parks. Many mobile home park have area's for RVs that are $350 a month including electricity water trash sewer and sometimes cable TV. Good luck and happy travel.
Thank you!
As a male, did you spend a lots on food....as these people over doubled their budget on FOOD!
Do you have any tips for finding parking in urban areas (especially during day time) where street space is often limited even for typically sized vehicles, let alone something large enough to live in? I'm considering trying to live out of a decently sized moving truck once I've learned enough carpentry and the like to go independent, but the logistics of parking space + avoiding tickets + moving material to/from the client's house/apartment is the only thing still putting me off.
With a sprinter van it's not much of a problem relative to a car or whatever, but for stuff the size I'm looking at (no more than 24ft) from the little I've noticed since I started paying attention it seems like it'd be a gigantic hassle if I weren't able to find a way to park on-site. I'd really rather not compromise on space if I can avoid it, so I'm scouring the net looking for everything I can to try and determine what size of vehicle to go for.
Graysett Great questions! Unfortunately we don’t have the answers for you. What we can say is that many cities and counties are cracking down on overnight parking. This said, we came across many small towns in the mid-west that have very nice city campgrounds for little to no-cost.
Johnny Fasttruck we’re at one now in Hatfield pa. It’s excellent.
Nice video. We are going into our 4th year of FT. Here are a few more tips: 1) Check restaurant reviews before going. I hate spending $60 on a mediocre meal. We have walked out of a place saying it was no where worth the money. 2) As a pilot I am HUGE on check lists. Almost tore off the antenna before we started using one. 3) Do your own repairs and upgrades. I have saved thousands of dollars by doing mostly everything myself. 4) make sure you are aware of your rig’s weight. Heavier rig, worse gas mileage. 5) Do the maintenance at regular intervals (fridge, generator, lube and grease moving parts, etc), 6) Boondock whenever you can.
Thanks for watching and for the tips. Watch some of our other videos and you’ll see that we do 90 percent of the repairs, maintenance and upgrades to our coach.
Thank you for your honesty. The most Truthful video I've. ever. seen. on RV living. Rock on. You're making it your own. And valuable. You've saved a lot of people a lot of money.
WOW! What a nice compliment. Thank you!
WOW! Thank you again for posting this! I entered the world of RVs beginning with a clam-shell (Versatrailer), and progressing through 2 pop up tent trailers, a small Class C, and finally graduating to a large Class C. I really wish I had viewed your video some 20 years ago! I absolutely agree with your considerations and recommendations! Thank you again for posting this!
(Parenthetically, I retired from the Army after 30 years. I guess I was considered a "Mustang", in that I went from Pvt to Colonel. ALL of my RV-ing was done while I was in the military. You're absolutely "spot on" in your comments! I have made a lot of military friends...and even more RV travelling friends! And...yes...I really miss it! Which is why I enjoy your videos so much! The honesty is refreshing!)
Timothy Webb Thank you for serving our country! I served 10 years in the Air Force and am a Desert Storm veteran.
Timothy Webb Thank you! We’re glad you found our videos useful!
Lucy and Desi documented all this 70 years ago in The Long Long Trailer.
It is a funny movie for sure. Now we are documenting all this 70 years later. Thanks for watching!
Haha truly a great movie
Not like the crap on tv now
Some rig they drove
And just think no 4x4 truck was pulling that monstrosity !
Crazy...right!
Peter Cyr loves that movie!!
Brenda Ferguson 👍
Tip: Reserve Friday or Saturday night for your eating out and date night. Plan all of your other meals and write them down on a dry erase board so you know what you’re going to be eating. Have plenty of snacks available so you don’t get so hungry. When you reserve that one night, you’ll love it!!!! Good luck.
Thanks for watching and foe the info!
Thank you for the video. When my wife retires in 6 years we are going full time. I really appreciate your details. I appreciate your detailed budget and use of a check list. We believe the best part of being full time is meeting new people at different locations.
Hi Bill. We have met so many great people so far! Thanks for watching!
We just got home from a 6 week trip and one tip we think is true is to choose camp sites on the outside of a loop. There will often be more privacy and more room on those sites. Good video.
Thanks for watching!
If you are thinking of going full timers living in a RV whatever type ! RENT ONE before you BUY ! This type of life however romantic it seems isn’t for everyone ! My family(husband ,daughter and my self). Were migrant workers so in order not to live in our car or a tent ( thank The powers that be) my husband and I bought a travel trailer ! Best idea we had ! If you plan to rent a “space “ in a RVPark ,your utilities will be available ( sewer,electric and water ! Propane for heating and cooking ,is your job to go and get at a propane station/gas station ) If you plan to dry camp or Coyote camp in the forest🌲 or desert 🌵 ! My husband passed away a few years ago so I haven’t “ lived” on the “road” for sometime now ! But I loved the freedom of that life and the people we met and worked with from all ethnic groups and some not all were hung up on drugs or alcohol ! Most people worked hard and raised their kids ! I also would suggest buying a used R V. Try that lifestyle for a while ,if you find it’s not for you or if you do want that Freedom way of life you can always trade up to a newer or “*NEW “ * R. V. “Helpful Hints “ when looking at older RV s open All cabinet doors 👀 LOOK for water stains that means leaks when it rains! As you walk around in the RV “feel “the floor is it soft or solid ! If it’s soft that is weak floorboards ! If the floor is firm that ‘s floor is made with plywood ! Look Around vents and windowsill for rotting of wood! Look under sink water pipes and drain pipe and check out the sewer valve on the “ blackwater tank and gray water tank There should be “Lid for the main sewer outlet drain that screws on to the pipe ! There more things to look for to numerous to address here ! Just remember like all older things humans pets we all wear out with age and so expect to have to do a bit of up grading ! Oh and if you don’t already have copy of The movie RV get one {if you want too) with Robin Williams And marvelous cast of supporting actors ! Blessed Be 😇
And I wish you more luck then you will need🍀🍀🍀🍀( Line from a Jimmy Buffett song)❤️
Betty Houk Thank you for sharing too wonderful story and sage advice! Welcome to our community and thank you for watching.
Wow you should write a book, very informative!
Just found you! Sold the house. Close next week and will then be officially FT! Interesting to hear your pros and cons. Took lots of notes! Thanks!
Good luck!! Thanks for watching!
I like your choices for finding campground. I also joined a local Elks Lodge....Most of them have RV camping around the country. They are typically $15 - 25 / night. Most do have water and electric. You walk into the lodge after dinner and they already know who you are. Very Very nice people. They will bend over backwards telling you what sights you need to see.
Thank for the info!
Eagles as well, will look into the Elks!
This video is so motivating. I am currently prepping my home to sell and will have it on the market by the end of this month. . Its too big for me and every since i traveled those 3 months this summer i feel like i dont need much. Fortunately i am free and clear. I also have a couple of rentals and im so tired of tenants. I plan on keeping one as a home base but getting rid of the others. Something in my heart tells me the time is now to downsize. I want the freedom to be able to travel more. I do plan on buying a couple lots to be able to have additional home base. My friends are negative bc they dont RV but i dont live my life on other peoples fears. I rarely talk to neighbors. We have nothing in common. This video hit home for me like your other video about your rv breakdown. Thanks again for sharing.
WOW! What a great compliment. This is exactly why we do what we do. Sometimes TH-cam can be drag, but when we get viewers like you to join our community we know we’re doing something right. Best of luck to you! Check out our videos on how we downsized using Maxsold auctions. It was super easy and relatively stress-free!
I agree. People who don’t get it will try to steer you in another direction. Especially if your solo female. You have to follow your dream and gut.
This is excellent. Thank you. It's really helpful. I appreciate the honesty and facts. Providing your experiences and learning for others is appreciated. Also, you two are a wonderful couple and seem to be wonderful people. I love the sense of adventure and how easy and kind you are with each other.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the very nice compliment. We have our days, but we work hard to keep life interesting.
Eating out is a bad day at our house. My wife is hands down, one of the most amazing cook's I know. On our summer long trip across America, our meals include steak, seafood, Indian, Chinese, Cajun, Mexican, Italian, and of course the traditional burgers and hot dogs. She just cook on our trip like she cooks at home. PS that process food will slowly kill you over time.
Thanks for watching!
great informative video with no annoying background music!
Michael Was Thanks!
I agree the back ground music can be painful🤪
Our experience (and I think it's common) is the first year was much more expensive than any other year. Once you get settled and move out of that "vacation" mode you'll be much better. Great job identifying what's going on and keeping track! :)
Thank you!
HONESTY REDEEMS US ALL...You learned, now WE learn....Thank you!!!
Thanks for watching!
Got 3 questions for ya: 1) Does your "all food/drink" include household necessities, toiletries, dog food, etc? 2) How much do you spend on propane per month? 3) Interested in what your motorhome's fuel economy is since we have a similar rig.
Great questions. Food and drink is just that. Everything else is in incidentals. We included propane costs in the fuel category but only spent about $100 in the last 6 months. that will change as it gets colder. Fuel mileage is about 5-7 mpg. Do you tow a vehicle? We tow a heavy Jeep so your mileage may vary if your vehicle is lighter. Thanks for watching!
I made it all the way through your video although I had doubts whenever you talked about spending almost as much as me a person on Social Security has to live on per month ..for food and drinkI thought maybe y'all had some issues. I will sit down and watch some more of your videos and this is a learning curve even for people that have money and waste. . That's how you end up with no money. At least you admit this is going to change so you can be successful. This will help others to see how you can live a more frugal but very happy life.
It’s unfortunate that Seniors are living with such low SS income. Hopefully that will change. Thanks for watching!
When my husband and I travel we share our meals , my parents did this living for 10 years and never had one problem with budget. So it is for sure possible.
Thanks for watching!
Super informative. Thank you for your honesty. This will help us a lot on planning our journey in a couple of years. Expenses could be fixed as long as you know where the issue is. The best part is that you are not missing the sticks and bricks and there is no looking back. Very encouraging for someone like us who are still in the planning / dreaming phase. Safe travels. Adrian & Klara
That’s awesome! Life is short and you only live once. Cliche I know, but it really takes on a different meaning when your living it. Thanks for watching g and good luck on your journey to full timing!
Yeah the honesty is great, RV life has it's challenges!
@@AdventureEndeavor It sure does, so no need to add false drama!
Hoping to go full timer within the next 5 years. I will definitely have to be careful on eating out. Local cuisine, craft breweries, etc is one of my favorite parts of travelling!!
👍
Even the most experienced aircrews/pilots follow a checklist. Treat your RV like an aircraft.
Thanks for watching!
Except don’t take it down a runway
@@verlinswarey507 👍
Great reminder! Check off list ...it’s a must for a smooth flight!
Preflight check
Great cautionary note on setup and tear down. A checklist is key for sure
Thanks for watching!
You’re adding 30+ years more to your lives! You should do a video on the way you changed as a person after living on the road vs working at a corporate office and paying tons of bills, etc, how your mood, sleep, outlook on life changed, and overall well-being. I’m interested
Excellent idea! Thank you!
So many of us have made regretful decisions, whether in RV life or elsewhere in our lives! Best we can do is learn from our mistakes & from people like you being honest. Making mistakes is in fact part of life, and mistakes are part of learning! 😀
No regrets here! Thanks for watching and for your support!
I love this video! I’m addicted to “life on the road” whether it’s van life, RV, box truck all of it. Most people I follow are really young but I love it nonetheless. But it’s nice to see a couple about our age do this life. Makes it that much more attainable. Thanks for sharing! Very very informative. We have an RV and consider ourselves pretty experienced. But never even considered some of the things you mentioned here. Especially the weather. So so so informative thanks again
Thanks for watching!
This was fab soooo informative we all make mistakes nobody's perfect just think of all the memories you have made TOGETHER
Thank you!
You guys are honest. How refreshing!
Thank you! We believe it's important to be honest and authentic. Far too much drama out there these days.
Truthful people are very refreshing.
Real RV campers know these truths.
Some RV you tube videos are not truthful because they have agendas.
You guys tell it like it really is. Thank you because it is appreciated.
THANK YOU! This is an awesome compliment!
Hi there so glad to see you made it to Arizona thank you for all your honesty The part about setup and tear downs is spot on. I used to drag a toy hauler and you had to take all your toys out before you can make your bed and fold the beds up and load the toys back in before you leave. I bought a motorhome in June and just went on my first big trip my nightly cost was around $40 a night except for the six nights out of the 25 that I was gone that I parked at friends we drove about 3500 miles. Ended up in three different repair shops the last of which my motorhome is still sitting in waiting on parts. I’m $1200 in and told another $1300+ to fix. I was lucky that I was only 250 miles from home and the repair shop let me take their loaner car home. Still have to make a 9 hour trip back to get it home but that’s better than $120 a night (5 nights and counting)for a motel plus restaurants and the wife was losing her shit she was ready to be home a week before we broke down. Thanks and I want you to get you the referral that because of you I’m signing up for FMCA. Let me know how to do that. Safe travels
Hope your rig gets fixed soon...and right! Thanks for using us a referral!
Great information! Especially the memberships that you used, and the estimated vs actual expenses. We are starting out full-time in a few months, and this kind of information is exactly what we need. Thank you 😀
That’s great! We’re glad you found the video helpful. What are you hitting the road in?
A Colombus Palomino 320RS
Teresa Atkinson 👍
We would love love love to do this. I just don't think I could leave our family. We have 5 grandkids ages 1-13. We enjoy going to their games and having them spend the night at our house, our monthly planned family dinners as well as spontaneous get togethers. But I know we would love the life you are living and are very envious. Happy travels and maybe someday we will bump into you as we take one of our camping vacations.
Thank you! We do miss family and friends but now we get to see and spend as much time with them as we want!
Thank you for sharing your expenses, it gives me a good bench mark for the budget I am working on for when we go full time.
Our pleasure! We’re glad you found value in our video.
Some good nuggets of info in here even for those of us on different (lower) budgets. I made a list of things to do further research on. Thanks.
Excellent! We’re glad you found our info useful!
Travel-Use the 222 method: 200 miles, off the road by 2 and stay for 2 days until you reach you destination.
We’ve heard of that system. We generally use the 321 rule except when we need to be somewhere. We drive for 3 hours, in by 2 and stay for 1 week, sometime s 2.
I first heard 222 was; drive 2 hours, arrive at destination by 2 and stay 2 days ☀️:-0).
Julie Poirier Whatever works for you. The most important thing to remember is to not be in a hurry to get places.
@@LyfUninterrupted Agreed, Just thought it made sense for a mellow day to set a driving goal in terms of hours instead of miles as someone Mentioned.
It helps us to take our time. I set the cruise at fifty-five mph. Yes, that was me. I don't pass anyone. People merging are already going faster than me so I don't need to even tap the brake to let them in. I get better gas mileage because I don't need to get on and off the gas. It also makes the driving less stressful so I can drive for longer periods. For really long drives, we pack up and hitch the trainer the night before so all we need to do is start the truck and leave before dawn to arrive with time to setup before it gets dark.
We love to cook and so our food budget is pretty low. We boondock every other time so we use paid RV sites 50 %. I don't know what kind of rig you have but we pull a 20 ft TT with a 1/2 ton truck. Our average mileage is 12 to15 mpg. We use every discount club and membership we can find. We have 400 watts of solar so plenty for our power needs. There are many ways to cut costs.
We have a 34 foot Class A coach and it gets about 5-7 mpg when towing our Jeep. Check out our coach tour video and others that show what we've done to upgrade our coach for boondocking.
I just got this video recommended after watching monthly expenses video of unnamed couple living in a converted van and they had 600$ on bought groceries( home cooking) + 800$! on eating out and drinks 😯 so 1400$ just food. That's someone's budget for whole month for EVERYTHING.......
Keep in mind that those of us living this lifestyle are not always minimalists. Some people live this lifestyle because they can’t afford to, or no longer want to, live the “traditional” life. If people can afford to eat, drink and be merry then we believe it’s their prerogative to do so. Thanks for watching!
YEAH -IF YOU HAVE ALL THAT EXTRAVAGENT EXCESS -WHY NOT BLOW IT ON THE MOST EXPENSIVE CUTS OF MEATS? ITS ONLY MONEY. INSTEAD OF AN RV, WHY NOT A PRIVATE JET ?
Hmmm...I am a pilot, so maybe that’s the next step.
You go girl, personally I am thrilled for you and I’ve been fascinated by 5th wheel pros and cons, really looking forward to your upcoming videos 🌻🌻 Love from Oz☀️
👍
I love your comments and story...I am doing it a bit different after seeing so many with the same engine/house out of commision dilemma..I drive a 30 foot fifth wheel.. and because I tend to like solitude more then the whole park thing I ended having a crash course in solar and mostly boondock. have 800 watts solar panels a nice inverter and 10 trojan Batteries T-105 so I never run out of power even run my A/C for 7 hours a day if need be..I do end up doing things the cheap way since I am mostly living on $900 a month SSA so..I drive a diesel older truck which gets a average 13-14 MPG pulling 12000 pounds..My replacement truck is a Ford with the gas motor which gets 6.5 pulling and 8 empty..which when my diesel broke and I had to wait to fix just about killed me cost wise to work out of state...the other thing is that boondocking saves me tons of cash and mostly in great areas although when I was in Bend Oregon stayed in a gorgeous place exactly 4 miles from the first store which was a COSTCO!! I cook most of my meals and one thing I did was buy a freezer which I carry enough food to last about 3-4 weeks and shop at Winco for it all or Traders Joe...The other is I belong to a truckers buying club for diesel and get my price around $2.35 a gallon compared to the posted $3.10 or more HUGE savings in Costs...The 2 biggest costs are always Fuel and night fees so even if if you spent $4000 on a solar system you'll recoup that in no time
Would like to pick your mind on the inverter setup you have. Did you install yourself? We have 400 watts of solar and 400 amp
Hours of lithium battery storage which is more than enough for our needs while boondocking...while in nice sunny areas that is.
@@LyfUninterrupted No problem I installed with the HELP OF A friend I suck at electrics but the one thing I can tell you is get a LOW FREQUENCY inverter if you want to run any kind of heavy load A/C Power tools etc etc
Good to know. Thanks!
Federico Caprotta this comment has almost as much info as an entire video! sounds like a great setup
@@daltonbedore8396 Glad you like it..been having to learn a lot! but it has been worth it you can check out my FB page for a bunch of stuff facebook.com/cheapRVlivingnow/ all free
Intermittent fasting/OMAD helps with food expense and preparation! IF is also healthy but you’ll have extra energy you’ll have to deal with.
Thanks for watching!
Exactly. This is what I try to do...and then if you fall off the wagon for a few days it's not so bad
Stop eating at 6pm. Eat at 10am. That should work. Plus get off sugar and all meat, if yr serious.
Karen yes!! If lifestyle is amazing.
Intermittent Fasting + juicing 1 x a day will
Do miracles to your body. Plus saving money.
Love the honesty. Need the facts so thx for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
I'm 66 now and I've lived in my camper since September 2014 on my own property. In November I moved into a larger 5th wheel camper and had a bigger electric bill from using 3 heaters. I don't have running water but I will shortly. I also recently found that my A/C didn't work, so I found that I had two blown 15 amp fuses that I replaced. Now it works fine.
That’s great George! Sounds like your living in the right direction. Have you had the opportunity to investigate what may have caused the 15 amp fuses to blow?
Thank you! This was super helpful. It’s hard to budget- I don’t think I’ve ever been successful. I appreciate your candor. The checklist is a great idea but one still seems to skim over it. One RV couple uses slap bracelets for each chore and puts them on the steering wheel- removes when done. That way if one person does something , the other will know.
Good idea! Thanks for watching!
After 8 years on the road I can tell you our big lesson was slow down, we now average around 7,000 miles a year makes a huge difference on the budget. We use the zone pass and adjust the zones as we need them, RPI ( Resort Parks International) around 10.00
per night, Corp of Engineers, Passport America and some boondocking . Typically we spend around 200 to 350 per month on Park fees we also have the National Park Pass and use some state parks that are a good deal, New Mexico and Texas come to mind. Escapees have good rates on Rainbow and SKP parks and are always very nice. Safe Travels and good luck with the engine issue.
Thank you! We just signed up for Escapees. How do you like that membership?
@@LyfUninterrupted Very good remember whenever you visit an SKP park for the first time if you mention that it is your first visit you get half off the weekly rate. The SKP parks allow you to use a lease members space typically very large with a shed and paved drive they are first come first serve if available we just left the one in Hondo Texas and have been to several others, great monthly rates too. We also use the mailservice if you are ever near Livingston Texas check out the mail building just like a large post office . You can also get your rig 4 corner weighed for around 40.00.
@@rjahn3000 Would definitely want to get the rig weighed on all 4'S. Thanks for the info.
Like flight planning... like a "missed approach" when flying in serious weather, your plan B RV site can be critical. I like to ask the camp host which direction does the normal prevailing winds blow. If I have a choice on sites, I will choose a site that is as close to the prevailing wind direction when I park. We've seen too many flipped RVs in our time.
Good Luck and safe travels!
Thanks for watching!
After watching so many of your videos, I just bought 2000 Newmar Mountain Aire 33ft. motorhome. I had a 24ft C Class for a few years but felt I wanted something bigger. Thanks for all the videos !
We’re glad you’ve found our videos helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thank for the info. Your video is easy to watch as if we were just sitting there with you. I also appreciate your transparency regarding hte mistakes you made. This was super helpful.
Thank you! We’re glad you found the information useful.
ByBL- I found if you always have a starting point with a list and do a walk around really helps. Just like doing a CDL check on your vehicle before taking off. Plus, do not tear down ( I actually spell checked before I sent this and it still put a 'y' instead of 't') when your angry, then for sure anything/everything goes bad. For instance leaving steps down, vent cover open (unless you have a Airflow cover) and TV antennas left up.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you! I'm just getting started with planning.
Glad we could provide a bit of info for you!
Enjoyed all your suggestions and advice. Especially enjoyed the wonderful relationship between you. Thanks!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the complement. There is a lot of love here!
I tracked every dollar we spent in 2019. My guess for groceries would have been a lot less than my actual numbers came out to be. When we hit the road in 2021 my budget should be more accurate. At least for groceries. 🙂
Ours too! Thanks for watching!
Yeah, I suppose it is about a "practiced" behaviour. Break the "practice" and you will start eating out all the time again. Someone makes money off your laziness 😊
Sounds like 6 months of learning. You're on the right track now!
Thanks for watching.
We did this for six months and the thing I missed most was the sense of permanent community.
That can be the hardest part for some people. Thanks for watching!
lol. That must have been a nice community.
@@merrygwolf4629 , Do like Aussia and be a part of a tribe., share costs and have company.
@@moodyfan4ever Are you doing that as well? How's the tribe and company? If it's good people, let me know. ;)
Nice to see the budget side tracked & shared - I'd like to see more fulltimers doing this!
More to come! Thanks for watching!
Replace the coke for water. Not only you’ll see an improvement in your wallet as well on your health. 1 coke on Saturday and that’s enough
Everything in moderation. Thanks for watching!
LOL! Can’t a man enjoy a coke?!🤪 (I confess I was thinking the same tho🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 LOL!!!!! ROTFLOL!! There! I admitted it!!!)
How do you know it's not Saturday and that's his one coke? You must be a laugh riot to live with.
Bobby Woods I’m a Pepsi man! LOL!
@@LyfUninterrupted I was a Mt. Dew guy,. Mostly alot coffee in the morning, water that that. Pop ( or soda they call it in the north) is bad for you
We just started traveling south for the winter. One of the things we found to be very expensive is the cost of food! I can’t get over how expensive food is in Florida. We try to always stay within a short drive to a Super Walmart. Sometimes you will have to go to the local grocery store for items Walmart doesn’t carry.
We also like to checkout the local restaurants..and when they’re good, we go back (several) times😬. (It’s so much easier to eat out). Good luck in your travels! We are also considering selling our home and going full time for a year.. just to try it! Be safe! 😊
Hi Dennis. You are correct about food prices. Very exciting news about your plan to go full time for a year. Thanks for watching!
holy shit $800 in groceries! living it up! edit: i really enjoyed the honest video and shared it to my mother who is just about to embark on her second round of rv living now that she's retired
Yeah, we did over do it a bit. But like we said, it’s hard to not sample the local fare when traveling throughout the country. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much. Am considering becoming a full time RVer. You two are so likeable!
Go for it! Thanks for watching!
I got a lifetime America the Beautiful "Senior Pass" a couple years ago. After this Covid-19 disaster is under control I hope to make good use of it!
Thanks for watching!
Very informative video. We winter travel annually and I've watched hundreds of videos but I've never recieved so much info or learned so much in one video. Keep up the good work and stay safe! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Thor! Glad it was helpful!
We love our ebikes! I have att prepaid in our RV and it's been unlimited and have it in winegard unit. 360 for year. Great info on your 6 months anniversary!
Thank you. AT&T has been pretty good for us too.
We're have the same unit and love it so far!
Yep! We like food, drink and entertainment as well. That is our Achilles heal for our budget as well.
We will get back on Keto after Christmas. Too many goodies to pass up!
Great information,I’m in the process of getting my ducks in a row , I’m hoping to be living in the R.V. family in one year from now ,so I’m watching everything I can to know what I need , enjoy your travels 🙃
Thank you !
Good, practical, tips- I've been watching some solo female, van lifers, and that looks far more stressful than a couple together- Whew...I just was watching one lady getting stalked by a man who was "off" mentally I'd say, yikes, no fun!
Great Info! I don't miss my home of 21 years!! I have lived in my Class C 31 foot for 8 months. I live by a lake. Down the line I will travel. Not ready for that yet.
Sound like your doing it your way and that’s what counts!
Check is a must!! Walked off and forgot wheel chalks (three sets left at home!) Thank goodness we had another solution.
👍
Super 6 month review, New subscriber so it will be fun to follow your adventures, We are weekend warriors and will hit the road this September
That's great. We're glad our videos have been useful for you.
If your rig or truck is diesel you can save a tremendous amount of money by applying to TSD Logistics. You can save betwen 30-40 cents per gallon.
Thanks! Ours are both gas, so we can't benefit from this program. However, we use Gas Buddy which does save us 5 cents per gallon on a regular basis. That program does offer special 15-20 cent per gallon discounts as well.
Well, I’m glad I love cooking up a storm. Hubby and I just bought an RV and We’ll begging our journey this spring.
👍
We always carry 12 squares of. 2by10 boards and use them under the jacks to help us level up! We can set up almost anywhere!
We stopped carry wood, but we do use heavy duty plastic leveling pads for the jacks and tires when needed. They are much lighter weight and we don't have to worry about them getting soaked with water. Thanks for watching!
Lyf Uninterrupted we had those too, we got ourselves out of very muddy conditions once with our “ stepping blocks” when the rain made the ground way too soft... our rig is a very light trailer though but we had sunk in and the short sections let our tires crawl out of the mud lol... adventures am I right! Lol so it’s not too much to carry them them us... loving the channel! Can’t wait to go full time myself!
Been there! Good luck on your way to full-timing.
Remember your full timing not on vacation
It’s a common occurrence for most full-timers during the first year to feel like their on vacation. Most say it takes a year or so to settle in.
Too late
Their lifestyle is what some of us consider as vacation 😫😫😫😫😫
Him Bike LOL! Too late for what?
Ballsy Bunny Thanks for watching!
We made many crosscountry trips with Sprint and by and large, the signal was good. However, there were just a few spots where it didn't work and one of those areas happened to be the area where we relocated. So, we switched to tmobile. The nationwide coverage is inferior but the local coverage is superior.
Good to know! Thank you!
Thinking of starting the rv life thankyou for the advice your a great couple
Thank you! We’re glad to help!
New Subscriber. Good for you to have a budget structure, being diligent in tracking expenses, and then folding that back into a revised budget. The 'misses' in projected vs. actual costs will wither away. Some of our saddest full-time memories were watching folks enjoying their travels and thinking their new-found freedom didn't require them to manage their finances as thoughtfully. One hiccup (the 2000 'Internet Bubble', the 2007 Recession, or the inevitable expensive repair) and their lives were torn away from them. Congrats on your successful 6-month R'Versary!
Thank you. We appreciate your support!
Love the video. It is amazing how bad we miss underestimated thing's. Even at home we spend over $100 a week on groceries just for just my wife and I. Last summer we had to have our Onan generator overhauled. That alone was $4,000. We had to replace one of our slide topper awnings so we did all four. That was $2,000. Recaulking our roof was another $1,800. Our front end got out of alignment. One front end alignment and two new tires were $1,700. A check list when packing up is a must! We got to cavalier in packing up last Friday and because of it our coach is now in the shop for body damage. The initial estimate is between $8,000 and $14,000. God bless insurance! Keep up the good work! Safe travels.
Yikes! Sounds like you've been through the wringer too! Good luck with the repairs!
@@LyfUninterrupted We just picked up our coach today. They did a fabulous job repairing it. It literally looks new. We couldn't be more excited and we already have our first trip planned for this week coming up. 🙂
Adrian Nurse That’s awesome! Where are you headed?
@@LyfUninterrupted Jacksonville Florida. Can't head to far north this time of year. Lol!!!
It’s fun to try new restaurants and see things and places.
It’s more like $600 for me and my dog. At home I use Costco and Sam’s Club so I get plenty to last. But in my RV storage is not there. So I have to buy small amounts so much more often. Laundry is almost free at home. Laundry Matt’s are not. I don’t have all my tools with me so I have to buy something once in a while.
Just to name a few things that made traveling more expensive
Even with a 35 foot coach storage is still at a premium. We do go to Sams Club occasionally.
Lyf Uninterrupted Dometic makes a small freezer so to plan more meals to cook anywhere I end up I need more freezer space. That way my meats can be purchased at the best prices and frozen veggies then fresh veggies when handy to pick up
Your video is spot on to our experience. We've been full time for one year. Wife and I enjoy your channel, keep up the great content (content? Trying to find a different word for work).
Welcome! HAHA! Yes...CONTENT=WORK! 1 to 2 hours of production work for every minute of video!
This is a much better film than those being done by "Robert" who goes everywhere using almost no dialogue. Thes two people wxplain everything. Very Very good.
Thank you!
Great video! Thanks for the transparency. Your husband looks so sheepish in the beginning talking about finances. Don't be so hard on yourselves. Life is about having fun. As long as you can afford it of course. Everyone goes over their budget once in a while. Y'all were just getting started. You'll get the hang of it soon. Also, I love Keto. I switch between Keto and Paleo routinely so I can have fruit sometimes but try to stay in Keto 3 weeks each month (and also do fasting - which I really love). Also, for women they are now saying that the one special week a month we need to eat foods that raise our progesterone which means higher carbs that week - going off Keto. See Dr. Mindy Pelz video on YT on this issue if you were unaware. It keeps your hormones in better balance.
Thanks for watching!
Go to Canada in the summer and Mexico in the winter. Put a 250cc motorcycle on the back of the RV and use it as your “daily commute”. Park the beast for as long as it takes to explore your area by bike, then move along.
Thanks for watching!
Great video!! All things I needed to know as my husband and I plan for retirement on the road. Thank you! I look forward to more videos.
Thank you!
Hello! This was very helpful. We are hitting the road to go RVing full time on February 28th, after the closing on the house. We are joining my sister and her husband who have been doing the lifestyle since Aug 2019. They have a TH-cam channel too @campervibes. They are workamping right now and staying for free at an RV park. We are excited to try this lifestyle and get out of the frigid Minnesota winters!
That's awesome! Where are you headed to first?
Very helpful to all of us. I purchased 34ft 5th wheel in march. I'm learning from you how to prepare for long term travel.. Western states and month long trips are my plans.. Thanks..
Sound like fun!
I know...right now we're just weekenders...but so easy to blow the budget and diet. I think the solution is to make a weekly menu, precook & prep, and stick with it. Plan time when you splurge...make your own coffee, don't by the $6 coffee.
Thanks for watching!
I never thought we would find another couple that eats "steak & lobster" ALOT like us. Lol Great video. Thank you!
LOL! We do get scolded ALOT for eating well. Thanks for watching!
Not seen ths yet. But straight away huge stress saign is the mans face. Theres deep lines hori that we call vata lines. They are caused by stress and or health issues. He also has deep notches aboove nose which would indicate organ issues. Strange that she is not showing that much. Its not unusual for one partner to be worse than the other. Very sorry to see this but bein sorry solves nothing. I would do complete health check incl 6 pulses. Tonge body and coating Not forgetting diet. Dont mean nutrition.etc. Hope they get on ok.
Ininnnni bin onininininnonin
I use to live in my car in Los Angeles.
For 8yrs.
One time my battery died and I had to
Push my car across the street twice a week
Every Tuesday and Friday for street sweeper
For 6 months !!!! It was like running a marathon in 2 minutes at 4am to avoid any one noticing. Those were the days
Thanks for sharing your story! Sounds like you came out of that situation with your wits intact.
Love this video. Very helpful. I am ready for this lifestyle...just need to get my husband on board
Thanks for watching!
As a retired truck driver your checklist is what we call pre-trip then there is the walk around. The walk around should be done again right after you put your vehicle in drive put it back in park and do a walk around that probably would’ve found that electrical wire that messed up your brakes and maybe would’ve caught you’re awning didn’t secure properly. And do a walk around every time you stop for something. Fuel budget I think you said you budgeted for so many trips but where you went over that you took more traveling time than what you planned on because the only other way you went wrong is some people really don’t know how to figure out mileage and fuel cost. Just a tip fuel can be a very expensive expense and every vehicle has an average mileage per gallon and it takes I’d say at least a month to two months to find that average. But once you got it you could drive around on E and The little get fuel light on and you wouldn’t be worried about it. Just never figure out your fuel mileage by the window sticker because most those fuel averages are probably calculated with just a frame and the drivetrain because they want to sell you a vehicle with the best fuel mileage.
Thanks for the info!
Once again Bravo, love your honesty!! Love all of your videos :)
Thank you!
I lived in a small camper van for 8 years and one quickly learns what the bare essential necessities are.
Everyone has their way of living full time. For us it’s not about bare essentials or doing without. Thanks for watching.
Great video and loved the content! Thanks for your time creating the video!
Take care, Bill in Utah
Thank you! We really appreciate your support!
Just came across this video, one on the best information ones. I will definitely review again with a note pad. Subbed , and will be a loyalist. Thank you for your openness
Thank you Joe! Welcome to the LUCREW!
Nice vlog! RV life is cool, we may consider it if we ever move back on land. Right now we are living aboard our sail boat sailing around the world. Cheers and safe travels
SV Avocet Sailing was always something I wanted to do. Thanks for watching!
Husband and I find groceries are fairly cheap but add in soft drinks, alcohol, the costs start rising. We drink only water and coffee, coffee made at 'home', and never eat out. Eating out with alcoholic beverage and a 20% tip, well, there goes the budget. I bought a WalMart water filter pitcher, cheap fresh filtered water.
We love to go out and eat but just can't do it. Special occasions only.
Thanks for watching!
It's a learning experience, sounds like you are getting it.
Openyoureyes39 Thanks for watching!
My friend works for passport America, they're awesome. She's so sweet.
👍 Thanks for watching!
T-Mobile and Sprint are in court right now trying to merge. I would dig into that news and would probably choose T-Mobile over sprint for a 3rd service.
Thanks for this info!
Currently traveling the US and I can tell you that I have horrible coverage with T-Mobile. My husband has Verizon and he has service 99% of the time
Good to know! Thank you!
@@livinglavidaboca5541 yes, I have Verizon as my primary and then AT&T on a Wi-Fi router.
Mike G yeah... I’m going to be switching to ATT next month. I hate never having service.
Welcome to the club ! Yah ! Gas is a big drain on the pocket book ! Try Quartzite in the winter a lot to see and do and Blyth California is not to far across the river ! There are RVParks in Quartzite Arizona ! We always just Coyote camped ! Love ❤️and Blessing 😇to you both 🍀 a lot of Luck too !
Hi Betty! We're in Quartzsite!