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  1. #1
    Fireside Member
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    Fulltime planing

    I tried a search first, but I didn't really see what I was looking for. Was talking with financial planner the other day, and he asked what we planned to do in retirement. Well, we would like to spend most of it traveling in the Rv. We plan to keep the sticks n bricks, so he asked me what I thought monthly expenses would be. So, my list of questions are : 1- how much do you budget/spend monthly on a site. We mostly camp on the east coast, from Maine to S. Carolina. The summer rates always being higher from Memorial Day thru Labor Day. Do the rates in places like Florida, Texas, Gulf Coast, etc...stay the same all year or do they have a "season". 2- How much do you budget for fuel, or do you just travel when you need to move and deal with it. 3- Do you keep an emergency fund for issues with the rv (yeah, that never happens). 4- We plan on traveling all over, coast to coast, so do you plan to be in areas during their off season at reduced rates or go when everything is in season due to weather, availability, things like that. (Born n raised in the NE, so definetley not camping in the snow). I'll just start with those for now, but if you would like to add something I should consider, let me know. Thanks for input, Mike

    BTW- Years ago a guy I worked with told me when he retired he was going to travel around the country and get a photo of he and his wife on the beach of every state that bordered water. That sounds like what I want to do, so would like to start planning that!

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    Mike you need to visit RV-dreams.com

    All the information is there.

    Red
    Location - Wherever the road takes us...Full-timers
    2015 Momentum 380
    2019 Ram Dually

  3. #3
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by el Rojo View Post
    Mike you need to visit RV-dreams.com

    All the information is there.

    Red
    In addition to RV-Dreams.com, look at the Escapees RV Club web site in the educational section. In the end, full-timing costs about the same as living in a stix 'n brix home. There are people doing it on a shoestring and people spending a couple of hundred thousand a year doing it. It all depends on your expectations and lifestyle. Last year (2019), we averaged $24.73 a night, including everything from military campgrounds to a few monthly stays - southeast to northeast to desert southwest to Pacific northwest. There's a lot more to it than camping/parking fees, though. You need to do a deep dive and a lot of research.
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  4. #4
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    You can plan and set a budget, but that won't last long. We had our cheapest year average stay price was $18 a night, but that included 3 months of volunteering for a campsite. We see sites for $12 a night on Passport America, but lots of restrictions and typically not someplace you want to spend any time at. Then there are the resort campgrounds; $100-$125 a night, but you get lots of neat stuff, golf, kid play areas, pools, jacuzzi's etc.

    This last year our average nightly stay has been $35, this has included some volunteering, some monthly rates and lots of traveling 2-3 day stays.

    The sneaky expense is major repairs, 2nd year $6000 RV suspension upgrade, then came the fuel injector issues, $800, $1200, $300. Well that led to a new truck, twice. My advice here is decide what would be reasonable for monthly repair costs then double it, you'll be closer.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  5. #5
    New Member
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    Check out YouTube. "Next Exit". Bob has done a great job of breaking down their travel/lifestyle expenses.

  6. #6
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    Thanks, everyone. That's put me on the right track. Guess we won't exactly be "fulltime". I can't imagine selling the house and not having something to come back to. Sounds like we will probably be more of a snowbird couple than anything else. Thanks again.

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper chemist308's Avatar
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    When reading, keep in mind my full time is traveling for work. So most of my stays are multi-month stays. I look for RV parks which offer monthly rates and can usually find them in the $500 range. Currently staying in Memphis for $525 / month. Inman, Kansas was $380. Colorado Springs was $550, but I had to pay electric. So really it was more like $750 in the winter when I was running a quartz heater. My advice is don’t do a week here then a week there.

    Get to know the area. Your stays will be cheaper and you’ll find things that aren’t tourist traps that the locals actually enjoy. Just keep in mind that the high demand areas will be closer to what I paid in Colorado Springs if not more.

    That said, if you’re retired, my Dad who’s retired and lost Mom in 2018 tells me his expenses started to go up. Going out to eat and boredom purchases are something he’s had to religiously guard against. If you’re in a foody town it may not be able to be helped...
    2018 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
    2020 Ram 3500 SRW
    https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7803/4...56f2161a_m.jpg

  8. #8
    Big Traveler
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    There is no "budget" that you can just plug and play. Your needs are different much like mine are from everyone else in this thread or on the Internet when we talk about money.

    Where do you want to go and how long are you going to stay there?

    Start with a basic plan, monthly visits generally cost a lot less and you will have a lot of time to just chill out and visit at your own pace.

    If you plan on moving every few days you are going to burn out eventually and you will spend a lot more money.

    Where you camp is also important. If you want to spend time in S FL during the winter it is going to cost you some $$ vs staying out in the desert BLM with some panels and your crochet kit, much cheaper.

    Figure out where you want to go and how long you plan on sticking around and then go from there with numbers.
    Last edited by Aridon; 01-26-2020 at 04:26 PM.
    2019 Momentum 395
    2018 Ram 3500 DRW 4.10 AISIN

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    We bought a campground membership (like 1000 Trails) that gets us into 2 parks here in Oregon for free for 2 weeks at a time and then out for a week. It also gets us into RPI and ROD parks for $10.00 or free for 2 weeks also. We are hoping once we go full time; between those sites and a few workamp jobs we can keep the camp fees down.
    My wife is downsizing and said January 31, 2022 is the day we leave. I'm ready NOW. KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  10. #10
    New Member SnoKat's Avatar
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    Not full-time yet, our plan is to sell the house and buy a lot in a RV park or find property that will allow living in RV full-time to call home. We would travel also. The cost savings over trying to keep up a home are great and we have a permanent address. We are still deciding where to own, taxes and building codes will be the decider.

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