StanleyandIris
Louisiana
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Joined: 06/17/2007
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My parents have camped for over 55 years, all over the country. They have met lots of fulltimers over the years and the recurrent theme is that the ones who are relatively new to the fulltime life (1-3 years)love it and claim they would never return to an S/B house. Those who have been doing it for 5-10 years want to get off of the road and back to a house. Many can not make the transition back to a house for financial reasons and feel stuck with their decision to full time.
My question for all of you, if you want to respond, is:
How long have you full timed?
Do you ever regret the decision to full time?
What, if anything, do you miss about an S/B home?
Would you return to an S/B home and just part time RV?
Do you plan on giving up the lifestyle at some point?
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firedude
On the road
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Joined: 01/21/2003
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** 6 years for me and no intention of going back!
** Only regret I couldn't start sooner
** Miss about the stick house? Not a single thing!
** Won't return to S/B so not an issue
** Absolutely not, Best thing I ever did in my life
Tony
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Aridon
SE Florida
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Joined: 06/06/2007
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IMO, please keep that in mind.
People that have to travel ALL THE TIME and can't possibly sit still for a month + in their RV are the ones at risk for burning out.
People that think of their RV as a home and could care less if they sit for a season or travel are the ones most likely to be able to make it work.
All other things constant.
Now there are many other factors that play as well. Hobbies, relationship with your spouse and in general if you are the type that has to keep busy every second of the day.
Its all between the ears. If you need the garage to work all day to be happy or if you need that big garden to fill your time then no Full time is probably not a good option unless you want to work camp and that fills your needs. If you tend to argue a lot as a couple and fight then small quarters are probably not the best place to go. If you go El Cheapo and skimp on necessities you are used to in the house then it might put pressure on you to go back.
Everyone is different, there is no die hard rule but from the people I've met and talked with about the lifestyle it appears to me that those that ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO move to be happy in their RV, "otherwise why am i living in 400 sq/ft when I could be living in a house" are the ones that IMO are most likely to not make it after 1-3 years.
The rest is inconsequential. If you make a decision like this and can't possibly rent or buy another home then you are a fool IMO. To each their own though.
We don't plan on giving up the lifestyle but if we do then we'll buy a house and park the RV next to it and go on longish trip. At this time we don't see that happening. I actually have my 12k tax bill from our old house on hand should I ever get the itch to buy another home.
We don't really miss anything from the Sticks and bricks. We have literally everything we had there. Less junk but thats a good thing. The only complaint I have right now is our sofa which by all truth is just fine but we'll be replacing that shortly so no biggie.
The only regret we have is that we didn't do this even earlier. We are younger than most as well and still wish we had done it earlier. Oh well, we still had lessons to learn and I'm sure they are not over until I'll back with my maker.
* This post was
edited 07/02/08 02:41pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Enjoying the Lagniappe
Destin,FL,US
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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- 5 years and a couple of months
- Never regretted it
- Miss nothing about s/b house
- No
- Don't know. can't imagine living in one place all the time.
Enjoying the Lagniappe
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BarbaraOK
Livingston, Texas, USA
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Joined: 10/27/2003
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Why are you asking?
I'd venture that your parents sample is probably skewed since they weren't fulltimers and wouldn't necessarily spend time the way fulltimers spend time.
Barb
Barb & Dave - full-timing
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Barbilou and Fujimo
Warm in Winter, Cool in Summer
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Joined: 06/17/2004
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2.5 years
No
My laundry room
No
No
Full Time since November 05!
'04 Cherokee M315L 2 slides Fifth Wheel
'05 Chevy Silverado 2500 4X4 Duramax Diesel,crew cab,long bed
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Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
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Joined: 09/30/2002
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Guys if I might ask this: What are your plans when you simply get too old, too sick, too senile to do it any longer? I like the idea, but we both are terrified of something catastrophic happening and we have to park.
Prior to Katrina, we did a Guld Coast tour and stayed in Gulfport (I believe it was Gulfport - there is/was a retirement home for sailors there and a SeaBees museum) Anyway we stayed in a small RV park across the street from the beach. An elderly couple from Pennsylvania came in and the man was driving the MH. He was in poor health - labored breathing, sweating, and poor color. Now these guys were a very long distance from home, she could not drive the rig and he was in poor shape to even walk around. He ended up in the hospital for 'observation'. I cannot imagine being in this shape that far away from home, or I guess they were 'home'.
There was another park a couple of blocks down and up a couple of blocks. We were looking at other possibilities of staying longer and happened to pull in there. Trailers and MH that had obviously not been moved in years all around, shelters decks added. Very old folks that looked almost in a daze. Constantly smoking cigarettes. This is not the kind of place I want to finish my days in. These guys looked like they were waiting for the next SS check. I felt so sorry for them.
I cannot help but wonder what happened when Katrina rolled in. I hope these guys faired OK, but something tells me they did not. God bless them.
sorry did not mean to highjack the thread.
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avan
Sioux Falls, SD & Livingston,TX
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Joined: 11/02/2002
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Horsedoc: One possibility is SKP's CARE facility - assisted living where you stay in your own RV with dining, nursing etc provided to your rig.
Click for more pics of our FT home, our snowbird digs and our summer trips
The puller - International 4700LP (530E) - Wiers Towmaster; Trailer-Saver Air Hitch
The pusher - 40' Travel Supreme Fifth
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Lynn Rupper
Full-timing USA 13 Years
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Joined: 09/11/2005
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We have been full-time "ON THE ROAD" for 13 years and still can't sit still. We love it and don't intend to live anywhere else until we can't physically do it any more.
We just spent the last 2 mos traveling from OHIO to OREGON. We slowed the trip down to 2 mos instead of 2 weeks due to the high cost of fuel. We spread the expense out over 2 paydays and are going slow again now, waiting for the Eagle to ploop a little in the bank at the 1st of the month, so we can go on to the Coast of Washington.
Quit. Why, It's still fun. It's boring to sit in one place and do the same thing over and over and over. This way it takes a couple of years or more before we go back and do anything over.
If somebody is already thinking about quitting before starting, then they should probably not even think about starting. Full-timing is a lifestyle that is only suited to a few select people. 
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD, 6spd manual, Banks Exhaust Brake
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utmtman
Anywhere USA
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Joined: 12/18/2006
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2 years
Nope
Not a thing
Nope never
Nope
Lee & Fran
2005 37 Ft Holiday Rambler Vacationer Gas Hog
While traveling down lifes paths, stop to smell the flowers.
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