There Is No Number

One of the most frequent questions I get from new and wannabe fulltime RVers is, how much does it cost to be a fulltimer? I can’t answer that question for them because there is no number that is accurate. No one-size-fits-all, plan your budget this way and you’ll be fine number.

How much does it cost to live in your hometown? I’m sure there are people living on the poor side of town who are barely getting by on a few hundred bucks a month. And I’m sure there are people who live in very nice houses, drive new cars, send their kids to private schools, and would never think of shopping at an outlet mall. It’s the same way with RVers.

I have presented seminars on fulltiming at RV shows and rallies nationwide for almost 20 years, and published a nationally circulated RV newspaper for most of that time. I have talked to literally tens of thousands of fulltimers in that time, and no two of them ever had exactly the same RVing style, the same interests and needs, or the same budget.

I know many people who are comfortable spending a night or two in a Walmart parking lot or a highway rest area on the way from Point A to Point B. I know many others who would never think of doing that and insist on being in an RV park someplace every night with at least water and electric hookups. And I also know RVers who would not even consider a small mom and pop RV park and only go to resorts with full hookups, swimming pools, an activities schedule, and the like.

Some RVers leave at the crack of dawn, drive 500 miles a day routinely, and can cross the country in 3 or 4 days. Others take a more leisurely approach to life, leaving after breakfast, driving 200 miles at most, and getting off the road in the early afternoon.

Some fulltimers do their own repairs and oil changes, never dine out, and are happy relaxing under the awning after a day on the road. Others pay someone to do their maintenance, go to restaurants every day of the week, and like to play golf to unwind. Each and every one of them spends a different amount of money to enjoy the same lifestyle in their own way.

Besides your traveling style and the places you stay, and how you like to eat and entertain yourself, there are other costs to take into consideration. Are your RV and tow vehicle paid for? Are you paying for your own health insurance or is it part of a retirement package? What about prescription meds? What is your driving record like? If it’s good, you will pay a lot less for insurance than a guy who has had a DUI or a couple of accidents.

As you can see, there is no one number that will answer the question of how much does it cost to be a fulltime RVer. But I do know this… whatever you have, it costs that much.

I finished my new book John Lee Quarrels book, Mullets And Man Buns, and Miss Terry worked feverishly all day yesterday and late into the evening getting it proofed and edited. I was making the changes as she went along, and then I sent it out for a second and third round of proofreading. At this rate, it should be live by this weekend. I will let you know as soon as it’s available.

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Thought For The Day – I want to grow my own food but I can’t find any bacon seeds.