FAQs – Part 2
Thank you for following along on my journey! I am currently in hot and humid Kentucky, having a blast visiting family and friends – and trying to stay cool! Reminder to self for next summer – stay in the cool crisp air of the mountains and don’t head south until the dog days of summer are gone!
I get lots of questions about living and travelling full-time in an RV, and received positive feedback from the first set of questions/answers, so here’s Part 2:
Feel free to connect with me:
Q: Does living in an RV save money?
A: No. Yes. Well, it depends. The cost of RVing is a very complex topic as it varies dramatically based on the individual and desired lifestyle. Just as rent and mortgages vary from person to person, the cost of RV’s and camping sites have a dramatic range.
The majority of expenses remain similar for most people regardless of their lifestyle choices: groceries, dining out, insurance, healthcare, loan payments, vehicle registration, etc. Rent or mortgage, utilities and house expenses are replaced with expense related to an RV – cost of the unit, nightly camping fees, maintenance, and fuel.
Fuel is one of those expenses that is controllable and directly correlates to distance traveled. Fuel costs can be lower by staying in one campground for a week, and fuel expenses obviously go up if you are driving hundreds of miles every day and just stopping for one night.
I am tracking my budget and after I have some additional months under my belt, I will be able to speak more accurately about expenses based on my actual experiences. Stay tuned in the coming months.
“Your life is happening now, right in front of you.” – Evelyn Robin, Christopher Robin movie
Q: What is the most challenging part of fulltiming?
A: Campground reservations present the biggest challenge. I have eight apps on my phone and five websites that I use to locate camp sites. There is just no single source listing all campgrounds, and basic internet searches produce different results and then the majority of state and national campgrounds redirect to yet other sites to check availability and make reservations.
I have come to realize that campground reservations are entirely more complex than hotel reservations – the size/length/width of your rig must fit and there are multiple types of hook-ups available (water/electric/sewer). People typically reserve a specific site based on shade/sun/location/etc., which is very different than reserving a hotel room with a king bed, and the hotel assigns a specific room upon check-in which gives them flexibility to virtually move people around prior to check-in.
Fortunately, if making reservations remains the most challenging hurdle, this will continue to be a fun journey! I’ll gladly deal with it!
“A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.” – Gael Attal, Poet
Q: How’s my cats?
A: My two cats, Ollie and Josie, seem to have adapted well to the nomadic lifestyle. On moving days, they ride in the truck with me – not in the trailer. They settle in after a few minutes and tolerate the ride.
They seem relaxed in the trailer and content with looking out the windows and doing whatever it is cats do – mainly just chill out! They act the same as they did in a house – occasionally chase each other around, play with toys, sit on a perch or find a hidden spot for a nap. I have also been known to harass them with a laser pointer that they run after and pounce on!
“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I’ve been.” — Winnie The Pooh
Q: Health insurance?
A: Yes, my choice is that having health insurance is important for me. I do not have health benefits from a previous employer, so I have researched this topic thoroughly and learned to maneuver through the maze.
Several people have asked for a tour of the rig, so I am gradually working on a video tour! Might be a couple weeks, but it is in the works. I’ll continue posting about once a week.
If you have a question, just ping me!