Anyone have regrets about having gone full-time?

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:

MeanderMan wrote:
"OK-Where would you go if by some chance your health was bad after 5 years of full timing? Would you have enough funds to buy another house? Or, would you have to SETTLE and rent somewhere?"

We've been full timing for eight years, and I find this statement ridiculous. Why, at an advanced age that takes me off the road, would I want to BUY a home? What, am I going to build equity by living to be 112? And why is renting a condo or townhome with all of the maintenance taken care of SETTLING for less. The last thing I ever intend to do is become another homeowner. I already own one, and it can take me anywhere I want to live.

Some of us (not everyone) wants to leave a legacy of some sort to our children and/or Grandchildren. One sure way not to do this is to sell an appreciating asset and buy one that not only doesn't appreciate, but may even need to be replaced.

Leaving money or real estate is not "leaving a legacy" for a child/grandchild. My memories of my parents and in-laws revolve around the conversations and good times we had together...not what they left me!

You know I completely understand that. Real world-TODAY a college education is now the equivalent of a high school diploma. Right or wrong big business and society do not put much value in a high school education, thus the emphasis on College. And while memories are a great thing-they don't pay for college. Historically real estate has been a sound investment. Selling that investment and buying something on 4 wheels is not going to help your grandchildren. Keeping you S&B home then going Rving for extended time-nothing wrong with that. Fulltiming-you do JUST BECAUSE.

WeBeFulltimers wrote:


Leaving money or real estate is not "leaving a legacy" for a child/grandchild. My memories of my parents and in-laws revolve around the conversations and good times we had together...not what they left me!

Couldn't agree more.

Barb

AprilWhine wrote:


Actually, the more accurate way to look at it is in the fable The Ant and the Grasshopper. During the summer of our retirement, both ants and grasshoppers are out having fun. But when winter comes...

Poor analogy because you are assuming that those of us who have no desire to own another house, and love fulltiming, haven't made sure that we will take care of ourselves when we can no longer travel. Nothing could be farther from the truth. That our plans may not mesh with what someone else believes is the only way to do it isn't our problem.

Barb

CKNSLS wrote:

MeanderMan wrote:
"OK-Where would you go if by some chance your health was bad after 5 years of full timing? Would you have enough funds to buy another house? Or, would you have to SETTLE and rent somewhere?"

We've been full timing for eight years, and I find this statement ridiculous. Why, at an advanced age that takes me off the road, would I want to BUY a home? What, am I going to build equity by living to be 112? And why is renting a condo or townhome with all of the maintenance taken care of SETTLING for less. The last thing I ever intend to do is become another homeowner. I already own one, and it can take me anywhere I want to live.

Some of us (not everyone) wants to leave a legacy of some sort to our children and/or Grandchildren. One sure way not to do this is to sell an appreciating asset and buy one that not only doesn't appreciate, but may even need to be replaced.

Leaving money or real estate is not "leaving a legacy" for a child/grandchild. My memories of my parents and in-laws revolve around the conversations and good times we had together...not what they left me!

MookieKat wrote:
A very interesting debate!!! I believe that there are people here of two different mindsets.

1. The nomadic right-brain types, who are care-free, artistic bohemian types that love the call of the wild...the adventures to be had that beckon them on...who are spontaneous and "go with the flow" without much thought about tomorrow, who are flexible and will "roll with the punches" and take each day as it comes.

2. The adventuresome, left-brain types that are more practical, organized, planned, calculating, perhaps less flexible...and uncomfortable with lack of structure and unpredictability...the ones who feel a greater need for control over their lives.

Direct opposites indeed! Two different approaches to life and two different ways to live!

Neither is better than the other...just different personality types and each way of life, if it works for you, is the right way for you.

Actually, the more accurate way to look at it is in the fable The Ant and the Grasshopper. During the summer of our retirement, both ants and grasshoppers are out having fun. But when winter comes...

Thank you for a very thought provoking thread.

Some day DW and I hope to live the full-timers life, but I don't think we will completely be 'Full-Timers'. We have discussed being able to spend a few months on the road and exploring wherever the wind and weather patterns take us. Some times it may be slit to escape the cold, others it may be to the Northwest to escape the summer heat.

I don't think we will ever give up a S&B as we have many things we will want to retain but not drag around the US/Continent. We will want a base camp someplace where we can refit, refresh, or just sit and stay in a home w/out wheels.

Until them we will continue to save for the future, hope and pray that my military retirement won't go the way of so other government retirements, and plan for a long retirement where we have choices!

We're in the group that will never buy another stick home again.

But back in 2012, we had some major and minor issues to take care of on our Suite and we were wondering how much longer we might be full timing. Tire recall, stress fracture near bedroom slide and then lost 2/3's of the tread on one tire enroute from San Antonio to E. GA.

Besides being beat up traveling some of the crappy roads, we decided that as we age we may want to travel less after retirement in our current setup. So in July, we spent every weekend, trying to figure out which RV we'd want to downsize to in 4 years. We toured MH's, TT's, B's & C's and TC's.

But then we decided to spend a little extra now, get a new Suite and be more comfortable in pre-retirement and afterwards will take care of itself. So we put a new 2014 on order. We already bought the RV Lot we need for extended periods to refresh and we're still on track to get everything paid off by full retirement.

Then as things always do, they change. DH got a call to leave his MN project halfway through and head to a remodel. A little more cash in the paycheck, double the bonus, so we decided we must be doing the right thing.

CKNSLS wrote:
Just to be clear-The wife and I just completed an 8 month-32 state journey around the USA-stayed in 50 different campgrounds and had a great time. We saw a lot of historical sights and tourist spots. We did this in a 29foot Ultra Light trailer and a half ton pickup. It took some significant dollars to do this. But, I am not obsessed with money. If I was I would have stayed home, because I blew a lot of money out the tailpipe!

You must be exhausted. That is 6+ campgrounds per month - - clearly you are stuck in 'vacation' mode. That is almost always the death knell for someone fulltiming. We usually like to spend 2 weeks in a spot and then move on down the road unless traveling across a few states for a specific destination (like coming across the plains states this summer to meet up with friends in Michigan), that way we get a feel for an area and have 'do nothing' days rather than trying to cram 'all of the fun' into x amount of days.

I reading your posts I notice that you need to be in control. You might find life easier if you just learn to go with the flow a little. We don't worry about leaving money to our DD and SIL when we die - - we try to make sure to help them when they need it, NOW, rather than later. I'm hoping my mother (who is 91) dies without a nickel left in her accounts, still enjoying her discussion days at the Senior center.

Lots of us have NO, repeat, NO desire to ever own another house. We have a home - and the fact that you don't seem to understand the difference is significant - but we don't want the hassle of a house that all to often ends up owning you. Been there, done that. And over the course of 40 years, we made money on 3 houses, LOST, money on 2. Making money on a house is not a sure bet. But beyond that, if we can't maintain an RV, why should we be saddled with trying to maintain a house. Yes, we could hire the house repairs done - - guess what, you do the same for an RV. We will probably end up in a Park Model before the assisted living - or if we are lucky, we will go as my father did - still out RVing, went for his morning walk in the desert, sat down for his morning nap and never woke up.

Barb

CKNSLS wrote:


OK-Where would you go if by some chance your health was bad after 5 years of full timing? Would you have enough funds to buy another house? Or, would you have to SETTLE and rent somewhere?

Settle? If our health was so bad we had to stop RVing (trips, camping, snow-birding), we sure wouldn't want another house to take care of. Another yard to mow. Shrubs to prune, rooms to clean. Decks and porches to paint. Rather than rent an apartment where you often find the neighbors unfriendly or of much younger ages, noisy with children and dogs, teens hanging around, I would look for an RV Resort for seniors and park the RV for the rest of our lives. Where old people have died in their apartments and homes and not been found for days and in some cases weeks or months, people check on everyone in ill health in the RV resorts. If someone's shades are down when they shouldn't be, someone knocks on their doors. I was amazed and moved by how much people cared about each other in these places.

MookieKat wrote:
-
....Is it necessary to go stick and brick at any point, even if we settle? Could you not just park the 5er in a mobile home park or buy a lot and park your rig there for the rest of your days?

Yes it is possible. We met people who did just that in FL. Once they became too old or just plain tired of traveling around, they found a suitable CG or resort and stayed put. From what I understand it would happen when they stopped someplace and really felt at home. They felt they fit. They liked the area, the shopping - everything and they were ready to settle. They planned to stay put until they die. In one place the couple's Class-A hadn't been moved in years! He didn't think it would even start anymore. What I like about those places in Fl are how helpful and friendly almost everyone is. And the clubhouses always have something going on for the people. We especially liked the covered dish dinners. I'm sure other states have the same set-ups but many seek FL for the warm winters. Sooner or later my husband and I will have to sell this place as it's becoming more than we can or want to take care of now. I would love to go fulltime for awhile, then sell our TT, buy a large 5th wheel, and move into one of those Resorts or CGs for the rest of my days.