Anyone have regrets about having gone full-time?

I have 6 years left to work then the plan is to full time. We have a downtown city condo (paid for) that we will keep and hopefully rent out. While the plan is to full time for many years, we still need the comfort of a residence to fall back on, just in case. With the condo, we have all the outside maintenance handled, snow shoveled, blah, blah, blah.... Being in the city, if we find ourselves unable to drive or whatever.

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.

Wow. Here's a news flash for you'all. College certainly doesn't guarantee you anything anymore. The majority of students do NOT get a job in the area they studied or even get a job period. They have so much debt when they graduate. Not to mention going to college to become a teacher? Teachers make below middle income wages. :( The money is and always has been is in the trades. With out the trades the world doesn't turn.

Our campground costs over 7 years average about $450/month. About equals what we spent on taxes, utilities, and insurance for our house!

But for us, the cost is worth being able to travel around and see all the wonders of this country. I doubt that even in 10 years we will be able to see everything we want to - - in fact I'm pretty sure that when we do have to finally come off of the road there will still be things we want to see, all without having to take our shoes/belts off.

What a shame that so many don't see the fun and wonder that we do.

Barb

CKNSLS wrote:

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.

We have already seen to it that our 3 children received all the education they needed or wanted to include advanced degrees. That prepared them to do the same for their children. We love our 6 grandchildren, but it's not our responsibility to raise them.

If I had do overs I most defiantly would have invested in a home in a warmer state for winter staying right away instead of driving all over the place for years spending all the money I did for CG's.

I would have been WAAAY ahead financially. You don't realize how much you spend full timing until it's gone. There certainly is NOT any return on money spent on CG's like a second house would have provided.:B

I guess I am a slow learner after 6 years on the road I finally picked up a place down south to put down the levelers on the MH for winters. :R

westernrvparkowner wrote:
We half timed, used the Motorhome all winter. Giving it up for a couple of reasons. First, even our 44 footer grows very, very small after a few months. Even though we owned a site in an absolutely fantastic resort, we eventually missed having a home and the room to spread out. The other thing was everyone else also had wheels and friends turned over a bit quicker than we would have liked. The sense of community was not as solid as with a traditional neighborhood. We made lots of friends, but they were kind of short term friends, not a bad thing, just different. We also felt like if we took a traditional vacation with planes and rental cars, it was somehow being dishonest to the RV. Winter locked us in to a relatively small geographic location (southern California and Arizona, South Texas and South Florida), without the ability to go from one to the other easily. Airline travel, on the other hand opens up the whole world. It might be a lot different if we could travel spring, summer and fall, but we can't.

This was EXACTLY us also.

It would be extremely easy for us to go FT, and we might within the next year or so. But, DW and I know it would not be long term for all of the above reasons. For us FT'ing would be just a cheap and effective way to travel, not a cultural lifestyle statement to the rest of society.

My only regret is that we didn't stay out on the road....9 years was not nearly long enough......

motorcycle jack wrote:
Peace -

You remind me of one of my best friends. His idea of ideal retirement is to spend everyday on a cruise ship - all the food, entertainment, medical care and friends you could want. And since it cost so much, when he dies he has written a check to pay the burial at sea cost BUT the check will bounce cause he spent it all. :)

You sir, have great friends if they are all like the one above!

Peace -

You remind me of one of my best friends. His idea of ideal retirement is to spend everyday on a cruise ship - all the food, entertainment, medical care and friends you could want. And since it cost so much, when he dies he has written a check to pay the burial at sea cost BUT the check will bounce cause he spent it all. :)

MookieKat wrote:
I do not classify not owning real esate under "regrets." Regrets can come from any source....being road weary....being constantly on the move and not feeling stable enough...not being able to deal with unpredictability...not having roots with a constant nearby source of community so you could feel lonely...just to name a few off the top of my head that I can think of.

And none of these have to do with finances. I guess needing to feel financially stable could be one of those needs, but I have read that there are plenty of full-timers who are financially thriving.

My mother toiled all her life. She built up wealth and never enjoyed a penny of it. I told her to please go and enjoy the fruit of her labor. Go on a cruise...do something for her self!! She refused! She said that she needed to save it for her children. She suddenly died of a heart attack one day, while she was out in the yard all alone. She was not discovered for a few days. What a sad life! She was a miserable person!

I don't want to live my life like that. I can make a living on the road, seeing sights and going to places that I never have. I can have my cake and eat it, too! Isn't life to be enjoyed?

I grew up not being allowed to follow the desires of my heart. I was never allowed to play! I was brain-washed to study, toil, succeed, and make lots of money!!! I hated that mantra!! Everything had to do with making or saving money!! But what for?? She lived a miserable life of slavery and left a toxic legacy of chasing after what will never satisfy!!

Because of this legacy, I have had a really tough time all my life, taking vacations or going somewhere just to have fun! Everything had to be utilitarian or productive! I have had years of therapy to try to break out of that bind! I am still not completely free...but I have made progress. For me, to even think of buying an RV to travel and see the country is HUGE progress!

I am learning that playing and having fun is productive!! I DO have permission to follow the desires of my heart!!! Those desires were placed in my heart by a divine source, for a divine purpose and I need to break away from fear in order to pursue it!!

The pursuit of money/wealth is NOT a quality of life....it will not give us the love, peace, and joy that we so desperately long for! That only comes from above! If we follow our heart, our dreams, and do what we love, the provision will follow, because each of us was created for a divine purpose. And when we fulfill that purpose, we will not only find true satisfaction and joy, but the provision as well. AND...and it will enrich not only us but all with whom we come in contact!!

You know what? Thank you, CKNSLS!! Your views have caused me to think these things through, and now I am at a better place to go full-time, if I wish! You helped me to assess what was truly important and consider the "toxic legacy" that my mother left me! :)

No big deal...glad I could help! :)