Escape Plan

Please, please rethink this schedule that you have. You're setting yourself up to fail. We always have a general 'we will get to such & such during the next 6 months' but that's it. Heavens, we haven't decided where we are going next week yet. Might just stay here another week.

Barb

ependydad wrote:

BarbaraOK wrote:
Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you have already decided that you are going to 'fulltime for a year' you will find yourself in vacation mode the whole year and at the end you will be exhausted, you will both say it wasn't for you, and you will no longer go on the road. You are setting yourself up for failure. It takes 2-3 years just to get the bugs worked out and settle into a comfortable style of traveling. If your wife is already putting up road blocks she is letting you know that she doesn't want to do this and at the end of the year you will be back in that house. Plus, because you only have a year, you will have rushed around and won't have seen as much as you want. Better off to try just snow birding for a year or two and then see if you want to full time.

Barb

FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:

FWIW: I agree with BarbOK that if you are only planning on a year, you will totally be vacation mind orientated, whereas 3 years plus commitment (which isn't forever), will give you time to iron out the bugs and get accustomed to a different way of living and adapting to experience the wonderful side of RVing which is why we all consider taking to the road this way in the first place. We are intending a minimum 3 year commitment and to reassess at that juncture to go to Year 5 or otherwise Who really knows until we are out there walking the talk so to speak?

I hear you both and thank you for the advice. I think saying that we're "fulltiming for a year" is a bit of a misnomer. What we have scheduled is a 14-month trip with a very specific (and extremely overbearing/exhausting schedule) laid out for it.

We've decided that in January/February, we'll reevaluate the spring/summer plan and decide if we want to take the schedule limitations off of the table + extend. If that's the case, we'll be able to slow down and really full-time properly.

For what it's worth, in the past 3 years- we camped for 50 nights, 50 nights, and 100 nights. Last year, we did summer in Orlando. In fact, our original plan for this coming year was to simply summer in Orlando again. Before this, wintering/snowbirding wasn't an option because we don't currently home school the daughter (we will for this upcoming trip, though).

Why are you making the 14 month trip a very specific, extremely overbearing/exhausting schedule? That, in itself, will turn you off. It won't give you the slightest idea on how relaxing, carefree full-timing can and should be.

BarbaraOK wrote:
Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you have already decided that you are going to 'fulltime for a year' you will find yourself in vacation mode the whole year and at the end you will be exhausted, you will both say it wasn't for you, and you will no longer go on the road. You are setting yourself up for failure. It takes 2-3 years just to get the bugs worked out and settle into a comfortable style of traveling. If your wife is already putting up road blocks she is letting you know that she doesn't want to do this and at the end of the year you will be back in that house. Plus, because you only have a year, you will have rushed around and won't have seen as much as you want. Better off to try just snow birding for a year or two and then see if you want to full time.

Barb

FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:

FWIW: I agree with BarbOK that if you are only planning on a year, you will totally be vacation mind orientated, whereas 3 years plus commitment (which isn't forever), will give you time to iron out the bugs and get accustomed to a different way of living and adapting to experience the wonderful side of RVing which is why we all consider taking to the road this way in the first place. We are intending a minimum 3 year commitment and to reassess at that juncture to go to Year 5 or otherwise Who really knows until we are out there walking the talk so to speak?

I hear you both and thank you for the advice. I think saying that we're "fulltiming for a year" is a bit of a misnomer. What we have scheduled is a 14-month trip with a very specific (and extremely overbearing/exhausting schedule) laid out for it.

We've decided that in January/February, we'll reevaluate the spring/summer plan and decide if we want to take the schedule limitations off of the table + extend. If that's the case, we'll be able to slow down and really full-time properly.

For what it's worth, in the past 3 years- we camped for 50 nights, 50 nights, and 100 nights. Last year, we did summer in Orlando. In fact, our original plan for this coming year was to simply summer in Orlando again. Before this, wintering/snowbirding wasn't an option because we don't currently home school the daughter (we will for this upcoming trip, though).

FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:
Admittedly I am conscious that too much analysis leads to paralysis, but also if you fail to plan you plan to fail.

First and foremost, know yourself and how you tick! For example we know we are not the type that would enjoy FT Rving by just following the weather for weather's sake and setting up in one place for months on end. Yes we will try boon docking in Quartzite and other areas of AZ but we know we couldn't just sit on a piece of land to just save money for months on end, whether the sun is shining or not. We have made our decision because we want to see and embrace so much that this wonderful continent has to offer us. So we will be the type that moves around a lot in the first year or two during which time we hope to find those little diamonds in the rough that we would like to return to and stay longer in the future.

Heck it took me over 15 years to psychologically get my head around to disposing of ALL our RE assets, which we've started offloading already to be FTing within the next 2 years, and are truly now at peace with that decision. It came into being finally when we realized our exit plan and how it can work with the "what ifs", with lets face it always raise their ugly heads when planning such a huge change in one's lives.

We are conscious because of "how WE tick", that we will need a larger budget in our first two years, and hopefully less or allowing for inflation no increase moving into the next handful of years after that. For sure until we actually get out there and seeing where the dollars actually go based on how we roll, it's all hypothetical. However, having that roadmap plan and referring back to it often at the front end should help us sleep better at night than going on a wing and a prayer only.

Another example for us, and not necessarily applies to most folks who have guaranteed pensions/income: We are also conscious of having our investments still tied somewhat to the stock market to generate hopefully half decent returns for our retirement, that we don't want to be caught in a 5 year stagnant or worse still down market, and have to sell to live ('87, Dotcom, 2008 comes to mind). Consequently we know we have to put at least 5 years income away in a different resource with lower returns regrettably, that we can keep topping up but not be forced to sell good stocks in a downtrend market should it occur in our retirement years, which likely it will.

There's tons of considerations, regarding a budget and how you structure it, and there is most definitely no one size fits all, but for sure other folks budgets and a feel for how they roll over recent years have enabled us to finally formulate a plan we have confidence in to commit moving forwards as we have already started doing so.

FWIW: I agree with BarbOK that if you are only planning on a year, you will totally be vacation mind orientated, whereas 3 years plus commitment (which isn't forever), will give you time to iron out the bugs and get accustomed to a different way of living and adapting to experience the wonderful side of RVing which is why we all consider taking to the road this way in the first place. We are intending a minimum 3 year commitment and to reassess at that juncture to go to Year 5 or otherwise Who really knows until we are out there walking the talk so to speak?

When we first emigrated to Canada from the UK many years ago, it took us a good 18 months plus to finally feel that "we belonged" - you just can't help comparing everything to what you know from your previous upbringings and lives lived. Now over two decades later, without a shadow of a doubt it was absolutely the best thing we could ever have done for our children's futures, and we've felt that way since Year 2 here.

Very well said.:)

No grand plan here. I will retire and full time in a couple years. I hope to have a little more than the OP when I sell the house. Hopefully no debt. But I will have a good monthly budget to work with. Exit plan is simply to decide where in the U.S. we choose to live, sell the RV stuff and rent an apartment. For me, home ownership stinks. I bought a house in 2010 from a relative for about $25K under market. Great instant equity...not. Now I could barely get what I paid. Strike that, I'm far behind because of all the improvements done (about $20K). When folks talk about appreciating assets, they are speaking of their home. Not everyone will enjoy this "asset". I envy those that own the home outright and can either keep it by renting or just maintaining, or sell and have a pocket load of money for an exit plan. I will be on the budget plan myself.

Admittedly I am conscious that too much analysis leads to paralysis, but also if you fail to plan you plan to fail.

First and foremost, know yourself and how you tick! For example we know we are not the type that would enjoy FT Rving by just following the weather for weather's sake and setting up in one place for months on end. Yes we will try boon docking in Quartzite and other areas of AZ but we know we couldn't just sit on a piece of land to just save money for months on end, whether the sun is shining or not. We have made our decision because we want to see and embrace so much that this wonderful continent has to offer us. So we will be the type that moves around a lot in the first year or two during which time we hope to find those little diamonds in the rough that we would like to return to and stay longer in the future.

Heck it took me over 15 years to psychologically get my head around to disposing of ALL our RE assets, which we've started offloading already to be FTing within the next 2 years, and are truly now at peace with that decision. It came into being finally when we realized our exit plan and how it can work with the "what ifs", with lets face it always raise their ugly heads when planning such a huge change in one's lives.

We are conscious because of "how WE tick", that we will need a larger budget in our first two years, and hopefully less or allowing for inflation no increase moving into the next handful of years after that. For sure until we actually get out there and seeing where the dollars actually go based on how we roll, it's all hypothetical. However, having that roadmap plan and referring back to it often at the front end should help us sleep better at night than going on a wing and a prayer only.

Another example for us, and not necessarily applies to most folks who have guaranteed pensions/income: We are also conscious of having our investments still tied somewhat to the stock market to generate hopefully half decent returns for our retirement, that we don't want to be caught in a 5 year stagnant or worse still down market, and have to sell to live ('87, Dotcom, 2008 comes to mind). Consequently we know we have to put at least 5 years income away in a different resource with lower returns regrettably, that we can keep topping up but not be forced to sell good stocks in a downtrend market should it occur in our retirement years, which likely it will.

There's tons of considerations, regarding a budget and how you structure it, and there is most definitely no one size fits all, but for sure other folks budgets and a feel for how they roll over recent years have enabled us to finally formulate a plan we have confidence in to commit moving forwards as we have already started doing so.

FWIW: I agree with BarbOK that if you are only planning on a year, you will totally be vacation mind orientated, whereas 3 years plus commitment (which isn't forever), will give you time to iron out the bugs and get accustomed to a different way of living and adapting to experience the wonderful side of RVing which is why we all consider taking to the road this way in the first place. We are intending a minimum 3 year commitment and to reassess at that juncture to go to Year 5 or otherwise Who really knows until we are out there walking the talk so to speak?

When we first emigrated to Canada from the UK many years ago, it took us a good 18 months plus to finally feel that "we belonged" - you just can't help comparing everything to what you know from your previous upbringings and lives lived. Now over two decades later, without a shadow of a doubt it was absolutely the best thing we could ever have done for our children's futures, and we've felt that way since Year 2 here.

I believe one should always have a plan,I have met many people who elected to just let things happen. For many of them things didn't workout. Most RVers who full-time are generally retirement age and as such prone to dealing with health issues from time to time. I frequently say we are one health issue away from being forced off the road. The rub is you don't know when it will occur! So my wife and I have had an escape plan ready from the first day we hit the road. So my advice is to plan for your days on the road as well as the day you may have to leave the road.

It all depends on your lifestyle as to what your budget is. If you go to restaurants all the time, pay for storage of your household stuff, stay in resorts, etc., you'll have a bigger budget than those of us who are satisfied with boondocking or public parks. You can spend as much or as little as you want.

We sold it all when we took off 18 years ago. We knew we didn't want to return to winter weather ever again. We had no idea where we wanted to settle down later and didn't make any plans. We traveled extensively and found we loved Arizona. Even in summer you can go to a higher elevation a couple hours away and enjoy the cool pine forests so summers are no issue. It's the long extended other 3 seasons that we love.

We bought our present small townhouse of 1,000 sq. ft. and fully furnished in excellent regional decor in a 55+ very active community and paid cash for it and still had money left over with the proceeds and investing from our previous house. We have excellent medical facilities and any kind of extended care places within a 10-mile range. We don't have to drive into bigger cities for anything.

We're now enjoying our second retirement!

C-Bears wrote:
The question "how much does it cost to be full time" has been asked/answered on this section and on other forums numerous times. Which IMHO has a direct bearing on any escape plan.

Some folks may sell their home and invest the money, some may sell their home and use the proceeds to buy new RV's, diesel truck, or whatever. Some may be able to keep their homes and still own RV's without making payments.

The bottom line for us was that we wanted to travel when and where the mood took us. The first thing we noticed was that we had about 40% of our money left over every month!

If you start out debt free an escape plan will kind of take care of itself.

The topic does tend to be a bit saturated here. There are so so many variables that each person will truly have a different experience based on their net worth, cash flow, etc. Some folks drive around million dollar pushers living in RV resorts while some have a great time in their van boon docking it. If you want to see a low budget approach, follow rvsueandcrew.net . She shows all of the cards when it comes to finances.

The question "how much does it cost to be full time" has been asked/answered on this section and on other forums numerous times. Which IMHO has a direct bearing on any escape plan.

Some folks may sell their home and invest the money, some may sell their home and use the proceeds to buy new RV's, diesel truck, or whatever. Some may be able to keep their homes and still own RV's without making payments.

The bottom line for us was that we wanted to travel when and where the mood took us. The first thing we noticed was that we had about 40% of our money left over every month!

If you start out debt free an escape plan will kind of take care of itself.