Stumbling Towards Full-Time
The following is from my blog. I am posting it here because I really want feedback from experienced full-timers. I have a bunch of rules for owning a Motor Coach. We have owned a coach for nine ye...
Forum Discussion
It does, indeed, sound like your wife is more ready than you are. If you don't both have the same excited feelings about it than perhaps it's not for you.
Eight weeks is not going to give you a real idea of full-timing. I would suggest that you plan to take a year and do some long-distance traveling not just up and down in your small area of the country and not to places you've been previously. Explore new places. For one year you can just let the house sit and don't have to make any major decisions which I think is best in your circumstances.
You mentioned a friend began full-timing and 'moved to Texas'. This is not what most folks do. They travel and don't sit in one spot continuously. Full-timers do not go continuously to touristy areas or do touristy things. That's for vacationers, not full-timers. If you have hobbies or enjoy hiking, those can keep you busy. Go to parks that have large, active clubhouses with planned activities if that's what you enjoy. We like scenic areas and staying in quiet public parks, especially our many gorgeous national parks. We don't enjoy RV parks and planned activities. Everyone is different so you need to find your own spot.
It also helps if you have a 'purpose'. We love volunteering for national and state parks. Not only does it give you a free campsite in beautiful surroundings, it gives you a great feeling to be helping out and keeping busy. It gives you a chance to really explore an area thoroughly on your days off. You meet wonderful people and the people you work with are so appreciative of the help. It really gives you a good feeling.
We began full-timing 16 years ago and we still enjoy volunteering and traveling. It's not a vacation but it's a whole new change in your lifestyle. We decided to do so and sold everything within three months. But I don't think that's the way you should go because of your doubts. Try it for a year and see how you feel. Try to get a volunteer position during two or three months of that year and see how that feels. Volunteering is not hard work and it's not an every day gig.
After a year if you feel like it would be for you then you can make decisions. I will state that joining the Escapees RV Club is a good way to be among other full-timers - especially during the holidays. Get involved with the Club and stay in their parks. They will be so helpful to you in any way.
Another suggestion is to not put your things in a storage unit. The costs add up fast. We began by selling large items advertised individually - like extra cars, boats, big pieces of furniture, etc. Naturally, we asked family and friends if they wanted any of it. Next came the fun garage sale. It was a weight being lifted by getting rid of stuff we hadn't even seen for years! Then we gave things to charity and what little was left we tossed - and believe me, it was very little. Our kids really didn't want any of our stuff. They had their own things.
If and when you decide to settle down again, you (or most likely your wife :) would not want a big house again and would not want the old furniture.
So...take a year off and then decide. Good luck!
Eight weeks is not going to give you a real idea of full-timing. I would suggest that you plan to take a year and do some long-distance traveling not just up and down in your small area of the country and not to places you've been previously. Explore new places. For one year you can just let the house sit and don't have to make any major decisions which I think is best in your circumstances.
You mentioned a friend began full-timing and 'moved to Texas'. This is not what most folks do. They travel and don't sit in one spot continuously. Full-timers do not go continuously to touristy areas or do touristy things. That's for vacationers, not full-timers. If you have hobbies or enjoy hiking, those can keep you busy. Go to parks that have large, active clubhouses with planned activities if that's what you enjoy. We like scenic areas and staying in quiet public parks, especially our many gorgeous national parks. We don't enjoy RV parks and planned activities. Everyone is different so you need to find your own spot.
It also helps if you have a 'purpose'. We love volunteering for national and state parks. Not only does it give you a free campsite in beautiful surroundings, it gives you a great feeling to be helping out and keeping busy. It gives you a chance to really explore an area thoroughly on your days off. You meet wonderful people and the people you work with are so appreciative of the help. It really gives you a good feeling.
We began full-timing 16 years ago and we still enjoy volunteering and traveling. It's not a vacation but it's a whole new change in your lifestyle. We decided to do so and sold everything within three months. But I don't think that's the way you should go because of your doubts. Try it for a year and see how you feel. Try to get a volunteer position during two or three months of that year and see how that feels. Volunteering is not hard work and it's not an every day gig.
After a year if you feel like it would be for you then you can make decisions. I will state that joining the Escapees RV Club is a good way to be among other full-timers - especially during the holidays. Get involved with the Club and stay in their parks. They will be so helpful to you in any way.
Another suggestion is to not put your things in a storage unit. The costs add up fast. We began by selling large items advertised individually - like extra cars, boats, big pieces of furniture, etc. Naturally, we asked family and friends if they wanted any of it. Next came the fun garage sale. It was a weight being lifted by getting rid of stuff we hadn't even seen for years! Then we gave things to charity and what little was left we tossed - and believe me, it was very little. Our kids really didn't want any of our stuff. They had their own things.
If and when you decide to settle down again, you (or most likely your wife :) would not want a big house again and would not want the old furniture.
So...take a year off and then decide. Good luck!
