The wife & I are mid to late 50's, and ready for a change.We'd like to hit the road, and are looking for insight with our little "pipe dream". We know NOTHING about life on the road!We are musicians, but do not currently do that for a living.What we do, we don't like, & neither will have the opportunity to retire and get a pension from our jobs,.. so we might as well have fun now. At some point we'll be on a fixed income, but not ready to stop working just yet.We have a home to sell, and the difference between what we'll get and what we still owe would probably get us the 5th wheel we've been looking at, and a truck to pull it,.. but probably not much more. We don't have a lot of money in savings either.What we'd like to do is get a toy hauler, and use the back end garage / ramp as our stage. We're a pretty cool little duo, and can entertain crowds with popular 60's, 70's, 80's rock. The hope is that we can actually make a meager living doing this as we tour around. Though, not sure that RV Parks and campgrounds have a big need for,.. or even allow live entertainment.Our music equipment is portable, so we could also park the rig and play in other locations, as well as pick up side jobs,.. but we are completely clueless as to what kind of income is necessary to facilitate a life on the road like this. Is RV'ing just for those are already financially set?Can you sustain a gypsy life on the road with a fixed income?Are we crazy for even considering this?...any and all input welcome!Thanks,Jerry

First, welcome,To start answering your questions. No, most RV parks do not allow commercial endevors. And playing music for pay would probably fall into that catagory.Next, your house actually appreciates unless you totally trash it. An RV, ANY RV is a depreciating asset. There is no way it will be worth any more than the day you buy it. Same for tow vehicles. Living on the road, excluding food and clothes is going to cost you anywhere from 1500 to 3000 a month even trying to live on the cheap. Add in maintenance costs and unless you have a decent steady income you could very well wind up living hand to mouth in WalMart parking lots. That does not sound like a lot of fun to me. Instead, maybe you need to relocate out of CA to a state more cost effective and start following your musical dreams.

You might want to look into workcamping with performing gigs at local spots on the side. Once you get established in an area, those 2 "careers" should intertwine well. Daily workcamping duties would be done before the clubs start up.You won't be able to do this forever and you'll need to think about how you will get back into a S&B house when that time comes.

You may well be "crazy," but it likely doesn't have anything to do with considering the RV lifestyle. Our full-time lifestyle has cost us exactly $24,695.46 over the past 12 months. Here's what's included (major categories - I'll not detail the little stuff):Entertainment (satellite TV & data for internet): $2,140New hitch (traded trucks): $1,052Laundry expenses: $342Mail Service: $447 (also provides our legal domicile)RV parks & campgrounds: $9,137RV (Including payments of $4,168, insurance, mods, improvements, maintenance & repair): $6,287Tow vehicle operation (including insurance and fuel): $2,458Utilities (electric where metered, propane): $380.I do not count food, toiletries, health care, etc., since those are all expenses we would have whether we lived on the road or not. Only you can decide what will or won't work for you. A couple of good places to start reading are:Escapees RV ClubandRV-DreamsHoward on RV-Dreams posts all of his budget info and has written a LOT about what you need to know. The Escapees RV Club is one of the oldest and largest in the country and is comprised largely of full-timers. Lots of good folks willing to help both places. Bottom line - there's a lot more to think about than just whether or not you can afford it.RobP.S. - We've stayed in several RV parks in New England that had live entertainment on Friday and/or Saturday night(s). They mostly drew on local talent, though (and there was some really good talent, too).

I have been to campgrounds where there was entertainment for free but then they sold there CD's after the show.

I am thinking that your choice of a fifth wheel might not be the best choice. If you were able to live in a small enough travel trailer that could be pulled by an Excursion, you would have a good vehicle to keep your musical equipment in. Now if you are able to transport your equipment within a secure vehicle, it is much more secure than in almost anything else, and capable of being parked with alarms.County fairs, swap meets, beer garden events where athletic people like to dance the evenings away might fit the bill and earn you some scratch, but as others said, workcamping in a campground to earn your accomodation might be a good way of having a home.Getting to really be able to know what is good and what is not good, or having capable friends that know the ins and outs of buying a used unit is worth your weight in gold.

New kids need help! | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

bucky
Explorer II
Nov 25, 2017
There are always circumstances in real estate that exceed the norm. I am not doubting anyone else's math or results. However, if our yearly appreciation on a nice home in a good upper middle class neighborhood over twenty years of ownership even remotely came close to my yearly SSA income I'd be dictating this to someone to type it for me. If we include my wife's SSA it gets really ridiculous.
Crowe
Explorer
Nov 24, 2017
(Like what "stick" and "S&B" houses are .....)

S&B means "stick and brick". The term just means a regular house made of wood, brick, stone, etc. You'll also see the term "brick and mortar" for a store which just means a physical store.
Airymic
Explorer
Nov 24, 2017
Thanks ALL for the sage advice.
You've given us a lot to think about. We'll probably not engage for a year or so, if we do at all,... and plan to make as many RV friends as we can, learning as much as possible in the meantime. (Like what "stick" and "S&B" houses are .....)

Thanks again...
Jerry
ksg5000
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2017
Difficult decision. RV ownership isn't cheap - maintenance can be difficult. Full time RVing sounds great but lousy gas mileage, maintenance, park fees etc make it an expensive proposition.

Also - as others have suggested your Stick House is an asset that has potential for appreciation - your RV doesn't. I have no doubt that I make more money in stick house appreciation each year than I get annually from Social Security.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 22, 2017
Well I did the math and I found life on the road as it were saves me a few thousand dollars a year at the minimum.. I have a pension and SS and between the two I'm comfortable.. Two SS payments might be enough for two people.

I went with a Class A for assorted reasons (Comfort, easier to back into a back in site, spare vehicle should one or the other fail, and at one time or another both have).

It is not too late to do a bit of investing if you have any spare money you can get fairly good investments that make banks look like the joke they are when it comes to return. I can not advise on SPECIFIC investments but I am aware they are out there. Mutual funds are generally safe but you need to research them.

Finally.. You and wife are musicians.. Many campgrounds may be interested in "hosting" you for a few nights in exchange for a show. If you are good you can make and sell CD's as well.. I know a few folks who do just this.
tinstartrvlr
Explorer
Nov 22, 2017
jplante4 wrote:
You might want to look into workcamping with performing gigs at local spots on the side. Once you get established in an area, those 2 "careers" should intertwine well. Daily workcamping duties would be done before the clubs start up.

You won't be able to do this forever and you'll need to think about how you will get back into a S&B house when that time comes.

x2...the workamping/performing thing makes a lot of sense. I've been in some parks that bring in paid live performers so that might be a possibility. Or being close to a city where you can find gigs in addition to workamping sounds like the most sensible way to go.

Sounds like it could be a lot of fun if you can make it work! Good luck.
Janss
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2017
An RV, like a boat or any other "toy", is always going to need money for repair/maintenance/improvements.

Many 55+ snowbird RV parks hire musicians to entertain (in the clubhouse, not at the back of your toyhauler). Are you an Elks member? An RVer just recently entertained us at the Sedona Elks lodge...and stayed at our RV sites behind the lodge.
jesseannie
Explorer
Nov 21, 2017
Look at a site called Cool Works there are hundreds of gigs some that pay pretty well. I have seen ads for people that play instruments, act etc.
Jesseannie
Crowe
Explorer
Nov 21, 2017
Hubby and I both 56, soon to be 57. If I had my choice (and the courage) I'd give up some of the "things" we've acquired to pursue a dream (if we had one). Life is too short. If you can figure out how to support yourselves then do it.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Nov 21, 2017
I am thinking that your choice of a fifth wheel might not be the best choice. If you were able to live in a small enough travel trailer that could be pulled by an Excursion, you would have a good vehicle to keep your musical equipment in.

Now if you are able to transport your equipment within a secure vehicle, it is much more secure than in almost anything else, and capable of being parked with alarms.

County fairs, swap meets, beer garden events where athletic people like to dance the evenings away might fit the bill and earn you some scratch, but as others said, workcamping in a campground to earn your accomodation might be a good way of having a home.

Getting to really be able to know what is good and what is not good, or having capable friends that know the ins and outs of buying a used unit is worth your weight in gold.

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New kids need help!

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