I caught the traveling bug years ago while moving halfway across country by car. I have since traveled by bus, by car and by train half way across the country several times and really enjoyed it. I have been dreaming about buying a class A motorhome and living full-time in it with my husband and two small children. We have lived in tight spaces since having our first child 4 years ago so I am not too concerned about space. Also so many of the RV parks have so much room to run and play that I am not concerned about outdoor space either. My husband is starting a home-based business and we plan to homeschool our children no matter where we live so we would be free to travel the country. My parents think it is a neat idea (my dad has wanted to travel across the country by RV or train for years) but my in-laws keep saying things like it is very expensive, a hassle and other things to discourage this thinking. I keep thinking of the expense but if we buy a used class A diesel, gas and RV parking fees would still be a lot less than a house payment. My in-laws tell me that something constantly needs to be fixed on an RV and it is expensive and a hassle to fix it. Is this true? I find that when we had a house we were constantly fixing stuff so I'm not sure it would be much different even if the RV did have a lot of maintenance issues. Am I just ignoring sound advice from my in-laws? I wanted to ask people here who actually go RV-ing regularly or full-time to see what the good, bad and ugly is.Also if any of you RV full-time with children, have you found it to be a positive experience or mostly frustrating? I have a 1 year old and a 4 year old.

Am I Just Naive Maybe, maybe not... I'm sure you will get a lot of common sence answers here. To me the bottom line is..If people could of done what you want to do THEY would of. There is or was a Yahoo group that delt with home school in RV's. (Should turn up in search if still around). Glad you can make a living and full time RV at the same time. I couldn't, so had to wait till kids grown and now retired. Some blogs have what they spend per month which is a real handy reference. Yes, it costs more than what I thought it would. And have you given any thought about medical? (Not Cheap)I keep thinking of the expense but if we buy a used class A diesel, gas and RV parking fees would still be a lot less than a house payment. My in-laws tell me that something constantly needs to be fixed on an RV and it is expensive and a hassle to fix it. Is this true? I find that when we had a house we were constantly fixing stuff so I'm not sure it would be much different even if the RV did have a lot of maintenance issues. Am I just ignoring sound advice from my in-laws? I wanted to ask people here who actually go RV-ing regularly or full-time to see what the good, bad and ugly is.A used class A will be worth what in 10 years? A house will be worth what in 10 yrs? Odds are house will be worth a lot more compared to a then 15 or 20 year sold RV. I don't think you are ignoring sound advice from your in-laws. Maybe you would just like input from others that are already in RV's. But I can tell you that a lot of people would be on the road a lot earlier in life if they could swing it money wise.OK there is my 2 cents..Hope others chime in with some good advice.

Seems like there are a lot of I's in your post and no We's. Here's a couple of thoughts. Your husband is starting a new business. Can he run it by phone, or does it require face-to-face meetings and an actual physical mailing address that he can check on a daily basis? Does he even know the answer to that yet? Can you afford to make payments on a Class A plus a minimum of roughly $900/month in RV park fees? Then add in the expense of fuel and maintenance on your rolling home. It has moving parts that require extra attention and money. Then there's the kids. 10 years from now, you'll have a 14 and an 11 year old with no friends except each other. And they don't make an RV big enough for them to have their "space" at that age. I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. But it seems like you're asking a lot of your family to make your (that's singular) dream come true.

Jim Shoe wrote:Seems like there are a lot of I's in your post and no We's. Here's a couple of thoughts. Your husband is starting a new business. Can he run it by phone, or does it require face-to-face meetings and an actual physical mailing address that he can check on a daily basis? Does he even know the answer to that yet? Can you afford to make payments on a Class A plus a minimum of roughly $900/month in RV park fees? Then add in the expense of fuel and maintenance on your rolling home. It has moving parts that require extra attention and money. Then there's the kids. 10 years from now, you'll have a 14 and an 11 year old with no friends except each other. And they don't make an RV big enough for them to have their "space" at that age. I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. But it seems like you're asking a lot of your family to make your (that's singular) dream come true.As a couple who fulltimed for three years, we +1 the above. Does the rest of the family support this idea? Even if the kids think it is "cool" now, how about when they get older and decide it is not so cool anymore. Having had several small businesses myself in the past, I think running ANY business from a class "A" with the entire family in the same space would be very, very difficult on everyone. As a test why not try living in just one or two rooms in your present house (bathroom excluded) for a month? Cook, sleep, watch TV, home school, run a business all out of the same room at the same time. Try it for a while before you commit to it. I suspect that after a month doing all this at the same time in the same space, the money side of it would be the least of your concerns.

Just remember that you will be 'putting' money into an RV, and 'investing' money into a house. Will you also need a car along with the RV, for groceries/errands after you get set up at the CG?What if the RV has to go to the garage for a big repair? Where will you stay-a motel? Is your family covered for health insurance?In other words: I don't think your idea will be as money conserving as you think. IMHO. I would find a place that you could afford, and save for a small PUP,(tent trailer) to see if your family likes RVing before FTing,. It's not for everyone.

I keep thinking of the expense but if we buy a used class A diesel, gas and RV parking fees would still be a lot less than a house payment.No it is not less expensive than a house payment to go Full-Time "RV'ing".Do you plan to "live" in an RV parked in a CG, or buy an RV and travel?There is a vast difference in the two lifestyles.

Am I Just Naive | Good Sam Community

45 Replies

rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Mar 29, 2013
I keep thinking of the expense but if we buy a used class A diesel, gas and RV parking fees would still be a lot less than a house payment.

No it is not less expensive than a house payment to go Full-Time "RV'ing".

Do you plan to "live" in an RV parked in a CG, or buy an RV and travel?
There is a vast difference in the two lifestyles.
Go_Dogs
Explorer
Mar 29, 2013
Just remember that you will be 'putting' money into an RV, and 'investing' money into a house. Will you also need a car along with the RV, for groceries/errands after you get set up at the CG?
What if the RV has to go to the garage for a big repair? Where will you stay-a motel? Is your family covered for health insurance?
In other words: I don't think your idea will be as money conserving as you think. IMHO. I would find a place that you could afford, and save for a small PUP,(tent trailer) to see if your family likes RVing before FTing,. It's not for everyone.
georgelesley
Explorer
Mar 29, 2013
Jim Shoe wrote:
Seems like there are a lot of I's in your post and no We's. Here's a couple of thoughts. Your husband is starting a new business. Can he run it by phone, or does it require face-to-face meetings and an actual physical mailing address that he can check on a daily basis? Does he even know the answer to that yet? Can you afford to make payments on a Class A plus a minimum of roughly $900/month in RV park fees? Then add in the expense of fuel and maintenance on your rolling home. It has moving parts that require extra attention and money. Then there's the kids. 10 years from now, you'll have a 14 and an 11 year old with no friends except each other. And they don't make an RV big enough for them to have their "space" at that age.
I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. But it seems like you're asking a lot of your family to make your (that's singular) dream come true.

As a couple who fulltimed for three years, we +1 the above. Does the rest of the family support this idea? Even if the kids think it is "cool" now, how about when they get older and decide it is not so cool anymore. Having had several small businesses myself in the past, I think running ANY business from a class "A" with the entire family in the same space would be very, very difficult on everyone. As a test why not try living in just one or two rooms in your present house (bathroom excluded) for a month? Cook, sleep, watch TV, home school, run a business all out of the same room at the same time. Try it for a while before you commit to it. I suspect that after a month doing all this at the same time in the same space, the money side of it would be the least of your concerns.
Jim_Shoe
Explorer
Mar 29, 2013
Seems like there are a lot of I's in your post and no We's. Here's a couple of thoughts. Your husband is starting a new business. Can he run it by phone, or does it require face-to-face meetings and an actual physical mailing address that he can check on a daily basis? Does he even know the answer to that yet? Can you afford to make payments on a Class A plus a minimum of roughly $900/month in RV park fees? Then add in the expense of fuel and maintenance on your rolling home. It has moving parts that require extra attention and money. Then there's the kids. 10 years from now, you'll have a 14 and an 11 year old with no friends except each other. And they don't make an RV big enough for them to have their "space" at that age.
I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. But it seems like you're asking a lot of your family to make your (that's singular) dream come true.
path1
Explorer
Mar 29, 2013
Am I Just Naive
Maybe, maybe not... I'm sure you will get a lot of common sence answers here. To me the bottom line is..If people could of done what you want to do THEY would of.
There is or was a Yahoo group that delt with home school in RV's. (Should turn up in search if still around). Glad you can make a living and full time RV at the same time. I couldn't, so had to wait till kids grown and now retired. Some blogs have what they spend per month which is a real handy reference. Yes, it costs more than what I thought it would. And have you given any thought about medical? (Not Cheap)
I keep thinking of the expense but if we buy a used class A diesel, gas and RV parking fees would still be a lot less than a house payment. My in-laws tell me that something constantly needs to be fixed on an RV and it is expensive and a hassle to fix it. Is this true? I find that when we had a house we were constantly fixing stuff so I'm not sure it would be much different even if the RV did have a lot of maintenance issues. Am I just ignoring sound advice from my in-laws? I wanted to ask people here who actually go RV-ing regularly or full-time to see what the good, bad and ugly is.

A used class A will be worth what in 10 years? A house will be worth what in 10 yrs? Odds are house will be worth a lot more compared to a then 15 or 20 year sold RV. I don't think you are ignoring sound advice from your in-laws. Maybe you would just like input from others that are already in RV's. But I can tell you that a lot of people would be on the road a lot earlier in life if they could swing it money wise.
OK there is my 2 cents..Hope others chime in with some good advice.

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Am I Just Naive

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