Annual cost to fulltime

[schlep1967]

I understand there is no right or wrong answer to this and there are many variables. My question is, What is the average amount you spent to live as a full-timer for one year?

$10,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $20,000
$25,000 - $30,000
more?


(EDIT: Rephrased question)

[sk734]

schlep1967 wrote:
I understand there is no right or wrong answer to this and there are many variables. My question is, What is the average amount you spent to live as a full-timer for one year?

$10,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $20,000
$25,000 - $30,000
more?
Gives us a breakdown of what it cost you to live in your S&B last year so we can evaluate your lifestyle.


(EDIT: Rephrased question)

[homedad]

Schlep1967, I get it and appreciate the question. The $ and a narrative were helpful. Some of the comments just made me roll my eyes.

[nazpaz]

schlep1967 wrote:
So let me change the question.

What is the amount you spent to live as a full-timer last year?

My goal is to come up with a rough idea/average of how much I need to have set aside before we head out on the road. I know everybody is different. That is why I want to get an average.

In 2014 we averaged $3375.68 a month/$40508.16 a year in total expenses.

In 2013 we averaged $3466.76 a month/$41601.12 a year in total expenses.

Those figures probably are only marginally helpful because they include all kinds of expenses that won't be relevant in your planning. The ones you want are those directly related to the RV lifestyle. Then use your own figures for stuff like food, medical, indebtedness, etc. Because of that I only give line item figures related to camping in my blog expense information.

Someone already posted a link to our 2014 expense sheet. You might find my post about reading other people's budgets to be helpful. I also did a recent post directed to dreamers about things to think about before going into this lifestyle.

Good luck in your planning.

[sk734]

I think anyone could make it on $300,000. 🙂 I know we could if we had it!! Too many variables to give you a good answer. Jump in and enjoy the life!! You will soon find out what it takes with your circumstances.

[trailertraveler]

Here are a couple of more links to websites where folks post their budgets/yearly expenditures:
Five Years of Expenses
2014 Expense Report

Your grocery bill will be about the same, your dining out will be about the same, your hobbies, etc. all about the same.

Once again, everyone's experience will be a little different. We find that we spend more on these categories when travelling exploring new places compared to periods of longer term stays in familiar areas. When in new places short term and especially in some of the more rural or remote locations, we are not familiar with the grocery stores. There may not even be a choice and no major chain store. When at our winter and summer locations, we can use Sam's, Costco, etc. more because we can split the big bulk items that we don't have space for when travelling with folks we know. We have on occasion all chipped in and bought a side of beef.

When we are at our winter and summer locations, we rarely dine out other than special occasions like birthday/anniversary. During the 6 months that we travel extensively to see the country; we will often dine out on a travel day, especially if there is a place within walking distance. Part of the experience of visiting a new location for us is sampling the local cuisine. We will often stop for lunch or an early dinner when out exploring for the day. Not uncommon for us to dine out once or more a week when travelling compared to less than once a month when sitting.

As for hobbies, we both like to fish and I hunt. A combination hunting and fishing license for our state of domicile which is where we spend the winter and summer is $60 for the whole year. Short term licenses are, in my opinion, not all that expensive; but they can add up.

[Escargot]

schlep1967

This link might be helpful to you:

Budget Estimate

[Escargot]

schlep1967 wrote:
Thank you all for your input.

In the future I will be sure to get on every thread that asks a question that I do not want to or don't know the answer to and tell the person asking for help or information that there is no 100 percent correct answer that could pertain in every situation therefore any answer anybody gives you would be meaningless. To those that answered in this way .... please find the shuffleboard pad and go there instead of irritating people you are not willing to help or have an answer for.

Thank you even more to those that did help by providing some average numbers that may help myself or others thinking about fulltiming in the future.

Nah. Don't imitate bad examples. There wasn't anything wrong with your original question. A simple answer would have sufficed with optional follow-up queries by you.

Take the best and ignore the rest.

[BarbaraOK]

Flanz wrote:


We're starting our Fulltime adventure next fall. We're buying a new rig - cash - and will be debt free. We have NO IDEA what it's going to cost. So, we decided to break-out good ole Excel and track our current spending habits while in the S&B. Have been doing this for ~5 months now and will continue until we leave. We're also still saving money for retirement - right up to the last day of employment.

We also took a good stab at what it'll cost for campgrounds - NO DISCOUNTS - and figured $35/night. We also figure that we'll move weekly or so - fuel cost ~$2K - 4K/yr. Figure $4.00/gal @ 8 miles/gal.

We will keep all other cost the same as in the S&B. This includes insurance. Our yearly budget will be set at 70K/yr. This will change as we go.

I don't give a hill of beans what others think about the cost above. And I won't try to justify it or convince others either way. ITS OUR MONEY AND WE"LL SPEND HOW WE SEE FIT.......Period.

Do your own figuring based on your current situation NOW. Then add 10% - 20% as a buffer. If you figured HIGH....great, but figuring low still isn't a problem. You'll just have to re-adjust.

-paul

I think you are doing a disservice to yourselves, but also to others who would like to help, by being so antagonistic. No one cares what you spend, but most people seem to want to know about ways to cut their park costs when traveling from point A to point B by half. But since you don't want to know, so be it.

Barb

[Dog_Folks]

schlep1967 wrote:
Thank you all for your input.

In the future I will be sure to get on every thread that asks a question that I do not want to or don't know the answer to and tell the person asking for help or information that there is no 100 percent correct answer that could pertain in every situation therefore any answer anybody gives you would be meaningless. To those that answered in this way .... please find the shuffleboard pad and go there instead of irritating people you are not willing to help or have an answer for.

Thank you even more to those that did help by providing some average numbers that may help myself or others thinking about fulltiming in the future.

Thank you for your sarcastic and arrogant answer. It will help us respond to any other questions you may have in the future.

Good luck to you.

[Flanz]

schlep1967 wrote:

jorbill2or wrote:
I see this question all the time. I think what the question really is , is how much do you spend annually ? And maybe how do you travel , moving every few days or staying out for weeks / months ? A answer I've noticed few people are willing to share, maybe s bit too personal, but I think that's what they really want to know .. Real life # . There are a few web sites and blogs that do share some info and that is helpful.

Exactly.
You can only find this information from those that are living it. Yet it seems those that live it do not want to share it publicly. Some have and I am grateful for that. Others just seem afraid somebody will hold their feet to the fire if they tell them $30,000 and that person ends up spending more.

For those like my wife and I that are planning ahead for a decent retirement, this information can help us plan. So we have an idea of what it will cost us the first year when we want to see the country. And maybe the next year or two if we do some work camping and only move 4-6 times. It may also tell us that we can only do this for X amount of years and that is where we need to stop so we can have our exit strategy planned.

We're starting our Fulltime adventure next fall. We're buying a new rig - cash - and will be debt free. We have NO IDEA what it's going to cost. So, we decided to break-out good ole Excel and track our current spending habits while in the S&B. Have been doing this for ~5 months now and will continue until we leave. We're also still saving money for retirement - right up to the last day of employment.

We also took a good stab at what it'll cost for campgrounds - NO DISCOUNTS - and figured $35/night. We also figure that we'll move weekly or so - fuel cost ~$2K - 4K/yr. Figure $4.00/gal @ 8 miles/gal.

We will keep all other cost the same as in the S&B. This includes insurance. Our yearly budget will be set at 70K/yr. This will change as we go.

I don't give a hill of beans what others think about the cost above. And I won't try to justify it or convince others either way. ITS OUR MONEY AND WE"LL SPEND HOW WE SEE FIT.......Period.

Do your own figuring based on your current situation NOW. Then add 10% - 20% as a buffer. If you figured HIGH....great, but figuring low still isn't a problem. You'll just have to re-adjust.

-paul

[schlep1967]

Thank you all for your input.

In the future I will be sure to get on every thread that asks a question that I do not want to or don't know the answer to and tell the person asking for help or information that there is no 100 percent correct answer that could pertain in every situation therefore any answer anybody gives you would be meaningless. To those that answered in this way .... please find the shuffleboard pad and go there instead of irritating people you are not willing to help or have an answer for.

Thank you even more to those that did help by providing some average numbers that may help myself or others thinking about fulltiming in the future.

[MTPockets1]

The past three years full timing and moving around the country, stationary 5 winter months; we have spent about $24,000 per year.... This does 'not' include any fixed expenses - truck, RV payments, insurance costs, Doctors, cell phone plan, satellite TV cost. These fixed costs can vary widely based on personal situations. Our cost does include Campgrounds, fuel, food, entertainment, laundromats, clothing.

[Nolan]

schlep1967 wrote:
I understand there is no right or wrong answer to this and there are many variables. My question is, What is the average amount you spent to live as a full-timer for one year?

$10,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $20,000
$25,000 - $30,000
more?


(EDIT: Rephrased question)

Last year, 2014. More.

We have a budget sheet on our computer. Everything we spend money on gets put on it.

[JAXFL]

schlep1967 wrote:
Not sure .......what floorplans and tech will be available by then

You answered your own question.... No one is SURE what costs will be when you want to do this (when ever that might be). And comparing todays cost to what it might be in the future is like answering the questions I asked you...unknown.

Here is my guess for when you turn 62 years old and it is as good a guess as anyone in the world can give you right now.

RV's will sell for between $400K - $3M and will all be electric and solar powered.

Campgrounds will all be privately owned and cost $10K monthly.

There will not be any gas engines built after 2025 and gas prices will be $15 a gallon when you can find gas.

SO... when you start your FULL-TIME life you will need $10M in the bank IRA and will spend $1M a year to full-time.

There I am done with this thread.

[schlep1967]

JAXFL wrote:
WOW schlep1967 Talk about not sharing information... you still have not answered the questions I kind of asked you yesterday.

Couple of questions:

1-You are 47 and you are planning ahead to full time when you are ____ or how many years from now______?
2-Do you mean full-timing as in sell the house and live in the RV 365 days a year.....Yes or NO ?
3-Is the 5th Wheel you have now going to be used then or will there be a new one that is paid for or have payments? Will the RV be paid off or will you owe on it and if so how much a month _____ ?
4-How long in one place ______ ? Are you going to work-camp if so how long each year _____?
5- What do you see as your annual spendable income after taxes at that time____?

Fill in the ______ and we can get closer to your answer.

Those are all the questions I am trying to answer for myself. With the exception of Number 3. The current 5th wheel will be replaced by then. Not sure by what as we have no idea what floorplans and tech will be available by then but whatever it is it would be paid for up front.

By learning about what fulltiming cost we can make some assumptions about what we can do later.