Question to the full Timers Out There Or Soon To Be

[timmac]

My question is how long have you done full timing and what made you go full timing.

I guess what I am trying to say is how is the full timing life, me and my wife had made a discussion we do not want to be full timers because we have been RVing since we were young and owned many RV's and feel like we have done the life style enough that we could never live full time in a RV, I know sounds strange but as business owners we get far more vacation time than normal employees do sometimes 3 to 4 big trips per year not including the little weekend trips, almost feel burnt out but hate to stop and be bored.

Who here has had their share of RV trips while younger and feel like full timing is a done that been there thing.


maybe full timing in a house boat might get me excided, don't know.
:C

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Not us, but some friends are in the same situation as the OP.

When they sold their business, they took the motorhome on the road for a couple years.

But eventually decided that they wanted to spend several months of the year close to kids/ grandkids. And they like cruise ships. They wanted to cruise the rivers of Europe, around Cape Horn, Australia and New Zealand, etc.

So they bought a condo in a senior community where they have zero maintenance responsibility. They spend 4-5 months on the road in the motorhome each year, they spend 3-4 months traveling around the world each year. When he came down with a serious illness two years ago, it wasn't a big hassle to find a place to stay and get the medical treatment he needed for several months.

Frankly, if I had the financial reserves they have, we would probably do the same. But there is still a LOT of the US we have not seen, so the RV is great for us.

[Triker33]

I never liked mowing the yard, raking leaves, shoveling snow, paying real estate taxes just to have a place to sleep so I could go to work every day.

The day I retired on Oct. 29th 1999 I also closed on the house.
I went Full Time on the 30th. Since then I never have had to mow a yard, rake any leaves, or shovel any snow nor pay real estate taxes.

Before I retired on many vacations I traveled to all 48 lower states on a motorcycle. So I have been back to many of them in a MH pulling either a motorcycle or a toad. But now get to spend a longer time in each one.

So after almost 17 years I will continue Full Time until my health won't let me.
Then it will be either assistant living or at my paid forever lot. 🙂

[jmtandem]

'Vacationing' is a break from every day life. Full timing is living your every day life.

The other day DH and I were talking. We can't decide between continuing full timing on land or switching to water. The one thing we did decide is that the worst thing would be to buy a 'home base.' Neither of us would want to stay there all the time, want the maintenance and up keep, want the stress and worry of being away from 'home.' As it is, we are always home, regardless of where we are parked.

Well said!!!

[dahkota]

"we could never live full time in a RV, I know sounds strange but as business owners we get far more vacation time than normal employees do sometimes 3 to 4 big trips per year not including the little weekend trips, almost feel burnt out but hate to stop and be bored."

Four years before we went full time, we bought a boat and used it for camping on the hook. We spend at least 100 nights a year on it for two years. We switched to a tt and for the next two years spent 120 nights and 180 nights in it respectively. During the second year, we realized we loved being in our RV but we hated 'vacationing.' It was stressful and rushed and we never got to experience a place, only got to see it. So we sold our stuff, 'retired,' and have been living in our RV for the 2+ years since.

'Vacationing' is a break from every day life. Full timing is living your every day life.

The other day DH and I were talking. We can't decide between continuing full timing on land or switching to water. The one thing we did decide is that the worst thing would be to buy a 'home base.' Neither of us would want to stay there all the time, want the maintenance and up keep, want the stress and worry of being away from 'home.' As it is, we are always home, regardless of where we are parked.

[noplace2]

Been at this FT thing now in our 16th year. Can't imagine going back to a fixed location. As I tell everyone who asks, this lifestyle isn't for everyone, but for those of us who love it, it's been the best 15+ years of our lives. It's all about freedom.

[2gypsies1]

We camped for 30 years before full-timing for 16 additional years. The two aren't the same.

It's a great feeling knowing you have no timeframes to return to a house or job. You can go wherever and stay how ever long. You don't have to rush to get there.

We aren't collectors and a house is just some place to get through a day. We were equally satisfied in our 300 sq. ft. RV as in our 2500 sq ft house.

Our kids and family were 100% for our new lifestyle. Our grandkids grew up with us full-timing and they were truly disappointed when we stopped. They had great experiences because of it and we made sure we were there for their important dates - first day of school, grandparents day, sports, awards, etc.

Some folks can't do this and that's fine but we never looked back.

We also volunteered in national and state parks and it's an awesome experience. Volunteers are appreciated unlike paid employees. Plus, we actually got to live in those gorgeous places.

We haven't regretted it for a second.

[jmtandem]

me and my wife had made a discussion we do not want to be full timers

You have your reasons and have made up your mind. Why do care what others do about full timing? If it is not for you, then it is not for you. It is not for everybody.

[tonyandkaren]

My family went camping every summer when I(Karen) was a kid. I was never ready to go home when the vacation was over. After Tony and I were married we took a year long trip all over the US with our 4 year old daughter. We had a VW camper with an icebox and a small water tank - no electric outlets or bathroom so it was pretty primitive but we knew we wanted to travel more. Lots of work and saving and 16 years later we bought a small RV. It's been 23 years now and we're not planning on quitting.

Fulltiming is a lot different than going on vacation. For vacationers there are always things back home that will need attention as soon as the vacation is over. Fulltimers get to relax and enjoy the moment even if they're not really doing anything. But fulltiming is also not a lifestyle for everyone. It's good that you are honest with yourself and realize it's not something you would enjoy.

[2gypsies1]

I answered your post in the 'General RVing' section.

[rockhillmanor]

timmac wrote:
My question is how long have you done full timing and what made you go full timing.... me and my wife had made a discussion we do not want to be full timers because we have been RVing since we were young and owned many RV's and feel like we have done the life style enough that

we could never live full time in a RV,

.....
...Who here has had their share of RV trips while younger and

feel like full timing is a done that been there thing.

I'm a little confused.:?
You state you would NEVER live in an RV full time and then ask why people would NOT full time.......on a Full-timer forum.

We ARE full timers!
So needless to say WE don't think it's a been there done that thing cause we're doing it! :W

[BarbaraOK]

No you haven't done everything. You will never know the freedom of not having to go back for X,y, or z. It is so liberating. And fulltiming isn't an extended vacation. It is entirely different. Those who stay in vacation mode never make it as Fulltimers.

[navegator]

Got rid of the stick house summer of 2007, started fulltime then, retiered December 2007, wife retiered June 2008 and never looked back we have a pad in the desert as a recidence and have Escapees for mail forwarding, home is where the supper dish is.

navegator

[rv2go]

We began RV'ing in 1974. By the time I retired, We had visited all 50 States and most of Canada. As the old saying "Been there, Done that. After retirement, we "Snowbird" for 3 winters. In the spring of the 3rd year, we were just dreading going back to the house. Made arrangements with our daughter to take over the care of it and stayed on the road till summer. Stayed with her a few months and hit the road again and have never looked back. That's over 13 years ago.

The only regret I have about "full timing" is the day my health will not let me drive and I have to settle down.

[Dutch_12078]

Fulltiming is not for everyone regardless of how much RV'ing you've done in the past. Like any other lifestyle, you have to want it before entering into it. And every fulltimer or wanna-be fulltimer should have a well thought out exit plan in place before venturing out. We all have to come off the road sometime, one way or another...