Who Else Will Retire To Full-time In 2018?

[DallasSteve]

I don't know if this will be a popular thread or a dumb idea, but here goes. I saw a post here recently (maybe two) where members said they plan to retire and begin full-time RV life in 2018. That's my plan, too. What does your plan look like? Here's my plan (and long-term members here can feel free to comment, even with their often snide remarks).

1 - I turn 62 in August, (and my car lease is up then) but I won't take early Social Security
2 - I have savings to buy a nice, maybe even new, travel trailer with cash
3 - I can afford to lease a new tow vehicle with no worries, so I probably will; but I may try to rent a big truck for the first couple of months just to be sure this is where I want to go
4 - I've toyed with the idea of a CD-secured personal loan, but there's not much point (most banks want the CD rate plus 2%)
5 - I can burn my savings at the rate or $2,000 or even $3,000 per month with no problem until I start to draw Social Security
6 - I will probably do South Texas the first winter, but I might consider inland Florida, if I can find it within my budget
7 - I will probably set up near a big city for June-August and work a computer programming contract because 1 - it's easy money and 2 - I don't want to fight the summer crowds in the parks
8 - I'll travel the country in Spring and Fall seeing parks and cities big and small
9 - When I hit about 67-68 I will start Social Security and it will be plenty for me (if the government doesn't break all their promises)
10 - Since I'm in good health I'll probably buy cheap non-ACA health insurance until I qualify for Medicare at 65
11 - If I enjoy the life, I'll just keep repeating every year; if I find a place I like a lot I might set up a winter or summer home in an RV park
12 - If I don't like the life I can sell the RV at a loss and return to regular apartment life, but maybe in a new city that I like better. But I will always be Dallas Steve because that's where I was born.

Finally, I may get a bumper sticker that says "All my exes live in Texas, that's why I live in an RV".

[DallasSteve]

breeves

I want to see Northwest Arkansas - and a lot of other places. That's a big part of why I'm going to do this, God willing (as my wife always likes to add). I've taken a lot of calculated risks in my life and most of them have turned out well (or at least they didn't blow up in my face). I changed majors from Architecture to Accounting. I changed careers from Accounting to Programming. I changed lifestyle from home owner to apartment renter. I switched from buying cars to leasing them. I'm happy with how all of those turned out, and if I wasn't I could've always gone back. Maybe I'll set up a blog as I get closer to take-off. There are lots of those out there.

Best wishes, Steve

[breeves2245]

I'm 59 and have a similar plan as you with the same timing, when I turn 62. Thinking about selling my house and touring the US in a truck camper. Former CPA as well. I may do some contract accounting if it makes sense to stop for a couple of months a year near a city to delay drawing SS. But until I do it, I'm not sure I'll get "out there" and wonder what the heck was I thinking and move back to Northwest Arkansas. Which is a great place to live anyway. I'll be interested to keep up with your plan and see how it works for you.

[Fishhunter]

Good decision

[DallasSteve]

Fishhunter wrote:
I retired almost four years ago and FT crossed our minds, so we took a four month trip hit all the western states and spent about 2 1/2 months in Texas. We enjoyed seeing all the sights, but learned FT'ing wasnt for us. Cramed into RV parks with a neighbor ten feet away just didnt fit our lifestyle, was happy to get back home. Besiides with 45 years accumalation of stuff i wouldnt want to just get rid of. We do plan on buying a new TT and traveling some but it would be for 2~3 months top. So I would advised anybody looking at FT'ing to try it first. Its just not for everybody.

Fishhunter

That sounds a little like my situation, too. I don't expect to full-time forever because some day I will probably die. 🙂 And I may also find that I don't like the lifestyle, like happened to you. But part of what I do think I can accomplish with this is that I have lived all of my life in Dallas and I think I want to try living somewhere else, but I'm not sure where. This adventure will help me to see more of the country and then decide if I want to continue roaming, or settle down in a place I like better, or return to Dallas. And so as I've processed all of this I think I will buy a used motorhome to start which will reduce my depreciation hit and put me at less financial risk if I decide to go back to a fixed address. And I will rent a vehicle to use as a toad that I could also use as a daily driver, if I decide to go back to a fixed address.

[Fishhunter]

I retired almost four years ago and FT crossed our minds, so we took a four month trip hit all the western states and spent about 2 1/2 months in Texas. We enjoyed seeing all the sights, but learned FT'ing wasnt for us. Cramed into RV parks with a neighbor ten feet away just didnt fit our lifestyle, was happy to get back home. Besiides with 45 years accumalation of stuff i wouldnt want to just get rid of. We do plan on buying a new TT and traveling some but it would be for 2~3 months top. So I would advised anybody looking at FT'ing to try it first. Its just not for everybody.

[Luna18]

My wife and I are headed towards a Aug 18 retirement, selling our home in April and living FT in our 5th wheel until we start traveling full time December 2018.

We are headed South from Ohio and will stop several times til we hit our destination in Central Florida. Stops headed South include Kentucky, Stone Mtn in GA and Savannah before heading to Central Florida.

We are very excited and cant wait for this waiting period to pass, so we can begin the next chapter in FULL.

[DianneOK]

Moderator note....don't let this get political. ........

[DallasSteve]

JAXFL wrote:
Watch your taxes....I just retired in October and with SS and my little pension I am told that if I make $3000 more a year it move into the next higher tax bracket. So if I work at all I get screwed.

Congress is cutting taxes. At least it's not as bad as in the 60s when Great Britain had a top tax bracket of 95%.

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

[JAXFL]

Watch your taxes....I just retired in October and with SS and my little pension I am told that if I make $3000 more a year it move into the next higher tax bracket. So if I work at all I get screwed.

[DallasSteve]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
DallasSteve, I am about a year behind you on a similar plan. Similar income level, without touching 401K. I will be drawing SS at 62 for two reasons, my breakeven point is in my 80s and I have LTC insurance for later and I also have an income stream that will end at 62, so will replace it with SS.

Would love to PM and talk in even more detail about my plans. I find it hard to find someone who is financially knowledgeable and understands fulltime RVing. My mother so far has been my most supportive sounding board. One friend, who is neither very frugal or adventurous, thinks I am going to be broke.. another friend who is pretty frugal, but knows nothing of RV life is supportive.

Feel free to PM me if you think it might help. It looks like you have more RV experience than I do. I've never owned one, though I rented one once. You don't mention savings. EDIT: You did mention a 401K. If you're low on savings you may regret taking SS early. You might consider working a few months each year on a real job and defer taking SS for a few more years. That's my plan, plus I can live on my savings from 62 to 70 if I wanted to wait that long.

[wannavolunteerF]

DallasSteve, I am about a year behind you on a similar plan. Similar income level, without touching 401K. I will be drawing SS at 62 for two reasons, my breakeven point is in my 80s and I have LTC insurance for later and I also have an income stream that will end at 62, so will replace it with SS.

Would love to PM and talk in even more detail about my plans. I find it hard to find someone who is financially knowledgeable and understands fulltime RVing. My mother so far has been my most supportive sounding board. One friend, who is neither very frugal or adventurous, thinks I am going to be broke.. another friend who is pretty frugal, but knows nothing of RV life is supportive.

[bacil]

We are planning to FT this March.

Although not retiring (i just turn 40 🙂 ). We plan fully nomadic life, or continuation of there of without any permanent residency.

We have our business that is location independent and my better half is finishing her online business setup so we should be financially sufficient and have all the expenses taken care of with budget 5-7k a month. But on the other side our situation is little more complicated. We both are from Czech, i am US resident on L1A (thats top management visa) for a while and hoping to get my GC this May as i have businesses registered in CA and DW, but with her it is little more complicated on ESTA program she can only stay 90 days in the row so we have to plan occasional trips abroad :-). Anyway our plan so far is.

Start in March on east coast and follow it all the way to keys, staying in NP, SP etc. to really see what there is to be seen. Then follow the gulf through to TX then AZ, NM, CO, NV and finally CA. Then we will have decision to make, if we go down south to Mexico (all the way to Yucatan) or up to Canada and AK in next year.

We (read she does 🙂 ) plan to write a book about the roadtrip with loads of photos. Possibly self publish in Czech and in Europe where there isn't much on this subject, especially from RV + foreigners point of view.

[carl2591]

Planning on going full time in 2.5 yrs so a bit of time to get it right. Will rent out paid for house for a couple years and then come back to sell it within the period to avoid cap gain taxes.

Have a rental property the current tenant has expressed interest in buying the property and i was interested in doing owner financing on property so that will be a nice monthly income for a period of 7-8 yrs.

Will look at SS when I go full time at age of like 64 so might just wait till 65 and get SS and medicare at same time.

have a good one and good luck.

[GuyN]

My wife and I are retiring in Aug 2018, selling house and hitting the road. We are selling our current 5th wheel and will buy one in the 32' range.

[PartyOf_Five]

I'm not near retirement but like to travel between contracts, when I contract. Seems like you know what works for you; I prefer to skip payments of any kind, buy used, then switch it in a few years by assuming the depreciation was my 'enjoyment factor.' This way I have peace of mind knowing what I have in, and not having to budget for one more item every month. Live simply so we can simply live (& travel)!