Help: Military retiree w/ family temp living

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KRHODES7 ,

When I retired , my main concern was how would my disability and the rigors of the RV routine work out . That dictated what type of rig to purchase .

The military famcamps are not the best deals on the market due to the controls given to local commander . Most RV parks have unpublished long term rates that are much better , but you have to know to ask for them .

I use a small ceramic heater that can be moved around to keep warm - also safe for small children and animals .

Good Luck

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I'll sell you my 5th wheel and F350 for 10K. Him only, no others (thanks though). The 5th is is a 2001 31' and has 3 slides. the f350 is a 2002 dually with unknown miles but pulls like a tractor.

I have used them to go across the country several times and they have done well for me. Ive went back to class A's and dont need the truck and 5th any more.

you can get a good yukon for 10 to 13 grand and a nice 3 bunk tt for 20 grand and the yukon will have plenty of room for family

Instead of a Durango a 2500 Suburban is a far better choice.

I appreciate all the great responses. We do not plan to RV the rest of our lives, just until we make the transition to hopefully find a government job, or one with a larger corporation. Allowing us time in the new area to figure out where I want to live, settle in and buy a house.
I am young, 33, with a management degree, and 15 years of comm electronics experience, hardworking, and optimistic about the job market. My wife and I love camping, and see this RV life as a temporary challenge.
We have considered extended stay hotels, and month by month leases. Those seem like they would work, but we think that RV’ing for a short time would be a great life experience. Our only real concern is keeping the place warm for the newborn, and letting the two year old out to play. Cold would force us into a hotel. Also, $30K and the truck is what we have decided we are willing to go in on upfront; we still have another $20K if this doesn’t work out and we need somewhere to rent. Some good insight on the famcamps, please keep that coming.
Again, I appreciate the specifics, like Jayco is better than Honeywell. My wife and I practical, she drives a civic, and me a Ridgeline, because they are reliable, cheap to maintain, and nice while not having all the bells and whistles. We do not have cable tv, or super smart phones. We can afford them but that is not our priority. We are looking for a practical entry level Travel Trailer that would like to keep if possible when we buy a house for family outings/camping trips.

Is a ½ ton truck enough? How about a Durango? Is a durango better than a Ridgeline for towing, I understand the 9K tow load on a Durango, is that enough? What year do travel trailers switch to being mainly aluminum framed?

1995brave wrote:
$30K is not going to get very much. Check out www.pplmotorhomes.com for units that are on consignment.

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actually, 30K is more than enough for decent TT. If you get my way I would be happy to assist you in anyway I can. NAF EL Centro, CA has long term RV parking for $300 a month, all included and which is rare compared to other Military FAMCAMPS, I lived in Japan five years and my wife is from Tokyo. We know the drill. Good luck.

The rv is a good route to go in your job search, the down side is are you going to continue to rv once you settle down. Have you ever spent any quality time in an RV ? The one thing you also must consider is the cost of living where you get a job. Having been down this road there is a lot to consider before purchasing an rv. Next year we will have been rving for 50 years and 23 of those were in the service. We always had a place to stay when we got to a new duty station. Another thing to consider is the cost of fuel for the vehicle you choose to tow your rv with. Then when you get your new job and look for a place to live you need to know if you can keep your rv at your home. There are lots and lots of what ifs if you go this route. Plus if you buy an rv one place then settle down another place and decide to sell the rv it may not bring what you think it should....Lots of things to mull over........USN retired....

Be aware that OR St Parks provides free camping (10 days, 5 days in one park) for Disabled Military 30% or more. All you have to do is apply. Check the OR parks site. Also AF has a frequent camper program that can save you some money, famcamps are good but not cheap. Good Luck

Your plan is not practical. You will spend all of your $30,000 to get a trailer and truck, both used, just for temporary housing. RVing does have a learning curve, and trying to live in the RV, learn the ins and outs, and looking for a job is too much and a recipe for something to fail, all the time while you are responsible for your family. Many very nice motels and hotels have extended stay units that are reasonably priced that offer safe and comfortable accommodations. Save your money for a nice down payment on a house when you get settled in your job. Then buy a RV for week ends and vacations.

First and Foremost, Thank You for your service. I hope the disability will not be too difficult in your future life.

As to is this feasible and practical, it is marginal on all fronts. Your savings will be depleted very fast if you are not very careful what you do. If you buy used from reputable sources, you should be able to pull this off and it will be a better option than locating and renting accommodations. BUT (notice the big but <- one T), unless the DW (Dear Wife and mother of 2) is looking forward to this, I would suggest that you keep your options open.

Though they look like an inexpensive way to live, RVs hide a lot of effort and expenses that one does not find elsewhere. If you are not already familiar with these things, this will not be the time to discover them.

Travel Trailers (TT) are a nice way to go and see and do things, but the 5K that the Ridgeline will tow is actually not very much. When(if) you start seriously looking at things, keep adding a couple or three thousand pounds to the published weight of any TT. They publish the empty weight and you will add that much in clothing and provisions.

Keep on looking and sending out resumes. This could all suddenly be a moot point.

All of this from a guy that spent most of his young life on a 13 ton sailboat. I know what living in tight space is and it is not for everyone. Please make sure DW is onboard.

Best of Luck

Matt