It could be a good option if you are wanting to save up for a house, you never know you might not want one after living in an RV for a few years.
The best things about RV living are:
1. RV Living is Cheaper
This is probably common sense but RV living is cheaper than a house. With a house you usually have to take out a huge amount of money and pay the monthly mortgage, utilities, taxes and bills. RV living is a lot cheaper, both initially and day to day.
You could buy an RV outright for the fraction of a cost of a house, or get yor RV financed where your repayments could be as little as a few hundred dollars a month.
Be wary not to forget the campground fees, gas, insurance and other bills, although that will all be less than a traditional house. The campground rent will vary from place to place, but if you stay away from the luxury sites they will be pretty affordable.
The RV lifestyle will cost on average between $1,500 and $3,000 per month, depending on where you’re staying. For the majority of Americans that’s a lot cheaper than renting or owning a house.
Of course, RV living can also be expensive – it is what you make it. So in order for the RV life to be the cheaper option for you you are going to need to make it cheaper by:
Budgeting
I know it’s a boring topic, but if you budget well then your wealth and life will be infinitely better for it. Decide what’s important to you and what you want to spend on each month and budget for it. Also budget for repairs and maintenance as this will inevitably happen and you are going to want a pot of money for that.
If there is an expensive purchase that you want to make, sit on it for a month or two and see how you feel then. If you still want it, go for it, if not you’ve saved yourself a lot of money.
As the price of gas has gone through the roof, consider staying in places for longer or staying in sites that are closer together. This could save a lot in fuel and maintenance costs.
Be wary of campsite costs
If you’re anything like me you love getting the most value for your dollar. There are a few hacks to getting cheaper campsite costs.
- If you book a seasonal spot for 3 to 5 months, you will usually get a discount. It will end up being much cheaper than paying a nightly fee.
- Join RV Clubs to make the most of the discounts they offer at sites. The membership fee can pay for itself after a few nights.
- Go boondocking, thanks to the internet and some RV clubs it’s easier than ever to find free camping spots.
Learn some RV maintenance
If you are a handy person, it will be cheaper and useful to learn some RV maintenance. Especially with Youtube, it’s easier than ever to perform minor maintenance tasks yourself. You’ll also save a lot of money if you don’t have to send your RV into a shop everytime it needs an oil change or new tires.
Eat in (or outside) your RV
This applies to everyone but it’s more fun in an RV. You can save a fortune by eating at home, so start preparing meals yourself and stop eating out as much.
2. Save More Money
The cheaper living leads us nicely into point 2. You will end up saving more money.
Saving money becomes second nature when RV living, mainly because you stop buying useless stuff because you don’t have the space. Not to mention online shopping is near impossible.
I’ve found that the shopping detox is great, and after a month or two I don’t miss it at all, and I actually have savings now.
There are also easy ways to save more, by staying at cheaper sites or boondocking. You can boondock for free for upto 14 days on BLM land, or spend the odd night at a Walmart or Target.
This will allow you to reach your financial goals easier than owning a home or renting.
3. You Get to Connect With Nature
When you’re living in an RV, you will spend a large chuck of your time outside. There are so many benefits to being in the great outdoors, it automatically lifts your mood and makes you feel at peace.
You can be living in the desert one month, then a forest, then the mountains or the coast. The list is endless. You will be able to experience the amazing outdoors that America has to offer, there are some incredible national parks and landmarks that some many Americans will never get to see.
You can park and live in some amazing places all over the country, and see the amazing things that nature has to offer. All you have to do is drive there!
Some tips to make the most out of your surroundings:
Observe
Take in the surrounding nature by closing your eyes, smell the sir, listen to the birds. My favorite part of the day is sitting outside in the early morning with my coffee just taking in all in.
Walking
Get out there and go for a walk, follow a path and see where it takes you. Getting completely immersed in a walk is a great way to feel more at home with nature.
Eat outside
Taking a picnic into the park is a great way to connect with nature, and a great way to pass the afternoon. I have loads of childhood memories of picnics in the park.
Wildlife Watching
Another great way to connect with nature is to go wildlife watching. You’d be surprised how relaxing it is, and how quickly you’ll start to recognize species.
4. Travel
You can travel in your home! This is probably the best part of RV life in my eyes. You never need to feel homesick or like an unwanted guest. You will always have your home comforts with you.
And possibly one of the best bits – no packing! It makes life so much easier.
Compared to the freedom RV living gives you, the home comforts and packing fade in comparison. If you don’t like a place you can just move on, if you love somewhere then you can settle down and stay a few more days, or a week or months.
It’s this part that makes RVing so addictive, you can go to wherever takes your fancy.
5. Freedom of Time
In addition to freedom, you’ll also get more freedom of time. You’re likely to be remote working or retired so you won’t have to do the daily commute which will save you a couple of hours per day.
RVs are also easier to clean and maintain than a house, mainly because you won’t have so many things cluttering up your life.
All this leaves you with more time to enjoy the places you go and connect with nature. Basically, a happier and healthier lifestyle.
6. Personal Development
All the gained free time will lead to personal development. You’ll have more time to focus on yourself, you can read more, learn a new skill or meditate.
You will also have more time with your family or partner. Trust me, living in a small RV together will really strengthen your relationship. You’ll have to communicate better to resolve issues quicker. You’ll also experience amazing adventures together, which is well worth the odd argument.
If you are running your own business on the road, you’ll get more time to develop it. Or you can turn that hobby or side hustle into a full time income.
You don’t have much option but to grow as a person when you have more time on your hands (and limited internet access :))
7. The People You’ll Meet
Once you join the RVing community you’ll never look back. RVers and campers are super friendly, and there are so many opportunities to make new friends when RVing.
You’ll also get more time with your new found friends, and family. It will become second nature to all come together on an evening and enjoy some good food and drinks together.
A great way to join the RVing community is to join the Escapees community. This RV Club has over 60,000 members of like-minded people, so you’re sure to make new friends.
If you’re an introvert like me, here are some tips to meeting new people and making friends:
Make the First Move
I know this can be daunting for some people but your neighbour at the campsite is likely to have a lot in common with you, after all you’re both in the same place.
Ask them questions about their rig and what tools, gear or tips they have. RVers love talking about RVs. Who knows you might learn something valuable as well as making a lifelong friend.
Ask where they have been, again you could get some really good ideas for your next trip, or learn where to avoid.
Aside from some great ideas for places to go, you may pick up some good tips on must-hit towns or activities, and any roads to avoid with your RV.
If you have children or pets, or if your neighbours have pets use this to strike up a conversation. You could even organize play dates for your children or go on a dog walk together.
Use Social Media
Join RV groups on facebook or join memberships like Escapees or RVillage. You could make virtual friends that can lead to meet ups and campouts.
Go to the RV meetups held by the groups and get involved.Just be friendly and offer your advice. You all have similar interests so be open.
RV Meet Ups and Events
There are lots of RV events all over the country, you’re sure to find one that interests you. RV Clubs organize events like Passport America and Escapees, their calendars are full of events.
Be Outside of Your RV at the Campground
Try and be outside your RV as much as possible, you’re never going to meet people being inside.
So get outside on your camping chairs round the fire and be friendly to passers by, invite them to join you. If the campsite has a pool or activities, be friendly and outgoing, you could even invite them round for a BBQ.
Final Thoughts
I hope this article has been helpful and persuaded you to give it a go, remember you can always go back to your “sticks and bricks” if you want to.
I love the freedom and adventures that RV living has to offer, no two days need to be the same.
