Very well-presented and useful information. I'm glad I came across your channel. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best of luck on your travels.
@@ToWanderFreely: Agree with Zdenek -- excellent video. Your information was useful, precise, well-organized, and presented clearly. :-) 🙂 One _very_ small quibble, though -- and I only bring it up because it was a bit confusing -- in both this video and your related blog entry, you say you had seven "free nights" in the past year. That sounds like you received seven free nights of accommodation at various RV parks, for whatever reason (perhaps as a result of promotional deals or something). But I think what you meant is that you "boondocked", away from any RV parks, for a total of seven nights. Is that what you meant? Because when you say you had "seven free nights", it sounds like you received something of value (in this case, accommodations at RV parks) at no charge. (And I'm wondering _hey, how'd you get the free nights?)_ 😀
I recommend switching over to high quality synthetic lubricants and filters to greatly reduce your maintenance costs. I run Amsoil products in my vehicles. I go one year or 25,000 miles on an oil change and I go three times the normal interval for transmission service. I get those benefits while providing superior protection to my vehicle's components. Great videos ... keep them coming & safe travels.
Thanks so much for sharing! My husband and I have been full time in our Airstream for 8 months now but stationary in Southern AZ. We'll hit the road and start traveling next year. I love seeing other people's expense reports to gain an understanding of what we can expect. You guys did an amazing job of breaking down the expenses and explaining your choices. Thank you for being honest. It really helps the rest of us in our planning :) Safe Travels!
My husband and I bought a 32 ft. motorhome end of February. We are loving it. Yes, we have done some traveling and will be full time in mid July. We have had some issues so we are figuring out a solution. Videos are great.
Your expenses are really accurate! I spend about $800 to $1,100 per month as a full-time RVer which is less expensive than a brick & mortar life . . . and far more entertaining! Depending on how you want to live, dictates your expenses, but I think it evens out in the end! Along with being able to cover monthly expenses, you need a big safety net, in the event something goes wrong . . . and something will always, go wrong! Thanks for making this video, very informative. Smile! & Be Brave! :)
Thank you for your feedback! I know it is so helpful for those considering the lifestyle to know what the expenses may look like. You make a great point with having a large safety net for emergencies. Thanks for the encouragement!
Less expensive but completely takes away Quality of life...Living shacked up in a home on wheels isn't exactly a quality life....My house is 2500 MORE then her full time yearly living, my old home was actually cheaper then her full time RV living lol.
Maybe you don't understand that this is a choice and people including me LOVE this lifestyle! Not many are driving around looking to park every night. This is a beautiful way to live and there is Quality of Life in this or people wouldn't be choosing it. You obviously have no clue. Do you not see all of the videos that are posted from people living this life? I don't even get your title, BigD Travels? Maybe you're traveling on planes? It's not for you to judge what quality of life is. I've had 3 beautiful homes and to me it's a huge weight and burden to carry. You must work a full time career to pay to live in sticks and bricks. I choose freedom! It's called an opinion.
BigD Travels quality of life is all perspective, if you revel in your materials then RVing is most certainly not for you, if experiences are more important then you're willing to trade the convenience of space for this lifestyle. I think more and more people are coming to realize the American dream is a debt inducing sales pitch that keeps us laboring our entire lives.
Dang, thanks for the numbers! I have been trying to decide if i could just retire and live off 42k a year in retirement. I should probably just go get myself a class B or C RV and start roaming the country.
You are welcome - we hope they are helpful. You can certainly do it cheaper, if that is a concern; but this is what it looks like if you are moving as much as we are. We wish you the best, and hope to see you on the road some day!
I hate to be "that grammar nazi," but it's nice to know: the semicolon you used in your reply "You can certainly do it cheaper, if that is a concern; but this is what it looks like," is called a "Comma splice." it replaces the word "For, and, nor, but, or, yet" (FANBOY). so: "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep." can be converted to "I'm tired; I'm going to sleep." One cannot legally have a FANBOY after a semicolon, because it is replaced, while one can't have a semicolon without a FANBOY before the conversion. There are exceptions, but this comment would be much longer. Again, I'm sorry to be that guy, but it's good stuff! :) Great video, by the way, I've been pondering the question of affordability for some time.
I'm a very organized individual so I LOVED your presentation! My hubby is considering time on the road. I think he is reluctant to retire unless he has something in place to do. You gave us a wonderful framework on which to build our travel plans. Thank you!
Such a detailed list! This is something my partner and I plan on doing in the next year or two and this gives me a lot of hope. TY so much for sharing your numbers!
You are so welcome! Thanks for sharing about your upcoming plans - we love hearing when people are ready to take the plunge and try RVing. Our sincerest best wishes to you both, and please feel free to ask any questions along the way! (As an aside, we love Boston - visited there a few years ago - love it!)
I found this very helpful. We're trying to plan and budget, but it's hard to extrapolate from a lot of the really minimalist full-timers. Y'all are probably living and spending at about the rate we will, and the numbers were very encouraging that we can make this happen.
Hey John I had the same concern, there are mail services that will take care of you. The one i have looked into and people are happy with is Escapees. Hope this helps buddy!
John Lyes We have been out here for nearly 9 years.Most of that workamping .We have full timers insurance with Nationwide for people living in their rv full time .Its actually cheaper than our car insurance.And as for legal residency we joined Escapees in Livingston Texas . And as for Banking we make sure we use Wells Fargo . No local banks because of access.
Got a couple q's if you dont mind. 1. What kind of mpg does ur truck get towing? 2. What places do u stay with full hook ups at those rates? 3. What kind of work does hubby do that he can be on the road? I envy you guys. Hope we get to do that one day
Hi, there! We are always happy to answer questions, so please feel free to ask away! :) Answer #1 We average about 13-15 mpg towing, and 25 mpg not towing. We have a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel 7 our fifthwheel is 26 feet in length and weighs 8,800 pounds completely loaded. Answer #2 This is more complicated to answer, but campgrounds really vary depending on what part of the country you are in. The East & West Coast are generally more expensive, and California pretty much blew our budget out of the water. We try to balance more expensive stays with cheaper stays. I don't have a compilation of all of our campgrounds, but on our website (www.towanderfreely.com), I usually list where we stayed for each visit. So, if you are looking for a specific area, that may be helpful. Answer #3 Chris has an Architectural Engineering degree from PSU. He started as an estimator for a large general contractor, then worked for a structural engineering firm. On the side, he had a small drafting business. He now solely runs his own business: drafting, cost estimating, residential design and code studies. Most of his clients are people he already worked with through his main regular jobs. Establishing relationships in his field and networking helped with the jump. It is not easy though - we do not make anywhere close to what we used to with traditional jobs. But, are expenses are a lot lower too. We count the travel well worth the pay cut. Hope that is helpful, and we really hope something works out for you to be able to hit the road too. -Jen
Great info, I'm giving some serious thought in buying a 5th wheeler or RV and having a traveling home. Will definitely be checking out your other videos.
Hi, I've been living full-time in a fifth wheel trailer in Las Vegas Nevada. I love it because the rv parks are ushually a lot nicer then any nice neighborhood. Also the money you save is great. Thanks for the informative video.
I've been RVing full-time for almost 2 years, I use the hotspot device through Verizon for my internet and it works great and keeps me from overheating my phone! Something that might be worth considering
Great video and thank you for encouraging my wife and myself to take it to the next level in life, to take the risk and commit to the adventure. I am 72 years old my wife is 65 years old and your videos are Inspiration for us to continue an adventurous lifestyle. We've traveled to 35 countries and by seeing how you take on the challenges has given us the courage to do things that we have not felt comfortable doing. The bottom line we are getting out of the comfort zone. What advice would you give us? You're doing it and thank you for what you're doing it is appreciated all.Jerry & Lori
Looks like you did this about a year ago, but great info and thank you for sharing. You could even break it down to a cost per mile average. Take your miles driven in a day (average or real) and divide by costs. This would assist in estimating specific trips and adventures. May only be a few cents or a few dollars, but you could say an upcoming trip of 500 miles will cost an average of say $1.15 per mile and budget according. Be safe and we'll catch you down the road,
Excellent thank you for sharing. Duano and I are exciting to start RVing full time soon. We are in the process of selling everything. I hope to see you on the road.
We bought a Thousand Trails pass for one year at $450 and that covers 30 days of camping for us being on the West coast it pays for itself with just four days in San Francisco (A week is $800) every day after the first 30 days is $3. With the initial price of the pass it is roughly $1,500 a year.
I love your break down,because we’re looking to sale our home in the next couple of months to go fulltime and get out of debt in 5yrs,so we’re looking for online work now as well as maybe camp hosting if possible.
Thanks, your video was very informative. My wife and are retiring in just over 2 years and we plan to full time RV. I am retired Navy and have been to more countries than states, and we want to see this beautiful country God gave us. Thanks again
That is such wonderful news! I am so glad that you are getting in to RVing, and for a great reason. Thank you for your service in the Navy, and for the encouragement. Blessings on your travel plans.
That is such wonderful news! I am so glad that you are getting in to RVing, and for a great reason. Thank you for your service in the Navy, and for the encouragement. Blessings on your travel plans.
Interesting breakdown. The thought has crossed my mind, but my issue is that, while the monthly payment may be less than your mortgage, you're effectively renting and not building any equity like you are with a mortgage. With a house, you own it after 15, 30, or however many years it takes to pay off your mortgage. With a camper in the campground, you're paying that $1,100/mo effectively forever plus the cost of the camper.
Yes, thank you for bringing up this great point. That is something to consider. There are no guarantees in life, and the same goes in the housing industry. Mortgages are a good way to have a set payment for years; but you are also paying interest. Renting, even campgrounds, is only going to increase in cost each year. Your house is only worth what the market is doing at the time. Plenty of people lose money on homes, while others make money. No investment is guaranteed. If the desire is to travel, like it was for us, we still think that RVing is an economic choice. And we don't want anyone to think they have to sell their house in order to RV - you can do both, or even rent your home for income on the road. There are lots of possibilities.
Owning your own house can be great until you wind up with the neighbors from hell next door. When you live the RV life you just move your home to a quieter place.
great video - thank you SO much! We have been living in our RV full time for about 3 months now and we are preparing to hit the road in our RV soon....
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the awesome breakdown in bites that anyone can understand. For us planning to become part of this adventure lifestyle this helps us decide what we need for starting this adventure.
I am so glad to hear that, Dina! Thank you for the feedback, and our sincerest best wishes to you on your upcoming travels. There is so much to look forward to!!!
Thank you so much for such a great report. Hope to see you on the road. Living out here and having fun. Blessings to you all. Audrey and Jack, and dog Zorro.
Really great info! Clear, concise and thorough. I actually think, from what I have heard, that your totals are more common than not, as an average. Of course there are tons of variables but they are fairly average numbers for a lot of us. It also helps to get a gauge on those averages because, at least at first, people tend to think they should be spending a lot less than they are. As you said, if the goal is to save a bunch of money, that can certainly be done~just as it can be done from a regular lifestyle, in a regular house etc.. thanks for sharing and have a lovely kind of day!
Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. It is good to hear that our numbers seem somewhat average. I am going to be honest, I have no idea what other RVers spend. We were new to this going in to it, so we really did not know what to expect. Thanks for watching!
I like that you brought up some realistic expenses because sometimes I see these tiny house people and I feel like they don't talk about real expenses on the road or lifestyle changes. It also all depends on your mobile job or careers these expenses can be a bigger impact.
Did that number include gas costs for moving place to place? This was VERY helpful info and I'm not even halfway through yet! That's worth a subscription!
it's even 3x cheaper to stay in a campground for extended lengths (month or longer). I've found that many charge no more than $600 a month (and this is on the high end) for the space. I'm a student, I have low income. my plan is to live in a travel trailer for a while on campgrounds; hopefully I can find one that will let me stay six months to a year. luckily where I live campgrounds are not few and far between where I'm going to school, so if I need to move after 3-6 months to another spot, I can. I'm looking at no more than $4800-$7200 a year for rent/utilities/internet/trash/sewage and whatever other amenities I can get. I can't live any cheaper than that anywhere! dorms and apartments cost so more, and dont offer me my own space away from roommates or other students. initially, I wanted a tiny house but I don't think a tiny house is doable just based on legal issues. I'm going to buy an RV used and remodel the inside to make it home-y! I'm so excited.
You need to sign up for thousand trails it's $500 a year and we get full hook ups, you can stay in each park for 21 days in a row then 1 day out then back in after that for 21 more days..
@ jamie : That's not exactly correct -- you can stay for two weeks and then you have to leave for a week before you can get back in. (They do offer other arrangements where you can stay for up to 21 days, and although you then have to leave that particular park, you can stay at a different Thousand Trails facility immediately afterwards without having to leave their system for a week. But those require you to sign a long-term contract and are significantly more expensive.)
Thank you so much for your videos they have helped us so much. We have just started this year. Hoping to get our channel to be as great as yours. Just enjoying our travels. Safe and happy travels
I am so glad to hear that they have been a help, and even more glad to know that you are enjoying your travels! :) Best wishes to you! And please feel free to ask any questions.
Dude -- I'm more frugal than this but that's STILL lower than when I rented in sticks and bricks house: ($1300 a month as I recall rent alone, cable and elec on top.)
We are paying $1150 a month not including our electricity, tv, Internet, phones, home insurance. My husband is a disabled veteran who has recently lost his job due to having multiple grand map seizures and losing his CDL. We have decided to buy and fix up a used rv and plan to move into it and travel full time. We will be way better off financially considering how much we spend in one moth on rent in our house here in Alabama. We have two little girls and plan to homeschool them on the road. This won't be a change as they have been homeschooled for 2 years now. They are very excited to see some of the places they learn about in history.
I am in just about the same boat you guys are in Mommi we should check and see if there are any other Vets. like us out here and get together,, I just bought my RV a few weeks ago it now sits in my backyard while I get rid of the House and all my crap so I can start my NEW Adventure w/my dog Olli.... drop a line some how we all can stay in touch some how..
Hi, I really appreciate you taking the time to put all the numbers together and share with us. I don't think those are bad at all, for housing that is about what I about pay a year (also with electricity, gas, water, sewer included). So to be able to travel and have different views I think that is great!. Like you said you are on the go, go, go! So if you can stay longer in one place or camp for free expenses will be down. Big thank you again, love all those stickers! ;) Tina
Hi, Tina! Good to hear from you! Hope you are enjoying the summer - I know you do some awesome trips, so I hope you have been able to do some traveling. Thanks for the feedback, I am glad to hear that it sounds reasonable, and honestly it would be worth it even if we were paying more for campgrounds. Thanks for stopping by! -Jen
This was a great, informative video! I was surprised on how expensive some things were, and how cheap others were. But even with that, it does sound less expensive than our current mortgage/utilities/etc. Because you've travelled so extensively, I feel you may have something to say about my next question. My main hang up on going full time is probably irrational. But, I'm nervous about having a huge trailer behind us on treacherous roads. Have you been on many routes that kind of freaked you out or made you feel it wasn't so safe? Example narrow roads, curvy roads, drop offs, steep climbs etc. Curvy narrow roads with drop offs scare me in my regular vehicle, so it's been on my mind a lot!
Hi, Nikki! So glad you found the video helpful. Great question, and one that I think a lot of people are concerned about. Overall, I can say that the majority of the driving is on easy roads for towing. But, you will face some steep inclines and some dropoffs passing over the mountain ranges...the rockies, the bighorns are fairly notorious for rvers, etc. In our travels, the scariest roads we were on were inside the national parks. For these, we were not towing anyway, but there were some where I couldn't look out my window. Chris has no problem, but I have a bit of a heights thing that has caused me some irrational fear. I definitely don't think it is something that should hold you back from fulltiming, since you will really rarely face those roads, and they really aren't treacherous, just a little scary for a moment or two. I hope that is helpful, and remember the majority of the country is pretty flat. Thanks for watching! -Jen
What a great and well done vlog. Thank you very much for posting. I have been retired for sometime and have had an interest in getting that "bucket list" taking care of. I am a ex california native so I know full well what you speak about the west coast. I have been living in Portland Oregon for the past five years and it is starting to catch up with the other states in regard to cost of living. Rents here went through the roof lately saying that there is a ""housing shortage" ha. Just greedy people. Any who just wanted to add my kutoes. a fan called Rhonda
Thanks. Great trip and great information! Do you have one number for all costs for the year? For example, what were your total miscellaneous and daily food costs along with the rent, utilities, maintenance, etc?
YOUR PRESENTATION IS SOLID! INDEX CARDS WERE OKAY BUT USE SOME VIDEO EDITING PROGRAMS WOULD HELP ALSO! YOU HAVE POTENTIAL!! YOU GO GIRL!!! SALUDOS DE CALIFORNIA!!
Are you able to right off any camping charges for camp grounds? Or any other expenses on your taxes? Or as you work on the road can you use any for business expense? Great information on expenses for full timing
Thanks for the kind words! Given the nature of Chris' work we can write off a small portion of some things, but not much. Each persons work situation is unique and it is'always a good idea to consult an accountant to determine what things can/can't be tax write offs or business expenses.
great video, very informative and educational. we are moving into our 26 foot bumper pull in a few days and will start traveling in about 3 months. your video was very helpful. thx
So glad to hear it was helpful to you! We wish you the best - you will be so glad you did it! There are so many beautiful places and people out there just waiting to meet you!
Thanks for the breakdown! My wife is very gung-ho to do exactly what you're doing, and in a similar fashion, ie - stay 3-4 days in a place and move on, see as many National Parks and other sights as possible, etc. Your campground expenses are what really made my heart stop. I suspect you guys must have had a serious mortgage or something before, if that # is significantly less! Your camping budget is approx 35% higher than our yearly expenses for mortgage & utilities! yow! We hope to have a class B or B+ but I can't imagine that would be significantly less expensive as far as private campground fees go. Out only hope would possibly be to boondock it or go with primitive sites more frequently than I suspect she's imagining.
Hi, Brian! Unfortunately, trying to move as much as we do does add to the expense. You could certainly boondock, just keep in mind that you will have added expenses upfront (solar, generator, etc.). If you keep to the middle of the country, that helps a lot too. California destroyed our number, because it is way more expensive than any other state, so you may consider leaving it out of your trip. National parks are cheaper, but you also have to book in advance (an area we fail in). :) Best wishes to you and your wife.
You should put up how much all those tires cost you in your maintenance cost. That way people can see how much these are in comparison to the tires. Wow,awesome savings and living a great travel life.
Thanks for the comment. Off the top of his head, Chris thinks the total for replacing all of the truck tires was $940, and the RV tires were $540. Hope that is helpful.
that seems a bit low. I used to pull a two horse w/dressing room and had a F250 crew cab. I always bought the best tires and lived in VA where things might cost more.....but I remember tires and installation/balancing tax etc was easily over 1200 for the truck and while the trailer got less mileage, when I did have to buy trailer tires they cost even more each than the truck tires. Note to people who don't move their RV much.....tires on sitting RV or trailer will dry rot, it is not good to let them sit too long in the same position.
You really need to check out Passport America as you will get 1/2 off nights. Example the first 2 nights are 1/2 off and you don't have to stay longer.
Yes, we did look in to it before, but at the time, none of the campgrounds where we were headed were honoring the membership - they only honor it in their off season. We definitely think it could work for some people though.
@ Chris; I've got a sticker collection from my travels as a petro/chemical plant worker that I keep in a box. I use to try to collect two+ of every sticker when possible, using one on my hard hat and the others for trade-bait , or just to collect for the hell of it. It gets addicting after awhile , I also do the same with key chains just by chance, lol !!!
Excellent presentation...fascinating stuff... Saw another video a few days ago...a couple is spending over $45,000 per year in a Class A... They actually had an Excel spreadsheet... I'm more interested in RV people at the bottom of the scale who have been forced into an RV because of the high rent situation...
Thanks for the video. Big eye opener since i've been considering making this leap and i pay 6300 in property taxes alone on my home that's way too big for just me.
I know what you mean - real estate taxes are a killer. We had 10 acres before RVing, and as much as we loved it, we hated paying the bill. Hope RVing works out for you!
I have a simple question. I just retired and want to purchase a class c?/small driver. Any recommendations on size, cost and dealership. I am single and will travel alone full time. I prefer a lightly used vehicle. Also, where may I obtain the federal/national park pass? Loved the video.
Very helpful! We will be hitting the road full time next year and our biggest concern at this point is the dreaded health insurance. My husband will retire in the spring of next year (2018), so after that we are on our own. Would you mind sharing what plan you use? You said it was low cost....nice words :)
Good Job....well you just scared the stuffings out of me....nope not really....I know yall are enjoying your adventures and I enjoy following yall....we are planning on a trip this DECEMBER to California to visit our daughter and we are taking it all in with a road trip... yall stay safe.....God bless yall....thumbs up as usual...
Wow I don't see anyway to do $400 a month for fuel. I have a new tow truck and pull. 25ft Airstream. My lariet gets 17/23 mpg w/out trailer and lose 10 miles per gal towing. My fuel costs are $300 not towing. If I go to the mountains for the weekend I will drive 250 miles. I have 36 gal tank that cost $75 to fill in today's market. That trip alone would take a lot of that tank.
Being on a limited budget, I see living in an RV or trailer as something more stationary versus ongoing touring. I can see renting space from a private party for 3 to 6 months. It would still feel carefree, because I would be going from one ideal setting to another. Besides saving on gas, I find it takes a number of weeks to be savvy in a given area to know how to cut costs. It seems with any new location, there's initial costs for that area's setup and lifestyle. Being Jewish Orthodox, there are another layer of challenges. ..Finding a market with kosher food.... The Orthodox communities where there are at least 9 other men to pray with are mostly in urban coastal areas.
Yes, you make great points. Thank you for sharing about the adaptations that would work for you. We hope that you are able to try it out at some point.
Thank you for making a great video. As i understand the numbers budget was for 2 adults only right? When i do this i will be 1 person. You said you needed a lot of electricity. Did you get one of those propane things that are backup power for houses. Useing that as electricity? Did you have a washer dryer on board? Just a few thingsi thought of. Thank you.
Don't buy a new RV unless it's a fifth wheel. The motorhomes have a lot of problems and it's not covered by warranty. If you're going there motorhome route then buy one that's like atleast 10 years old, and one that had an owner who drove it alot. S/he probably fixed all the problems. I got this advice from a lawyer on UA-cam, who deals with RV clients. This is his recommendation.
Yes, BLM land is something that we really would like to get more prepared for. Since I work on the road I typically need access to electricity at the very least. The whole generator setup has seemed a little overwhelming to us and definitely has a sizable upfront cost given our tight budget. Regardless, it would be great to gain some more flexibility on where we can stay. Thanks for watching!!
also, doesn't walmart let you stay on their parking lot's? for free? I know there will be no "hook-ups" but 2 days worth of supply can easily be kept "on board" correct? ( water ,food, electric battery storage). ?
Hi, I was doing some research on R.V. parks across the country and I noticed that most said electricity was extra. I was looking at weekly/monthly stays. Did you ever have to pay for electricity anywhere? How much would it be for 2 people in a trailer your size? Also if we stay places monthly is not moving often going to ruin our tires? Just found your channel and am loving it. ❤️
I've bin thinking of doing this. Was thinking a class c RV cuz I have a 75 k5 blazer I've restored that I'd be taking with me. I use 2 drive truck n came home n found all the crap I left here more a burden. So I've bin focusing on the blazer y selling of the crap I have lil use 4. Bin a few yrs n alot of diwnsiding but I enjoy the free feeling not owning lot gives u
Ok, sorry for the delay, but I finally got our insurance numbers together. For the year, we pay $904.00 total. $812 is for the truck and camper (wreck damage), and $92 is renters insurance which covers the content inside the camper. We use my sister's house in PA as our mailing address & our vehicles are registered there, so that is where those rates come from. Hope that is helpful!
looking to do the same thing you guys are doing...except not working. I know we can save about half of what you spent on camp grounds. More on fuel. I would really be interested in your total yearly expenses. Someone is thinking 42k is going to breeze through the year might be shocked.
Hi, Ron! Glad to hear that you are considering fulltiming! Here is a little more of a breakdown of our expenses that may be helpful to you: towanderfreely.com/cost-of-rv-living-one-full-year/ Best wishes to you, and keep us posted!
That does not add up compared to living in an apartment. You can get a perfectly fine apartment rental for about $1000/month unless you live in CA or NYC. So living in a 24ft RV is definitely much more expensive because of all the additional costs. That does not make sense to me at all. It reminds me of the time I was looking into living on a boat full time in the San Franciso Bay. Even with one bedrooms going for over $2000, it was much cheaper to live in an apartment in Northern Cal than on a boat.
just viewed your video.. Thank You for sharing.. We are looking forward to getting out there. We did live on the road for a ear in a tractor trailer, but went from customer to truck stop..Woo Hoo.. BORING!! So now we are in the market for a Class A.. Used.. And SO So ready to get out of California... Safe Travels
I just found your channel thank you very inforamtive and well put together- Boo Hoo I live in Los Angeles and Ca is so much more on gas prices than other states that we have traveled through.but we love it here.again thanks for the vidoe
Thank you for the kind words - glad you are enjoying our channel. It is a bummer that CA is so expensive, but I am sure if you live there, then it is factored in to your cost of living too, so that would help out. Beautiful coastline! Thanks for stopping by!
Well to me it sounds like the same price as brick and mortar but you can take your home anywhere. My family and I keep talking about just moving in to a rv instead of renting the rest of our lives. Are you rigs paid for or was that included anywhere? Found this very informative thank you.
Very well-presented and useful information. I'm glad I came across your channel. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best of luck on your travels.
Thank you so much! We are glad you found us!
@@ToWanderFreely: Agree with Zdenek -- excellent video. Your information was useful, precise, well-organized, and presented clearly. :-) 🙂
One _very_ small quibble, though -- and I only bring it up because it was a bit confusing -- in both this video and your related blog entry, you say you had seven "free nights" in the past year. That sounds like you received seven free nights of accommodation at various RV parks, for whatever reason (perhaps as a result of promotional deals or something). But I think what you meant is that you "boondocked", away from any RV parks, for a total of seven nights. Is that what you meant? Because when you say you had "seven free nights", it sounds like you received something of value (in this case, accommodations at RV parks) at no charge. (And I'm wondering _hey, how'd you get the free nights?)_ 😀
I recommend switching over to high quality synthetic lubricants and filters to greatly reduce your maintenance costs. I run Amsoil products in my vehicles. I go one year or 25,000 miles on an oil change and I go three times the normal interval for transmission service. I get those benefits while providing superior protection to my vehicle's components. Great videos ... keep them coming & safe travels.
Thanks so much for sharing! My husband and I have been full time in our Airstream for 8 months now but stationary in Southern AZ. We'll hit the road and start traveling next year. I love seeing other people's expense reports to gain an understanding of what we can expect. You guys did an amazing job of breaking down the expenses and explaining your choices. Thank you for being honest. It really helps the rest of us in our planning :) Safe Travels!
You are very welcome, and we appreciate your feedback. We LOVE Airstreams. Best wishes to you in your upcoming travels!
My husband and I bought a 32 ft. motorhome end of February. We are loving it. Yes, we have done some traveling and will be full time in mid July. We have had some issues so we are figuring out a solution. Videos are great.
Man, this was a great breakdown. Thank you for taking the time to do it!
Hope it is helpful, and thank you for watching!
Best informational video I've seen in three years of research. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Agreed! though I've not seen as many.
if you live in your rv, progressive has a "homeowners" insurance it covers the rv and its contents, you souldnt need renters insurance.
caroline clausen thanks for the tip!
caroline clausen I have full timers insurance with Nationwide .So far it's cheaper than our car
Your expenses are really accurate! I spend about $800 to $1,100 per month as a full-time RVer which is less expensive than a brick & mortar life . . . and far more entertaining! Depending on how you want to live, dictates your expenses, but I think it evens out in the end! Along with being able to cover monthly expenses, you need a big safety net, in the event something goes wrong . . . and something will always, go wrong! Thanks for making this video, very informative. Smile! & Be Brave! :)
Thank you for your feedback! I know it is so helpful for those considering the lifestyle to know what the expenses may look like. You make a great point with having a large safety net for emergencies. Thanks for the encouragement!
Actually this is hilarious. Well, I'm from Germany but over here VR life would be WAY more expensive than just owning a cheap appartment.
Less expensive but completely takes away Quality of life...Living shacked up in a home on wheels isn't exactly a quality life....My house is 2500 MORE then her full time yearly living, my old home was actually cheaper then her full time RV living lol.
Maybe you don't understand that this is a choice and people including me LOVE this lifestyle! Not many are driving around looking to park every night. This is a beautiful way to live and there is Quality of Life in this or people wouldn't be choosing it. You obviously have no clue. Do you not see all of the videos that are posted from people living this life? I don't even get your title, BigD Travels? Maybe you're traveling on planes? It's not for you to judge what quality of life is. I've had 3 beautiful homes and to me it's a huge weight and burden to carry. You must work a full time career to pay to live in sticks and bricks. I choose freedom! It's called an opinion.
BigD Travels quality of life is all perspective, if you revel in your materials then RVing is most certainly not for you, if experiences are more important then you're willing to trade the convenience of space for this lifestyle. I think more and more people are coming to realize the American dream is a debt inducing sales pitch that keeps us laboring our entire lives.
Your travels seeing the country was really not that expensive. I think you did a great job. Very informative for anyone wanting to travel the RV road.
Thank you so much! Your estimates were around what I've been anticipating before I hit the road, so it was great confirmation. Loving your channel!
Dang, thanks for the numbers! I have been trying to decide if i could just retire and live off 42k a year in retirement. I should probably just go get myself a class B or C RV and start roaming the country.
You are welcome - we hope they are helpful. You can certainly do it cheaper, if that is a concern; but this is what it looks like if you are moving as much as we are. We wish you the best, and hope to see you on the road some day!
John G Yes, Yes, U will love It! And on that income U can live like a King! 🐙 I Love my camper van, Tank!
I hate to be "that grammar nazi," but it's nice to know: the semicolon you used in your reply "You can certainly do it cheaper, if that is a concern; but this is what it looks like," is called a "Comma splice." it replaces the word "For, and, nor, but, or, yet" (FANBOY). so: "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep." can be converted to "I'm tired; I'm going to sleep." One cannot legally have a FANBOY after a semicolon, because it is replaced, while one can't have a semicolon without a FANBOY before the conversion. There are exceptions, but this comment would be much longer. Again, I'm sorry to be that guy, but it's good stuff! :) Great video, by the way, I've been pondering the question of affordability for some time.
42k a year retirement, I'd go straight to Thailand. Don't bother with America, Thai women are prettier and the people are friendlier.
gkohler14 thanks for the grammar lesson. I have used the semicolon wrong.
I'm a very organized individual so I LOVED your presentation! My hubby is considering time on the road. I think he is reluctant to retire unless he has something in place to do. You gave us a wonderful framework on which to build our travel plans. Thank you!
Patricia Swanson You are very welcome! Hope it works out for you!
Such a detailed list! This is something my partner and I plan on doing in the next year or two and this gives me a lot of hope. TY so much for sharing your numbers!
You are so welcome! Thanks for sharing about your upcoming plans - we love hearing when people are ready to take the plunge and try RVing. Our sincerest best wishes to you both, and please feel free to ask any questions along the way! (As an aside, we love Boston - visited there a few years ago - love it!)
I found this very helpful. We're trying to plan and budget, but it's hard to extrapolate from a lot of the really minimalist full-timers. Y'all are probably living and spending at about the rate we will, and the numbers were very encouraging that we can make this happen.
Our big concern is vehicle insurance when living full time and not having a physical address. Also banking and health insurance.
Hey John I had the same concern, there are mail services that will take care of you. The one i have looked into and people are happy with is Escapees. Hope this helps buddy!
John Lyes We have been out here for nearly 9 years.Most of that workamping .We have full timers insurance with Nationwide for people living in their rv full time .Its actually cheaper than our car insurance.And as for legal residency we joined Escapees in Livingston Texas . And as for Banking we make sure we use Wells Fargo . No local banks because of access.
Got a couple q's if you dont mind. 1. What kind of mpg does ur truck get towing? 2. What places do u stay with full hook ups at those rates? 3. What kind of work does hubby do that he can be on the road? I envy you guys. Hope we get to do that one day
Hi, there! We are always happy to answer questions, so please feel free to ask away! :) Answer #1 We average about 13-15 mpg towing, and 25 mpg not towing. We have a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel 7 our fifthwheel is 26 feet in length and weighs 8,800 pounds completely loaded. Answer #2 This is more complicated to answer, but campgrounds really vary depending on what part of the country you are in. The East & West Coast are generally more expensive, and California pretty much blew our budget out of the water. We try to balance more expensive stays with cheaper stays. I don't have a compilation of all of our campgrounds, but on our website (www.towanderfreely.com), I usually list where we stayed for each visit. So, if you are looking for a specific area, that may be helpful. Answer #3 Chris has an Architectural Engineering degree from PSU. He started as an estimator for a large general contractor, then worked for a structural engineering firm. On the side, he had a small drafting business. He now solely runs his own business: drafting, cost estimating, residential design and code studies. Most of his clients are people he already worked with through his main regular jobs. Establishing relationships in his field and networking helped with the jump. It is not easy though - we do not make anywhere close to what we used to with traditional jobs. But, are expenses are a lot lower too. We count the travel well worth the pay cut. Hope that is helpful, and we really hope something works out for you to be able to hit the road too. -Jen
I agree. It is not all about saving money. We want to get out and see stuff!
Great info, I'm giving some serious thought in buying a 5th wheeler or RV and having a traveling home. Will definitely be checking out your other videos.
Hi, I've been living full-time in a fifth wheel trailer in Las Vegas Nevada. I love it because the rv parks are ushually a lot nicer then any nice neighborhood. Also the money you save is great. Thanks for the informative video.
Thanks for the feedback and sharing your experience. We are glad you stopped by!
I've been RVing full-time for almost 2 years, I use the hotspot device through Verizon for my internet and it works great and keeps me from overheating my phone! Something that might be worth considering
Great video and thank you for encouraging my wife and myself to take it to the next level in life, to take the risk and commit to the adventure. I am 72 years old my wife is 65 years old and your videos are
Inspiration for us to continue an adventurous lifestyle. We've traveled to 35 countries and by seeing how you take on the challenges has given us the courage to do things that we have not felt comfortable doing. The bottom line we are getting out of the comfort zone. What advice would you give us? You're doing it and thank you for what you're doing it is appreciated all.Jerry & Lori
get a medium small class C MH and let the wife drive it. get E bikes also theyre wonderful!
Great video. Very informative! We are renovating our travel trailer right bow and then selling the house. Can't wait to get out there!!
Really appreciated the thorough breakdown and reality of costs.
Thank you for the feeback - hope the info is helpful!
Love'd the index cards lots of information to consider before making the big plunge. Thanks.
You are welcome! We are glad this video was helpful, and wish you the best in your planning.
Looks like you did this about a year ago, but great info and thank you for sharing. You could even break it down to a cost per mile average. Take your miles driven in a day (average or real) and divide by costs. This would assist in estimating specific trips and adventures. May only be a few cents or a few dollars, but you could say an upcoming trip of 500 miles will cost an average of say $1.15 per mile and budget according. Be safe and we'll catch you down the road,
Excellent thank you for sharing. Duano and I are exciting to start RVing full time soon. We are in the process of selling everything. I hope to see you on the road.
We bought a Thousand Trails pass for one year at $450 and that covers 30 days of camping for us being on the West coast it pays for itself with just four days in San Francisco (A week is $800) every day after the first 30 days is $3. With the initial price of the pass it is roughly $1,500 a year.
We have heard that it is helpful on the West Coast. Thanks for sharing!
Have you ever heard of not using parks? Solar Panels? Lowes to water and dump free. I have lived this way and dont' think I spent 50 dollars.
vistagraphsnet - I am looking at rvs, but would never want to live in an rv park.
Peruse RV RESORTS online not rv parks. They're VERY nice and much cheaper than a house plus all the amenities and friendly clubs!
Lowes has water and dump stations? Didn't know that
I love your break down,because we’re looking to sale our home in the next couple of months to go fulltime and get out of debt in 5yrs,so we’re looking for online work now as well as maybe camp hosting if possible.
Thanks, your video was very informative. My wife and are retiring in just over 2 years and we plan to full time RV. I am retired Navy and have been to more countries than states, and we want to see this beautiful country God gave us. Thanks again
That is such wonderful news! I am so glad that you are getting in to RVing, and for a great reason. Thank you for your service in the Navy, and for the encouragement. Blessings on your travel plans.
That is such wonderful news! I am so glad that you are getting in to RVing, and for a great reason. Thank you for your service in the Navy, and for the encouragement. Blessings on your travel plans.
Interesting breakdown. The thought has crossed my mind, but my issue is that, while the monthly payment may be less than your mortgage, you're effectively renting and not building any equity like you are with a mortgage. With a house, you own it after 15, 30, or however many years it takes to pay off your mortgage. With a camper in the campground, you're paying that $1,100/mo effectively forever plus the cost of the camper.
Yes, thank you for bringing up this great point. That is something to consider. There are no guarantees in life, and the same goes in the housing industry. Mortgages are a good way to have a set payment for years; but you are also paying interest. Renting, even campgrounds, is only going to increase in cost each year. Your house is only worth what the market is doing at the time. Plenty of people lose money on homes, while others make money. No investment is guaranteed. If the desire is to travel, like it was for us, we still think that RVing is an economic choice. And we don't want anyone to think they have to sell their house in order to RV - you can do both, or even rent your home for income on the road. There are lots of possibilities.
Owning your own house can be great until you wind up with the neighbors from hell next door. When you live the RV life you just move your home to a quieter place.
lol...so true!
great video - thank you SO much! We have been living in our RV full time for about 3 months now and we are preparing to hit the road in our RV soon....
How exciting! Best wishes to you, and let us know how you are making out. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but you will settle in.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the awesome breakdown in bites that anyone can understand. For us planning to become part of this adventure lifestyle this helps us decide what we need for starting this adventure.
We are so glad to hear it was helpful to you! We wish you the best in your planning and upcoming travels!
Thank you so much for this video. It was so informative. I can't wait to get started on our journey.
I am so glad to hear that, Dina! Thank you for the feedback, and our sincerest best wishes to you on your upcoming travels. There is so much to look forward to!!!
thank you , mine are very similar to yours. California sucks when it comes to prices , taxes n gasoline.
Yeah, it is kind of a bummer, because there is so much to see there. But, even if it has to be short doses, it is worth it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for such a great report. Hope to see you on the road. Living out here and having fun. Blessings to you all.
Audrey and Jack, and dog Zorro.
Thank you, Audrey! Hope to see you guys too!
Really great info! Clear, concise and thorough. I actually think, from what I have heard, that your totals are more common than not, as an average. Of course there are tons of variables but they are fairly average numbers for a lot of us. It also helps to get a gauge on those averages because, at least at first, people tend to think they should be spending a lot less than they are. As you said, if the goal is to save a bunch of money, that can certainly be done~just as it can be done from a regular lifestyle, in a regular house etc.. thanks for sharing and have a lovely kind of day!
Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. It is good to hear that our numbers seem somewhat average. I am going to be honest, I have no idea what other RVers spend. We were new to this going in to it, so we really did not know what to expect. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for sharing. We rent and our expense is a match to yours (slightly less). What a great way to see how it turned out.
Glad it was helpful!
I like that you brought up some realistic expenses because sometimes I see these tiny house people and I feel like they don't talk about real expenses on the road or lifestyle changes. It also all depends on your mobile job or careers these expenses can be a bigger impact.
Did that number include gas costs for moving place to place? This was VERY helpful info and I'm not even halfway through yet! That's worth a subscription!
Ooops! Fuel was the next topic!
No problem, glad you found what you needed! So glad that you found this video helpful. Thank you for the feedback!
Actually watching your Tour and Reno video right now. Good job on the DIY stuff!
volfan1nga Thank you! We are really happy with how it turned out.
it's even 3x cheaper to stay in a campground for extended lengths (month or longer). I've found that many charge no more than $600 a month (and this is on the high end) for the space. I'm a student, I have low income. my plan is to live in a travel trailer for a while on campgrounds; hopefully I can find one that will let me stay six months to a year. luckily where I live campgrounds are not few and far between where I'm going to school, so if I need to move after 3-6 months to another spot, I can. I'm looking at no more than $4800-$7200 a year for rent/utilities/internet/trash/sewage and whatever other amenities I can get. I can't live any cheaper than that anywhere! dorms and apartments cost so more, and dont offer me my own space away from roommates or other students. initially, I wanted a tiny house but I don't think a tiny house is doable just based on legal issues. I'm going to buy an RV used and remodel the inside to make it home-y! I'm so excited.
You need to sign up for thousand trails it's $500 a year and we get full hook ups, you can stay in each park for 21 days in a row then 1 day out then back in after that for 21 more days..
Wow, that sounds like a good deal - Thousand Trails.
@ jamie : That's not exactly correct -- you can stay for two weeks and then you have to leave for a week before you can get back in.
(They do offer other arrangements where you can stay for up to 21 days, and although you then have to leave that particular park, you can stay at a different Thousand Trails facility immediately afterwards without having to leave their system for a week. But those require you to sign a long-term contract and are significantly more expensive.)
Thank you so much for your videos they have helped us so much. We have just started this year. Hoping to get our channel to be as great as yours. Just enjoying our travels. Safe and happy travels
I am so glad to hear that they have been a help, and even more glad to know that you are enjoying your travels! :) Best wishes to you! And please feel free to ask any questions.
I think those numbers are awesome. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for teaching. I am praying for God to direct me to the right travel trailer. You just gave me confirmation on my next step.
Dude -- I'm more frugal than this but that's STILL lower than when I rented in sticks and bricks house: ($1300 a month as I recall rent alone, cable and elec on top.)
We are paying $1150 a month not including our electricity, tv, Internet, phones, home insurance. My husband is a disabled veteran who has recently lost his job due to having multiple grand map seizures and losing his CDL. We have decided to buy and fix up a used rv and plan to move into it and travel full time. We will be way better off financially considering how much we spend in one moth on rent in our house here in Alabama. We have two little girls and plan to homeschool them on the road. This won't be a change as they have been homeschooled for 2 years now. They are very excited to see some of the places they learn about in history.
I am in just about the same boat you guys are in Mommi we should check and see if there are any other Vets. like us out here and get together,, I just bought my RV a few weeks ago it now sits in my backyard while I get rid of the House and all my crap so I can start my NEW Adventure w/my dog Olli.... drop a line some how we all can stay in touch some how..
Nomadic Gearhead
Go back
to google
Hi,
I really appreciate you taking the time to put all the numbers together and share with us. I don't think those are bad at all, for housing that is about what I about pay a year (also with electricity, gas, water, sewer included). So to be able to travel and have different views I think that is great!.
Like you said you are on the go, go, go! So if you can stay longer in one place or camp for free expenses will be down.
Big thank you again, love all those stickers! ;)
Tina
Hi, Tina! Good to hear from you! Hope you are enjoying the summer - I know you do some awesome trips, so I hope you have been able to do some traveling. Thanks for the feedback, I am glad to hear that it sounds reasonable, and honestly it would be worth it even if we were paying more for campgrounds. Thanks for stopping by! -Jen
You need to add depreciation to your yearly cost. It's a real cost and can be a substantial amount.
Nice job - Thanks. I like the way you broke expenses out
This was a great, informative video! I was surprised on how expensive some things were, and how cheap others were. But even with that, it does sound less expensive than our current mortgage/utilities/etc.
Because you've travelled so extensively, I feel you may have something to say about my next question.
My main hang up on going full time is probably irrational. But, I'm nervous about having a huge trailer behind us on treacherous roads. Have you been on many routes that kind of freaked you out or made you feel it wasn't so safe? Example narrow roads, curvy roads, drop offs, steep climbs etc. Curvy narrow roads with drop offs scare me in my regular vehicle, so it's been on my mind a lot!
Hi, Nikki! So glad you found the video helpful. Great question, and one that I think a lot of people are concerned about. Overall, I can say that the majority of the driving is on easy roads for towing. But, you will face some steep inclines and some dropoffs passing over the mountain ranges...the rockies, the bighorns are fairly notorious for rvers, etc. In our travels, the scariest roads we were on were inside the national parks. For these, we were not towing anyway, but there were some where I couldn't look out my window. Chris has no problem, but I have a bit of a heights thing that has caused me some irrational fear. I definitely don't think it is something that should hold you back from fulltiming, since you will really rarely face those roads, and they really aren't treacherous, just a little scary for a moment or two. I hope that is helpful, and remember the majority of the country is pretty flat. Thanks for watching! -Jen
Very well-organized and well-presented. Thank you. Lots to think about!
What a great and well done vlog. Thank you very much for posting. I have been retired for sometime and have had an interest in getting that "bucket list" taking care of. I am a ex california native so I know full well what you speak about the west coast. I have been living in Portland Oregon for the past five years and it is starting to catch up with the other states in regard to cost of living. Rents here went through the roof lately saying that there is a ""housing shortage" ha. Just greedy people. Any who just wanted to add my kutoes. a fan called Rhonda
Thank you, Rhonda! We appreciate the feedback, and we certainly know how it feels to have a bucket list calling your name ! :) Best wishes to you!
Hi...!
Just found your channel and subscribed...!
Thanks for the info and I look forward to learning
more.
Have a great day and Be Blessed...!
Thanks. Great trip and great information! Do you have one number for all costs for the year? For example, what were your total miscellaneous and daily food costs along with the rent, utilities, maintenance, etc?
YOUR PRESENTATION IS SOLID! INDEX CARDS WERE OKAY BUT USE SOME VIDEO EDITING PROGRAMS WOULD HELP ALSO! YOU HAVE POTENTIAL!! YOU GO GIRL!!!
SALUDOS DE CALIFORNIA!!
Jim Jones Thank you!
Are you able to right off any camping charges for camp grounds? Or any other expenses on your taxes? Or as you work on the road can you use any for business expense? Great information on expenses for full timing
Thanks for the kind words! Given the nature of Chris' work we can write off a small portion of some things, but not much. Each persons work situation is unique and it is'always a good idea to consult an accountant to determine what things can/can't be tax write offs or business expenses.
Good information, thanks for taking the time to put it all together.
great video, very informative and educational. we are moving into our 26 foot bumper pull in a few days and will start traveling in about 3 months. your video was very helpful. thx
Thank you for the feedback! Congrats on getting started in your RV!!! So exciting! Our best wishes to you, and maybe we will even see you on the road!
Thank you so much for sharing! This was a very informative and encouraging video :)
Great info! You covered so much. Helps my urge and instinct to just do it!Super details.Wish me luck;)
So glad to hear it was helpful to you! We wish you the best - you will be so glad you did it! There are so many beautiful places and people out there just waiting to meet you!
Thanks for the breakdown! My wife is very gung-ho to do exactly what you're doing, and in a similar fashion, ie - stay 3-4 days in a place and move on, see as many National Parks and other sights as possible, etc.
Your campground expenses are what really made my heart stop. I suspect you guys must have had a serious mortgage or something before, if that # is significantly less!
Your camping budget is approx 35% higher than our yearly expenses for mortgage & utilities! yow!
We hope to have a class B or B+ but I can't imagine that would be significantly less expensive as far as private campground fees go. Out only hope would possibly be to boondock it or go with primitive sites more frequently than I suspect she's imagining.
Hi, Brian! Unfortunately, trying to move as much as we do does add to the expense. You could certainly boondock, just keep in mind that you will have added expenses upfront (solar, generator, etc.). If you keep to the middle of the country, that helps a lot too. California destroyed our number, because it is way more expensive than any other state, so you may consider leaving it out of your trip. National parks are cheaper, but you also have to book in advance (an area we fail in). :) Best wishes to you and your wife.
Brian Wittling - lots of upscale rvs stay at Walmart free. Solar would help too.
That's super helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do that!
We're happy to Leslie, glad to hear it was helpful. Thanks for watching!!
You should put up how much all those tires cost you in your maintenance cost. That way people can see how much these are in comparison to the tires. Wow,awesome savings and living a great travel life.
Thanks for the comment. Off the top of his head, Chris thinks the total for replacing all of the truck tires was $940, and the RV tires were $540. Hope that is helpful.
that seems a bit low. I used to pull a two horse w/dressing room and had a F250 crew cab. I always bought the best tires and lived in VA where things might cost more.....but I remember tires and installation/balancing tax etc was easily over 1200 for the truck and while the trailer got less mileage, when I did have to buy trailer tires they cost even more each than the truck tires. Note to people who don't move their RV much.....tires on sitting RV or trailer will dry rot, it is not good to let them sit too long in the same position.
Thanks for sharing this information. Very helpful, particularly as it is so well presented!
You really need to check out Passport America as you will get 1/2 off nights. Example the first 2 nights are 1/2 off and you don't have to stay longer.
Yes, we did look in to it before, but at the time, none of the campgrounds where we were headed were honoring the membership - they only honor it in their off season. We definitely think it could work for some people though.
@ Chris; I've got a sticker collection from my travels as a petro/chemical plant worker that I keep in a box. I use to try to collect two+ of every sticker when possible, using one on my hard hat and the others for trade-bait , or just to collect for the hell of it. It gets addicting after awhile , I also do the same with key chains just by chance, lol !!!
Excellent presentation...fascinating stuff...
Saw another video a few days ago...a couple is spending over $45,000
per year in a Class A...
They actually had an Excel spreadsheet...
I'm more interested in RV people at the bottom of the scale who have been
forced into an RV because of the high rent situation...
Thanks for the video. Big eye opener since i've been considering making this leap and i pay 6300 in property taxes alone on my home that's way too big for just me.
I know what you mean - real estate taxes are a killer. We had 10 acres before RVing, and as much as we loved it, we hated paying the bill. Hope RVing works out for you!
This is great and detailed information. Even to take a looks at current spending in comparison to RV living. Just subscribed to your channel.
Thank you, we are so glad it is helpful to you!
I have a simple question. I just retired and want to purchase a class c?/small driver. Any recommendations on size, cost and dealership. I am single and will travel alone full time. I prefer a lightly used vehicle. Also, where may I obtain the federal/national park pass? Loved the video.
Lovely person with good explanations
Great info. Thanks for taking the time to put everything together. Will you put that on your blog site? It could be helpful for future reference. ;)
That is a good idea - I will do that! Thanks for watching - good to hear from you!
Very helpful! We will be hitting the road full time next year and our biggest concern at this point is the dreaded health insurance. My husband will retire in the spring of next year (2018), so after that we are on our own. Would you mind sharing what plan you use? You said it was low cost....nice words :)
This was such a great breakdown! Thank you for sharing
Loved this lesson. Thanks for sharing.
Good Job....well you just scared the stuffings out of me....nope not really....I know yall are enjoying your adventures and I enjoy following yall....we are planning on a trip this DECEMBER to California to visit our daughter and we are taking it all in with a road trip... yall stay safe.....God bless yall....thumbs up as usual...
Ha ha! Glad to hear that it seems reasonable. Thanks for the encouragement and best wishes for your December trip!
Wow I don't see anyway to do $400 a month for fuel. I have a new tow truck and pull. 25ft Airstream. My lariet gets 17/23 mpg w/out trailer and lose 10 miles per gal towing. My fuel costs are $300 not towing. If I go to the mountains for the weekend I will drive 250 miles. I have 36 gal tank that cost $75 to fill in today's market. That trip alone would take a lot of that tank.
Being on a limited budget, I see living in an RV or trailer as something more stationary versus ongoing touring.
I can see renting space from a private party for 3 to 6 months. It would still feel carefree, because I would be going from one ideal setting to another.
Besides saving on gas, I find it takes a number of weeks to be savvy in a given area to know how to cut costs. It seems with any new location, there's initial costs for that area's setup and lifestyle.
Being Jewish Orthodox, there are another layer of challenges. ..Finding a market with kosher food.... The Orthodox communities where there are at least 9 other men to pray with are mostly in urban coastal areas.
Yes, you make great points. Thank you for sharing about the adaptations that would work for you. We hope that you are able to try it out at some point.
Thank you for making a great video. As i understand the numbers budget was for 2 adults only right? When i do this i will be 1 person. You said you needed a lot of electricity. Did you get one of those propane things that are backup power for houses. Useing that as electricity? Did you have a washer dryer on board? Just a few thingsi thought of. Thank you.
My husband and I are thinking about purchasing an RV and this video was extremely helpful. I just subscribed to your channel .
Great video
Kate
Glad to hear it has been a help to you! I hope RVing works out for you! Thanks for watching!
Don't buy a new RV unless it's a fifth wheel. The motorhomes have a lot of problems and it's not covered by warranty.
If you're going there motorhome route then buy one that's like atleast 10 years old, and one that had an owner who drove it alot. S/he probably fixed all the problems.
I got this advice from a lawyer on UA-cam, who deals with RV clients. This is his recommendation.
Thank you for sharing this information!
-- "I got this advice from a lawyer on UA-cam, who deals with RV clients."
Let me guess....Steve Lehto? ;-)
Thanks for this!! I am a numbers person so planning our Adventure I have been wondering this! So Thank you!!
You are very welcome, Judy! We are so glad to hear it is helpful, and keep in mind that all of these numbers are flexible. Thanks for watching! -Jen
It's great to see how a person, or persons can live w/o frugality! Most of us Van Dwellers make use of BLM Land, which is free!! 🐙
Yes, BLM land is something that we really would like to get more prepared for. Since I work on the road I typically need access to electricity at the very least. The whole generator setup has seemed a little overwhelming to us and definitely has a sizable upfront cost given our tight budget. Regardless, it would be great to gain some more flexibility on where we can stay. Thanks for watching!!
also, doesn't walmart let you stay on their parking lot's? for free? I know there will be no "hook-ups" but 2 days worth of supply can easily be kept "on board" correct? ( water ,food, electric battery storage). ?
love your breakdown of expenses. our plans for leaving stick&brick for rv ing needed your ffigures.thank you.
Glad to hear it! Best wishes to you!
Hi, I was doing some research on R.V. parks across the country and I noticed that most said electricity was extra. I was looking at weekly/monthly stays. Did you ever have to pay for electricity anywhere? How much would it be for 2 people in a trailer your size? Also if we stay places monthly is not moving often going to ruin our tires? Just found your channel and am loving it. ❤️
I've bin thinking of doing this. Was thinking a class c RV cuz I have a 75 k5 blazer I've restored that I'd be taking with me. I use 2 drive truck n came home n found all the crap I left here more a burden. So I've bin focusing on the blazer y selling of the crap I have lil use 4. Bin a few yrs n alot of diwnsiding but I enjoy the free feeling not owning lot gives u
Good stuff. Thanks for breaking it down.
You are very welcome!
Great intel. Thanks for sharing. I often thought about that myself.
👍 Great video. Wishing you guys the best. Safe travels. 🤗
Thank you!
Nice video...would like to know the breakdown on the vehicle/rig insurance. Does insurance company know you are full-time? Thanks...
Yes, they know we are fulltime. I will have to get back to you on the cost - I don't know it off the top of my head.
Ok, sorry for the delay, but I finally got our insurance numbers together. For the year, we pay $904.00 total. $812 is for the truck and camper (wreck damage), and $92 is renters insurance which covers the content inside the camper. We use my sister's house in PA as our mailing address & our vehicles are registered there, so that is where those rates come from. Hope that is helpful!
+To Wander Freely - can you share who your insurance provider is?
Great video I've always wondered how much it would cost. Thanks keep up the 👌 work.
looking to do the same thing you guys are doing...except not working. I know we can save about half of what you spent on camp grounds. More on fuel. I would really be interested in your total yearly expenses. Someone is thinking 42k is going to breeze through the year might be shocked.
Hi, Ron! Glad to hear that you are considering fulltiming! Here is a little more of a breakdown of our expenses that may be helpful to you: towanderfreely.com/cost-of-rv-living-one-full-year/
Best wishes to you, and keep us posted!
Thank so much! Are there any updated videos with 2017 prices?
That does not add up compared to living in an apartment. You can get a perfectly fine apartment rental for about $1000/month unless you live in CA or NYC. So living in a 24ft RV is definitely much more expensive because of all the additional costs. That does not make sense to me at all. It reminds me of the time I was looking into living on a boat full time in the San Franciso Bay. Even with one bedrooms going for over $2000, it was much cheaper to live in an apartment in Northern Cal than on a boat.
just viewed your video.. Thank You for sharing.. We are looking forward to getting out there. We did live on the road for a ear in a tractor trailer, but went from customer to truck stop..Woo Hoo.. BORING!! So now we are in the market for a Class A.. Used.. And SO So ready to get out of California... Safe Travels
You are very welcome! Best wishes to you in your RV search and upcoming travels! So exciting!
I just found your channel thank you very inforamtive and well put together- Boo Hoo I live in Los Angeles and Ca is so much more on gas prices than other states that we have traveled through.but we love it here.again thanks for the vidoe
Thank you for the kind words - glad you are enjoying our channel. It is a bummer that CA is so expensive, but I am sure if you live there, then it is factored in to your cost of living too, so that would help out. Beautiful coastline! Thanks for stopping by!
So basically you need to be able to rake in massive dough from a computer every month to live this type of rv lifestyle.
Chris Payne Their numbers are cheaper than we have for a condo.
good info thanks for sharing it,you mentioned you own a 26' 5th wheel who is the manufacturer.
We are planning on living in our 5th wheel. Thanks for the cost breakdown.
You are welcome! We hope it works out for you!
Excellent Video & INFO!!!👍👍👍👍
Thanks so much!
Well to me it sounds like the same price as brick and mortar but you can take your home anywhere. My family and I keep talking about just moving in to a rv instead of renting the rest of our lives. Are you rigs paid for or was that included anywhere? Found this very informative thank you.