Hi Everyone, Back from a hiatus.. first off we haven't sold our home.. It is now off the market until next year and hope the market will get better..

Can you all tell me what is the average age one goes fulltiming? We are 61 and soon to be 60 and concerne that by the time we start ( a year from now hopefully) we may be getting older. Give us your thoughts

We wre 59 when we started fulltiming. We didn't get older, we got better. Being away from the workplace rat race is good for your health.

I hit the road full-time (solo) just after my 60th birthday. I've become much more relaxed and laid back. I don't let things stress me like they used to. I enjoy taking time to smell the coffee.

Do it when you can....don't wait any longer than you HAVE to....you won't regret it. <g>

Chronologically you will be getting older but with more "laid back less stress "lifestyle you'll probably slow down the aging process. We were 58 and 54 when we began fulltiming. I think you will find that the majority of fulltimers are in your age group or older.

Hi: I can't even make a guess as to the average age of folks when they start to go full time. We have met folks in the 30's with children all the way to folks in their 90's. As for us, I was 56 and my dear wife was 55. We were lucky in that we had made the decision to go full time many years before we actually did so we were prepared and informed when the opportunity blew in on the wind. Having been RVers since 1971, before our children were born, we knew what we wanted many years ago. Our children are now both in their 30's and we have 2 grand children.

I was almost 60 and Linda was ---well, let's just say, younger. (I learned long ago to never give out a woman's age without her approval, and she's not here right now).  Anyway, we would have liked to start Full-timing sooner, but like so many, jobs and family were stopping us.

I've got to agree with the other posts here. Our health improved almost as soon as we started. Our whole attitude changed, and like the others have stated, we have become more relaxed and laid back. 

People that are not yet full-timing can not begin to imagine the weight that is lifted off of your shoulders when you finally sell the house and get away from a job. It just has to add years to your life.

Jim

We have wanted to full time for years but circumstances have prevented it until now.  Realizing that we shouldn't wait until now, we enjoyed as much of the lifestyle as possible for those years.  We are getting technically older but as long as today is good we are going to enjoy it.  We learned this from our RV buddies who don't fulltime but RV often at 84 and 78 years of age.  They just traded rigs this year so they could enjoy the lifestyle another summer or so after all they still have their health.  What a pleasure it is to camp with them because they make US feel young.  They are definitely not average for their age and neither are we because we act on our opportunities today and life is good today.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  By the way I just turned 59 and the wife is way younger.

Larry and Jacki

We've been full-timing since 2004 and retired the first of 2005 when my husband was 55 and I was 46. Like others have posted, we have seen folks of all ages, but I think the average we've seen is right around your age - 60s. So, don't even think about letting your age stop you!! That's the beauty of this lifestyle - you can adapt it to fit whatever your needs are. Good luck on the selling the house.

I will be 35 and my husband will be 48 when we begin fulltiming this summer. 

We began full-timing when we were 59. It has now been almost 2 years and can't imagine a better life.  We are originally from Il. but lived in Ca. and Ky for many years.  Our families and friends are all over the US so the time we have been able to spend with them is just the greatest !!!  All those years we just visited for weekends or quick trips always in a hurry to get back to jobs and sticks n' bricks.  My brother passed away last summer and I was able to spend alot of time with him before that happened. We thought we would be big tourists but really haven't done much of that,yet.  We now have the time to be where we should be and do what is the right thing to do.  There is no amount of money that is more important !!!! 
Brenda

Our plans have me at 47 and DW at 48.

Hopefully we start next Feb. I will be 65 and hubby 60. HEY! How does he get to retire at 60 and me not until 65! Guess I should have thought of that when shopping for a 2nd husband 20 years ago.

We've been fulltiming now for over 2 years. I was 69 and Jo 57. I only wish we would have started 14 years earlier when I first retired. What a life! Fred

Ages are candles on a Cake....It doesn't matter your age just enjoy life...go do it...live...and when you'r in our area of the country have Sherri and I over for supper and we will coach you on the finer points of the fulltiming life style. We are steak and potato people by the way.
OK nuff said get out there and do it. Hope to see you at the RV Dreams Rally

Joe and Sherri

-- Edited by Speedhitch at 20:56, 2008-05-19

We'll be following in many of your footsteps (o.k. make that tire tracks) in late 2009. I will be well into 70 and Sandy is younger.  Longevity runs in both of our families.  We won't hike the tough trails, but we will be out there having the time of our lives.  We've met some neat people on RV forums, and look forward to meeting many of you at future RV-Dreams rallies.

Depending on how fast our property sells I will be 60 and my wife Linda will be 63 when I retire in Feburary of 09. We have a large corner lot in a high growth area so we are hoping it will sell relativly fast so we can hit the road.

I retired at the end of January this year and we hit the road on April 1st (although we'd been living in the rig since June of last year). I was 57 and Bev was 8 months less (you do the math ).

If we can do it next year, I'll be 70 and the DW 66!  We had hoped we would be on the road by this time but we got caught up in the real estate bubble when it burst last year.  Florida has been hit hard which has made it a real buyer's market.  In addition, we have had some health issues and also dealing with aging parents who need more of our attention.

Now we have rising fuel costs and rising prices for new RV's!  In addition in an uncertain stock market we rely heavily on our IRA's to fund our expenses along with Social Security. 

We're beginning to think it may be too late for us, but haven't completely given up yet!

We have been trying to sell out house for almost a year. Unfortunately we cannot full time until we sell the sticks and bricks. My hubby will be 70 in August and I am 68. We have been planning for the last two years. Sure hope it happens soon, I am sick of paying the utilities locally and ready to hit the road, even if I stay in a location for 3 months plus, at a time it is going to be better than this waiting.

Carol,

I'm so sorry that your house hasn't sold yet.  I really can empathize with you as it took us almost 2 years to sell our house.  I know it's frustrating but it WILL happen.  Just keep your dream alive.

Debbie

I was almost 57 and husband almost 59 when we hit the road. We both had birthdays the following month. Since I've been on the road, I've gone off my blood pressure medication. Doctor says retirement and the lifestyle seems to agree with me!

Gary is 59 and I am 54. We went fulltime last summer. Right before we were going to go, I was diagnosed with cancer. Our house sold even before being listed, so we sold fast, lived in the RV while I had chemo, and hit the road 5 days after being told I was in remission. Been on the road since Nov of 07 and love it. We are visiting in our "home" area and last week at church, a friend told me I looked more relaxed than he'd ever seen me(Sally) and we've been friends for 23 years!! The lifestyle is so different from what you know now. Yes, there are unexpected surprises, but there always will be in this life. Come along and join us all in the voyage and hope to see you down the road somewhere, someday!! Sally

blinky wrote:

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and hit the road 5 days after being told I was in remission. Been on the road since Nov of 07 and love it.

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Now THAT is the spirit......you go girl!!! Here's to continued good checkups.