Hi to you all!  I have thought about this Rv life for a long time, but I would be doing it a bit different.  I want to live in my Rv, keep my job and then take vacations or long weekends away in my "home".  Does anyone else out there do this?  I looked through many posts but couldn't find anything.  AND I live in MN, will it be possible for me to do this with the brutal winters that we can have??  Any advice or comments would be appreciated!  thanks!

We have friends who both have full time jobs and live in their Motorhome. They have for some years. They live in a local park. When time to go on vacations they hitch up their toad and off they go. Works for them.

Yes, there are lots of people who do this, however, most of them stay in the south where the temperatures are slightly warmer than Minnesota. First of all, if you are going to do this in cold temperatures you'll need an RV built for that type of weather. Something like a Big Foot or Artic Fox with heated underbelly, heated tanks, artic insulation, and thermopane windows. Secondly, you will have to find a campground that stays open year around and will allow you to live there. Most campgrounds in the northern states shut down water systems in the winter to keep them from freezing. Also, there are not a lot of campgrounds that will allow someone to live in them year around. Thirdly, long term winter weather is tough on RVs. If you have awnings over the slideouts then they need to be propped up to protect them from the weight of snow accumulation. Water hoses will freeze so you'll have to fill your potable water tank, drain the hose, and stow it. Condensation will form on the inside of your windows and can cause damage. And ice will mostlikely build up on the outside of the RV since it is being heated (even with the upgrades mentioned above RVs still loose a lot of heat). Which leads to another issue which is propane - you'll go through a lot and would need at least a 100 gallon tank (pig) placed alongside of your RV. Bottom line, it is doable but I wouldn't recommend it (nor would I do it). Just too darn cold for me!!! There's my two cents, For what it is worth.

We have been living in our RV for the past two years here in Dallas Texas and we travel from time to time. It has worked out real well for us. We have cold winters but only in the mid to upper 30's. We have the artic package in our Open Road but do not have the insolated windows... which I can tell you some things about them when we have time...but we do real well with just our electric heat and maybe 15 min in the morning with the furnace. Sherri and I do not like hot inside the coach due to our sinus problems so you might need it warmer. It can be done. When we full time we will not have to worry about all this because I will be where it is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. That is what this life style is all about. Sherri and Joe

yeah, I am thinking I could live in RV for probably 7 months fairly comfortably, but then may need to look at renting an apt. for the other 5.  I just plain old want to simplify my life, and enjoy hobbies, family, the outdoors ect.  Right now I live in a big house with a big yard and lots of stuff and I am tired of trying to keep up with it!!!!  From the posts I am reading that's what a lot of Rv'ers want and get : )     Some day I do plan on travelling as a radiographer via contract jobs but that is a couple years away yet.  Thanks for input.  What is a good medium priced travel trailer for living in?  You know it must have good shower/toilet, nice living area.  I guess if I am not going to endure winters it doesn't need to be super insulated, but insulated good enough for the a/c in the summer.  I am getting some books from the library to help me on this quest for Rv living, but you guys out there are so kind and knowledgeable that what ever you want to suggest I would appreciate.  thanks

We have been living in our 2002 Rexhall Roseair for 2 years.  It was listed as being full-time capable, that is why we bought it.  It has functioned perfectly in Phoenix in July (117 degrees) and in the mountains of So. Ca. in January at 15 degrees.  The repair and maintenance issues have all been operator error.  I don't know how this motorhome survives us !!!!

Julie, I would look for a used quality unit rather than a new mid priced unit. You are correct about good insulation for both heating and cooling purposes. We have had good luck with our Cedar Creek RVs by Forest River. Our first unit was a used (1999) 26' travel trailer and was absolutely perfect. We never had one single problem with that unit (except the wind ripped the awning off going over the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan). Our second unit was a new 33' Cedar Creek fifthwheel which we lived in for 14 months and again had no problems. Our third (and current) unit is a 38' Cedar Creek fifthwheel that we purchased new and we have had some minor issues but those have been with vendor supplied parts which are used in all brands of RVs. Please take time to do your homework and if you find something that you think would suit your needs you can always inquire on the forum. There is a lot of junk out there that sells for the same price as the good stuff. You can go to http://www.rvnetlinx.com and look under their manufacturers list to see the number of different RVs available. You can also go to http://www.rvsearch.com and get a good ideas of the pricing for used units. Keep coming back with your questions and you'll end up as a wise buyer. Just don't be in a hurry and enjoy the process - buying an RV can be a lot of fun.

Thanks guys for all your input.  I am a research nut so I will definetly check out all possibilities before taking the plunge.  There are just so many different variables, so it will take some time, which I have.  And I WILL enjoy the process!  Can somebody tell me the "cheaper" end RV's?  That way I can just rule them out and not even check into them.  thnks!

Wow, that's a tough one. A lot manufacturer's make products across the spectrum. Another problem is personal preference - for instance you wouldn't catch me buying a Fleetwood product. So a better question would be - who are the manufacturer's who are building quality units. Here are a few who build travel trailers: Artic Fox Big Foot Carriage Forest River Heartland Horizons K-Z Newmar Space Craft Sunnybrook Triple E There are probably others that I'm not aware of but this should give you some to start your research.

This is what my DW and myself are planning to do. My job is basically contract work that allows me the ability to come and go at will. DW is starting to sell Arbonne, so she will be able to work anywhere. We are in South Carolina so the winters are not that bad. Maybe a few nights every winter that get below freezing. The house goes up for sale soon, then we get to make the RV purchase. You can do it, but I think it will be a little more difficult being so far up north. Good luck.

Hi Julie,

This is what we are preparing for.  We lived in our 30' bumper pull for 2 mo. this past fall.  We cried when we had to come in.  

We were still paying rent on our apt. but loved being in the trailer.  So we paid for both.  It was the decision maker for living in it during the unfreezing time of the year.  We don't have heated tanks so this is the only option for us.

We found land to lease for 6 mo., it is a new property with a swimming pool, shower house, washer/dryer, bb court, trails, and quaint.  It is 14 miles from work. 

Steve, my dh, and I work at the same place so that helps. 

We will be getting rid of a lot of stuff, store some, and find homes for some.  We will have a few boxes to bring back into the stick and brick in Oct. like kitchen and bath ware, our bedroom, and two chairs and the table and chairs. 

We hope to go full time in about 5 years or so.  Our jobs are secure and we have a promise to stay on until we are called somewhere else.  I would like to finish my Masters before we are called to another ministry.  Our boss thinks we are nuts and can't quite wrap his mind around this but he is supportive.  We are planning for a Church Fam Camp out, if the camp we are at approves it.  So we can show others how simple life can be.  How peaceful it really is. 

What we love about living simple. It is simple.  It is minimal and less worrysome.  It is a freedom I have never felt before.  Your stuff doesn't own you, you own it. 

We have taken steps to get thus far.  We have the cell phones, we had prepaid before, but also a landline.  Now we have no landline, and our home online service expires next mo. so we have our wireless card now. 

It really did break our hearts to come back in. 

Blessings to you for your adventurous heart and ready to simplify.

For two years before we sold our stix and brix, we commuted to work each day from our favorite Kansas state park.   We started in April and in October we winterized for the rest of the winter.   We found out that we could live in smaller living space without killing each other.   We loved it so much that we decided to spend our retirement full timing. We sold the house and have been full timing ever since. Some folks say that you can do it up north, I myself, couldn't. I have yet to see the RV that I feel I could be warm enough in in the northern winters. But, if you can get out of the fridgid north, there's no better life. Dave

Julie, That's what we have to do for now. We usually try to get away for a long weekend 3 to 5 days each month and we (actually she) spends the month of July at an RV resort about two hours away and I get to visit her on the weekends. My wife wants to keep the house so fulltiming will never be a reality until she finds she likes it too much out on the road. So future plans include longer and longer trips until the miracle of miracles happens and she declares...let's sell the house. We tend to like cooler weather, so summers will be spent at the coast or in the north. Winters will allow travel to south and mid-west in the spring. No deserts in the summer.

I've got over 12 years doing it this way.  Up here in Ontario Canada, I can't imagine a colder place, it works, some prepwork and a careful eye on things gets one through the winter. 
I have a little blog  on rving in the winter, sort of points out some of the stuff that I have to do to live this lifestyle up here in the cold north while still maintaining a job.

http://rvallseasons.blogspot.com/

I first posted a response back in July stating we have friends who live fulltime in their motorhome. Update - we now live next to them in our 4 week old Montana. We had planned to start fulltiming in Feb. However, for several reasons of which the main one being our investments have taken a severe hit, we have put it off. Len is still working fulltime. I started SS and work only two days a week as this year I turn 66 and can only earn $33,000 before taking a hit. We are selling our house to my daughter. In February we moved into the Cedar Creek we recently traded in for the Montana The only issue we had was our old (2002) unit really blew through the propane. This unit is better insulated and the basement is heated. This might not be for everybody, but we enjoy living in it while still employed. We are saving BIG money. We live in a very small (6 units) "camping" area on private property. We pay only $350 a month and that INCLUDES electric and cable. Can't beat it! The only down side - we will probably not do weekend trips as often as in the past. Lots more to do the get ready. Although next weekend we go away for four days with our Good Sam Club. We will see now much of an inconvenience it will be. Still looking to fulltime when we both feel it is the time. I was ready to go in Feb - Len had problems with it. Now wishes we had bitten the bullet and headed out. Do I tell him "I told you so"? - well, yea! Phyllis

Phyllen, now thats the spirit, glad to hear you have made the step and you really lucked out on a small area to camp that is very inexpensive.  I wish I could find a campground around here like what you have that is open year round.  Ideal too, that you are camped close to friends that are living this way of life.  Sort of your own little community of like minded individuals??

A friend of mine lived in an older Class A Winnie here in PA for several years, he did fine. He put hay bales around the base with heat tapes and such. Added a super heavy tarp over some hay on the roof, he seemed to manage with no real problems, just the increase in expence of propane. His lot rent in Lairdsville at the time was $400.00 plus electric and propane for the year (in the late 1990's). He worked on the side driving a van for the Amish. Finally when his health (heart and eye sight) gave up he had to move in with his son. I ran into him about a year ago, and he really misses his freedom.

Nu Wa makes a good cold weather rig there are posts on the Nu Wa owners forum from folks who have spent the winter in Alaska in theirs.

You will want any "artic package" that whatever company you go with sells.

Mallo