New to this forum, considering becoming full-time RVers!
jrzygrl64 said
05:30 PM Aug 12, 2013
Hello! I stumbled onto this website and forum and I need to tell you - what a wealth of information for those of us considering becoming full-timers! My husband and my story has a lot of similarities to Howard and Linda, ( including the fact that I have always wanted to own a B&B!), so I really feel like we almost know you already. I am really hoping to get to your spring 2014 rally in TN. I looked into the fall 2013 one, but you are sold out! We currently have a 30' class C (no slide-outs) and would have to upgrade into a larger rig for full-time. The longest we have been out in this one is 4 weeks and it was getting quite crowded near the end. And, that was without our pets! Our kids are grown (ages 22 and 23) and neither one lives home, so we are looking forward to a new chapter in our lives as empty-nesters. My husbands job is very stressful - and I could totally relate to Howards comments about wanting more out of life (in "The Decision" section). Especially since we went out for that 4 week trip in spring 2010, I really think we would love it. Our concerns are like (probably) most everyones, how to support ourselves. Sadly, we are not independently wealthy :(. Although we are ok financially, if hubby's job went away, that would change pretty quickly unless we drastically changed our lifestyle. I am willing to do that, honestly only to a point. Seems to me, what is the sense of being out on the road seeing the world and not being able to do things to make that more enjoyable. We would, more than likely, sell our current home to upgrade the RV and put our favorite things in storage. We have no debt, so we are in good shape there. We would probably live somewhere in the "moderate" range, it seems Howard and Linda do well at that level. Just so much to learn! The idea is excting and scary at the same time! I am sure you have all been through it! Guess that's all for now - hope to get to know you all better and learn all your little tidbits of info to help us make the ultimate decision! Thanks again for this website/forum!
Dog Folks said
06:47 PM Aug 12, 2013
Welcome. There is a wealth of information here, ask away!
Lucky Mike said
07:46 PM Aug 12, 2013
Welcome!! to the forum!!!
Sit back and take it all in......ask all the questions and soon you will be out here with the rest!!!
WestWardHo said
12:01 AM Aug 13, 2013
Bill & Kelly,
Welcome to the forum. When we travel, people ask us about where we learned about all the options in this lifestyle such as campground choices, establishing residency in a different state, travel schedules, rig selection, tows, tires, etc. and I tell them all the research & advice on RV-Dreams plus attending a Rally to go in depth!
Sherry
Terry and Jo said
01:15 AM Aug 13, 2013
Kelly and Bill,
Welcome to the RV Dreams forums, possibly the friendliest forum site that are related to RV's You will find this to be a resource for a lot of information, ideas, and encouragement. Feel free to ask questions and make comments as we do learn from each other here. Each new questioner can bring a different perspective to what may be an old topic, and we can always appreciate a new perspective.
We look forward to your participation here.
Terry
jrzygrl64 said
12:18 PM Aug 14, 2013
Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes! I have been reading the entire website whenever I get a few minutes. I read the 6 months leading up to Howard and Linda leaving, and it only made me want to leave and be on the road right now! Except there are things that need to be done first - like make the actual decision! My husband's emotional side LOVES the idea, but his practical and logical side are like "Are you kidding? How do we know for SURE we can support ourselves without eating up all savings?" I told him there are no certainties in this life. He knows that and we are going to work on a budget to see how much we would actually NEED vs. want and see what that looks like. See if it is something a HUGE cut in pay can handle. As I said in my earlier post, we can cut things, but only to a point. My thoughts are this, our first year we might spend more than NEEDED b/c we want to see the country and just explore, and visit family and friends, but after that we would have to settle down (not physically) and just start living, as someone said somewhere, look at it as a lifestyle, not a permanent vacation. I think that is part of what hubbys issue is, he looks at how much we spent when we were on the road those 4 weeks in 2010 and other shorter (weeklong) trips and he adds those up to a year and the number is HUGE! But, we don't "live" like that in our everyday life. The spontaneous side of me wants to just ready the house for market, and sell, sell sell and then buy the bigger RV and off we go! Not realistic, thank goodness hubby reigns me in! or I would be in trouble! LOL! To close for now - let me say this: all of you who have gone before us are inspiring and I hope to be among you sooner than later!
PIEERE said
03:50 AM Aug 17, 2013
Welcome Bill and Kelly: I probably won't be much help as I am a single; solo; only me...Well you get the idea!! I returned from the US Army in 1974 and an employer I worked for before started a small RV Sales lot in from of his auto salvage yard. He asked if I wanted to travel with him to Pick up RVs of all types in Michigan and Indiana; of course I took the bait.
In 1979 I got married and in 1980 sold a doublewide and the car; bought a 3/4 ton van and a 24' pull behind from the employer and drove from Upstate NY to Flagstaff Az. over a period of 4 months; eventually living in Apache Jct. AZ in the Fall of 1981. Sold the Pull behind and lived there until 1988.
Life changed again and we parted ways in 1989; she went back to NY; I left in 1993; moved to Florida and the RV bug bit me quite hard; by 1998 I had bought another; then another in 1999 which was a used Class C; Then another larger Class C in 2005.
I still live in the Last Class C. I believe what I am trying to say RVing kind of flows through your blood; settles in your brain and you need to want this lifestyle more than anything else; at least that is the way it is for me. I can't imagine living in a S&B; apartment or senior center ( Yeah; Turned 62 In July ). I was told if I got sick of this life; i could always go back...I enjoy this life even as I am tackling health issues and hope one day to roam again!!!
Hello! I stumbled onto this website and forum and I need to tell you - what a wealth of information for those of us considering becoming full-timers! My husband and my story has a lot of similarities to Howard and Linda, ( including the fact that I have always wanted to own a B&B!), so I really feel like we almost know you already. I am really hoping to get to your spring 2014 rally in TN. I looked into the fall 2013 one, but you are sold out! We currently have a 30' class C (no slide-outs) and would have to upgrade into a larger rig for full-time. The longest we have been out in this one is 4 weeks and it was getting quite crowded near the end. And, that was without our pets! Our kids are grown (ages 22 and 23) and neither one lives home, so we are looking forward to a new chapter in our lives as empty-nesters. My husbands job is very stressful - and I could totally relate to Howards comments about wanting more out of life (in "The Decision" section). Especially since we went out for that 4 week trip in spring 2010, I really think we would love it. Our concerns are like (probably) most everyones, how to support ourselves. Sadly, we are not independently wealthy :(. Although we are ok financially, if hubby's job went away, that would change pretty quickly unless we drastically changed our lifestyle. I am willing to do that, honestly only to a point. Seems to me, what is the sense of being out on the road seeing the world and not being able to do things to make that more enjoyable. We would, more than likely, sell our current home to upgrade the RV and put our favorite things in storage. We have no debt, so we are in good shape there. We would probably live somewhere in the "moderate" range, it seems Howard and Linda do well at that level. Just so much to learn! The idea is excting and scary at the same time! I am sure you have all been through it! Guess that's all for now - hope to get to know you all better and learn all your little tidbits of info to help us make the ultimate decision! Thanks again for this website/forum!
Sit back and take it all in......ask all the questions and soon you will be out here with the rest!!!
Welcome to the forum. When we travel, people ask us about where we learned about all the options in this lifestyle such as campground choices, establishing residency in a different state, travel schedules, rig selection, tows, tires, etc. and I tell them all the research & advice on RV-Dreams plus attending a Rally to go in depth!
Sherry
Kelly and Bill,
Welcome to the RV Dreams forums, possibly the friendliest forum site that are related to RV's You will find this to be a resource for a lot of information, ideas, and encouragement. Feel free to ask questions and make comments as we do learn from each other here. Each new questioner can bring a different perspective to what may be an old topic, and we can always appreciate a new perspective.
We look forward to your participation here.
Terry
Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes! I have been reading the entire website whenever I get a few minutes. I read the 6 months leading up to Howard and Linda leaving, and it only made me want to leave and be on the road right now! Except there are things that need to be done first - like make the actual decision! My husband's emotional side LOVES the idea, but his practical and logical side are like "Are you kidding? How do we know for SURE we can support ourselves without eating up all savings?" I told him there are no certainties in this life. He knows that and we are going to work on a budget to see how much we would actually NEED vs. want and see what that looks like. See if it is something a HUGE cut in pay can handle. As I said in my earlier post, we can cut things, but only to a point. My thoughts are this, our first year we might spend more than NEEDED b/c we want to see the country and just explore, and visit family and friends, but after that we would have to settle down (not physically) and just start living, as someone said somewhere, look at it as a lifestyle, not a permanent vacation. I think that is part of what hubbys issue is, he looks at how much we spent when we were on the road those 4 weeks in 2010 and other shorter (weeklong) trips and he adds those up to a year and the number is HUGE! But, we don't "live" like that in our everyday life. The spontaneous side of me wants to just ready the house for market, and sell, sell sell and then buy the bigger RV and off we go! Not realistic, thank goodness hubby reigns me in! or I would be in trouble! LOL! To close for now - let me say this: all of you who have gone before us are inspiring and I hope to be among you sooner than later!
In 1979 I got married and in 1980 sold a doublewide and the car; bought a 3/4 ton van and a 24' pull behind from the employer and drove from Upstate NY to Flagstaff Az. over a period of 4 months; eventually living in Apache Jct. AZ in the Fall of 1981. Sold the Pull behind and lived there until 1988.
Life changed again and we parted ways in 1989; she went back to NY; I left in 1993; moved to Florida and the RV bug bit me quite hard; by 1998 I had bought another; then another in 1999 which was a used Class C; Then another larger Class C in 2005.
I still live in the Last Class C. I believe what I am trying to say RVing kind of flows through your blood; settles in your brain and you need to want this lifestyle more than anything else; at least that is the way it is for me. I can't imagine living in a S&B; apartment or senior center ( Yeah; Turned 62 In July ). I was told if I got sick of this life; i could always go back...I enjoy this life even as I am tackling health issues and hope one day to roam again!!!