I've posted the results (actuals versus budget) of our first "settled" month of costs of full timing for those who are interested on my blog. Everyone's situation is very different but when I was getting ready to go on the road other people were generous with their numbers so I wanted to share with those getting ready. Let me just say I absolutely know it can be done cheaper, but for right now this is where we are at and I wanted to pass it along.
My budgets went out the window the second month. I am finding it much more expensive that expected. My orginal thought was 3500/mo.. yea.. forget that idea..
As a vacationer rver.. we spend alot out to eat and events.. and we are finding more and more things to make life easier.. like a cordless dyson, steam press, new kinds of clothes/shoes, tools, and lawn furniture.. the list goes on and on..
almost 6 months in , and we may be able to settle on a budget, soon. lol I'd love to do a spread sheet thing.. just not finding the time, and it takes alot effort too..
I'd like to be at that 3500 range.. for now. but not seeing it possible yet... for us. Maybe we will be able to use fuzzy math, or average it , down the road. lol
-- Edited by The Junkman on Saturday 31st of January 2015 08:03:29 AM
Jim and Barb said
09:18 AM Jan 31, 2015
We are right there with you depending on where we are for the month Trace, when we are in Canada we tend to spend less than 2,000 a month, the last few months when we are traveling and eating out more that number more than doubles.
BiggarView said
10:34 AM Jan 31, 2015
Trace, are you using a digital antenna for local broadcast channels you might otherwise be streaming? Might help with the streaming data usage so you can get those "Scandal" episodes. Since we don't smoke, our budget is more or less in line with your estimates, higher in some, lower in others... so our plan seems like it will probably work. We will be setting aside a fund for all those "improvements" up front or early in the adventure so a 50/mth budget for them won't get blown out with an unexpected want or need. Loved Lee's editorial adlibs on your blog article. Sorry about the dental stuff, I'm not looking forward to that part either but don't think we'll be coming back to IL just to see our awesome dentist, hopefully he has capable dental friends elsewhere that he can give a referral.
We will be taking advantage of Cindi's father's Thousand Trails membership which he has had for many, many years, and has the option of allowing us to take it over and just continue the 500 odd dollars a year fee which would allow us nationwide access to their facilities. We think it's a great cost saving on our CG/park fee budget if we stay there even a few nights each month. Had we started from scratch with them it would have cost much higher and perhaps prohibitively higher. Still, we haven't fully fleshed our travel patterns yet so this budget item is still in flux for us.
Trace, one suggestion, you might want to consider adding some kind of savings plan into your budget unless you have funds already set aside for emergencies and other one-off purchases that invariably come along. Also, I didn't see any allowance for income taxes(post retirement you'll need that in your budget as they won't be taken out of any pensions you might be receiving) or medical expenses in your budget, did you account for them elsewhere?
Again, love your blog.
-- Edited by biggaRView on Saturday 31st of January 2015 09:26:09 PM
Someday said
12:44 PM Jan 31, 2015
Trace, wonderful budget versus actual account and write up. Loved it and looking forward to the next and next and ......... You are so wonderful for paying it forward, and we hope one day to be able to do the same.
We were hoping to budget around $3500 a month when we get out there more permanently, with putting nothing into savings, but I think year one we will revamp up about $1,500 and then with revisiting monthly aim to get it down to the $3500 mark. Of course none of us have control over increasing costs and fuel will be a biggie if it goes back up. Fortunately we love boon docking when out west, so CG fees for us will be very low cost there, found out east not as readily available so will need to allow for that as plans unfold each year. We've also been contemplating having envelopes for most categories to keep us on track, initially bit like the jars Gail Val Oxlade uses in Till Debt Do Us Part. Currently we use a credit card to pay for everything and pay it off every month, to get travel rewards, but I know we inadvertently overspend versus using cash.
Glad you and Lee are enjoying your new lifestyle, great blog.
Camper Chronicles said
06:41 PM Jan 31, 2015
Thanks guys much appreciated....I was super nervous about the feedback so it's nice to hear others are in the same ball park. We do have a contingency fund and since I am working still taxes are coming out of my checks . BTW! My health insurance comes from my paychecks and I didn't include those costs at all although I will at some point when we go to the Affordable Care Act. Thanks again for the nice comments.
mds1 said
06:56 PM Jan 31, 2015
I posted a thank you on your blog page also. We really appreciated you sharing your actual budget figures. Karen and I are trying to figure out how to make it all work in three years rather than waiting. Based on what you all are saying, it might make since to have a little set aside for the first year to be used outside the "budget" for one time expenses. Something like having a "capital" budget.
The Restless Youngs said
09:12 PM Jan 31, 2015
Appreciate the budget and transparency. We've been fairly stationary since we moved into our RV full time while wrapping up work and have really tried to get most of the big home improvement projects (dyson, wifi ranger, grills, booster, solar, new tires, etc. etc. etc.) purchased while a paycheck was coming in. Also trying to stock up on various parts (filters, nozzles, etc.) that we anticipate needing along the way. I know that it's spending money now or later....but some how feels a little better spending money while it's still coming in!!
Neil and Connie said
09:35 AM Feb 2, 2015
Ours is about 4000 a month but we aren't scrimping. Could probably do it for 3K of we had to but we don't so we don't.
Someday said
12:50 PM Apr 10, 2015
Hey Trace, like many we loved your first budget back in January. Just wondering if you are planning on doing an update any time soon as a comparison.
Happy Travels.
SD.
Barbaraok said
01:02 PM Apr 10, 2015
You should figure that the first 6 months or so will be double your normal monthly budgets. It takes that long to know what you needed and didn't have (and also what you have and don't need) as well as getting out of the vacationer mode and into fulltiming.
Barb
DickHutchings said
01:26 PM May 18, 2016
I know I'm jumping on your thread but it seems like a good place to get some feedback.
I'm planning on $2800 a month in SS without using my 401K which I will use for those pesky items you guys are talking about. Seems like it will work on paper It Better cause that's what we'll have. This is a debt free plan and I haven't got the spreadsheet completely filled out since I don't really know what I'm going to spend on fuel an campgrounds. 2019 plan.
Howard said
10:40 AM May 20, 2016
Hi Dick,
Please start a new thread to get some feedback. This thread is over a year old and I'm closing it. I apologize, but it's a struggle to keep threads on topic and current no matter how many times we ask. :)
I've posted the results (actuals versus budget) of our first "settled" month of costs of full timing for those who are interested on my blog. Everyone's situation is very different but when I was getting ready to go on the road other people were generous with their numbers so I wanted to share with those getting ready. Let me just say I absolutely know it can be done cheaper, but for right now this is where we are at and I wanted to pass it along.
http://camperchronicles.com/2015/01/30/first-full-timing-budget/
My budgets went out the window the second month. I am finding it much more expensive that expected. My orginal thought was 3500/mo.. yea.. forget that idea..
As a vacationer rver.. we spend alot out to eat and events.. and we are finding more and more things to make life easier.. like a cordless dyson, steam press, new kinds of clothes/shoes, tools, and lawn furniture.. the list goes on and on..
almost 6 months in , and we may be able to settle on a budget, soon. lol I'd love to do a spread sheet thing.. just not finding the time, and it takes alot effort too..
I'd like to be at that 3500 range.. for now. but not seeing it possible yet... for us. Maybe we will be able to use fuzzy math, or average it , down the road. lol
-- Edited by The Junkman on Saturday 31st of January 2015 08:03:29 AM
Trace, are you using a digital antenna for local broadcast channels you might otherwise be streaming? Might help with the streaming data usage so you can get those "Scandal" episodes.
Since we don't smoke, our budget is more or less in line with your estimates, higher in some, lower in others... so our plan seems like it will probably work. We will be setting aside a fund for all those "improvements" up front or early in the adventure so a 50/mth budget for them won't get blown out with an unexpected want or need. Loved Lee's editorial adlibs on your blog article. Sorry about the dental stuff, I'm not looking forward to that part either but don't think we'll be coming back to IL just to see our awesome dentist, hopefully he has capable dental friends elsewhere that he can give a referral.
We will be taking advantage of Cindi's father's Thousand Trails membership which he has had for many, many years, and has the option of allowing us to take it over and just continue the 500 odd dollars a year fee which would allow us nationwide access to their facilities. We think it's a great cost saving on our CG/park fee budget if we stay there even a few nights each month. Had we started from scratch with them it would have cost much higher and perhaps prohibitively higher. Still, we haven't fully fleshed our travel patterns yet so this budget item is still in flux for us.
Trace, one suggestion, you might want to consider adding some kind of savings plan into your budget unless you have funds already set aside for emergencies and other one-off purchases that invariably come along. Also, I didn't see any allowance for income taxes(post retirement you'll need that in your budget as they won't be taken out of any pensions you might be receiving) or medical expenses in your budget, did you account for them elsewhere?
Again, love your blog.
-- Edited by biggaRView on Saturday 31st of January 2015 09:26:09 PM
We were hoping to budget around $3500 a month when we get out there more permanently, with putting nothing into savings, but I think year one we will revamp up about $1,500 and then with revisiting monthly aim to get it down to the $3500 mark. Of course none of us have control over increasing costs and fuel will be a biggie if it goes back up. Fortunately we love boon docking when out west, so CG fees for us will be very low cost there, found out east not as readily available so will need to allow for that as plans unfold each year. We've also been contemplating having envelopes for most categories to keep us on track, initially bit like the jars Gail Val Oxlade uses in Till Debt Do Us Part. Currently we use a credit card to pay for everything and pay it off every month, to get travel rewards, but I know we inadvertently overspend versus using cash.
Glad you and Lee are enjoying your new lifestyle, great blog.
I posted a thank you on your blog page also. We really appreciated you sharing your actual budget figures. Karen and I are trying to figure out how to make it all work in three years rather than waiting. Based on what you all are saying, it might make since to have a little set aside for the first year to be used outside the "budget" for one time expenses. Something like having a "capital" budget.
Ours is about 4000 a month but we aren't scrimping. Could probably do it for 3K of we had to but we don't so we don't.
Happy Travels.
SD.
Barb
I'm planning on $2800 a month in SS without using my 401K which I will use for those pesky items you guys are talking about. Seems like it will work on paper
Hi Dick,
Please start a new thread to get some feedback. This thread is over a year old and I'm closing it. I apologize, but it's a struggle to keep threads on topic and current no matter how many times we ask. :)