Community Forums

pawnotes · 08-14-2012, 01:12 PM

How would you compare the cost of living in a motorhome vs cost of living in a sticks n bricks home?

Things such as maintenance, repairs, utilities, taxes vs registration fees etc.

Pawnotes aka Dave n Carla
Jack n Kelly the ESS furkids
00 Monaco Diplomat

Tha_Rooster · 08-14-2012, 01:27 PM

Probably the same excluding the price of fuel and it could be alot depending on how much you travel. My taxes and insurance are about the same as my house things break in a RV the same as a house it depends on how good of a handy man you are.

bronk · 08-14-2012, 01:29 PM

It is difficult to make a comparison due to the many variables that may be attributed to each,ie; mortgage, travel expenses (fuel for RV), repairs and maintenance, etc.

After full-timing for a number of years, we found that if campground fees and travel is somewhat curtailed (not on the road continually), the expenses are somewhat comparable. Of course with the cost of fuel at the present time, this presents an entirely different dimension compared to years gone by. Part-time work while RVing could offset some of the necessary fees such as parking sites, etc, especially if one works for the campground (RV park) where one is staying. In the long run, the freedom of RV travel and the ability to see the many features that this country is priceless, in my opinion. And full-time RVing is not for everyone.

Bronk

Foxhaven · 08-14-2012, 01:36 PM

In my opinion Full-timing is a lifestyle choice and will never be an economy measure..

You can live more economically in one place...But you would miss all of the joy of travel...

RickO · 08-14-2012, 01:44 PM

IMHO, the question is too broad to give a meaningful answer. Too many variables.

If one currently lives in a very nice stick house and wants to move into a 15 year old gasser and not travel much... the MH is probably much cheaper.

On the other hand, if one lives in a very modest stick house and want to begin traveling full time in a new DP... the MH will be much more expensive.

Rick

pawnotes · 08-14-2012, 02:21 PM

I saw a post where one person was selling because they could not afford any longer. The sited costs were upkeep and fuel.

Another poster had just sold the S/B and felt they were going to save on taxes/maintenance to offset the fuel and upkeep.

Just wondered what some of you who have been out there for a while thought.

RickO, question probably is too broad, but I appreciate the answers you guys gave. It's good information.

cb

Jack1234 · 08-14-2012, 02:50 PM

We have been full-time RVing for about 18mo. and I am glad we did not sell our Home to finance an RV lifestyle. I appreciate that there are some very long-term full-timers out there who will not agree with us, but I can't imagine maintaining this vagabond lifestyle forever or even much longer than 24-36mo. Living in a 300/400sq.ft. "tin-box" with one car, two dogs and 24/7 with your spouse....well it has/is been both fun & exciting......however, not without it's challenges and frustrations.

We have rented our home and every year we have an option to renew our renters or head back to a more normal life. In the interim, while we are traveling the rental income pretty much covers the cost of our RV lifestyle. The depreciation on the RV is more than off-set by the appreciation on the real estate. Works for us!

Davdeb1 · 08-14-2012, 03:08 PM

I also saw a post where a couple was giving up RV living because they could no longer afford the fuel and associated maintenances. If you have a paid for S&B, you may then actually save some money doing this. It is quite a luxury, as far as I am concerned, to keep a home up, and full time in a RV. I would love to do it, but eventually one of the residences needs something, and the fuel is very expensive if you want to travel more than 10-12 thousand a year.

We plan to sell our residence, and when the time comes when we physically are unable to full time, we will probably just rent an apartment.

While you have to consider expenses, it would be wrong to base your decision on full-timing on the belief it will save you money. The decision has to be based on personal gratification from the experience.

djbmsu · 08-14-2012, 05:32 PM

As stated above, many variables would go into that senerio. We live in Florida, hone insurance is $2000.00 a yr. Flood insurance is another $1,000.00 a yr. Motor home ins is 859.00 a year. Just that comparison alone is huge. I am going to venture that our personal comparison would favor the MH.

bdickson · 08-14-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxhaven

In my opinion Full-timing is a lifestyle choice and will never be an economy measure..

You can live more economically in one place...But you would miss all of the joy of travel...

Agree completely. We chose the full time life this year and sold the stick & brick. Although it was not a specific requirement, our monthly expenses are down by 30 or 40 percent. We travel extensively, over 9,000 miles so far this year, coast to coast and the length of the Pacific Coast Highway. On the other hand we'll be stationary in New Mexico for four months this winter, volunteering at a National Wildlife Refuge. Free campsite, electric and propane, and no outlay for fuel. That package is worth a ballpark $2,000 per month. So I'd have to say that, although it wasn't a requirement for us, FT is definitely cheaper than S&B.

pawnotes · 08-14-2012, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davdeb1

I also saw a post where a couple was giving up RV living because they could no longer afford the fuel and associated maintenances. If you have a paid for S&B, you may then actually save some money doing this. It is quite a luxury, as far as I am concerned, to keep a home up, and full time in a RV. I would love to do it, but eventually one of the residences needs something, and the fuel is very expensive if you want to travel more than 10-12 thousand a year.

We plan to sell our residence, and when the time comes when we physically are unable to full time, we will probably just rent an apartment.

While you have to consider expenses, it would be wrong to base your decision on full-timing on the belief it will save you money. The decision has to be based on personal gratification from the experience.

That's what we felt also. Because it is a Lifestyle and that part is very different between the two. We also add the flexibility because we are still working. If you change jobs or. Contracts (IT person), it's very easy. Houses r impossible to sell these days.

Dog Folks · 08-15-2012, 08:53 AM

The taxes alone on our Sticks & Bricks now pays for a year of modest campsite costs. (No boondocking, mostly state and federal campgrounds)

Out TOTAL maintenance cost is (including tires and oil changes) is just what is used to cost have our pool cleaned.

It really depends upon your "style"of life, but full time living CAN be a lot less costly.

WheelingIt · 08-15-2012, 09:15 AM

We started full timing in CA and definitely saved when we moved to the motor home, but CA is an expensive state. Just our insurance and registration fees alone dropped by more than half when we switched from CA to SD as residents (the registration on our MH dropped from almost $2,000 to only $350 or so!!). We're now on year 3 and our biggest costs are upkeep, camping fees and gas. The upkeep is pretty much fixed, but we've found we can self adjust the other 2 expenses by how far we travel and where we stay. This year we're doing a lot of free camping (for example we've spent all summer lighthouse hosting on the OR coast) so it's been an excellent year for expenses.

So, like the others said depends on where you're coming from and what you plan to do in the MH.

wa8yxm · 08-15-2012, 05:53 PM

Last time my house was apprasised it was in the "100K" range, That also happens to be the sticker price on my motor home.

Taxes (Detroit) over 3,000 to under 400 (registration is a property tax)

I belong to 2 membership campgrounds so in the summer I pay about 80 bucks a month for camping.. That's right, one night at a Class A site at the local KOA = 80 bucks BEFORE they Keep ON Adding. That's what I pay a month, Winter it's about 200 since I can only use 1 membership.

Gas and electric at the house were usually around 200+ per month And I had to pay for Water and Sewer too... And street cleaning (Well the city FINALLY took over that duty eventually) and I had to pay INSURANCE on the house too..

True, Maintenance is a bit higher on the MH, but not that much higher.