Cost Benefit Analysis -- is it worth it ????

[av8tor2]

Originally Posted by Filthy-Beast

While those pursuits might be too costly for a lot of people, the basic message is not.



Me buying a telescope to look at the stars does not make sense on a cost/benefit sheet.


Buy RC helicopters does not.


buying my favorite sports team jersey instead of a regular shirt does not make sense either.


The idea is there are things we do for enjoyment that outway simply money.

[Pyropete]

Originally Posted by Norvyet

Hi,
Actually I plan on doing the fulltime RV thing only for approximately 1 - 2 years during which time I will travel to states that are on my potential 'sticks and bricks retirement house" list , try actually living in those states for a period of time , checkout the real estate market ,as well as the local amenities, to determine which one I ultimately settle in.
Once I find the best retirement place, for me, I'll sell the RV and finish out life in the comfort of my new house. Thanks,Steve

HAH! We are the opposite.. I plan on moving into an apartment or motel until I can find a good 5th wheel to purchase and then finish my life in my RV sitting out there in the desert with my telescope and dark nights with my kitty and puppy with me. Nobody around me for a couple miles, coyotes howling in the distance, the sun rising and setting on E/W rock formations. A lot of good layers of rocks which you can study and read about what was there where you were at that time (be it a sea, ocean, rain forest or whatever). Wander around with my hiking stick I built as a kid, camp out on top of a formation with my tent. Take pictures of pretty much everything I encounter. I know it's not always going to be magical, but damn, I have been waiting to do this since I was 8 years old and my grandfather took me on my first dry camp in the Airstream travel trailer.


That first trip with my grandpa I must have caught about 15 perch and other fish thinking we were going to eat them only to find out that we already had food. My little brother playing in the campfire (5 years old) and running away from all of us while covered in soot, and throwing rocks at us when we tried to catch him. Very magical time! Where we camped there was a sweet rope line that you pull to get to the island while standing on the floating bridge thingy. I didn't want to leave and actually cried my eyes out and wanted to stay out there forever. Ever since that time my grandfather took me twice a year instead of just once.

[G Schulz]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

It obviously takes a lot of $$ to live that life style. Most people don't live in that kind of fairy tail life.

We have lived our life pretty frugally up to this point. We are now retired and have helped out our kids quite a lot up to this point. It’s time for us to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would sell everything we had and go full-time. Now we spend the winters in Florida. We are having the best time of our lives. Sure beats the snow and cold up in Canada. Money is just money unless you spend it on something you enjoy. You can’t take it with you when you die. Time is ticking down so we are going to enjoy every minute we have left.

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by G Schulz

We have lived our life pretty frugally up to this point. We are now retired and have helped out our kids quite a lot up to this point. It’s time for us to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would sell everything we had and go full-time. Now we spend the winters in Florida. We are having the best time of our lives. Sure beats the snow and cold up in Canada. Money is just money unless you spend it on something you enjoy. You can’t take it with you when you die. Time is ticking down so we are going to enjoy every minute we have left.

I agree, if you got the $$, then by all means use it. Money's only purpose is to make your life comfortable! The key is to live within your means and not get over extended.
I don't plan to spend my last $ and leaving it behind is not a worry for me. But running out of $$ would be a worry.

[marjoa]

Owning a home cost WAY more money than what it cost us now to live. I mean just the cost of annual taxes alone, we could buy 2 complete sets of tires...every year!

Traveling and staying in a hotel...no way, to expensive and to touristy. Besides we'd run out of money. Our monthly expenses now are a fraction of what it cost living in our house.

We sold everything to go FT 1.5yrs. ago. Paid cash for our coach & toad with some of the proceeds, are debt free and we would have it no other way. We have met so many people and many have become friends. We like being nomads. Camp grounds are not the destination but merely a temporary landing place to explore the surrounding areas. Then move along.

I will say, careful planning plays a big part in being successful in this lifestyle. Hubby also like working on our MH. It's really not much different than when we had the house. There was always something that needed tending to. His second home was Home Depot. But hubby is handy and stays on top of everything with our MH.

Moving around to different locations while traveling around the country is something we really like. We usually move every 2-3 weeks or so. Wife always get's excited on "move day". Come on baby, it's move day, time to see something new.

We're retired and it's—US time—now and we don't want to be spending the rest of our lives living in a house seeing the same roads, the same people, the same stores, the same neighbors, doing the same stuff over and over again.

Good luck in your decision.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Joree

We're retired and it's—US time—now and we don't want to be spending the rest of our lives living in a house seeing the same roads, the same people, the same stores, the same neighbors, doing the same stuff over and over again.

You have the required attitude of full-timers!! That's how we felt, also.

[Norvyet]

Hi Joree,
Thank You for your thoughtful , well written response to my post. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said" Moving around to different locations every 2-3 weeks is something you really like" -- I think thats where I'm at now. I have a huge variety of choices as to how I could live in my retirement: buy a house, build a new house, buy a condo, live in an apartment but none of those options ignite my imagination and looks pretty boring to be honest. Its just me and if I get tired of the scenery I could always unplug and hit the road for a different perspective... I know I'm done with " same-o, same-o....
Thanks,
Steve

[Lasley5]

Of course you could hop in your car and stay in motels, but who would want to do that?! We purchased our motorhome two years ago and are loving it. I am in banking and certainly realize that this was not a financial decision, but a lifestyle one. It is not for everyone, but it is for us!

[krgolding]

I agree with the maintenance and other expensive issues but, to my wife and I, RV'ing is about the adventure of travel. We've been Rv'ing about 1/2 time of the year for only two years and it works for us. We'll probably always keep our downsized sticks and bricks house as we both want a home base to come back to. So as other members suggest, try out a rental and see what you think of the experience. My other claim substantiated only by experience is that when you get to an RV park and finish setting up, greet your neighbors and you'll find that 95% of them are in a good mood, are in general happy people who enjoy the RV lifestyle.

[mikena]

Only you can determine if it is worth it. It is an individual choice. Going from hotel to hotel to hotel is like comparing apples to oranges.

[Mark and Sue]

Originally Posted by Norvyet

Hello All,
While I am anticipating going RV fulltime I have to admit that after reading hundreds of different comments from RV owners one woud think that most RV's are a money pit and are simply a rolling maintenance nightmare that quickly depreciates into an overall poor investment. As a retired Facility Engineer i get a little nervous looking over the hundreds of posts regarding electrcial problems, plumbing problems , poor quality construction and terrible dealership service. With that in mind I often think I would be better off buying a small house simply because it represents far fewer headaches on a day-to-day basis plus it should appreciate or at least hold its value over time.
Now before everyone jumps up and raves about all of the wonderful views you have had while burning up the miles all over America I still wonder if I couldn't simply hop into my car and simply check into a hotel everywhere I go -- use the hotel as a temporary base and use the car to explore. i'm not trying to be a wet blanket here but why would i want to spend my golden years wondering if the ******* is full ?????

This is a very difficult "apples to toasters" comparison to make and discuss. The way you would experience your travel throughout the US in a hotel/B&B hopping mode I suspect would get very old and tiring fast. Living in your own home, that you drive to each city, and stay as long as you would like can be as relaxing and normal as you choose. The biggest cost factor for us has been campground fees. Joining the Thousand Trails Campground network and club seems to be the way to keep costs way down,.....but this comes at the price of locations and other conveniences that you will have to decide if they are worth it for you. We are not members. We just published our 2nd year full time RV costs for you to take a look at if interested on our Youtube Travel Channel "Our Journey In Myles". Our 2014 Newmar Dutch Star model 4369 is named Myles. Good luck with your decisions,....

[Mod Edit]

[willbush]

Do both - We went 2yrs full time until we figured out where we wanted to live after selling our home - we already had a 38 ft Class A which allowed us to travel around to decide where we wanted to live - after 2 yrs we finally decided on building a home in The Villages, FL in 2009 and of course kept our now 2008 36 Ft Tiffin Open Road TSA purchased new cash so no payments. We take off 3 months each summer. They even have parking here for motorhomes - our home has gone up $100K since 2009. Pay less for a smaller gas Class A and enjoy both - we love having a home to enjoy family visiting - can't do that in a MH. The more you spend on a MH the more you lose. Simple math. Our home clearly off-sets the depreciation of the motorhome.

[Keyne]

I have found that most great things in life on not financially great investments... an RV falls into that category in my opinion. We say our RV (Class B Sprinter) is the best irriational purchase we ever made. We are on our 3rd season and have had such an amazing time with it that I am soooo glad we did it. Does it make financial sense? No of course not... it's an expensive depreciating asset.

I think it's either the dream you want or its not. It's a lifestyle choice more than a financial decision. If you want a purely financial decision then buy a house in the best location and don't paint any rooms or put up any pictures because you will impact the re-sale value...

However, if you are wondering if it might be for you... go test it out. Go RV'ing for two weeks, then a month, then decide. Or go full time for a year. Buy a quality used rig and sell it afterward if you want, and then buy that house you think you want instead. Full time doesn't have to be for ever. Have an adventure and be done with it.

For me/us... I am still working full time but would love to have remote work to travel full time while we are still healthy. I am building a plan to actually do that, but my wife would prefer we do longer trips first and then fully commit. Thats OK too. We might start with that and then keep going...

[LarryFlew]

IMO it's still worth it. We didn't go full time but did go upper quality with Keystone Alpine dragged by a GMC 3500 HD. Still some costly repairs but everything I have done in my 71 years has been mechanical/electrical so it adds to the "hobby". Until i can't do it anymore (getting closer) I'm still in. Pulling the water heater tomorrow, getting ready to head south.