The Full-Timers lifestyle

[Supercel]

Hello!

First time post to this board.

My wife and I turn 50 next year, and waking up this morning (Christmas) with no eager children (current kiddos are 24,22,18) wanting to rip presents open, makes me consider some choices on how I wish to spend the rest of our lives (my wife and I) together.

We have about a year left on our house mortgage, and it will be paid off in full.

I have thought about being a 'full-timer', and all the romance that goes with it, but I have some questions...that I'm sure have been answered thousands of times, so I apologize in advance if you feel that you're getting asked again. Some questions are tougher than others.

1: Any of you full-timers regret selling your home to become a full-timer?
2: For those who enjoy hobbies such as woodworking, tinkering 'in the basement, etc,...where there is simply no room in an RV to do so..how do you cope? I'm an electronics guy by trade (and a ham operator), and I love building/experimenting with electronic gadgets.
3: After a few years on the road, do you get tired of the cramped lifestyle, the wind rocking the RV, dealing with traffic, tired of dumping tanks, filling water, propane, driving the big rig down the road, dealing with all the mechanical breakdowns(and they do happen), etc?? Does the romance of the road offset all these?
4: How do you deal with medical emergencies, or other health related issues? Certainly, one has to consider age-related problems as we all get older. How do you deal with a spouse getting seriously ill while full-timing? I know its a horrible thought, but very real.

If my passion/interest for this lifestyle continues, I would consider working for 5 more years (BTW....I love my job...its like being on vacation most of the time), then retire. I would consider an accelerated loan on a GOOD motorhome when the house is paid. By the time I hit 55, I will have both the house and the motorhome paid in full, rent the house and hit the road. I would have rental income to keep the tank and the fridge filled. I love to buy and sell at hamfests (and Ebay, too!), so I would pull a trailer that has a very small electronics shop, and a storage area for 'inventory'. If I were to pull this off, I would keep all of my retirement funds untouched, and I would still have my house should the situation/interest change.

Does all that sound like a good plan, and is anybody doing something similar?

I apologize for the long post, and possible repeat questions, I'm looking for honest answers to serious questions!

All the best, and happy holidays!
Tim Samaras

[Supercel]

Hello!

First time post to this board.

My wife and I turn 50 next year, and waking up this morning (Christmas) with no eager children (current kiddos are 24,22,18) wanting to rip presents open, makes me consider some choices on how I wish to spend the rest of our lives (my wife and I) together.

We have about a year left on our house mortgage, and it will be paid off in full.

I have thought about being a 'full-timer', and all the romance that goes with it, but I have some questions...that I'm sure have been answered thousands of times, so I apologize in advance if you feel that you're getting asked again. Some questions are tougher than others.

1: Any of you full-timers regret selling your home to become a full-timer?
2: For those who enjoy hobbies such as woodworking, tinkering 'in the basement, etc,...where there is simply no room in an RV to do so..how do you cope? I'm an electronics guy by trade (and a ham operator), and I love building/experimenting with electronic gadgets.
3: After a few years on the road, do you get tired of the cramped lifestyle, the wind rocking the RV, dealing with traffic, tired of dumping tanks, filling water, propane, driving the big rig down the road, dealing with all the mechanical breakdowns(and they do happen), etc?? Does the romance of the road offset all these?
4: How do you deal with medical emergencies, or other health related issues? Certainly, one has to consider age-related problems as we all get older. How do you deal with a spouse getting seriously ill while full-timing? I know its a horrible thought, but very real.

If my passion/interest for this lifestyle continues, I would consider working for 5 more years (BTW....I love my job...its like being on vacation most of the time), then retire. I would consider an accelerated loan on a GOOD motorhome when the house is paid. By the time I hit 55, I will have both the house and the motorhome paid in full, rent the house and hit the road. I would have rental income to keep the tank and the fridge filled. I love to buy and sell at hamfests (and Ebay, too!), so I would pull a trailer that has a very small electronics shop, and a storage area for 'inventory'. If I were to pull this off, I would keep all of my retirement funds untouched, and I would still have my house should the situation/interest change.

Does all that sound like a good plan, and is anybody doing something similar?

I apologize for the long post, and possible repeat questions, I'm looking for honest answers to serious questions!

All the best, and happy holidays!
Tim Samaras

[rebelsbeach]

Tim,WELCOME to iRV2 and CONGRATS on your first post!!

I'm sure someone will be along in a little while to answer your questions...

I invite you to check out the other areas of our site,especially the "regional camping" areas where we make plans to camp together at various times of the year....

We even have a National Rally as well....This year we're heading to Branson the week of the 15th of July....Would love to have you join us!

["007"]

Supercel welcome to irv2
Tim it sounds like you have some pretty good ideas already you could also post down in the Full Timers Forum below to confirm them.
I have been retired since I was 54 when we adopted Twins girles they are now 19 and going to college and we spent alot of time on road in warmer months.
I know once you have rving in your blood you will be reless to move on the duties of caring for MH will be nothing as to the enjoyment and freedom it brings to meet people and see all the U.S.A & Canada.
When you start looking for the home on wheels feel free to ask away everyone is here to help answer your questions.

[Barbaraok]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Supercel:

1: Any of you full-timers regret selling your home to become a full-timer? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not for one minute. We got to the point where the house was the burden - yard to mow/rake, leaves to pickup, gutters to clean, floors to wash, on and on. And that took time away from what we wanted to do. Takes me all of 45 minutes to clean now.

[QUOTE} 2: For those who enjoy hobbies such as woodworking, tinkering 'in the basement, etc,...where there is simply no room in an RV to do so..how do you cope? I'm an electronics guy by trade (and a ham operator), and I love building/experimenting with electronic gadgets.{/QUOTE]

I've seen a lot of people pulling trailers behind their motorhomes that contain not only their cars but also their toys. Depends on what you want to do. We have a car top carrier for our golf clubs - that's one of our things to do - so that they are always ready to go.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> 3: After a few years on the road, do you get tired of the cramped lifestyle, the wind rocking the RV, dealing with traffic, tired of dumping tanks, filling water, propane, driving the big rig down the road, dealing with all the mechanical breakdowns(and they do happen), etc?? Does the romance of the road offset all these? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well we've only been on the road for 6 months, but I don't find the space cramped - since we have all outdoors to explore. Actually, unless it is raining, we don't spend that much time in the coach. In addition to finding golf courses to play, we've also gotten involved in geocaching - really fun and stimulating. Wind rocking - not really that bad. Dealing with traffic - we <span class="ev_code_RED">AVOID</span> large cities like the plague. We find campgrounds outside of the city and use the toad to visit the sights. Filling/dumping are just something you do. Sort of like taking the garbage out. It is the price for being able to go and see everything in this great country. Takes less time that having to weed a flower bed or mow a lawn. Mechanical breakdowns - yes, they do happen. But most repair facilities now have a place where you can stay - usually with at least 30 amp power, so we spend the nights in the coach and explore the surrounding area during the day. Again, just another thing you learn to deal with - plus it makes for great stories around the campfire.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> 4: How do you deal with medical emergencies, or other health related issues? Certainly, one has to consider age-related problems as we all get older. How do you deal with a spouse getting seriously ill while full-timing? I know its a horrible thought, but very real. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No it isn't a horrible thought, it is something you need to consider. We still have our physicians that we had before retiring and, in fact, just completed our annual physicals. There are any number of urgent care facilities across the country, not to mention emergency rooms. My husband had a kidney stone attack years ago when we were on vacation. I asked at the hotel desk for help, they directed us to the nearest emergency room at 2:00 am (why do these things always happen in the middle of the night). Same would hold true now - - we ask for help from the campground office. And most RVers are the greatest people in the world and will go out of your way to help you.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If my passion/interest for this lifestyle continues, I would consider working for 5 more years (BTW....I love my job...its like being on vacation most of the time), then retire. I would consider an accelerated loan on a GOOD motorhome when the house is paid. By the time I hit 55, I will have both the house and the motorhome paid in full, rent the house and hit the road. I would have rental income to keep the tank and the fridge filled. I love to buy and sell at hamfests (and Ebay, too!), so I would pull a trailer that has a very small electronics shop, and a storage area for 'inventory'. If I were to pull this off, I would keep all of my retirement funds untouched, and I would still have my house should the situation/interest change.

Does all that sound like a good plan, and is anybody doing something similar?

I apologize for the long post, and possible repeat questions, I'm looking for honest answers to serious questions!

All the best, and happy holidays!
Tim Samaras </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tim - a couple of things to make sure you consider. The first is health insurance. That is a must to have and can be expensive for an individual policy. Start checking as to whether an association you belong to might have catastrophic coverage available for members. You then have to budget for day to day routine expenses. And if you keep the house, how are you going to manage it? It will cost to have someone manage and being an absentee landlord isn't fun (been there, done that) and can end up costing a lot of time and money.

But now is the time to do the planning. We were able to retire early and go fulltiming because our former employer covers our health insurance until we qualify for medicare.

[Nick Russell]

We have been fulltiming almost 8 years now and love every minute of it! No regrets at all. In fact, we just visited our old hometown and drove by the old house. We both said at the same time "I'd never go back."

We have adapted our hobbies to our mobile lifestyle, and developed new hobbies like geocaching that fit the fulltime life very well.

In our stick and brick home I got tired of mowing grass, chopping firewood, etc. No matter where you live you will have chores.

18 months into our fulltime lifestyle my wife was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer. We were fortunate to be in a city with an excellent cancer treatment center. We return every year for her follow up exams. Being mobile gives us the freedom to go where the best care is available.

[RV Wizard]

Supercel, welcome to iRV2.com. We are glad to have you join us here and look forward to reading of your adventures and experiences. You have come to the right place to find answers to your rving questions. We too are fultiming (working too), and enjoying the lifestyle. I think it all comes doen to how well you like the lifestyle. We are doing it while we are young enough to enjoy and when it becomes too much or we loose intrest then we will just decide where it is we want to settle down. SO far we are not there yet. GOod luck in your research and take care.

[paz]

We just started fulltiming in July of 2006. I am a woodworker and gardener, so getting rid of most of my tools was a bit traumatic for me. It took me a month or two to get over the initial shock, but I don't regret it now. I was able to bring quite a few hand tools along and even a few smaller power tools.

I have been able to complete a few simple woodworking projects (mostly built-in shelves in the RV) while on the road. I rather enjoy setting up my small "shop" on a picnic table and working under a tree. Besides, electronics should take a lot less space than woodworking machinery, so you should be able to tinker, too. I also hear there are quite a few ham operators on the road.

As far as being cramped, the first thing about fulltiming is that your spouse should be your best friend. This really helps, but there are still opportunities to spend a little time apart if necessary. Take a walk or bike ride by yourself or drive into town to visit Home Depot or Lowes, even if you don't need anything.

There are chores around the RV, but these almost always take much less time than maintenance and cleaning around a stick house. Remember, you will also have a lot more time on the road.

I don't know what area of the country you are located in, but I would suggest trying a Life on Wheels conference. The conferences are held in several locations around the country at various times of the year. Hopefully, you would be able to find one near you. We originally met Nick Russell (who posted above) as an instructor at a Life on Wheels conference several years ago. LoW conferences have many seminars on the fulltime lifestyle which cover subjects ranging from buying and maintaining an RV to hobbies, safety, medical needs, working on the road, etc. The LoW web site is www.rvlifeonwheels.com.
The Escapees RV Club (www.escapees.com) has a lot of good information for fulltimers and wannabees. Escapees and others such as the Good Sam Club (www.goodsamclub.com) also hold rallies with seminars. There have also been many books written on fulltiming. Larger bookstores often carry a few titles. I think Escapees and Camping World may sell books on fulltiming as well. Do an internet search and you should be able to find quite a few books.

You are doing the right thing asking questions before you make a decision. Fulltiming isn't for everyone. Research. read, learn, study, and plan before you take the plunge and you should do fine.

[airstream harry]

Regarding health insurance. We ha none for two years. My wife does not have any now,I have medicare and a supplement. We did have a medical savings plan(not a savings plan).It is a pre-negotiated price,typicaly 25 to 50 percent. When we needed health care we went to urgent care centers and barganed if we could. We have found that many M.D. will give discounts if you ask. My wifes doc. in the RGV helps her find clinics that provide care for the poor(thats us)or uninsured(us too). We still love the life style.We became Texans on the same day Nick and Miss Terry did. Texas has never been the same.
c u on the road

[Supercel]

Hello

Thanks to all that shared their thoughts regarding their lifestyles of full-timing.

Barbaraok hit it on the head with the health insurance issue. Unfortunately, that will be a huge issue as the baby boomers hit retirement age. For those who are unlucky enough to retire without the benefit of an employee-provided insurance (like me), retiring couples face huge costs just in the premiums. I managed my father's finances for five years before he passed away, and with medication alone-we were paying close to $600/month. He spent most of his life-long savings on managing his health.

Problem is, its only going to get worse.

Yes, I do plan to hire a manager to take care of the property. I believe if you find the right person, it should go smoothly. Being that the house is paid off, it will only knock ~15% off the rent each month. Not too bad.

I agree with all of you that the full-timing lifestyle sounds great and exciting. I love to drive (note the avatar-I chase tornadoes), so driving doesn't bother me one bit.

I also believe in buying the right rig to start-each upgrade costs money. New Years resolution will be to investigate and learn who has the best Class A Diesel pusher for the dollar, and make the purchase after the house gets paid off. Then, as I mentioned-accelerate the payoff of the motorhome without selling our current home. Certainly, I have $$$ in the bank to buy it, but that is our 'rainy day' fund.

Certainly the risk is the depreciation of the motorhome while I finish my work before retirement, if health issues change our plans. To me, this is an acceptable risk, because, we can still get out for vacations, long weekends, and holidays with the coach.

And Barbaraok-indeed I have thought about the trailer approach. I think that is a good solution, and perhaps it can share space with a *very* small vehicle inside.

Nick, I'm very envious of the way you have worked yourself into a position where you could earn a few $$$ while full-timing. What a great balance. I certainly wish the best for your wife. I took a peek at your website, and it appears that your wife is every guy's dream of being handy with tools!
I'm also very envious of your big conversion project! I love projects like that....you should see my basement. It has resemblance of R2D2 throwing up all over the place.

This is such a great forum, and I really, really appreciate EVERYONEs comments. I look forward to meeting many of you when my day on the road comes.


All the best,
Tim Samaras
Lakewood, CO