Community Forums

MiniPoodlMOM · 08-01-2012, 12:20 AM

HI irv2 Friends!

I became a member of irv2 last year. I was very excited to I read comments and posts about RV's since my husband and I were contemplating purchasing as Class A for our future retirement years. (He's in the USCG.)

In March 2011, we purchased a 1999 Fleetwood Southwind 32V in beautiful condition - our first RV ever! At the time, we lived in the Boston area and hoped to use it a lot since my husband thought he would retire. His job in MA kept his VERY busy and we only got to camp 1 night in June 2011. (Our wonderful RV sat in an RV storage most of 2011.)

Well.... since that time, my husband was promoted, we moved to Virginia, and he has no plans of retiring for "at least" another 2 years. (He drove our RV from MA to VA while I followed behind in our car. That's the most it's been driven this year.)

Presently, our lovely RV sits in a gated RV storage area in Ft Belvoir, VA. My husband has no time for vacation and works most weekends. He thinks we should sell our RV since we have no time to use it, and we pay insurance, storage fee, AAA, Good Sam Club, Campers World, etc., and don't get to reap the benefit of camping.

I'm so sad. I feel bummed and I don't know what to do. Today is August 1, and I don't know if people even buy RV's this late in the season. I'm wondering if I should just keep it and hope that "someday" we may actually get to use it. Or should I try to sell it, then when my husband REALLY retires, buy another RV....?!?

Has anyone out there had any similar situations? If so, what have you done? Any suggestions would be VERY helpful to me.

Thanks a lot! Bewildered Wendy

Mr_D · 08-01-2012, 12:57 AM

We bought our "retirement" RV in 2002. Have driven it less than 40,000 miles in all. Have replaced the tires and wheels, the refer cooling unit and both TV's. Luckily we can store it beside the stick house. Still have the insurance, payments, no Good Sam dues as we're Charter Lifetime members, also pay Coach-Net and FMCA dues.
But still can't retire as my step daughter died and we ended up with two grandkids to finish raising. Oldest has moved out but the 12 yr old is still at home.
We still have no plans to sell it even if we only get out a few times a year. I've been RV'ing since 1957 so I guess RV's are my way of life.
You will have to evaluate YOUR desires.
Personally, in your case, I'd try and sell it and buy when your can actually retire. In the meantime sock the money away that you would be spending on the RV and buy BIG later.

Kayjulia · 08-01-2012, 01:33 AM

I was in a similar situation and in a Virginia to boot! I worked for U.S. Customs and they transferred me from AZ to VA and when I got to VA I didn't have much time for the RV a nice Winnebago 30'. I finally sold it because I just didn't have the time for it. I retired a few years later and eventually bought another RV and then went full time. Now I have a different RV travel when I feel like it and love the independence it gives me.
Only you and your husband can decide what to do and when to do it. Just know that if you do sell that isn't the end of the RV'n dreams just that they will be put off for a while.
I worked with the USCG in Norfolk from time to time and they are a hard working service and a lot is expected of them these days! Their time off is often interrupted and leave cancelled because of operational necessities. But one day retirement arrives and then if your lucky your able to do what you want when you want. People in the service of our country and their families make hard choices frequently that goes un-noticed most of the time by others I for one know this and thank you and wish you smooth seas and fair winds through the remainder of your service in the USCG.

windydaboo · 08-01-2012, 01:47 AM

Just an idea... Is there camping on base? I'm sure there are local campgrounds, try camping locally where he can still commute to work and camp when he gets home. It would make for a nice change of pace and give you a chance to use the RV. May even make a few new friends at the campground in the process.

RanCarr · 08-01-2012, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniPoodlMOM

Presently, our lovely RV sits in a gated RV storage area in Ft Belvoir, VA. My husband has no time for vacation and works most weekends. He thinks we should sell our RV since we have no time to use it, and we pay insurance, storage fee, AAA,.........

Surely he doesn't work 7 days a week year round. Why do you have to camp on weekends only? Why not camp on his days off during the week? We almost always camp between Sunday afternoon and Friday morning. This way we get to miss the weekend noise and crowds. Or how about you going by yourself or with a girlfriend or relative?

RanCarr · 08-01-2012, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

But still can't retire as my step daughter died and we ended up with two grandkids to finish raising. Oldest has moved out but the 12 yr old is still at home.

I knew an older couple who retired having to raise grandchildren. They got a SS check because of the death of the parents. Sorry I don't know all the particulars but it didn't stop them from retiring.

TheArnolds · 08-01-2012, 08:37 AM

First off I would like to thank you and your husband for your service to our country!

When I was in the Marine Corps I was stationed at MCB Quantico, Va., two different times, for a total of 10 1/2 years and I worked in the Executive Flight Detachment (Marine One - Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter), my time was not my own! At the time I had a small pop up camper. wife, and young son. I would park the camper for a couple of weeks at a time at the military campground on base (Lunga Reservoir) and my wife and son would go out during the day and if I was in town I would come out after work. My wife seldom stayed overnight if I was not there but she met some very nice people along the way.

This worked for us because we loved to camp, fish, and hike and the only way we would get to do this with my crazy schedule was to grab it when we could. You need to look at your own situation and decide if you can make it work for a couple of years or to sell and try it later once you are in more control of your free time. Good luck with whatever you decide.

USMC (Retired 1984)

TXiceman · 08-01-2012, 09:16 AM

Let him work, and take the RV out by yourself. It is not hard to do.

Ken

MiniPoodlMOM · 08-01-2012, 10:25 AM

Thank you all for your wonderful insightful answers!!! You all helped me and I really appreciate that! What amazing the journeys you all have been on, or are going through in life!

Also, it was very kind of you to thank my hubby for his USCG service. He's a "mustang," and I'm proud of him, but he DOES work way too much and too hard. He always tells me "if I haven't worked at least a 12 hours a day, I haven't worked even half a day." It's his joke, but work is his life. It's just the way it is.....

So, I think I'll probably go ahead and try to sell the RV. (I wouldn't want to drive it anywhere by myself since it's so big (32.5ft.) Hopefully, then someday, when our retirement days are really here, we'll get another RV to enjoy.

Thanks again to everyone!!

Wendy

PS Anyone have good ideas on where/how to list it?

MSHappyCampers · 08-01-2012, 11:39 AM

Wendy, I too feel that it would be better to go ahead and sell it. It's not good for it to just sit there without use. If you are not able to use it at all, there's not much reason to keep paying the expenses on it while it further depreciates. Maybe one day he will get tired of working and you can start all over again in RV'ing! Good luck & God bless!

historyljc · 08-01-2012, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Let him work, and take the RV out by yourself. It is not hard to do.

Ken

Why not!

jfran304 · 08-01-2012, 09:10 PM

Wendy,

Have you thought about living in the RV while he is still in the CG? Here at Robins AFB there are some active duty personnel living in their RV's on base at the FAM Camp. It saves them a house/apartment payment and they use that payment to pay off their RV.

Good Luck,
Jon

PS: Our friends Mitchell & Deanna Lewis just retired from the Coast Guard. Their last duty station was in Mass.

Mr_D · 08-01-2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanCarr

I knew an older couple who retired having to raise grandchildren. They got a SS check because of the death of the parents. Sorry I don't know all the particulars but it didn't stop them from retiring.

Yes, he does get a SS check but it's only about $600 and I think he eats that much now!
I retired in'98 but went back to work till my wife decides to retire. She's going to be 65 in Dec. and is hoping for a buy out from her company.
The REAL problem is school for him and my wife wants to hold on to the stick house.

frankdamp · 08-01-2012, 09:45 PM

Wendy:

If you'd like to use the thing while DH is so busy, go take lessons. I retired from Boeing at 57 because I was so sick of the "work, work, work -travel, travel ethic of the place. The year before I decided to bag it, I was away from home for 29 of the 52 weeks, and none of the trips was longer than 10 days. I had over 600,000 frequent flier miles atacked up. Unfotunately, they were with 40+ different airlines.

After retirement, I got bored in less than a year. I answered a local ad for transit drivers. Up to then, I'd not driven anything bigger than the family car, and even that was a bit of a challenge after so many years on motorcycles! Within 10 hours of instruction, I was quite comfortable horsing a 35' coach through city rush hour traffic.

You may have noticed a lot of grandma's coming through your neighborhood in 40-foot coaches with 70 screaming kids on board. If they can do that, you can learn to drive your motorhome.

Of course that is conditioned on being able to reach the pedals without your upper body needing to be the other side of the steering wheel. That's my wife's problem. The transit coaches I drove had steering columns with two universal joints and a telescopic section. Between all those adjustments, they could accomodate anyone. Our RV is less accomodating and she just can't get it configured so she can drive it.