Living in an RV

Do you long to travel the open road? Does the idea of the Great American Road Trip call to you? If so, then sooner or later, you may want to live in an RV for a while.

Some people travel in their RVs during the summer every year, while others move completely out of their homes to live the RV life. Of course, living in an RV has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s get into how to do it, and what it’s like.

Your RV

You’ll want to choose an RV that’s right for you, whether new or pre-owned. Consider the size, price, number of people who will be living in it, and what you’ll feel comfortable driving. This sort of life can work well for an individual or couple, but is tough (though not impossible) with kids.

Your Stuff

Living in an RV means paring down your possessions to the essentials. You’ll need to go through everything you own and figure out what to take with you, what to store, and what to get rid of.

The stuff you need with you goes in the RV. This includes items such as clothes, towels, electronics and anything else you deem essential.

The stuff you need for when you move back into a new home goes into self storage. Figure out the unit size that’s best for you, and get a storage unit with climate control. This will protect your belongings from swings in temperature and humidity.

Everything else you can sell, donate, recycle, or throw away, and the extra money you make from the sales can help finance your trip.

Income

Just like living in a house, you’ll need a source of income to live in an RV. Staying in RV spaces at campgrounds can cost as much as rent on an apartment, plus you need to pay for gas when you’re traveling. You’ll also need to make your RV payments, and be able to pay for food and any extra entertainment you want to enjoy wherever you travel. So, you’ll either need money saved up for your new life, or you’ll need a job that lets you work anywhere.

Fortunately, many jobs these days allow people to work remotely and even set their own hours. You could also monetize your adventures, and supplement your income, by writing a blog or posting videos to your own YouTube channel about your RV lifestyle.

Disadvantages

Living in an RV does have disadvantages. If you have a travel partner, you’ll spend most of your time with them, and this can lead to conflicts. However, this is a good opportunity to strengthen your relationship and to learn better conflict resolution. Things in the RV will break down from time to time, so make sure you have money set aside for repairs. Of course, the same can be said for many things in an apartment or house.

Advantages

The advantages to RV living are exciting, to say the least. You can stay at one campground for as long or short a time as you like, then move on to anywhere else in the country, or even to Canada or Mexico relatively easily. You can enjoy gorgeous natural views whether parked or driving. You get to go on hikes in a variety of locations, visit attractions in different towns and cities, and learn how others live. You’ll also meet a lot of other people in the RV community and make new friends.

Also, you don’t have to stay in North America. Did you know you can have your RV shipped elsewhere in the world, fly there, and travel? Europe is also a great place to travel in an RV. There, you could visit a different country every week. If you speak a foreign language, you could travel to where people speak it and immerse yourself.

Whether you want to live in an RV for a few years or you’re ready to travel indefinitely, living in an RV can be a great decision. Here’s wishing you fun and adventure!