13 reasons you will regret an RV in retirement

[SummitPond]

I don't agree with the premise at all, and of course there are links in the article stating just the opposite.

It came through on an MSN newsfeed - almost like clickbait.

But the article does have points to ponder for those considering full-timing.

[gearhead]

I've had people ask me if we were going to go full time. Nope, no way. I enjoy my back porch sittin and looking at the trees, not another RV. But whatever floats your boat.

[sourdough]

I've seen that article before and hopefully anyone thinking about full timing, or owning an RV, has done enough due diligence to know all that.

Full timing in an RV? That could, and would, not happen in our world. An RV is so temporary, fragile, disintegrates. We travel all around and invariably you're in a park with all those "full timers" ie; live in them. 300 sq. ft. trapped in a 30' x 60' "home space" covered in all the things that you would want in a "home" place - minus about 90% of it then stuff it like you had a "home". Constantly trying to fix roofs, slides, broke stuff. Then the rain comes.....nah.

All should understand that there 2 definitions of full timers; those that travel all the time, looking for new adventures; money, time, situation is meaningless then those that must live in them. Two very distinct scenarios.

A lot of rhetoric and I'm sorry. I think of RVers as RVers; folks that move into, and live, in an RV aren't full timers to me - they LIVE in an RV unless they travel. JMO/YMMV

[travelin texans]

We were full-time travelers by our choice for just over 10 years & wouldn't trade 1 minute of the experience.

[roadglide]

I have a friend Single dude likes to play pool and drink beer , Ride his Harley and chase women. He is full-time has sold everything he owns except the truck camper. I forgot to mention his give a ****ter is broken. If I was to full-time I would do it like my friend free wheeling not tied down to anyone. With the country shut down his lifestyle has changed dramatically.

[Huntme]

full time is a life style,no doubt about it,10 years and I still like my trailer.

[FlyingAroundRV]

Again, I find myself in furious agreement with Danny. Full time RVing in my opinion is travelling. Living in a trailer park is totally different. My family did the latter (out of necessity) when I was a kid. Never again.
But having said that, would I ditch the S&B to travel full time in an RV? No way. Just like I wouldn't do what some I know, who've sold their homes, bought a boat and spend their lives sailing around the world.
Sooner or later, your health is going to decline and getting back to solid ground is very difficult coming off a depreciating asset. I know a few people who are in this exact predicament and life is pretty tough for them, even here in Oz with our great healthcare system.

[JRTJH]

I was in the Air Force when we first married. DW's first experience as a new USAF wife was Incirlik AB, Turkey. We lived in "base housing" which was Italian trailers moved to Turkey after they were used for several years in Lybia at Wheelus AB.

It was laid out very much like a 30' travel trailer and we called it "home" for the 2 year tour in Turkey.

My wife's only "hard and fast requirement" for any home we've had since that "experience in full timing" was that if there's no place in the house to make left or right turns, she's not going to live there. So, the closest we'll get to full timing is a month or two "on the road" then back to her "left/right rooms"....

[Dave W]

RVing is a lfestyle. If I were to consider doing it today, would have to do a lot more research then we did in 1973 when a p'up was our way. We then moved to a Kountry Aire 5er and have had several between that one and the current 2014 Montana. Today, lots of hard earned dollars for less then mediocre quality vs what even our current, now 7 seasons old was built. Yes, lots more bling and hard to repair gadgets addwd even in those 7 years but are they really added value? Or just added price for poor quality? It sounds great - open skys, wide highways and beautiful beachs. For sure. Along with how many million other people clamoring for the same dream.

We OWN our 5er, no bank or loan company. We OWN our high milege truck. But we also OWN our ~4000 sq foot house, decent neighborhood, acre lot. I'm not really willing to give up a big basement shop and big two car garage that I can actually fit that long bed, crew cab truck for about 400 square feet with neighbors parked within a few feet. Our RVing today is mostly a seasonal site (a very big one at the CG we stay in), pulling out late in the summer for an extended 3-7 week trip

Sure, we could do more traveling and might have considered long time (3-6 mos/year) but full time is and was never considered.

If FT is "your thing" abd suits your lifestyle, I applaud your choice

[LewisB]

Originally Posted by roadglide

I have a friend Single dude likes to play pool and drink beer , Ride his Harley and chase women. He is full-time has sold everything he owns except the truck camper. I forgot to mention his give a ****ter is broken. If I was to full-time I would do it like my friend free wheeling not tied down to anyone. With the country shut down his lifestyle has changed dramatically.

Now THAT is a sad story. When he is on his death bed, he can ponder his legacy - a list of pool halls, gallons of beer, an old motorcycle/truck/camper that will be sold for almost nothing, and a list of one-night stands with names he can't even remember. Rest in peace - then meet your maker...

I have no desire to build a legacy - but I'd like to go knowing that somehow, I added a little something to this world that enriched the lives of people around me. I'd like to hear "well done, good and faithful servant!"

[sourdough]

An observation that I failed to mention in my previous post;


When I was growing up you had mostly homes of some kind around (we always lived in smaller towns) from mansions to barely standing up, but most folks lived in those. In the 60s or so mobile homes (manufactured housing now) became popular and there were mobile home parks all around that folks lived in when a house was not an option, or, they could get something new and shiny for the price of that s&b.

If one notices now (at least we do) there are no new mobile home parks. Every single true mobile home park is dilapidated and the mobile homes in them are generally run down. Why? They still make mobile homes but I see them pop up on a piece of property vs a "park". Mobile home parks? They've turned into "RV parks". With the economy booming or busting there's always "that section" of the park set aside for the "full timers" (ie; live in them permanently). That's something I don't recall seeing back then. Heck, I checked into one campground and they told me that they only saved EIGHT slots for overnite "RVers" (out of about 80+) and the rest were for "full timers" (live in them). Many (in this park as well) have old trailers with absolutely no way to move them and they drive an old car. When hurricane Michael came calling they had to depend on the good will of others to move them....or not. So I think that is a transition we've seen take place.

All that to try to say that I think it's misleading to consider those that live in an RV in one place "RVers". I do think that those that full time yet move around to see the country are truly RVing - and we've discussed it (retaining s&b...but it was a short, one sided conversation). With the various uses that RVs are put to the term RVer is getting muddied up a bit IMO.

RVing is a lifestyle choice. Actually living in one is sometimes forced on folks due to life circumstances and it is the only financially available option. Whatever path one chooses, or has forced upon them, I wish them well and hope to see you "on the road" one day.

[notanlines]

I see both sides of this discussion, and good on all of you for seeing the 'other side' with respect. We are on the road or in RV parks 9 months a year. Nothing puts joy in our hearts like Willy Nelson's "On the road again." I have nothing but disdain for a John Deere zero turn mower. My hands aren't ever going to fit a mower. I'd pave the lawn green left up to me. DW isn't interested in cleaning a four bedroom house. The housekeeper comes once a week when we're home.
But there is the security of driving into that cove and knowing that house is paid for and has been for 20 years. It may not be our final home when all the tires go flat on the fiver, but I do see the security side of this discussion.
When my time finally comes and I'm called home, if God deems a little purgatory necessary it will end up being behind a push mower and there will only be light beer.

[wiredgeorge]

We have eight dogs now (down from a high of 11 a few years back) and some of these dogs will probably outlive me. (also have 3 indoor cats). We are doomed to brick and mortar and a life of weekend warriors. My wife enjoys taking at least one of our mutts; a peek-a-poo named Honeybun. She is a wonderful camper... no yapping, no messing, no escaping/running away and always happy. She does snore and likes to sleep on our queen bed so the trick is to nod off before her.
Only negative with Honeybun is unquestionably the world's greatest beggar!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by notanlines

I see both sides of this discussion, and good on all of you for seeing the 'other side' with respect. We are on the road or in RV parks 9 months a year. Nothing puts joy in our hearts like Willy Nelson's "On the road again." I have nothing but disdain for a John Deere zero turn mower. My hands aren't ever going to fit a mower. I'd pave the lawn green left up to me. DW isn't interested in cleaning a four bedroom house. The housekeeper comes once a week when we're home.
But there is the security of driving into that cove and knowing that house is paid for and has been for 20 years. It may not be our final home when all the tires go flat on the fiver, but I do see the security side of this discussion.
When my time finally comes and I'm called home, if God deems a little purgatory necessary it will end up being behind a push mower and there will only be light beer.

Haaa! See red above. I know this is off topic of the 13 reasons not to own an RV but....my neighbor across the street did just that - sort of. We use the same lawn service. He had a well dug and watered his yard with that. I just had them add a meter to city water and put the lawn systems on it. His well started pumping some sand and he got aggravated and absolutely would not pay the city for water (old farm guy from a family of farm guys). Drove over on his Gator one day and told me he was digging up all the grass, covering the lawn system and "doing away with it all". Gonna save lots of money from that well and the lawn guy along with not messing with the yard anymore.

Well, he did. Came in, leveled that yard, recessed all the sprinklers, put some sort of compacted base all over it and.....put it some kind of fake grass. Bright green I might add. Looks nice and not out of place in summer. In winter it's a little startling to look over and see this brilliant green yard while everything else is dead. And that yard guy that cost so much money? Turns out that he has lots of trees and they drop leaves badly. The pickup of them was included in his yard fees. Now he's paying them anyway to blow that deep green covering off so it will still stay "brilliant green". It's a hoot. Painting the yard green might be the better way to go....

[wiredgeorge]

What is a lawn? is that the place where you use a string trimmer to cut down the 3' high weeds once every couple months? BTW: Had a 4' rattlesnake slithering across our drive and I bashed its head in with a piece of old wood trim from our car port. Took the missus out and showed her and it was still wiggling in spite of its lack of a head and she wanted me to shoot it. "IT AIN'T DEAD ENOUGH!". The joys of the Hill Country!

[sourdough]

4' rattler? That's supper right there! Hope you cooked him up.

[Huntme]

I know that me and the DW,made a Decision to live in our 2011 Hideout for the last 9 years,in a park,it is a life style choice,we still love our trailer,and our 2015 Springdale travel trailer we bought to Hunt in, and travel in ,so me and the Boss,my wife,have no regrets,at least not yet.

[McRod]

Ok, I read the article, but I didn't see it talking about full timing - specifically. The title just preps the reader for owning an RV in retirement. All thirteen reasons, valid or not, could apply to both full timers and part timers.

A few people here have pointed to differences in full time RV travelers and full time living in a RV stationary. If you are full time living in a RV stationary, most of the article is invalid. If you are traveling in the RV, full time or part time, most of the article is valid.

[Phil Saran]

All the comments have value.
When I got divorced in 2004 my ex bought me out of the house. I looked around at apartments and anything I would consider renting was at least $1500 plus I would have to buy furniture.

So I shopped around and found a couple who needed to sell their 27 foot Terry TT and placed it in a small park a mile from the beach for $500 a month. I was still communicating 50 miles to work.

Did that for a couple of years until I met my new wife. A few more TT and a MH and now a 5th wheel trailer.

We travel one weekend a month during the summer with our Elks Lodge camping group. This coming winter (2021) we are going to try out going to Az for a month and a few other weeks traveling to warm places.

[jimborokz]

First, that article is definitely just click bait.
Having said that, it starts out with selling the house and hitting the road, so it is all about full timing. Narrows the field to about 1% or less of retirees. Then it seems to focus on motorhomes and the costs associated with them. Narrow that field even further.

Even with that, the cost of full timing in an expensive motorhome is still cheaper and much more fulfilling than a nursing home.

I'll take the road please. We half time and still have a paid for S&B for the summer. Some full time and some just weekenders, some big 5er's and some small TT's. RVing for retirement is such a broad subject, no article can cover it all. There are whole books that try.

Just looking at the range of tastes on this forum alone shows how many strokes there are out there, and guess what, that's what makes this life so good.

Just looking at the morning news, we are definitely the sane ones.