21 year old wants to be a Full Timer

Hello all. I've come to realize that settling down into a home or renting a really expensive apartment is not the life style I want to live. I've lived in over 10 states throughout my life and I've come to findout that I love to travel and I think becoming a fulltimer is something I want to do.

I make a pretty decent income totaling about $2000 a month by doing work online and selling things through my Ebay shop, which according to the experiences of others I have read will be more than enough to cover the cost of living. I'm set on purchasing a Class B Motorhome sometime within the next year or so but I just have a few questions beforehand.

1. When looking for a motor home to buy, what should I be looking for?
2. As mentioned, I work mostly from my desktop computer, would electricity become a problem?

I've heard alot of pros about becoming a fulltimer, what are some of the disadvantages? Am I making the right choice?

I think your biggest problem if you are moving all over the place is your mail.
Have you thought about how you would handle that with your business?

If I were your age, and had no ties to a family, a home, or a girl friend and thought I could make a good living while on the road, and had enough money to pay cash for a good RV I would enjoy doing what you are considering, since I love to travel and see new places.
With that said, none of the above fits me, so I am happy to be snow birding in our travel trailer, with my wife our two kayaks, our two mountain bikes, and our back packing gear.

Jack L

Class B's are usually pretty small.  For a full timer I would think size would important to you.  You will want a decent space for computer work, a nice permanent bed, decent kitchen facilities, not to mention a good bathroom layout.  For a weekend making up a bed at night might be OK, but every night 365 days a year?  No way!  As a full timer I would entertain the idea of supplimenting your income by being a camp host.  Many positions are paid, so space rent taken care of plus a small wage could be very inviting.  BTW welcome to fill timing  you will love it

It sounds like you have not had much experience with motor homes, so I would recommend that you go to RV shows, dealers and look at used ones for sale in the area.
Make a list
1. Things it must have
2. Things it must not have
3. Things it would be nice to have
Find a floor plan that you really like and them spend a lot of time in it, making sure it is something you can spend 3 rainy days in. Bigger is not always better. Some shorter class B's make better use of space than bigger ones. I would buy used since this is not something that you have done and might not want to continue doing.

I would think about changing to a laptop if at all possible for the electricity considerations. If you are not in a park and have shore power, there are two options, a generator or solar power. I will not compare them because it is for you to decide. Have you thought about internet connection? Most (90%) of RV park wifi is unusable for your needs.

Make sure you have an emergency repair fund. There will be repairs--just a matter of when and how much.

My wife and I full time with just slightly over what you will have  ($2300), But, we volunteer at state and federal parks about 75% of the time and travel slowly to spread out the costs over a longer period.

If it were just me, I would buy a small trailer, like a Casita and a half ton pickup and put a camper shell on it for storage. That way, I would not have to drive the RV to tour the area or get groceries.

I wish you luck in your endeavors and hope that it works out for you. I have had more fun in the 3 years of full timing than I had in the 66 before. It is a great life style, but it takes adjustments and planning. 

If I had started full-timing at your age I would be a rich man by now.  I can't think about how much money I wasted on rent and the like, paying other peoples bills for them instead of investing in something in my own name, without getting nauseous. The only negative for someone your age considering full-timing would be that it may make a serious relationship with a young lady, interesting.  A lot of girls your age are likely to have a hard time wrapping their heads around committing to a fellow with no permanent address.  Just make sure you get your pitch of the benefits of the lifestyle in order beforehand so it's an easy sale.  ;D

A Class B is Van taking growth hormones. 

Seriously look for a good solid used Travel Trailer and a solid Pick Up Truck.  When time to move it is easy to hook up and go.  It is a pain to have to disconnect everything just to run to the store for a few groceries and then re hookup to relax.

If your truck needs service, you take and get a ride home.  If the "B" needs repair, you take it and wait in the lounge till they get around to you.

Just my .02

A very big problem with running an online business is the cost of access through a mobile hotspot or tethered phone.  The cell phone providers charge by the gig and I can tell you that you could use several hundred gig per month which would be very expensive.  I have to strictly control my usage to stay under my 40 gig per month which with my cell phone costs over $200 per month.  No video downloads or watching tv!!  (I teach online and have to limit myself to way less than two hours per day. )

The providers will underestimate your cost and overestimate how much you can use for a specific fee so check into this carefully.

I agree with a couple of the above points....A ClassB is just a large van and are expensive...You could find a decent Class A or C for the same price likely.
Also, the internet service....If you stayed in campgrounds most have wireless, but its not always very reliable...cellular is expensive.

To be a full-timer, you will need some durable and portable rigs(it depends on what kind of activities) except what you have already got in your MH.

Emergency kits and spare stuff(spare ties,spare battery ....) must be carried!

Also you had better change your desktop into a laptop with the consideration of electricity.(All electrical device should be fit 12V/24V DC power according to your battery)

BTW, if you are running an online bussiness while you are being a full-timer.You have to consider whether there will be an accessible wireless network.And the public network is not safe for you to handle some online payment stuff ... Do consider that ~~Or may be you could change your bussiness type ~

I have a Verizon hotspot my Dd and I use, she doesn't use it a lot.  Right now I'm paying for 4gbs it starts over the 16th of each month.  Last month I didn't use it all this time I'm almost halfway through usage and its not even 2 weeks!  That's $60 a month, I can add usage and next step up is $90 a month which I will have to do this month so its not cheap.  I'm not streaming any videos or anything either.

Also television, I'm having issues with my satellite dome, shouldn't it was working last trip.  Can't get Dish to help they are telling me I have issues in the motorhome so going to have to get a tech to come and look at it or wait till hubby gets home to fix it.

I only pay $5 a month extra through the home service, I had Direct before and it was only for the RV was $60 a month for very basic.  I'm hooked into the park tv right now and its not good, supposed to be a whole bunch of channels only get 6 and they are not anything worth watching.

Then here park rent is $500 a month and you pay extra for electric in many places.  This is a nice park, quiet, lots of working people in here from all over.  Propane was about $60 for around 2 weeks I filled it before needed and the weather was very cold, also propane water heater.

Just giving you some idea of the costs, of course food and all the other expenses of life.  I'm not full time by the way just off to get out of cold weather. 

If I were single and able to do it I really think it would be cheaper then a house or apartment.  If you could pay cash for a truck (get one big enough to pull what you buy) and a TT that would be great if not add payments on to that but you will own something.  But there is maintenance on these things.

Sounds like an idea, just get all the costs from folks and like they said set aside money for maintenance, if you are handy that helps too.  Good luck

I have a Verizon  HotSpot  30G per month,  just for recreation for wife and myself.  $130 per month.  We use it all every month.  It was a special last Nov.  not available now for that price for a new acct.