Full time

[PancakeBill]

We have had TC's, trailers, tents and a motorhome.  ONly FT'ed on the MH.  The TC we did spend a long time in and while we loved it, the FT thing would get old.  Eventually it is cold or rainy outside and you need to sit around inside, and the TC t is not easy.  Have done it, and didn't mind doing it, but there is minimum space. 

Our fav was the Alpenlite, slide out, dry bath, 4k genset, sat, HD TV, solar panels, 2 awnings.  Was really a nice rig, but to full time in it?  Questionable.  Then again, depends n what FT means to you.  Always warm outside?  Could do it, but in colder climates like what we do, it would be tough.  That and storage!

 

[Rancher Will]

Sixty years ago I owned an 11 Ft Red Dale PU Camper. Our family (at that time wife with 5 kids) traveled with it about 6 weeks each year all over the Western U.S. We usually were only gone about 2 to 3 weeks at a time. We always brought a tent for the older boys to sleep  and we all enjoyed it.
We never were full timers though.
About a year ago I met an older gentleman in Rifle, Colorado who was living full time in a PU Camper. While visiting with him he told me that he had been living in his PU Camper for about 12 years. He stated that he had no regular income but he earned enough money to live by parking various places and working part time jobs. He was parked at a Wal-Mart store and he stated that he always parks at free places where he usually stays for a week to a month at a time. Obviously his is a special case but he seemed happy with the situation.
So, yes, under certain conditions, a person can live full time in a PU Camper.

 

[Tony_Alberta]

Have you been in the library and read my article on full timing?

Very nice article but, you knew there was a but  , I'm going to disagree with one minor point.  Your $50 safe is not fireproof.  There is no such thing as fireproof, just hours of fire resistance.  And for $50 it's probably not even fire resistant especially if it only has a key pad.

 

[Rancher Will]

To answer the top question, I suppose there are many reasons, depending upon the person and conditions.

About a year ago, in Rifle, Colorado, I met an older gentleman who was living full time in his TC. While we visited he mentioned that he had a very, VERY, limited income. He had been living in his 10 year old Slide-in on a 10 year old Dodge PU. He was happy with it and stated that he would not live any different. He travels anywhere he wants, usually North in Summer and South in Winter. Since he has very little income, he always parks in free parking areas ( he was in a Wal-Mart lot when I met him) and he stated that he usually stays in one place a week or two or more before moving on. He stated that sometimes he even gets a short time, light job at the place he parks, such as policing up the area, or helping at some odd job, that helps his income. He stated that he usually asks about such a light job where ever he parks and about "half the time" he gets a job for a day or two.
His major cost of living is "food and a little fuel to travel to the next parking town".

In 1954, upon my discharge from the USAF, I bought a Red Dale Slide-in and for 8 years my wife and 5 small children taveled the Western States on three week vacations, weekends, and holidays. I also used it as a hunting camp every year for years even after I bought my first 5th Wheel RV. As our older boys grew we brought along a wall tent that the boys used for sleeping when we camped out on vacations, etc. All of our children are now grandparents and we still show photos of our camping trips to our Great Grandchildren from times when our own children camped with us in the TC. Those were times that we always enjoyed and would do it again.

Many years ago I competed in Rodeos and the TC was ideal to pull my horse trailer to a rodeo and live in it while at the show.
Many Rodeo contestants still do this today as anyone will notice when you go to your local rodeo every year.