Seriously considering RV living full time to save money

[LMHS]

The problem with getting info from a basic RV forum is you are getting information from people who only use their RVs as recreational vehicles and not residential vehicles. Many people who use their RVs as residential vehicles DO NOT post on forums like this because they don't relate to RVers and they don't think they are doing anything differently than renting or moteling. Like houses, you may find the need to make modifications for extreme weather situations. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it work.

This is my actual experience.

For cold weather places, I would add a 1" rigid foam layer of house insulation (either Owens-Corning "pink" or Dow "blue") over the interior walls because manufactured RVs are overpriced junk on wheels. Build interior "storm windows" to cover ALL of the POS aluminum framed windows (aluminum framed dual pane windows on an RV are a joke). Home Energy Conservation has info on how to make a house (or an RV) better insulated.

I live in a self converted 40 ft long bus (former school bus - don't do that). I live in it fulltime in NM where temps run from single digits in the winter to triple digits in the summer. I have a 200gal propane tank that sits next to my bus. It gets filled about 2X per year. I heat the bus with a small electric "Milk house" style utility heater (overnight and in the rear/bedroom area of the bus). My main heat source is a vent-free residential LP fireplace insert with a blower. My rent is currently $350/mo. My electric runs about $50 in the winter and $100 in the summer (the two AC's turn on in the spring and run 24/7 until fall). I live in a small park with about 24 other "misguided" people like me. The town I live in is full of rental houses that are uninsulated. My "home" is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than many of my former co-workers. I have made modifications to ensure my plumbing doesn't freeze, even when I lived in South Georgia.

Previously, I have lived in a vintage Class C in the TN mountains thru snowy winters.

I have also lived in mobile home parks.

Heat tape & insulate plumbing. Build a winter water hose by using a potable water garden hose (not the POS white vinyl RV hose), tape a single line (not spiral wound) heat tape for residential plumbing. Leave enough heat tape hanging out on each end of the hose to loop around the RV side of the city water connection (insulate connection) and wrap around the park water supply (Insulate by making a "bag" from reflectix and securing it to the park water supply so winter storms don't blow it away). Wrap the hose & heat tape with foam pipe insulation (use at least the next size up from the hose diameter), then wrap the pipe insulation with Gorilla tape, making sure to cover all of the pipe insulation. This will be good for several years. Plug it in and hope the power doesn't go out. You can buy an expensive version of a winter hose in stores. This past winter, 6 out of 6 ended up in the dumpsters after a week of temps that were hitting highs below 15F. My 7 yo hose is still in use.

 

[engineheat]

Thanks for all who commented on this thread. I carefully read every one of them and definitely learned a lot. I'm pretty convinced winter in the trailer is not something I want to deal with. I do want to stay in the Cincy area for other reasons though.

I got about 2.5 months until my lease is up to make my decision, so there's still time. But I haven't completely given up on the trailer idea though, but I'll probably tweak it such that during Nov to Feb I simply place the trailer in storage and live in Airbnb, or Extended Stay America, or look into short term leases during winter time. After all, RV offer such flexibility, which is what attracted me in the first place. There is no reason I have to keep it operating all 12 months. But the math in my first post still applies to the remaining 8 months and the saving is still is significant.

I also learned that RVs are mostly hand made and are different from cars. BTW, the trailer I'm consider is built by Forest River Inc, they have brands like Coachman. How are they when it comes to quality?

I watched Youtube videos of the trailer and it seems the flooring (vinyl), cabinets, etc look no different than those found in real houses. Do RV manufacturers use the same stuff that home builders use for the interior things like flooring/cabinets/countertop and so on?

Are there any hazardous building materials used in RV that I should be aware of? For instance, up till the 70s most homes in the US contained asbestos in many building materials (vinyl flooring, popcorn ceilings, drywall mud, etc) Some of those applications are regulated now, at least for home construction. Not sure about RVs. This would be good to know in case anyone decides to "renovate" their RV.

Thanks

 

[engineheat]

As far as getting a slightly used trailer, what would be a good source for that? I looked on Craigslist and the choices are limited. Is RV trader a good place to look?

 

[engineheat]

I also wonder how RV parks are when it comes to noise, safety, etc. Being that most RVs are poorly insulated, I assume one can hear pretty much anything from the outside?

 

[Djfan]

As far as getting a slightly used trailer, what would be a good source for that? I looked on Craigslist and the choices are limited. Is RV trader a good place to look?

rvtrader.com
facebook market place
craigslist

 

[Mountain high]

Folks live all year here down the road at Grand Mesa RV in travel trailers in Colorado. It's not cheap even though the economy is beef country and a local ski area.

Our family's Northwood Desert Fox has the same 0F winter weather package as our Outdoors RV Backcountry Mtn Trx (Northwood Investments). The Northwood Desert Fox has been lived in through the coldest Wyoming winter weather. Both trailers have two 40lb propane tanks.

Grand Mesa RV website...

RV Site - Weekly Rate
343.00 + tax
This rate includes two adults, two children and one vehicle.

 

[engineheat]

While my initial motivation is to save money, I wouldn't be doing it if I'm miserable. I still think RVing can be pretty fun if you take winter out of the equation. The flexibility, the freedom, having your own space, etc. Not to mention most RV parks are located in "outdoorsy" areas so getting exercise or a jog

It's unusual for a RV park to include electricity in its monthly rates. They almost always include electricity for daily stays, and only a few include it for daily but not for weekly stays, but it's definitey the exception rather than the rule for a monthly rate to include electricity. A monthly rate of $600 including electricity is a really good deal these days and what I would usually associate with a fairly run-down RV park or an RV park in a relatively unpopular place (i.e., not convenient to a big city like Cincinnati).


Is this the RV park you mentioned in your original post? I went to Tucker's Landing's website and their daily rate is $68 AND they charge for metered electricity "no matter the length of stay." As I said above, this is unusual. Even aside from whether electricity is included, even if it isn't, I'd be shocked if a park with a daily rate of almost $68 would charge $600 for a month. Usually the monthly charge is the same as about two weeks of daily charges, and it doesn't include electricity even if the daily charge does.

I looked at availability from July 1 - July 31, and then from November 1 - November 30, and there was no mention of a monthly rate. The weekly rate discount got the total down to $1,760 for the month, presumably plus electricity. Also, they turn off the water to individual sites from December 1 - March 30, but they have frost-free spigots scattered around, which could be used to fill your onboard tank (or maybe you could hook up to it--it's not clear).

Anyway, since your main motivator is saving money, you might need to get better information on what the costs actually are likely to be.

Yes, Tucker's is what I was referring to. I must've heard them wrong. He must've said "plus electricity" which means it's not included. Anyway, I contacted them again and was told they are not taking long term bookings this year anyway. He referred me to The Landing at Bear Creek:



Guess it's a little more expensive than I thought. The scariest thing is how limited RV spots can be for long term. It might not be as flexible as I thought it would be... Unless I boondock...

 

[JudyJB]

I have a 32' Class C, and I bought it new, but one big thing I learned is that only the doors of all the cabinets are really wood. The outside walls of the cabinets and a lot of the "paneling" in my RV are a sort of a wallpaper that looks like wood. In other words, it is a picture of wood glued onto some sort of manufactured wood product. After 11 years, parts of it have pulled off or chipped or torn, but I can't replace it without pulling it all off and sanding whatever surface is underneath it. I can paint the real wood doors, but not the fake picture of wood paper sides and fronts of the cabinets!!! That really upsets me.

And while the vinyl or "wood" flooring may look the same as the flooring in homes, it is not applied on the same surfaces. Your RV floor started out as a trailer platform that is basically a frame. The manufacturer puts particle board on top of that, with almost certainly no insulation underneath. So, what you get is vinyl over 3/4" particle board, which explains why the floors are going to be constantly cold.

And walls are typically a sandwich of outside vinyl and inside something or other, with 2" of foam in between. They put thin sheets of metal in the sandwich where they want to hang cabinets and fasten stuff to, so you cannot just screw something in where you want to. If I want to hang a picture, I usually use velcro tape because a screw would have only a very thin sheet of vinyl and a bunch of foam to attach to.

So, no, they do not use the same materials in RVs that they use in homes. Nor are the appliances the same, so you must buy replacements from the few suppliers to RV manufacturers.

You do not live very far from Indiana where a lot of RVs, including Forest River and Coachman are made. They offer tours through their manufacturing plants for potential buyers, so you might want to give a couple of them a call and set up a factory visit. That will help you understand what you will potentially be buying. They could probably even set up a tour when they are building the particular model you are interested in. Just don't bring your checkbook in case you get tempted to buy right then and there!!

 

[JudyJB]

Also, make sure seasonal pricing does not limit how many months you can stay there. Sometimes local requirements say you can only stay something like 10 out of 12 months, so double check.

 

[JudyJB]

I also wonder how RV parks are when it comes to noise, safety, etc. Being that most RVs are poorly insulated, I assume one can hear pretty much anything from the outside?

I had to stay in a commercial RV park for four months in Eugene, OR, while I got medical treatment. It was a very nice place and cost about $600 per month including electricity, but I could hear the little dogs in the next trailer running up and down at certain times of the day. It was not loud, but you often will be able to hear loud arguments and loud TV.

I am an older woman, and I did feel very safe there, but I once left a commercial campground after one day because of some guys who spent the entire day drinking a few places down from me. Safety will entirely depend on the owner and manager of the RV Park.

 

[IBTripping]

The problem with getting info from a basic RV forum is you are getting information from people who only use their RVs as recreational vehicles and not residential vehicles. Many people who use their RVs as residential vehicles DO NOT post on forums like this because they don't relate to RVers and they don't think they are doing anything differently than renting or moteling. Like houses, you may find the need to make modifications for extreme weather situations. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it work.

I think that is a bit of an overstatement. I've lived full-time in a travel trailer for over 5 years. One winter, I was snowed in and without electricity for 10 days. And there are many other Forum members who do or have lived full-time in an RV. So, I wouldn't discount anyone's comments unless I knew their RV history.

 

[Oldgator73]

How much money are you willing and/or able to lose? I’m old and retired twice so we spend everything we get monthly. If you can afford to lose whatever you put into the RV then go for it.

 

[Mountain high]

I still think RVing can be pretty fun if you take winter out of the equation.

That kind of limits both the latitude and altitude for up to 9 months each year unless your travel trailer is built for the colder temperatures. Diurnal temperature swings of 30F plus degrees are more common out west.

 

[Kirk]

BTW, the trailer I'm consider is built by Forest River Inc, they have brands like Coachman. How are they when it comes to quality?

Forest River is best known for mid to lower price RVs and just as with houses, the lower price units are built with cheaper materials. I would stay away from any of the ultra-lite models as they have little insulation and aluminum framework to save weight, which means you need more heating or air conditioning.

Do RV manufacturers use the same stuff that home builders use for the interior things like flooring/cabinets/countertop and so on?

Pretty much the same but weight is a much bigger consideration so not everything is the same. You won't have outlawed materials but they do use more glue and similar materials.

As far as getting a slightly used trailer, what would be a good source for that?

Most dealerships have used RVs that were taken in on trade so don't ignore them. Look for consignment dealers as well and RV Trader is good as long as you are careful about where the RV is located. You also should plan to spend several hundred dollars to have them professionally inspected before you buy any used RV.

how RV parks are when it comes to noise, safety, etc. Being that most RVs are poorly insulated, I assume one can hear pretty much anything from the outside?

RV parks can be noisy but most of them are safer than the majority of site-built home neighborhoods. Not all RVs are as bad for noise as the well-insulated ones that have dual pane windows are also pretty quiet inside.

Unless I boondock...

If you do that you will need to find a place to empty the waste tanks, fill the freshwater tank, and provide a way to recharge the batteries. And there are few places that allow free parking for more than a few nights.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I also wonder how RV parks are when it comes to noise, safety, etc. Being that most RVs are poorly insulated, I assume one can hear pretty much anything from the outside?

Don't try to generalize too much about RV parks. They are like neighborhoods and vary widely. Quiet or noisy, busy or sedate, densely packed or large dispersed lots, friendly or stand-off-ish, long term or transient, isolated or citified - you get the picture. Since you want to stay near a major city, the tendency will be toward urban rather than isolation and quiet, but there are often exceptions.

 

[Moho81]

take all the information you’ve gotten here and spend some time doing some more research before making the final decision.

I will say your only young once and May only be in a position to do this for a relatively small window in your life time.

As the old saying goes. Life’s a journey not a destination.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Many great reasons why the OP's question and reasoning just don't add up, especially the post from Mark in Albuquerque. In a nutshell, Winter, Winter, Winter!

Also, the OP's apartment rental pricing seems to be in line with renting at a large apartment complex where the prices are almost, or always higher (DW ran them for 25 years). My guess even in his neck of the woods he can find a great apartment, perhaps a garage unit separate from the owner's house, at a much lower rate than large complexes. No association fees or any other kind of BS many of these large complexes tack on to jack up the price. That's the route I'd take, and as an added bonus he would have someone to watch his stuff, car, etc. while he's abroad.

 

[DutchmenSport]

I also wonder how RV parks are when it comes to noise, safety, etc. Being that most RVs are poorly insulated, I assume one can hear pretty much anything from the outside?

This is so true! Safety is not really a concern. There are some locations that might be problematic, but overall RV parks and campgrounds are pretty safe. But... there are always snakes in the grass too, everywhere. So there is always an element of "distruct" that need to be incorporated into the RV lifestyle. That element of "distrust" and using your better judgment makes for a good camping experience too.

Now about that noise? Every campground is different, and even the same campground can be different from day to day. If you State Park camp, you can expect a constant change in personality you experience.

I find it odd (and we've been doing this for a long, long time), that one time visiting one of our favorite state parks it seems that everyone has dogs. Another time, the small children seem to swamp the place, EVERYWHERE! Another time nothing but the "older" generation and virtually no activity. Another time, younger folks. Another time the campground may be almost completely vacant. Camping the same campground around Halloween or the Fourth of July can bring out a completely different arora in the campground. Yet, all of this may be the same campground.

Another word about "noise." Yes, RV walls are thin and you will hear noises coming in from outside. But just remember, if you can hear them OUTSIDE they can here you INSIDE! The first time I realized this I think I about fainted!

When we have crappy neighbors, we'll close up the camper, turn on the television and blast our Boise surround system with the BASS, woofers, and tweeters. The sound system vibrates the entire trailer and it feel like we are on an earth quake. When I step outside, the ground is shaking. So, unbecoming neighbors get my "sweet revenge." It's about as loud outside and it is inside!

(and just an fyi??? I only did this once as a retaliation to some really noisy and rude neighbors). These things happen, so you learn to just go along with the flow! Normally, we are very quiet, because I know sound inside can be heard outside! And yes.... that makes "romance" a challenge!

 

[LarsMac]

As for noise depending on where the RV Park is located,
We stayed in one in Georgia that was under the approach for the Atlanta airport.
Then there is the Lion Country Safari. The RV park is situated next to the Lions habitat. You can hear the lions roaring any time of day or night.

 

[Onyrlef]

My first thought and in my experience RV'ing and Saving Money are mutually incompatible concepts. In what other recreational pursuit every time you get fuel your credit card provider sends you a text they suspect a gang of thieves have hijacked your card and gone on a spending spree, asking if you're okay?