Many people are ditching the brick and mortar homes for ones with wheels. Living in an RV and traveling the country is not only fun, but it is also often cheaper than a traditional house.
Nomad life is not for everyone. If you don’t like change, which is something that RVers experience every day, then this traveling life is not for you. If you enjoy something different each and every day, you can shop motorhomes here and find the perfect portable home.
Below is a list of 10 need-to-know tips you should write down and keep when you are living in a motorhome.
1. Choose the Best Travel Companion
Motorhomes are smaller by nature, so you will want to choose your travel companion with care. Not everyone gets along when the walls are close together and things are changing every day.
Many men and women choose to purchase a smaller RV and go it alone rather than be uncomfortable or upset with someone they can’t get along with.
Traveling alone, or with an animal companion, is fun and exciting. You don’t have to check with anyone on where they would like to go next or what they want to eat. Everything is up to you. And you will meet all types of people as you travel along, so loneliness will not be a factor.
Families are sometimes brought closer together when traveling the open road in an RV. Many parents choose to homeschool their children and help them learn with real-world experience from around the country.
2. Minimalist Living
Before you try to put all your earthly belongings into your new traveling home, you’ll need to decide what you don’t absolutely need. Becoming a minimalist is not that difficult if you realize you don’t need a bunch of stuff, and that the experiences are more important.
Remembering that space is limited and you can easily pick up anything you may really need is the key to moving into a motorhome and loving it.
3. Boondocking
Boondocking is camping without the comforts of water, sewer or electrical hookups. This is often done in a local Walmart parking lot. However, don’t assume any big box store will allow you to park your RV in their lot for more than an hour or two, the time it takes to shop.
It is best to call ahead to a large store if you don’t have campsite reservations. It’s not as comfortable to park your RV without all the conveniences of a hotel or home, but it will do in a pinch.
4. RV Shopping
There are all kinds of different types and styles of RVs to choose from. Just like purchasing a traditional house, it may take time to find the right fit for you and your traveling companions.
If you plan on staying mostly in campsites, you may not want to invest in all the latest “bells and whistles” in an RV. Sometimes using an outdoor fire pit and a shower at the campground is more cost effective.
The same can be said if you are going to visit relatives or amusement parks around the country. There would be no need to invest in fancy kitchens and bathrooms if you aren’t going to use them that much.
You may want to join the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association where you can get information regarding almost everything related to RVing.
5. You’ve Got Mail
Like an old-style home, you can set-up mail through a national mail service and have your mail forwarded to wherever you are for a nominal fee. Before you leave for this great adventure, be sure to cancel all nonessential mail like catalogs and letters of advertisement. You don’t want to pay to receive mail you are not going to read.
You can also set up your mail to be sent to a relative or friend and then they could box it up and mail it on to you wherever you will be for longer than a few days.
6. Affordable Living
Living out of a motorhome is often more affordable than living in some states. One of the biggest expenses would be the gas and any type of repairs the RV will need.
You will spend the same amount on items like food and cleaning supplies as you would if you had a stationary home. It might be a good investment to purchase a small or apartment size washer and clothes dryer. Although to save more money, hang your clothes outside on a line when you are camping.
7. Invest in Roadside Assistance
It is a good idea to add a roadside assistance program to your insurance policy. This type of assistance will come in handy if anything were to go wrong with the motorhome.
You will inevitably be in the middle of nowhere when the RV breaks down and needs a tow. Having a roadside assistance policy will save you hundreds of thousands of dollars each year as the motorhome ages.
8. Owning a Car
Many RVers tow a small car behind their large motorhome. This is because you don’t want to drive the big, long home into town from the campsite. In addition, unhooking and hooking up the utilities is a pain.
You will need to find out what the tow limit and which cars are approved by the manufacturer of your camper. A small car is typically enough for you and your companion to get around town.
9. Share the Driving
If you and your companion are both comfortable driving a big motorhome, then neither of you will tire. The less stops between destinations, the more money you will be saving.
Your companion may be better at parking the big rig than you, so you might want to plan on him or her driving the last leg of a trip so they can pull into the campground. If long, open roads are tiring to one of you, switch as often as you can.
10. Working
If money is tight, you or your companion, or both of you, can always find temporary work. Many people who live on the open road have part-time, freelance style jobs that they can perform nearly anywhere.
Not everyone is cut out for the life of a motorhome. RVing can be the most fun you’ve ever had but can also be full of stress. The best way to determine where you fall on the line is to get out there and start wandering. Take six months to get used to it and if it’s not for you, you can always go back to your non-moving home.
