Full-time RVing isn’t easy. It took us a year and a half of preparation and planning before we put wheels on the road full-time, and every since then we’ve been learning. Here are some of our tips for new or prospective full-time RVers:
1. Have a Budget.
And stick to it. We broke down everything from insurance to groceries – and yes we budget for having some fun too!
2. Have a Road Atlas.
Despite modern technological advances, you WILL lose service, your phone batteries WILL die, and your GPS will NOT always know where you are. We are so thankful that we had one more on more than one occasion!
3. Have “The Next Exit” book.
This book has saved us many times. It tells you which exit has RV accessible gas stations and restaurants, where the next rest stop is, and more.
The Next Exit 2018, Paperback: https://amzn.to/2IGwUEW
4. Plan to arrive in the daylight.
Unless you know your destination well, darkness makes everything harder.
5. Don’t plan to do too much on travel days.
We’ve found it best to not plan anything critical on travel days. Moving can be stressful, so avoid adding complexity with work, deadlines, meetings, etc. Focus on getting where you are going, then take the rest of the day to settle in and adjust to your new place.
6. Expect the Unexpected.
Be diligent about maintenance and inspecting your RV (and truck if applicable). Rather than waiting for a leak, recaulk all your seams, reinforce that suspicious spot on the roof, and do repairs sooner than later. Something bad WILL happen – that is just life. And when something does go wrong, remember to breathe…
7. Check your brake system often.
Going is optional, but stopping is mandatory.
RVs are a lot of weight on the road, and need to have good brakes to stop when needed. We lost our brakes in the mountains of West Virginia: not fun!
8. Research and Join RV Memberships
They will save you LOTS of Money!
Boondockers Welcome, Harvest Hosts, Passport America, and Thousand Trails are a couple of our favorites.
See our post about Boondockers Welcome!
9. Plan, but don’t over–plan!
Unfortunately this is easier said than done, especially if you are a planner like Cait is. Planning is important to find good deals and make sure you get where you want to go when you want to be there. But so many of our favorite adventures have been stumbled upon by accident or by simple exploration. Having the flexibility to pursue unplanned adventures is extremely rewarding!
10. Remember the big picture and enjoy the adventure.
One of our biggest struggles is overcoming the feeling that we’re being irresponsible and taking such a big career and financial risk going on this crazy journey.
We both came from good-paying corporate jobs with very stable incomes and set responsibilities, so sometimes the insecurity does get to us.
We both get a little homesick sometimes.
But you have to remember the big picture: that this is your one life to live and you have to make it count. No one lies on their death bed wishing they had worked more!
While full-time RVing isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, its an amazing experience you’ll remember for always!
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Jessica Meinhofer
Thursday 17th of November 2016
I really like these tips. Thanks for sharing these practical tips that anyone can apply to their RV journey. We know some of these ourselves, but seem to have a tough time implementing, especially #4!!
Derrick Parker
Wednesday 29th of June 2016
Spot On! Great tips..(I have practiced most of these myself, when I remember)