Comparison of Full-time RV Traveling to Full-time RV Living Stationary

A couple of posts back, I revealed most of our costs of traveling in our RV full-time for the past 22 months. However, since mid-February, we have been mostly in the same area, and as of April 1st of this year, we have chosen to stay parked in a fixed spot for awhile. I'm sure if we had stayed on the road and moving regularly, our costs of full-time traveling would have gone up slightly.

In this post I am going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both traveling full-time, as well as remaining stationary, but still in a RV. Too many social sites proclaim that RV living is so much cheaper than normal house living, but that is deceptive, and often leads people into situations that are far more expensive than they anticipated. A lot has to do with what kind of vehicle(s) you are using for the lifestyle, and whether you are moving or stationary.

Our Gulfstream as it originally sat on the dealer lot.

Much of our expense has been because we chose to pay cash for an older (1996) RV with low miles on it (52,000+ when we purchased it). The chassis itself has been quite dependable, and has started and run great. We did have to have a new exhaust manifold donut installed on the way through Texas, but according to the mechanic, this is "somewhat normal" on a Chevy 454 engine with this many miles on it. We also had new front brake rotors and pads installed while coming through Louisiana, but that really is normal maintenance at 60,000+ miles.

At present, we also need a new power steering pump (not so normal) that has developed a small leak right over the serpentine belt. We were quoted a price in Gunnison of about $642 for replacing it, even though the pump itself was only about $52. I assume the high labor cost is because of the hassle in getting to it, which must be done from inside the RV. That's never fun for them or us.

Other (future) repairs on the chassis itself are the fact that it needs stiffer springs in the front despite the "in-coil" air bags that we added to it last year (one of which has leaked since day one and still isn't fixed). It also really should have some form of air bags over the rear axle to help with the sagging back end. Those two repairs together could easily cost between $1000 - $1500. Although much more minor, the front right wheel also still needs a dust cap over the hub that was apparently not installed properly when the brake job was done, as we lost it soon after. And the RV now needs a wheel alignment again.

Had we bought a newer RV, and maybe one that was in better shape and better taken care of, we may not have had the expenses we have already had, nor would we be looking toward the future costs (ones which may not occur if we trade again before we get to them).

As far as things on the actual body of the RV that need repair, the clearance lights are the first thing that comes to mind. To my knowledge, they have not worked long before this RV was obtained by the dealer we bought it from. Troubleshooting anything electrically related on an old RV, for which there are no schematics, is a long, arduous and potentially expensive (if performed by a mechanic) task which I haven't had the ambition or fortitude to start yet, other than to take a quick look behind the dash module. Most other outside repairs are very minor.

I have a whole list of outside and (mostly) inside things that need to be fixed... enough to fill a notebook sheet of typed line items. Some are more important than others (such as the furnace which doesn't want to light) (probably a bad "sail" switch), but none that "have" to be fixed, as long as the RV is setting still. Some are cosmetic only, and don't bother us. Others are things that would only get worse with the shaking of normal travel.

However, if we were still on the road, the importance of getting these things done soon would be much greater than it is if we aren't going anywhere. So for now, it is much less expensive to stay parked and use the fuel budget to pay a modest amount of rent, than to deal with all the repairs that "should" be done. The most expensive and immediate repairs are on the chassis... something we wouldn't have to deal with at all if we had a trailer, without an engine and running gears to maintain.

As you can see from the actual costs of what we spent last year "because" we were moving around a lot, and seeing what we have reduced or eliminated in the new budget amounts going forward, it is to our advantage to remain stationary for awhile. The only thing we actually have to go out of the park for (about ten miles round trip) is RV propane, and that typically lasts us over 6 months. For everything else, we now have the much more efficient minivan as a daily driver. Since everyone needs a vehicle of some kind, I am not even comparing the costs of that vehicle.

It is really foolish to spend the money on a drivable RV and then spend months setting still in an RV park. Not only are you setting on a tank of flammable and/or explosive fuel (that goes bad if you don't use it), but other parts actually go bad from not being used and not getting proper lubrication... such as seals in the engine, transmission, pumps and other moving parts. Just because you save money on RV fuel by setting still doesn't mean that setting still doesn't create other problems. Simply starting it every week doesn't solve the issues. The drive train needs exercise, too.

The best bet if you plan to spend most of your time setting in a park is to do it in a trailer of some kind, whether that be a park model home, a fifth-wheel, travel trailer or even a cargo trailer (if the park even permits that, which most resort parks won't).

A trailer doesn't have an engine or drive train to maintain. At most you have axles and suspension, neither of which would be a problem in themselves, regardless of how long they set. The only moving parts are brakes and wheel bearings. both easily repaired or replaced. If you only tow the trailer between destinations, an average of 200 miles a couple of times a month, all of the components can last for years with little or no maintenance!

Just the purchase cost difference between a drivable RV and a travel trailer or fifth-wheel is enormous, without all the extra maintenance that goes with a drivable RV. The convenience of being able to drive something rather than tow it pales to the expense that goes with such convenience.

Of course, if you are talking a huge fifth-wheel that requires an enormous truck to tow it, then you have to include the cost of that, too, or else pay a professional to relocate the trailer when you want to move on. Whether that expense would be a wash depends on how far and how often you plan to relocate!

We know a few people who actually do hire someone to move their fifth wheel when necessary, but they tend to stay longer in the same parks and in the same area. It also defeats the quest to get out and see the country! They find it cheaper to hire someone to move it than to own a huge truck and have the expense and hassles of driving it themselves!

After all, you still have to pay for insurance and licensing, plus maintenance ALL year on that truck, even if you only go 500 miles a year with it! Using it as a daily driver is foolish, because most of your driving could be done in a much more economical small car! And let's face it... some people don't belong on the road with a 40-foot fifth-wheel if they only have a week's worth of driving experience with it every year!

Just the fuel expense of traveling full-time can often be offset by reasonable park rent. We are currently paying $227/month plus electric. That's a seasonal rate that only applies to people who are here before the summer ends and stays after spring. Many people spend more than that in fuel for their RV every month! We don't need our generator so there is even more savings, not only in fuel, but in wear on the unit itself.

Of course, that is offset by having a monthly electric bill because we are on a monthly rate, but there's no moving parts and nothing to go wrong that someone else isn't in charge of fixing... unlike having to maintain your own generator for power! If we were staying by the week or less, the electric would be included in the space rent, but then that still drives the space rent up. The monthly seasonal rate is cheaper, by far ($330/mo if you come in after the winter rate goes up, or $227/mo if you are here long term)! And yes, we could use our solar to offset the cost of electricity, but why bother? It still won't run our microwave or air conditioner, so we prefer to shut down our solar completely while we are here and use the park's electricity to save our on-board propane and be comfortable!

We also aren't using our solar right now because using the park's power is far more steady and dependable, plus it saves us propane expense in other ways. As long as you have shore power there is no point in spending money on such things as solar or a generator. That alone can save $2000 or more in having solar set up on your RV, or even more for a sizable generator.

We also have a sewer connection, which would cost most roaming RV's at least $10 twice a month (maybe four times, depending on tank size and usage, as well as availability and cost of dump stations) to find dump sites, and that isn't counting the fuel used to get to them. Water is generally free, so we won't count that. We also get free cable TV (but only 13 channels, two of which are duplicates) here with our park rent, but I have to admit, it's not great. We could get as many (or more) channels for free with a good digital antenna near any other metropolitan area. Still, it could be considered a savings, as it does save us from using gigs of data to watch TV from the web.

We can also get deliveries of nearly anything, by any carrier, including Schwann's food products, pizza delivery, propane delivery (only on 100-gallon+ tanks) and much more. Some long term residents will "rent" a large tank (it's free as long as you buy propane from the company) that can hook into their RV system, just so they don't have to go out of the park for a refill. (Note: Some city RV parks have ordinances against refilling RVs on site, because of the fire/explosion hazard, so always check before finalizing long-term plans.)

Some RV parks are set up for having your own mail box for mail delivery, which can also save money. Ours here does not have individual postal boxes (which would require a different postal classification for them), but will still allow personal mail to be sent here, with the space number on it. They have a volunteer resident that picks mail up at the office and delivers it to our door, and some long term residents actually do have their own mail boxes out at the edge of our roads for "her" use (not for "official" PO delivery). The postal carrier doesn't come beyond the single large mail box for the office.

However, in our case, we pay Americas Mailbox in Box Elder, South Dakota for our mail forwarding service, and we simply email them about once a month to have them forward a package of mail to wherever we ask them to. When we were traveling, we would simply go online and verify that a specific post office actually handles General Delivery mail (not all of them do), and have it sent in our names to General Delivery at that specific post office. Here, we just have it forwarded to the park's address with our site number, which saves us a trip into town.

Of course, Americas Mailbox charges a base fee (we pay $189/yr plus tax) for their services plus whatever postage is needed to get our mail to us. They require a deposit for that purpose, which they deduct from, and when it starts getting low, they are authorized to use a credit card to replenish that balance.

There are many mail forwarding companies out there in every state, so finding one isn't hard, but finding a dependable one, who also takes care of establishing state residency, voting registration and even goes and gets your vehicle paperwork done for you at the DMV is rare! Since we don't plan to live in South Dakota, having all that done for us is a huge advantage and worth every penny they charge for it. If we decide to stay in Florida beyond spring of 2019, we will likely change our residency to this state, but we have too many uncertainties right now to make that decision. No matter what, we would still use a mail forwarding company, as we can't expect the park to forward our mail to us when we're away.

But if you are staying long term for a job or otherwise, and you don't travel much, I suggest checking out the park to see if they allow personal mail to come in. Not all will handle personal mail. That alone can save you a couple hundred dollars a year as opposed to a professional service or even a rented PO box.

Our current plans include taking off in the minivan camper next May for cooler points farther north while we leave the RV set here, probably in the storage lot at a reduced rate of $35. By the time we return after mid-October next year, we will be in a much better position to complete the next phase of our current plans, and that is to obtain a larger van... possibly a brand new one. (The loan rates and rules on new vehicles sometimes make it easier to finance a new one, plus we have the advantage of better dependability and a warranty). It will likely be an empty extended (as long as they make) one-ton high-top van... of the Promaster brand. That will be heavy and powerful enough to pull a modest sized travel trailer, which we will search out after we obtain a van capable of towing it. ANd I have learned that the Promaster is several inches wider than the Transit, making it much more versatile for a floor plan that allows for sleeping crosswise.

Promaster extended cargo van.

Ford Transit extended cargo van.

If we also buy a trailer, want to stay under 22 feet in a travel trailer, and preferably a "toy-hauler" style, although that isn't a necessity at this point. We have looked at a lot of them, and we found the Keystone Carbon 22 basic plan fits our needs almost exactly. It has an open spot for Sharon's piano between the dinette and the side door, and plenty of other features that we like.

I know some will want to warn me that reviews of Keystone's service has been known to be "other than stellar", but we aren't looking for a new unit under warranty anyway. I would be the most likely one to fix anything that went wrong with it, so I really don't care about the reputation of the dealers themselves. And most RVs are built pretty much the same, anyway, just with different materials and designs, so I'm looking more at the floor plans for our needs and how much tank and load carrying capacity it has. If it needs repairs that I can't do, I'll look at reviews of reliable RV service places... not necessarily dealers.

The Keystone Carbon 22 basic floor plan.

Keystone Carbon 22 full ramp door.

Keystone Carbon 22 size comparison.

On the other hand, we might be down-sized enough by then to fit everything into a larger van, with our existing trailer serving more as extra storage space. We'll know more by the fall of 2018.

We will likely remain here through the winter of 2018-19, while we get the newer high-top van ready for traveling by the spring of 2019. We haven't decided yet whether we will continue to use this park as our home base beyond that point. Of course, when I say "ready for traveling", it won't take much, as most of our stuff is portable already. I don't want to get into another major building project on a van like I had on the cargo trailer.

In fact, we may even move many of the cabinets and closet walls from the trailer to the new van, to save rebuilding all that stuff. I already have a new floor plan worked up for a Promaster that I believe would serve us quite well.

Our travels in the van (north for the summers and around the south during the winters) will always be in mild weather, so we don't need a lot of insulation. I might insulate the roof to deter the sun's radiant heat, and add a Fantastic Fan to it (or maybe two, like the trailer), and that should be all we need. If I do the sidewalls, it will be strictly for esthetic value and sound. I don't want a long ongoing project, nor does it have to be fancy. We just want it to be utilitarian in value, and not take up a lot of time or money to get it there.

We would ikely move the solar setup from the cargo trailer to the new van, but we haven't even decided that yet. For the way we plan to travel, we may not want (or need) solar. We plan to be on the go nearly every day, and the van itself can take care of charging the portable secondary battery setup in the van OR in the trailer. The van will be for traveling and seeing the country, not setting in a park. We will have the trailer as a home base for that, and it won't need solar, either, unless we are boondocking for extended times.

Having a larger van and towing a trailer only when we change central locations will solve many of our problems that we have now. Currently, we have a cargo trailer which must be towed by the RV, and the minivan must be driven separately. We have to depend on two-way radios to communicate when going down the road, and neither of us can watch maps to navigate "on the fly". Getting rid of the cargo trailer now doesn't solve anything, because this minivan still can't be towed "four down" without other expenses for a dolly or transmission pump. We don't plan to keep it or this RV long enough to justify the expense.

By switching the RV to larger van, with the capability of towing a decent-sized trailer, we will both be in one drivable van, and can actually talk and help navigate while moving. It also eliminates the third vehicle, so less insurance, licensing and other costs.

Because we want as many options as we can have with staying anywhere we choose to stay, having a larger van that least "looks" like a Class B motorhome, and less than ten years old, will get us into any RV resort. I would also spend the money on axle modifications on the trailer if it looks like we are going to keep it. Higher ground clearance on both the van and trailer will also get us into more remote areas to boondock if we choose to!

The fancier resorts often will turn away converted vans, buses and trailers, or ones that don't have holding tanks (as per their rule of "no porta-potties"), and sometimes will deny pop-ups of any kind... solid or otherwise. They don't usually have a problem with a vehicle that "looks" like a factory-built RV. And once we get in the resort, it's really none of their business where we decide to sleep! If we wish to continue using the van to sleep in, and only use the trailer as mostly storage, they can't legally say anything about it, as long as the most obvious camping vehicle that occupies the space meets the requirements they post in their literature!

If we decide to venture out away from our "home base" for a few days, the van is small enough to get us in anywhere we choose to go. For example, we currently (still) have two time shares, (although one is already in the process of being disposed of), and their parking areas are typically tight... but no problem with the van. We also like to stop at state and national park lodges on special occasions, so the van will also allow us to do that. We also like to attend some small town festivals, where parking is often a problem for larger vehicles, and restaurants and public restrooms are often congested, so a van with full camping/living capabilities solves that issue, too.

In other words, we want to be set up to handle anything from boondocking in the Arizona desert (with either vehicle... or both) to parking in the fanciest of resorts and everything in between. After nearly two years out here living in an RV full-time, we have learned what we want to do, what we WILL do, and what we need to be able to do it.

Although we plan to use the van for "some" storage, we don't need to carry "everything we own" with us like we are in this motorhome. Most of our stuff will remain with the trailer at our home base (wherever we decide to park it for awhile). By the time we need that kind of a trailer, much of what we currently still have left will be gone. Our "dream/goal" is to get down to where if we haven't used something at least once a week (or maybe two at the most), we don't need it with us... in ANY vehicle... or in ANY storage unit!

Little by little we are purging stuff. It has been taking a lot longer than we originally thought it would, but it's happening. We have no one to leave all this crap to (that would even want it) when we're gone, and hanging onto it is only costing us money... in one way or another. Think about it... why would anyone want to leave a bunch of stuff for heirs to dispose of when the heirs didn't want it or need it in the first place? Why would anyone do that to another person that they care anything about? Give them what you want them to have while you're still alive and then let the rest of the stuff be disposed of by your estate attorney!

Our last storage unit will be emptied next fall before we return here to Florida, and most of it will be disposed of. If we haven't used it in all this time, we don't need it! Making sure we have space for useless stuff only costs more in needing a larger RV, more in payments, more in insurance, and less in fuel economy, not to mention the hassle of moving it and cleaning it!

Traveling lighter and less expensively is ALWAYS the most logical way to go regardless of what your budget may be! Why waste what you have just because you have it to spend (unless you absolutely don't want any heirs to have it)? Think about it! Most people have stuff stored away in their RVs that they haven't seen or used in months! And they're paying more for larger RVs to make room for it, and paying more for insurance, and more in fuel just to store it, as well as to get it down the road! So what's the point of dragging it around with you! If it's been out of sight, out of mind all this time, then you don't need it!

I know some will argue that holiday decorations are a must, even if you only use them once a year. OK, we have a very few of those, too, but only because we have the space right now. In a van, the space is going to become even more precious, so even some of those will have to go! If they can't be folded flat, then they're likely to go out!

Not everyone carries a piano around with them, either, but in our case if it's where Sharon can get to it easily, she WILL sit down and play it several times a week. But a 360# piano comes at expense, too... in the space it takes, the fuel mileage it costs, and even in keeping it in tune. But that's her one vice that she won't part with, and I do enjoy hearing a real piano being played, so we make an exception for it... for now.

Everyone has different likes, wants and needs, so everyone has to figure out what works for them. But too many new full-time RVers try to drag their whole household with them and then go out and live their life like every day is a vacation, and it can get expensive real quick. This is a lifestyle. It should be a much easier lifestyle than one had in a normal house with all it's maintenance work. It is still "home", regardless of where "home" is at the moment. You can't just blow through your budget in the first few months, but many have to try.

At this time, we don't do anything any differently than we did when we had a house, except that our outside maintenance consists of setting up the outside step and refreshing our tanks when they need it. We don't even have a mat to shake off! It's just that we now have our choice of "where" to do it! And if we don't like the neighbors, we can pick up that step and leave at any time! We also don't have all the other household maintenance to deal with, like mowing, trimming, painting, and other repairs! That's a vacation in itself! Why would I want to add back to the work by creating the same inside work that we had in a house? We left that lifestyle for a reason, and that was to make life easier! By dragging "junk" with us to deal with, we only add more work and stress again!

Just know, that if the expenses of being on the road all the time get to eating up the money faster than it comes in, you may have an alternative, in going to a more stationary lifestyle. Stay longer in the areas where you can. Monthly rates in parks that offer them are WAY cheaper than their daily or even their weekly rates! Cut down on the running around every day. Keep track of what you actually spend, so you have a record of it to go by. Then sit down and write down all the actual costs of traveling full-time as opposed to staying longer in one place. If you don't like it, the great thing about RV life is that you can pull up stakes at any time and move on to someplace else.

There are nice RV parks out there that can be had for as little as $150 a month (plus electric) with full hook-ups and other amenities. If you've been spending more than that just moving around and trying to feed the lifestyle while watching your money go down the drain, stop and do the math. Just because you live in a vehicle doesn't mean you have to be on the move with it every day! Check around to see what's available, and then compare the costs. You might find that the conveniences you enjoy aren't any more expensive, and are likely even less expensive than the uncertainties and expenses you are facing on the road! If you don't like it, you can always leave it and be on the move again! The RV lifestyle doesn't always mean traveling... but it does mean choices!

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