Living full-time on the road has its perks and drawbacks, as any living situation does. Retirees, young couples, and even professionals find that living on the road provides many of the benefits that they seek in life: a sense of adventure, new landscapes to see every day, nature, lack of mortgage dues, and freedom. You’re not tied down to one place. You can move every day, see new things, and seek new adventures. The best thing? Cleaning the “house” is easy, and there’s no lawn to mow.
Of course, there are things that you need, too, such as mobile satellite Internet. Since most of the places you want to see will either be in the middle of the desert in Utah or the foot of the mountain in Colorado, you may have a hard time connecting to the outside world or your work (if you’re holding an online job).
Are you sure that this is the lifestyle you want for yourself? You have to ask these five things first:
Does Your Partner Agree with This Lifestyle?
If you have a partner, you certainly need their opinion about this lifestyle that you’re choosing. Your partner’s feelings should play a big role in your decision to commit to a different lifestyle. Living in an RV means that you’re cooped up together for a long time. There’s no room for egos and tantrums. You have to communicate all your issues with each other. You both have to be committed to making it work. Otherwise, it will be hell to live in such close quarters with someone you don’t get along with anymore.
Can You Live Without Modern Conveniences?
There are many things that you take for granted in your everyday life. Things like your smartphone, your 55-inch television, your hot shower, your bathtub, and the large storage spaces that you have in your house. You won’t have any of these things when you’re on the road. Even if you take your phone with you, there will be plenty of times you won’t even be able to connect to the Internet not because of your data allowance but because there’s literally no service in the area.
Do You Have the Money for This Lifestyle?
It’s cheaper to live on the road because you don’t have a mortgage to take care of. There’s also no leaky faucets, grounded electric wires, broken roof shingles, and lawn to manage and repair. However, you still need a minimum of $8,000 a year to cover your spartan living expenses. Of course, you need to buy food and toiletries, pay for gas, have an emergency fund for the RV’s repair, and save for your medical needs. For retirees, this should be no problem as they’re receiving their pensions every month. You might want to look for an online job that you can do while on the road. This can cover your expenses in a month.
Can You Fix the RV?
You must know a couple of things about maintaining and fixing the RV. You certainly don’t want to hire a mechanic every time your tires get busted or you need to fix a leaky roof. You should be able to at least change your tires, change the engine oil, add brake fluid, and repair broken plumbing. That will save you a lot of money.
Can Your Children Survive This Lifestyle?
Do you have children? If your children are born in this lifestyle, they will enjoy the adventure of moving places. But taking children from the urban lifestyle and bringing them on the road with you aren’t exactly ideal. They would look for things to do for social connectedness. They would want to go to school instead of being homeschooled by you. The RV lifestyle is great only for children who have already been born in it.
Before taking the plunge, consider all these things: family, money, and self-reliance. On the road, you will be dependent on each other. If your family is not ready for this kind of lifestyle, do not force it and wait it out.
