10 Reasons RV Living is for You!
RV Living is gaining major attention these days. In fact, RV sales are near an all time high in the USA. But, the question remains: Is RV Living for you?
We think so!
Maybe we’re a little biased, either way today we’ll give you 10 reasons to explore the possibility of full time RV living.
In case you want a second opinion, here’s a video of 10 RVers sharing why they chose RV life!
#1 Family Matters in RV Living
Once you hit the road, you may be sad to depart your beloved family and friends. Take this chance to rekindle old relationships with loved ones across the US.
We started new traditions of spending holidays with cousins who live across the country. It has been such a blessing to spend more time with family members that we once saw only every couple years.
We’ve also reconnected with old friends throughout our travels.
#2 See The Country
Isn’t this what fuels everyone’s desire to take up RV living?
This country is insanely beautiful and unique. During our “sticks & bricks” life we’d have to cram in as much travel as we could into a two week window – now we get to really experience the country at our own pace.
We stick by the old saying, “the west is best!” But, it’s all worth exploring.
#3 Increases Your Awareness
The hip folks call this “getting woke,” but we like to think of it as living in the moment.
If RV life does nothing else, it forces us to stay on our toes. Being in ever-changing environments and meeting new people around every corner… it trains us to be aware of the present moment.
It’s also made us aware that people are good! We’ve had more strangers approach us with a helping hand than a harmful one.
#4 Make New Friends, Quickly
Making friends on the road is easier than we ever imagined. And, the quality of friendships is wonderful.
These friendships are based on a mutual love for adventure & exploration…not based on our cubical proximity.
We recommend joining the Escapees RV Club to find likeminded travelers.
#5 Save Money…For Real
Yes – it’s possible to save money on monthly expenses once you hit the road. For many months our total expenses were less than $2000.
This will obviously depend on your lifestyle, but if you do some research and learn about boondocking, you can travel the country virtually rent free!
#6 Festivals, Baby!
When your home has wheels you can take it anywhere the road leads! We’re not much into festivals, or so we thought. We imagined half naked bodies, hopped up on drugs and dancing to rave music when we imagined festivals (nothing against it, just too intense for us).
We quickly found that festivals come in all shapes and sizes. We explored a vegan food fest in Denver and a blues fest (featuring Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal & Steve Winwood) in Telluride.
We now love small town festivals!
#7 YOLO
You only live once. I’m not sure I believe this, but it’s a smart philosophy to live by! Like the infomercial say:
Why Wait? Act now!
Don’t keep waiting for the “right time.”
#8 Become a Trivia Master
Your geography will improve once you hit the road. Your knowledge of American history with grow. You may even become an expert of random roadside attractions.
Beyond having a newfound knowledge of trivia – you’ll have conversation-starters you never thought were possible.
I love learning were strangers are from now because there’s a strong probability that I’ve had my own experience from a nearby location. These points of connection lead to wonderful conversations!
#9 Become an RV Living Mechanic
Like it or not, you’re gonna learn how to preform a lot of basic mechanical work. Sure you can call a guy, but that gets expensive. RVs are notoriously…let me think of a nice way to put it….made cheaply!
Tools you once feared will soon become your trusted friends.
You’ll probably be able to diagnose a faulty starter, a broken alternator or even a leaky coolant system. And, best of all, you’ll take pride in these new found skills!
#10 You’re Crazy and We All Know It!
The last reason RV living is for you….you’re crazy! Your family doesn’t understand this “half-baked” idea, your friends think you’re off the rocker, and lord knows what the pastor thinks!
All these things aside – if the desire is deep within you – it should be explored!
We’re all a little crazy out here on the road and you’ll fit right in with this tribe.
EXPERT RESOURCES:
If you’re looking for additional resources on RV life, we recommend reading the Top 10 Newbie Lessons for RV Living.
Also, watch this video about the Top 10 Unexpected Expenses for RV Life!
The Best FREE Camping in the USA
We love camping across this amazing country. And, we really love it when its free. Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.
If you haven’t tried free camping before, also known as boondocking, take a look at our beginners guide to boondocking filled with everything you need to know to get started.
All the reasons we love this life! We were fearful we might not like it, or that our cats wouldn’t be able to deal; but we knew that we could go back to our old life if we needed to (shudder). Within two weeks, we were unconsciously calling our RV ‘home’ and couldn’t imagine going back to a sticks and bricks life. Yes, it’s harder in some ways; but it’s so much more rewarding!
I love living the RV life because it requires constant evaluation. When you wake up everyday and dream about what you want to do with the rest of your days it opens your mind to tons of opportunities!
I love this blog post! It really covers many of the reasons we – my husband and I – are moving toward this lifestyle. (Heck, seeing Bonnie Raitt live is totally worth it!) It’s going a little slower than we’d originally hoped – he’s gotta stay and work an extra 8 months longer than he’d planned because of better medical coverage if he gets 1 more full year in – but, it gives us more time to plan and downsize. Glass half full! : )
I miss seeing your guys’ videos as frequently as before but, I’ll start checking your blog more, reading stuff is just as good and informative! Thanks!!
$2000? The only time I hit that is when I do a long distance change of 1500 to 2000 miles. Otherwise I seldom go over $1000 per month.