Perspective and opinions on Full time RV living

[lucin.k]

Hey everyone, I wanted to ask for perspectives and opinions on full time RV living. For any one that has done so I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences. I am giving my self a few months of due diligence to prepare. Ideally it will just be me and on/off with my partner as they may travel extended periods for their work and not spend as much time in the RV. I feel something with decent amount of space would be ideal as I do not want to feel too cramped. This is something I would like to do for a year or two until I can obtain my own home/property. It will be my first time owning an RV/Travel trailer. I am used to living in homes and no stranger to putting in work and being resourceful as I have some knowledge of basic things (electricity, plumbing etc.) and if not I can always research and utilize my resources. I will be in the South FL region, however, for my search I am considering country wide to expand my options. I have family in Vegas, NV and have been looking on that side as I feel used campers may be better kept in their condition. These are a few of my top questions and feel free to add any input!

1. What travel trailer/RV have you used and or consider to be good for full time living?
2. What are some things you should have considered prior to jumping in?
3. Pros/Cons from transitioning from being in a home to RV living.
4. Did you notice a difference in expenses from home living vs RV living?
5. How did you wash clothes/linens?
6. How did you set up Wi-Fi connections in order to work remotely?

 

[Fish]

Hey everyone, I wanted to ask for perspectives and opinions on full time RV living. For any one that has done so I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences. I am giving my self a few months of due diligence to prepare. Ideally it will just be me and on/off with my partner as they may travel extended periods for their work and not spend as much time in the RV. I feel something with decent amount of space would be ideal as I do not want to feel too cramped. This is something I would like to do for a year or two until I can obtain my own home/property. It will be my first time owning an RV/Travel trailer. I am used to living in homes and no stranger to putting in work and being resourceful as I have some knowledge of basic things (electricity, plumbing etc.) and if not I can always research and utilize my resources. I will be in the South FL region, however, for my search I am considering country wide to expand my options. I have family in Vegas, NV and have been looking on that side as I feel used campers may be better kept in their condition. These are a few of my top questions and feel free to add any input!

1. What travel trailer/RV have you used and or consider to be good for full time living?
2. What are some things you should have considered prior to jumping in?
3. Pros/Cons from transitioning from being in a home to RV living.
4. Did you notice a difference in expenses from home living vs RV living?
5. How did you wash clothes/linens?
6. How did you set up Wi-Fi connections in order to work remotely?

I stayed out of town extensively for work for a while.
1. Had a 29 ft Sunset Trail. Too small so I got a 35 ft Windjammer. Then a 42 ft Montana fifth wheel, and then a 43 ft Monaco diesel pusher.
The windjammer was big enough to suit me but no washer/dryer, only one a/c (that's not enough at 90-95+) and 8 cu ft refrigerator is too small. I bought a dorm fridge to supplement the rv fridge.
Montana was better. Bought it new. 2 ac's, washer/dryer combo,12 cu ft fridge. Another small fridge in the outside kitchen. OK in summer. I was north in the winter though and at temps going down to 0 I could barely keep propane. I had 4-30 pounders and 2-20 pounders locked with a cable to the front of the 5th wheel and would have to fill up regularly. I extended the propane hoses so I wouldn't have to lift them in and out of the trailer. Had a heated hose so water wasn't a problem, but dump valves would freeze so I'd be laying out there in the snow with a heat gun when tanks got full.
I've only worked for 30 days on the road since getting the Monaco diesel pusher. I've never been in cold enough weather in it to need anything but the heat pump heat. And I don't plan on being. Not anymore. The diesel heat works great when I test it every now and then, just don't need it. If I had to use it in very cold weather I have no idea how often I'd have to pull everything up and drive to a truck stop to fill it up.
We do spend 6 months every year in Florida in it though and it works very good for that with 3 ac's. And it has a 14 cu ft refrigerator, one of these days I'll put in an 18 cu ft residential fridge.

2. I should have bought my last rv first. Lost a lot of depreciation thinking I was buying just what I needed only to find out it wasn't big enough or there was some other problem. When I got rid of the fifth wheel I actually got more for my dually truck than I paid for it new, but that didn't make up for the bath I took on selling the Montana.

3. and 4. Have always had to maintain my home also so have had both expenses going. Lack of storage is the biggest difference I've noticed in the change from home to rv.

5. Washer/dryer is a must for me in a rv now. Convenience for wife is one reason. Another is if I was working on the road the last thing I want to do after work is have to go to a laundromat.

6. I run a $25 visible wireless phone through a router for internet. I've never had to work remotely on a computer so whether that's enough for extensive computer use, I don't know. It's done all I need to due as far as paying bills online, watching tv and such things.

 

[lucin.k]

Thanks for responding! I appreciate your insights and experience. Reading you experience I feel a fifth wheel might be best. Researching the Montana it seems like adequate space to have washer/dryer to be self sufficient instead of needing the laundromat.
You mentioned having a dually, was that the one used to tow? What kind of truck was it and what would you say was the average weight of the camper when wet and loaded with everything?