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RV Tips Blog
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Embrace the Serendipity of Full Time RVing
06-05-2018Author :Levi and Natalie Henley in Education
It’s been over three years since we walked out of our 2000 square foot “sticks and bricks” home and hopped into our 26 foot motorhome, bound for the open road. We made a choice to break away from societal norms, live outside the box. This lifestyle change has been a huge milestone in our lives. We were living the cookie cutter life: 9-5 jobs, mortgage, and one to two vacations a year. It felt safe and secure. We were miserable.
Having said this, safety and security were some of the main reasons we delayed full time RVing. We were unsure about many aspects of this adventure and questioned our sanity many times during the planning stages. Ultimately, after a few years, we sold the house, packed up the RV, and set off.
The first several months were nerve wracking. We assumed that with our lifestyle change would come personality change. We’d be carefree and go with the flow. Wrong. Fast forward a few years later; we are still the same people, just more aware of what to expect, appreciative of what we have learned along the way, and excited for the next adventure.
This is what we have grown to appreciate about full time RVing:
“Peace, Love, and RVers”
One of the first things we learned as full time RVers was that fellow RVers are not shy. They are almost always willing to lend a hand or a tip (with a story to go along with it, of course). Some of the best advice about RVing, location stays, and recommended workamping gigs have been from veteran travelers.
Related Read: The Wonderful people One Meets RVing
We’ve met the majority of fellow travelers during stays at campgrounds and at workamping jobs. There is a special bond that exists between RVers because we share the same passion for exploration and adventure.
Saying goodbye at the end of our stays is never fun, but lucky for us, the RVing community is a small one. It’s very likely that somewhere on the trail, we’ll meet up with comrades once again.
“Don’t let the repairman keep you down.”
RV repairs and breakdowns are inevitable. Once this fact is accepted and measures are taken to be proactive with fixes, full time RVing becomes smooth sailing.
There are many ways travelers can take charge of inevitable future repairs. Learning about your RV is vital. Read the manual or take a course or two about RV maintenance and troubleshooting. On top of this, obtain some sort of warranty plan and/or set aside a small fund specifically for RV issues.
Related Read: 4 Maintenance Problems That Can Ruin your RV or Camper
Now instead of feeling complete dread at a newly discovered malfunction, we see the issue as a learning opportunity and one we could possibly help others with down the line.“Be one with the budget.”
We only have so much allotted for expenses a month. If we want to continue our travels, keeping to a budget is necessary. This doesn’t mean skimping out on what we enjoy; instead, it poses an opportunity to find alternative ways to enjoy these past times.
Related Read: Budgeting Expenses as a Fulltime RVer
For example, we love to try signature cuisine in new locations. This could easily become expensive. Instead, we may only order one dish at an establishment instead of an entire meal for each of us. Another scenario, instead of paying top dollar to stay at campgrounds every night, we may opt to dry camp in national forests for free and enjoy the peace and serenity of nature.
Full time RVing is what you make of it. That includes the budget. It’s all a part of the freedom and serendipity of this nomadic life.
Blog Author Details
Levi and Natalie Henley are a full time RVing couple. Together with their three cats and dog, they travel around the country in their 2011 Sunstar Itasca seeking work camping gigs. They share their adventures, seasonal job experiences, and travel tips on their website, www.henleyshappytrails.com
It’s been over three years since we walked out of our 2000 square foot “sticks and bricks” home and hopped into our 26 foot motorhome, bound for the open road. We made a choice to break away from societal norms, live outside the box. This lifestyle change has been a huge milestone in our lives. We were living the cookie cutter life: 9-5 jobs, mortgage, and one to two vacations a year. It felt safe and secure. We were miserable.
Having said this, safety and security were some of the main reasons we delayed full time RVing. We were unsure about many aspects of this adventure and questioned our sanity many times during the planning stages. Ultimately, after a few years, we sold the house, packed up the RV, and set off.
The first several months were nerve wracking. We assumed that with our lifestyle change would come personality change. We’d be carefree and go with the flow. Wrong. Fast forward a few years later; we are still the same people, just more aware of what to expect, appreciative of what we have learned along the way, and excited for the next adventure.
This is what we have grown to appreciate about full time RVing:
“Peace, Love, and RVers”
One of the first things we learned as full time RVers was that fellow RVers are not shy. They are almost always willing to lend a hand or a tip (with a story to go along with it, of course). Some of the best advice about RVing, location stays, and recommended workamping gigs have been from veteran travelers.
Related Read: The Wonderful people One Meets RVing
We’ve met the majority of fellow travelers during stays at campgrounds and at workamping jobs. There is a special bond that exists between RVers because we share the same passion for exploration and adventure.
Saying goodbye at the end of our stays is never fun, but lucky for us, the RVing community is a small one. It’s very likely that somewhere on the trail, we’ll meet up with comrades once again.
“Don’t let the repairman keep you down.”
RV repairs and breakdowns are inevitable. Once this fact is accepted and measures are taken to be proactive with fixes, full time RVing becomes smooth sailing.
There are many ways travelers can take charge of inevitable future repairs. Learning about your RV is vital. Read the manual or take a course or two about RV maintenance and troubleshooting. On top of this, obtain some sort of warranty plan and/or set aside a small fund specifically for RV issues.
Related Read: 4 Maintenance Problems That Can Ruin your RV or Camper
Now instead of feeling complete dread at a newly discovered malfunction, we see the issue as a learning opportunity and one we could possibly help others with down the line.“Be one with the budget.”
We only have so much allotted for expenses a month. If we want to continue our travels, keeping to a budget is necessary. This doesn’t mean skimping out on what we enjoy; instead, it poses an opportunity to find alternative ways to enjoy these past times.
Related Read: Budgeting Expenses as a Fulltime RVer
For example, we love to try signature cuisine in new locations. This could easily become expensive. Instead, we may only order one dish at an establishment instead of an entire meal for each of us. Another scenario, instead of paying top dollar to stay at campgrounds every night, we may opt to dry camp in national forests for free and enjoy the peace and serenity of nature.
Full time RVing is what you make of it. That includes the budget. It’s all a part of the freedom and serendipity of this nomadic life.
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Author : Levi and Natalie Henley
Levi and Natalie Henley are a full time RVing couple. Together with their three cats and dog, they travel around the country in their 2011 Sunstar Itasca seeking work camping gigs. They share their adventures, seasonal job experiences, and travel tips on their website, www.henleyshappytrails.com/
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