Reader Sarah is a full-time RVer, and she wrote to me asking if I’d like to feature her in a Monday post, since RVing is a slightly unusual way of life.
And I thought that it would be a fun way to mix things up, so I sent her the interview questions.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a 57-year-old retired private violin teacher. I lived most of my life in a suburb of Chicago and taught lessons from my home for 35 years. My husband and I retired 2 years ago and decided to become full-time RV-ers.
We had 2 goals in mind when we made this decision.
Goal one
One goal was to massively downsize in order to live a lot more simply. For 10 years before retiring I’d dreamed of living in a tiny house but, really, RVs are a lot more practical than tiny houses.
Goal two
The second goal was to chase the warm weather and the best way to do that was to pull our house behind us and follow the warm weather around the states. We discovered that the best side benefit of living small is that it’s a very frugal way to live!
We have spent the majority of our retirement in Arizona partly because of Covid (campgrounds being closed through much of 2020) and partly because we fell in love with the area where we currently live. I just love having 300+ sunny days per year!
We are in a small town surrounded by mountains in a 55 and over community that is part RV-ers and part tiny homeowners.
I didn’t have children of my own but I have a 34-year-old stepson and daughter-in-law through my husband. We have a 12-year-old Rottweiler named Roxie who’s a sweet old girl.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I’ve been reading since 2014 or 2015. I came here looking for guidance on grocery spending because I felt like we were spending way too much on groceries and I was looking for ideas on where we could save.
I stayed because of the well written blog posts, the frugal tips, the humor, the humble demeanor and the honest but fair way Kristen tackles delicate topics. Plus I love the community here!
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
I really started to become interested in frugal living around 2013 which was right before I met my husband.
Together he and I decided we wanted to stop the madness of excess material things, big houses and crammed schedules.
Before that, I didn’t live a very frugal life although my only debt was my mortgage. For most of my life I lived within my means and always followed a budget but I also enjoyed new clothes, eating out with friends, and decorating my home as well!
I know that if I’d had the mindset in my 30s that I’ve had in my 50s I’d have saved so much more!
I have very few regrets but once in a while I think, “If only I hadn’t had the big home/nice clothes/pedicures/home decor…”
4. What’s the “why” behind your money-saving efforts?
My husband (David) and I both wanted to retire at the same time but I’m not old enough to collect Social Security yet. We knew we’d be living on one fixed income so for the last few years before we retired, we did everything we could to whittle down our budget and we learned to live on as little as possible to prepare us.
It was great practice and it prepared us well! Living small really keeps us in check with how much stuff we can have and how much stuff we can’t buy! It’s incredible how little you actually need to live a full, happy life.
One of our neighbors, when asked the question “How are you?” always answers “I’ve never had less and never felt better”. That sums it up for me too!
5. What’s your best frugal win?
Downsizing and moving into an RV full time! There is a lot of free living you can do if you’re mobile and you have solar power. We know couples who have lived on less than $1000 per month living this lifestyle.
There are also very high-end, expensive resorts where RV-ers can have every luxury they could possibly think of. We are somewhere in between those two lifestyles. We live in a place that suits our needs and budget and offers certain amenities like a pool and a clubhouse without being more than we want or can afford.
Believe me when I say I’m not a roughing-it kind of gal and I’d never been camping in my life! David did a lot of research to show me that I could still have all the same comforts living in an RV that I’ve always had in a home.
The way I describe it is that we are living the same life we lived before except on a smaller, simpler, more frugal scale.
6. What’s a dumb money mistake you’ve made?
How about if I give you a decade of mistakes?!
My 30s was the decade that I just wasn’t interested in frugality. I was very career-oriented and, while I lived within my means, I also enjoyed spending on things for my house, going to dinner and movies with friends, buying gear for the sports I was involved in, new clothes, etc.
There wasn’t a whole lot of saving that went on in my 30s!
7. What’s one thing you splurge on?
I absolutely love to eat out. It’s such a nice splurge to be served a meal (even if it’s takeout!) and to not have to clean up.
I love to cook and we eat most of our meals at home but I’d rather drop something else from the budget in order to eat out 2-3 times a month.
8. What’s one thing you aren’t remotely tempted to splurge on?
I have 4 things vying for this answer!
- cable TV
- always having the newest phone
- excessive phone packages
- make up/nail polish
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
It really depends on various factors. I might use it to buy the things I hate spending my own money on like a new mattress, updating/upgrading furniture, replacing appliances when they wear out, etc.
Or if I didn’t have any large purchase needs I’d keep it for an emergency, a repair, a vet, or doctor bill.
It’s not a very exciting answer but I’d most likely deposit it and sit on it until the time felt right to use it for one of those things I listed.
10. Share a frugal tip with other Frugal Girl readers
Always do yearly “check ups” on your insurance premiums, cable bills, cell phone packages, utility bills, etc. It’s worth it to take the time to call and ask if you are paying for the right thing to suit your needs.
There are significant savings to be found if you just ask!
____________
I always open up the floor to readers for questions, but this time I have some questions of my own to start things off.
Sarah, I’m curious about start-up costs for an RV lifestyle. Did you buy new? Used? Is it cheaper to get an RV that hooks to a truck vs a stand-alone? Did you have to buy a new vehicle to pull the RV?
I’m assuming that even though these expenses aren’t small, they still pale in comparison to the cost of an actual house.
Lisa Dalton says
I’ve known Sarah for nearly 20 years and she has never been happier than she is in this lifestyle. It looks great on her, too! She’s an incredible role model for making big life changes and cooperation with a partner to create the life you choose together.
priskill says
What a fascinating life you are living — love to hear about this — You really figured out what you want and made it happen — that is awesome! I hear you on eating out, too — COVID has cured a lot of that but I really really enjoy treat nights
And to find the happy medium of RV parks is a win. I think I would like your middle choice with pool and simple amenities, as opposed to a more rustic approach. I’m not a camper so this strikes a happy middle ground. Great to meet you!
Karen Parlier says
Sarah I would like to find out about the cost expense of RV’ers too! What an interesting way to retire and enjoy the luxury of travel and living while you travel. I really enjoyed hearing about your experience and your dog is so cute, congrats on the long life lived and all.
Sarah says
Hi Karen, thank you so much! The costs vary soooo much! It’s like everything in life – – – there is an RV to fit every lifestyle and budget. We’ve got $400,000 RVs in our park and we’ve got $10k RVs here too. Monthly expenses vary depending on what you want from your campground. Some couples can get by on $600 per month and others spend $7k or more. Often there is an opportunity to work in the campground you are staying in and you can either get paid for the work or they let you stay stay for free. YouTube is loaded with RV-ers who share their monthly expenses with you. And if you Google “Workamping” you can find out more about making money at the campgrounds. (I realize you didn’t ask about that but I thought I’d add it for anyone else who was interested.)
Natasha says
Hi Sarah,
I loved reading about your lifestyle. My dream is to rent an RV and travel to every state with my husband and kids. My question is how do you handle laundry while on the road?
Sarah says
Hi Natasha, A lot of larger RVs now have stackable washer/dryer units or they have those combo machines that wash and then go immediately into drying. I have a little washer that we bought that does very small loads and I absolutely love it! It cleans my clothes better than any washer I’ve ever had, believe it or not. But it is veeerry small so I can only do a little at a time and then hang dry. The park we are in and all the parks we’ve ever stayed in have nice (pay) laundry facilities as well so we can get everything done all at once if we want. Check Amazon or you tube for the “Best Choice portable washer”. It’s out $100 and well worth it! That’s what I have. It’s small enough to lift by myself! Best of luck following your dream!
MB in MN says
Sarah: Thank you for sharing your cool RV life with us. I learned a lot from your post and the comments.
jodie says
OMG…I loved reading this about Sarah. Sarah and my crew from my blog met up before coVid and took photos together!! It’s always so interesting to read other people’s experience. And I agree…I would love to know the start up costs about RV living!!
OXOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Ruth T says
What a treat, Sarah! Thanks for sharing! We tent camp, but have seen so many RVers on our trips that I’ve often wondered about full-time RVers. It was neat to read about you!
Ruby says
Aww, that’s such a sweet photo of Roxie.
Our nephew and his wife, and his wife’s parents all exchanged houses for RVs a number of years ago. It seems like a fascinating life and one my husband and I talked about exploring, but in the end we have too many rescued pets to ever take to the road for any length of time.
Thank you for the vicarious adventure. The landscape there is gorgeous!
Dicey says
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with the loyal FG family! Lots of great advice! I’m chiming in with a bit of our story to share our “getting started” experience in response to some of the questions that have been asked. Hope you don’t mind.
We bought an RV literally days before the lockdown began last year. We have hardly used it, but we hope to soon. DH had owned one before we married, when his kids were little, so we knew what type we wanted. He is also a very handy guy who knows vehicles, so we weren’t afraid to buy used. We went to RV shows, helped friends choose and find their RVs, scoured the internet RV sites, and waited until the right deal came along.
Early one Saturday morning, DH checked RV Trader and there was a brand new listing for the rig we wanted. He answered immediately and within hours we were off to view it at an indoor storage yard a couple of towns over. Turns out the owner lives just a few blocks from us! That, plus being the first responders and having cash meant he sold it to us without even showing it to anyone else. Since it’s used and we got a fair pre-pandemic price, we don’t mind that we’ve had to wait a while to use it the way we want to. We’ve gotten to know it and kit it out at reasonable prices.
There is a couple who change rigs every season, so they have lots of great insights and practical advice. They go by “Keep Your Daydream” and their videos are very informative and well produced. They change rigs, but they often buy used and they don’t seem ridiculously spendypants. They also have nearly grown kids, one of whom is still “at home”. The older two are now “launched”, but visit and travel with them from time to time. Here’s a good place to start:
https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/our-story/
Interestingly, one of their mantras is start wherever you can, just get started.
Sarah says
I am not on any social media (part of the downsizing I did, believe it or not! Lol) and I do not have a blog. I thought about documenting the journey but, honestly, I don’t know how good bloggers like Kristen do it! Blogging seems like a lot of work with a lot of room for tech error. I’m not a very tech-y person so I shy away from anything that may cause me tech problems!
Sarah says
Proving how non – techy I am, the above comment was supposed to be under Stephanie’s question.
Kris says
Kristen, I see that Sarah has answered many of the questions from earlier commenters–this is an interesting topic for many of us and I think a follow-up post with Sarah’s responses would be a great post! But she must include a picture of her dog.
Sarah, thanks for sharing! I think many of us have had thoughts of an RV lifestyle–while I don’t think I would want to do it full time, I would like to do some RV travel during retirement. I have done some rustic camping but there will come a point in time when that is not a practical option. My questions stem from work I have done as an occupational therapist–I periodically get patients who live in an RV and when disabilities come along, that kind of lifestyle becomes challenging (and sometimes impossible). I’m wondering if you have made plans for how you and your husband will handle that scenario when it occurs. I think it’s great that you are seizing life with both hands and making great memories and I guess I’m trying to figure out how you balance that with the unstoppable challenges that come with our aging bodies. This post has been a fun read and I appreciate how candid you have been with us!
Kristen says
I added a Roxie photo for you!
Linda Sand says
We found living in a motorhome to be a great place for being disabled short term because there’s not a lot of space between things so when you need to move there’s always something you can grab onto. When outside my TravelScoot would get me where I needed to go and it folded up to easily store inside.
Sarah says
Kris, Linda brought up a good point about how close quarters can be an advantage. It is a real concern as we get older and we’ve talked about it without coming to any formal conclusion. There are a lot of people who navigate surgeries and joint replacements in an RV. And the RV community is actually quite close knit and willing to jump in and help where needed. But the bottom line is that we will likely just move into a small home in a 55 and over community (possibly the one we are currently in) if it ever becomes too much to manage health challenges in an RV. Many RVs have 2 bathrooms, and another bedroom(s) and/or pull out couches. So other than the stairs to get in and out, you can usually get yourself set up nicely for recovery.
Kris says
Thanks, Sarah. I’m glad to see you have thought ahead on this. Joint replacements are a short term nuisance but usually manageable but there are a host of other medical conditions that would be difficult if not impossible to manage in that setting. I have seen so many sad situations occur in terms of people not thinking ahead about their housing needs in different scenarios. In my mind it’s comparable to not having an emergency financial fund–sooner or later, something is going to come up and it’s helpful to have at least given consideration to how you would handle it. I’m all for enjoying your freedom and pared down lifestyle while your health supports it!
Your dog is soooo adorable! Thanks for including that, Kristen!
Stephanie says
I am very interested in this lifestyle. My husband is 57 and I am 50. He is retired and I am working til 2024. We are aggressively saving for an RV. Do you have a blog or Instagram to follow?
Thank you for sharing. I am a long time reader here!
Sarah says
Stephanie, I responded above. Good luck to you!!
Grandma Bev says
Interesting read, thanks
Andrea says
My husband dreams of taking RV trips when we retire someday. I don’t think we would do it permanently, but it was neat to read about. Thank you for sharing!
Sarah G says
Arizona looks so beautiful. I love how you have cut the strings from what didn’t matter to you in order to do what you truly desired. A lesson to us all!!
And yes, as a dog lover I’d love to see a pic of Roxie!! Bring on all the dog photos!
Karen. says
Dozens of thoughts
but will restrain myself at least somewhat.
Until I was in my late 30s, I’d lived in a 40×8 travel trailer more months than I’d lived in any house. It’s a bonus of growing up as a grain harvester on the roads of the Great Plains. I could talk a lot about this but the long and short of it is that you do, indeed, figure out what you do and don’t need to possess. My mom (who still does this) always says moving out of one residence and into another twice a year — while far from fun — is the best way to get rid of extra stuff and do deep cleaning.
I am curious about the mail situation also. With the new more-computerized USPS system as of maybe three years ago, lots of travelers have a hard time receiving mail. The USPS computers think they live somewhere, and if the name and address don’t match what they’ve recorded, the mail floats in never-never land for weeks and then is sent back. It’s a real hassle.
So, Sarah, your whole life has prepared you for this and there’s no reason for feeling bad for living your 30s the way you wanted to. The RV-iverse is the definition of “life’s a journey, not a destination” and you should be good to go for a while! High five.
Linda Sand says
Full time RVers use a mail service so their address does not change from day to day. When we knew we would be in one place for a time we would ask our mail service to send whatever had accumulated to General Delivery at a post office near us.
Cindy says
Another full timer here….we own an RV site in our home state ( in the northeast) that we use for the summer months. We use a UPS store, they hold our mail until we call them, typically once a month, they then forward to the RV park address. It has worked out great.
Sarah says
We use a mail service as well. We schedule with them whenever we want them to send any mail that has piled up. We bought the site we are on in Arizona so that we always have a place to winter and don’t run the risk of every site being taken. (Some places book up over a year in avance.) Whenever you stay any length of time in a campground, you can (almost) always have mail forwarded and/or sent directly to the campground you are in. We haven’t had any issues but admittedly we aren’t constantly on the move. Karen, I remember following one of your links to the rig you stayed in during harvest season! Very interesting lifestyle!
Karen. says
This is definitely a good way to do it — owning a site and using a mail service. When I was a kid, my sister and I sent and received hundreds of letters to our friends back home, always just using General Delivery wherever we were. (It was the same string of places every year, but never for more than a week or two at a time.) That’s no longer a good way to do it — too many addresses the USPS system doesn’t recognize as “yours”, or something — it gets confused. The new plan is more or less to go home and pick the mail up every so often.
I loved growing up on harvest and to some degree envy people who are still on harvest or live somewhat nomadically like you all! Yet we are a happy family in a good situation so I have no true discontent.
Elken says
I always wonder how RVers maintain relationships with their doctors or dentists as they travel around. Do you just use walk in clinics for health emergencies? What if you have e a chronic illness- and need a specialist who knows your medical history? Just curious-
Linda Sand says
We circled back to our primary doctors once a year but used Urgent Care centers when needed. We got our prescriptions through Walmart so they could be filled at any one of those.
Sarah says
This was definitely a concern for me when we started. In my 40s I had some serious health issues that took several years to clear up and I was terrified to leave my doctors who helped me get well! My plan was to circle back to our doctors in Illinois every year but I soon realized that I wanted to stay in the west/southwest and not go back to the Midwest. Since we bought a lot here in AZ, we decided to switch to Arizona doctors. We have been very, very fortunate to have found some great replacements that are good fits for us as well as inside our network. There was a little trial and error and a lot of research but most doctors were a hit on the first visit.
Anita Isaac says
wow so nice to meet you. i have always been fascinated by the RV lifestyle. you should not regret what you did during your thirties you were just preparing yourself for the rest of your life. my hubby loves the change of seasons so we are in the northeast. great tips for us. thank you.
Linda says
When you are traveling from place to place how do you get your mail?
Sarah says
Hi Linda, we use a mail service who collects our mail and sends it to us whenever we ask them to. There is a yearly fee for that but they will also go to the DMV to renew our plates, etc. There are several states that have special mail services that are designed to help full time RV-ers. Each state has different requirements (includong how often you have to step foot in their state) so as long as you fulfill the requirements then it’s all pretty easy!
Suz Beckett says
Sarah, you are living my dream!! (And my husband has the same beard as yours does ). I am currently trying to decide whether to purchase a smaller class C or a pull trailer. The current plan is to do 3-6 week trips at a time. Thank you for sharing!!
Bee says
I’m curious about many things, but I won’t bombard you with questions. I think that is wonderful they you followed your heart.
Is there anything you miss about your old lifestyle? Do you see yourselves returning to a less nomadic lifestyle as you age? Did you bring your violin with you?
Sarah says
Bee, much to my surprise I really don’t miss my old lifestyle at all. Honestly, the decision to do this took 2-3 years of research and talking/thinking about but once we made the leap I never looked back. However, it is NOT all roses. Like everything in life there are pros and cons. It’s not always easy living in a small space with 2 stubborn adults and a large stubborn dog. And during a pandemic, no less, plus living through one of the hottest summers in the history of Phoenix! But I just don’t miss having more space because I wanted small/simple living for so long. Yes, I brought my violin and my husband brought his guitar and mandolin. These 55 and over parks have lots of opportunities to play (pre-pandemic) so I’m glad we did. We have no storage anywhere else so we brought everything we wanted and could fit. Yes, we will probably move into a small house one day but I think I will always want small!
Julie says
Great interview! It’s always fun to learn about RVers. Sarah I hope you guys get to do some traveling again soon! We RV, but not full-time. If anyone out there is considering an RV I’d say get your last one first. We made some dumb money mistakes by NOT getting what we really wanted the first time around…
RVing is a great way to save money when you’re vacationing because you can cook all your own meals. We just enjoy being in our own little space and most campgrounds are so pretty and cheaper than hotels!
Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Sarah says
GREAT advice, Julie! Get your last one first! I second that. Do lots and lots of research and go to some rv shows if possible. We found that it’s kind of like house hunting…you’ll know it when you find it because it just feels right when you’re in it.
WilliamB says
And before you get your “last one,” make a couple of trips with rental RVs. Great way to try it out.
Kristen says
That’s such a good idea!
Jenelle says
Oh it’s so great to hear from a fellow RV’r…though we are not full time. I would love to learn what system you use for solar power so we could do more boondocking. We also have a pull behind travel trailer. We upgraded recently to a larger camper to accommodate our growing kids and I’ve found that with the larger camper, I am much happier to go camping more often. I also am not a “rough it” type girl, I like to find campgrounds that have enough amenities to keep my kids occupied, like a pool and playground.
Sarah says
It sounds like you find the same kind of campgrounds that we do….just enough to have fun things to do but not over the top! We do not have solar yet although our rig is set up for it. (I may not have made that very clear! Sorry!) Once we settled into the park we are in, we scrapped the plan but may revisit it in the future. There are many RV-ers on YouTube that have great boondocking set ups so it would be a good go-to for research. “Fate Unbound” has a lot of informational videos for boondocking.
Bobi says
Sounds like a fun lifestyle. Thanks for sharing. Nice photos but I was hoping for a picture of Roxie.
Kristen says
If Sarah sends me one, I will add it to the post. Ohhhh, Sarah!
JD says
Hi, Sarah!
That beautiful orange sky with the cloud making a donut is really, really pretty.
I like that you are honest about spending freely in your 30’s, yet I also have to give you big points for having stayed within your means while doing so!
Since you love where you are so much, have you thought about staying there? If so, would you purchase a home or rent an apartment or stay in the RV?
I also ask because I always wonder about the RV life, so this is kind of general questioning here, not specifically to Sarah. What does one do when getting elderly while living in an RV? I live in Florida, where we see a LOT of RV’s, and some of them are being driven by people who clearly should no longer be driving such a huge set up. The other thing I think of is situations that are rather common as we age, like knee surgery – an RV is a tough place for a walker and a shower chair, and they all have steps.
Thanks for the insight into your different living situation! I agree that living small and simply is a really frugal way to go.
Sarah says
Hi JD, you are right about RVs being a harder place to navigate some of the things that come with age! I’m surprised sometimes at the ages of some of the folks we see living this lifestyle!! The current plan is to stay in the RV until it becomes hard to live in as an elderly couple and then sell the RV and move into a park model (essentially a tiny home). We are kind of living by the seat of our pants because we don’t know exactly what we’d do if one of us needed a walker or wheelchair. We’ve talked about it and we’ve seen others who manage knee surgeries in an RV. Likely we would move into a park model at that point. There are definitely some unknowns but there are also options.
Cindy says
I (age 66) live full time in an RV and had hip replacement surgery last summer. Everyone worried that I wouldn’t be able to go up the steps afterward but I was able to go up without a problem. Yes, it was slow and my husband was standing by but I did it. I used a cane for the first week and found it easy to get around since everything is close together and nothing is far away.
Julia Tilley says
Awesome post! We purchased a used pull behind RV this year. We live in the city but had always talked about buying land to have a weekend getaway place. But with very little $ that never happened. We had planned a nice family vacation for this past summer and of course had to cancel it. We decided to get an RV so we could travel a bit during COVID. First we went to look at a bunch of RVs to get an idea of price and to see what we liked and didn’t like. Then we scoured FB Market, where RVs were selling fast. We knew exactly what RV we wanted and jumped when one became available in our area. We were the first ones there with cash so we got it. We keep it at a closed to,the public campground 20 minutes from home. It was a total God thing to be able to stay there. We already had an SUV with a hitch so that worked out well. We like that we can tow the camper, park it at a campground, and still have a vehicle to drive to the grocery store or go sight seeing. Our son loves fishing and our campground is right on a great fishing stream. Other than electric, sewer and water our campground has no other amenities but it is beautiful, peaceful and quiet. We are only one if three RVs allowed to camp there.
Sarah says
The campground you go to sounds lovely and peaceful, Julie! It sounds very much like the first one we stayed in for the first 6 months of moving into the RV. We absolutely loved it! No amenities except the comforts of life which is all we really need! It was in Illinois. Here in Arizona there are soooooo many RV grounds that cater to 55 and over and I think the demand for having a pool and a few other amenities is high. We love the park we are in because it’s not over the top yet it has some fun features and beautiful features. Enjoy your family time!
BJS says
Hi Sarah! I loved reading about your life and seeing your pictures. It sounds like you’re having so much fun! I have two questions, if they’re not too personal:
1) How do you get your mail?
2) What do you do for health insurance? I always wonder about this when people retire early. I guess in my mind job = insurance, but there must be other ways.
Thanks for sharing your great story!
Sarah says
We were very fortunate because husband had excellent insurance from his job that we carried into retirement. He also became eligible for Medicare last year. Honestly, I’m not sure what others do if they don’t wait until 65 or older to retire.
Sarah says
Oops… Forgot to answer about mail. There are several states (SD, FL and TX to name the 3 most popular ones) who have mail services set up specifically for full time RV-ers. You just have to stay in that state for a night or two and the mail service helps to set you up with your license, plates, an address, etc. Then they will send you all your mail when you settle into a campground somewhere. Each state has slightly different rules but generally you only have to go back every few years to refresh your service.
Beth B. says
That’s very cool!
Jessica says
Another frugal blogger I read, A Purple Life, is a nomad (without an RV) and uses a service called Traveling Mailbox. She has a review of it on her site.
kristin @ going country says
Wow, Sarah. That last photo of the saguaro and the sunset (or is it sunrise?) is terrific.
Kristen says
And the clouds in that sky! Wow.
Bee says
I agree. That is a stunning photo.
Sarah says
Kristen, to answer your questions….We bought new. It’s like anything else you buy. There are rigs to fit every budget possible and you can buy used or new. We chose to buy new and in order to stay within budget we chose a rig that’s a bit smaller than most full time RV-ers. However, we opted for a model with higher end components to withstand the rigors of the road so that added to the costs. We decided on this model for the lay out and the big storage spaces. We’ve seen rigs that cost more than the houses I’ve owned and we’ve seen rigs that are so tiny they don’t have a bathroom or kitchen. I highly recommend going to an RV show rather than just one showroom to get a feel for what would work for each individual family. In general, coaches (the big bus style) and 5th wheels (a different pull behind) will have more room for those with families. But they also come with more maintenance, more parts that could break down and more cleaning for me which I was trying to avoid. We did buy the truck to pull it but we sold both of our other vehicles to get the truck. You’re right, our costs pale in comparison to owning our house but there is definitely a category of rv-ing that can easily exceed any lifestyle I ever had! The bottom line is that it’s like everything else…it can be as cheap or as deluxe as you’d like.
Sarah says
Sunset. Arizona has the most stunning susets I’ve ever seen in my life!
Beth B. says
Hi Sarah, Welcome to Arizona!
I live in Scottsdale. We do have the best sunsets here! 
I enjoyed reading about your RV lifestyle. My aunt and uncle did that for several years back in the late 90’s and loved it. They stayed in Tucson at a very nice park called Rincon Country West. Not sure if it’s still in existence.
Sarah says
Hi Beth! We are close to Tucson. Very neat about your aunt and uncle!