Full or Part Time Retirement in a Motorhome

[Tom Cherry]

At the risk of bending a rule, I am qualifying as to WHY there is a link to a website that may not appeal to some.  The ONLY REASON…. The article is PROBABLY behind a paywall.  The article is from the Wall Street Journal and if you try the link, you may be rejected.  I have used my quota of freebie reads, but when it was posted on this “news” site, I clicked and then rejected the “special offer” and was able to read it.

I also have no way of foreseeing when it might disappear from the news website.  I have added a PDF of it, so when it gets shuffled off the website , you can access it by clicking below.

https://drudgereport.com/

You have your choice of the main website, above, which gives you a hyperlink to the article, and you can read it.  Middle column….towards the bottom.

Once the article is removed I will edit and remove the website.  Here is the link....whether it works is ruled by the Internet GODS.  LOL

https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/retirement-america-boat-rv-nomadic-fac65704

You can also try the hyperlink direct….may not get past the paywall

OR the PDF which I just added....below.  It should be "Clickable".

Just sort of a "Gee....would I or NOT"....  discussion.

Let's keep it on track and not get into the politics or the economy or whatever else might not be permitted.  Enjoy...  I HOPE.  I thought about it....and therefore the poll as well as your comments.  If you just read....that is great and don't have to comment...

 

Here’s What Retirement on a Boat or RV Looks Like in America - WSJ.pdf

Edited October 21, 2023 by Tom Cherry
Added PDF version when the WSJ article can't be accessed

[Patricia Ferrara]

Hello fellow Monacoers!

My husband, Mike (in his early 70’s) & I (early 60’s) have been FT RVing since 2020: first traveling in a 24’ Class C for 19 months, took a break for a year, then bought our current Monaco Diplomat in March of 2022. Mike is retired military & also a retired IT specialist; I have been disabled by a MVA since 1993. We have a house in Mississippi that we rent out (to family, so just enough to cover mortgage & taxes). With the price of diesel these days, Mike didn’t want to stretch the budget with traveling, so he landed a sweet work camper deal doing security and maintenance at a resort in northern Texas, which covers our full hookup site, (including electricity and WIFI), and makes extra $$$ besides. We have no plans to go back to “sticks & bricks”, as we are quite comfortable & enjoy resort living. Down the road, we *may* travel again, if the cost of diesel goes down (& we get itchy feet). But staying put does keep down the wear & tear costs from the road. Yes, things DO break (still have to finish figuring out the EMS board, as step 1 didn’t work), and there will always be maintenance issues - but now that the resort’s busy season is finally starting to wind down, we will be able to address these things prior to winter setting in (hopefully).

The WSJ article was interesting, and the various scenarios of the people profiled may or may not be “typical” in terms of financial and economic conditions (most of them seem much better off than the average RVers we’ve met in our travels), but whether RVers or boaters, we seem to share the same “wanderlust”, or at least are “free spirited”.
 

And we must add:

It’s so very nice to belong to this group of like minded folks who are so willing to share their experiences and knowledge, and we’re very appreciative of Tom & everyone who donate their time and effort to make Bill D’s Monacoers such a great source of information and support!

Happy Halloween everyone!🦇🎃🧙‍♀️

[MyronTruex]

This group has a deep knowledge of your EMS system. I have a 2008 Endeavor which is the sister ship to the Diplomat. I also have a ton of files to provide if interested. There are tons of files on this forum as well. 

 

Glad you joined us. 

[Joint Venture]

Being retired, a former boater for 22 years, tried 5th wheeling last year for 8 months and after getting home decided we wanted to full time but not in a 5th wheel. Sold the truck and FW, sold the home, acreage and boat. Bought a DP and hit the road 6 months later full timing. I had originally planned to retire to the boat but the price of fuel for a boat that gets 1.25-2 mpg makes the fuel bill on the coach easy. None of my 5 kids and grandkids live where I could boat to them nor do they want to use all their vacation to boat with me.  Boating costs are far greater then a DP and much harder to find repair facilities for a boat then it is for a DP. Just my thoughts on the subject. Don't miss the boat or “sticks & bricks” home either. Cutting all ties to Washington State had me finally feeling free again.

Edited October 22, 2023 by Joint Venture

[Paul J A]

The paper edition of the WSJ is my daily staple for information and knowledge, delivered  to our residence. 

We full timed 10 years, 2004-2014.  A treasured lifetime experience we would never exchange for anything. 

Having been to 6 continents we feel we can properly evaluate and suggest to others to please do give it your sincere consideration. 

With the luxury of sites like this as available , it is sooooooo simple to get help on any issue that you could imagine or experience.

And there is some validity to; Some timers, Full timers, and then Alzheimer's!!!!!!!!!!  Ha Ha!!!

Approaching becoming a nonagenarian , I am blessed.

Edited October 22, 2023 by Paul J A

[FishAR]

We do 6 months in the motorhome now and talk about year round a lot. We were talking about it when we still had the fifth wheel and dually and even started selling stuff in preparation to sell the house. Just haven't done it yet.

[Dr4Film]

I Full-Timed first in my 1992 Airstream Landyacht for a little over one year then moved into my Windsor in December 2003 when I purchased it. My wife then joined me in 2007 to live in the Windsor also. Once I finished my career in CA we left in 2010 for Alaska to switch everything over to Alaska residency. We traveled around the country for another 7 years then purchased a beach house in Florida. That comes out to be somewhere around 16 years or so,

Now we are Part-Timers but would go back to Full-Time in a heartbeat.