FullTime RV Life has been an incredible journey for us, but if we could go back and do it all again, there are definitely some things we’d change. After selling everything, buying a large RV, and hitting the road with Hugo two years ago, we’ve learned some hard-earned lessons through trial and error.
We’re pulling back the curtain today and sharing exactly what we’d do differently if we were starting this adventure over. These insights might save you some headaches, money, and stress that we wish someone had warned us about.
Start Research and Downsizing WAY Earlier
When we decided to go full-time, I started doing all the research – looking at rigs, learning about the lifestyle, figuring out the logistics. But I had no idea what I was doing. We had never RVed before, and one of the biggest things I would change is starting the research process much earlier.
We really only dug in during the last 4-5 months before launch, which made everything feel rushed and last-minute. The research, narrowing down rig options, and especially the downsizing process – these all take significant time.
If you’re considering going full-time and currently own a house full of stuff, don’t underestimate the emotional and physical labor of downsizing. We had accumulated things over 30+ years of marriage, and clearing out our house was tremendously stressful.
We literally had stuff lining our entire curb the night before we left, with a desperate Facebook post asking people to come take it for free. By morning, it was gone – but we could have avoided that last-minute panic.
Rethink Our RV Size
“Would you choose the same rig?” This is probably the most common question we get.
We have a 44-foot toy hauler – an Alliance Valor 42v13 with a side patio and back patio. It’s big. Really big. We pull it with a Ford F-350 that’s 20 feet long. Combined, it’s a massive setup.
Going with such a large rig has made some aspects of RV life more challenging than necessary. Towing itself isn’t the biggest issue – it’s finding places to park and navigating tight spaces. You find yourself praying for pull-through sites because backing a 44-foot toy hauler into tight spots is no joke.
We use the toy hauler area as an office when stationary, which has been fantastic for working remotely. Having that separate space with a door in between has been valuable for Barry’s guitar practice and individual private time. But our college-age daughter hasn’t visited as often as we anticipated, so that extra space hasn’t been as necessary as we thought.
Would we pick the same rig again? Maybe, maybe not. It’s a journey, and your needs can change. That’s why so many RVers end up owning multiple rigs over time – you learn what truly matters to you through experience.
Introducing “Your Complete Guide To Full-Time RV Living”
All these lessons we’ve learned the hard way? We’ve packaged them into a comprehensive course that gives you the roadmap we wish we’d had.
Our “Your Complete Guide To Full-Time RV Living” course contains everything you need to successfully transition to life on the road – without the expensive mistakes, relationship stress, and overwhelming uncertainty we experienced.
Inside, you’ll find proven tools like our downsizing timeline, RV selection framework, reality-based budgeting tools, and step-by-step planning guides, maintenance, systems…. The works! But more importantly, you’ll get access to our private support community where you can ask questions (of us and the community), join monthly live Q&A sessions, and connect with others on the same journey.
We created this course because we spent countless hours watching YouTube videos and still made costly mistakes. We wanted to put all that research in one place, so you don’t have to piece it together yourself.
Whether you’re planning to hit the road in two weeks or two years, this course will save you time, money, and stress. Learn more at https://liketheresnotomorrow.net/full-time-rv-living-course/
Budget More Realistically
One thing I wish I’d done more research on was understanding exactly how much RV life was going to cost. If you’re wondering about our specific budget, we have detailed videos showing our expenses over the past two years (which you’ll see have changed quite a bit).
What I didn’t truly understand before hitting the road was how much campgrounds would cost – and how widely those costs can vary. There’s no standard pricing across the country. In high-demand areas like outside national parks, coastal destinations, or places like Maine near Acadia, prices skyrocket compared to more remote locations.
I had this idea that campgrounds would cost $40-50 per night. In reality, we’ve paid as much as $127 per night in coastal California, and as little as nothing when boondocking.
During our first year, we averaged about $65-75 per night for campgrounds as we traveled the Midwest, South East and Florida Coast. That adds up quickly when combined with other expenses. As you gain experience, you learn to pick better places, stay longer, and save money – but that initial financial reality check can be jarring.
Some of our most memorable experiences have been in less expensive, middle-of-nowhere places like Klamath, California, where we stayed on an Indian reservation campground surrounded by beautiful scenery and wildlife. The peaceful, beautiful locations away from cities have often been the most rewarding parts of RV life for us.
Give Each Other More Grace (Relationships & Pets on the Road)
When you go full-time in an RV, relationship dynamics change dramatically. After 30+ years of marriage, there were moments when we wondered if we’d make it to 31!
Moving into 300 square feet and traveling around the country – pulling your entire house behind you through mountains, wind tunnels, and sometimes severe weather – creates stress that affects both of you individually and as a couple.
We didn’t realize how differently we’d react to certain situations. Barry remains calm driving through mountains, while Darlene’s mind starts imagining Thelma-and-Louise-with-an-RV scenarios when looking over cliff edges. These differences in handling stress can create tension in a small space where there’s nowhere to escape.
The key lesson we’ve learned is to give each other grace. Try not to yell or blame when things get tense. Take a step back, acknowledge when you’re feeling stressed, and communicate openly about your concerns. The more we acknowledge our stress responses, the better we’ve become at not taking it out on each other.
Our 80-pound dog Hugo has also had his own adjustment challenges. Dogs can be reactive to unfamiliar sounds, and RVs have notoriously thin walls. Motorcycles, diesel trucks, and campground noises can put pets on edge. They also struggle to understand their territory when it’s constantly changing.
We’ve found that Hugo does much better when boondocking away from busy campgrounds and their associated noises. Considering your pet’s needs and how they might adapt to constant change is an important part of the planning process that many people overlook.
Maintain Healthier Habits
When we first hit the road, we made a critical mistake: we treated full-time RV life like a perpetual vacation. This mindset affected our eating, drinking, and exercise habits in ways that caught up to us quickly.
Before going full-time, we had established healthy routines – regular gym visits, mindful eating (especially important for Darlene’s food allergies), and active lifestyles. But once on the road, the temptation to eat at local restaurants, visit breweries, and enjoy drinks by the campfire became our new normal.
After about a year, we realized we’d gained weight and lost the healthy habits we’d worked hard to establish. What we didn’t consider was how our activity levels would change – Barry was no longer burning calories performing with his band every weekend, and our sedentary time increased dramatically.
If we could start over, we’d transfer our healthy habits from our sticks-and-bricks life to our RV life from day one. Making time for walks, exercise, and cooking healthy meals (instead of constant dining out) would have prevented the health setbacks we experienced.
Remember: you’re not on vacation – this is your life. Balance the indulgences with healthy routines from the beginning.
Slow Down Our Travel Pace
When we started RVing, we assumed we’d be moving every 1-2 weeks, eager to see everything and go everywhere. That pace proved unsustainable and exhausting.
As we write this, we’re in Spring Hill, Florida, where we’ve been for three months – our longest stay in one place. This extended stay was partly practical (securing a campground during peak season), but also intentional after an intense travel period that had us worn out from back-to-back 7-8 hour travel days.
The beauty of full-time RV life is that nobody’s keeping score. There’s no requirement to move at any particular pace. Sometimes staying in one spot allows you to truly enjoy an area, address maintenance needs, strengthen your relationship, and simply relax.
When you first hit the road, the excitement of seeing everything can lead to an overly ambitious travel schedule. But what we’ve learned is that slower travel is often more enjoyable. If there’s a rainy day during your visit to a national park, you can simply go another day rather than trying to cram everything into a tight schedule.
Our advice to our past selves would be simple: slow down. Take your time. You’ll enjoy places more when you’re not rushing through them.
Embrace Boondocking Sooner
If we could go back, we would have gotten into boondocking much sooner. When we say boondocking, we don’t mean overnight stays at Walmart or Harvest Hosts – we’re talking about staying off-grid with no hookups for extended periods, typically on public lands.
When we started, we had no concept of boondocking. Our brand-new RV didn’t have solar or a substantial battery bank, just an old generator. We assumed we’d be staying exclusively at campgrounds for our entire journey.
What we’ve since discovered is that boondocking offers incredible experiences in beautiful locations you can’t access otherwise. Beyond the breathtaking scenery, there’s also the financial benefit – boondocking is free, which provides significant budget relief, especially as campground prices continue to rise.
Particularly in the western United States, where public land is abundant, boondocking opens up a world of possibilities. While it requires investments in solar, batteries, and water management systems, these upfront costs pay for themselves quickly compared to nightly campground fees.
Had we known what we know now, we might have prioritized these off-grid capabilities from the beginning.
Research Insurance Options More Thoroughly
Insurance seems boring until you need it. We didn’t fully understand the different coverage levels and gaps when we first purchased our RV insurance policy.
About a year and a half into our journey, we started wondering about specific scenarios: Would we be covered during severe weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes? What if a tree limb damaged our rig? Where would we stay if repairs displaced us?
When we looked closely at our policy, we discovered we weren’t adequately covered for these situations. Had we known to ask more detailed questions from the start, we could have secured appropriate coverage and avoided potential financial disasters.
Make sure your policy specifies full-time coverage. Don’t try to save money by claiming weekend-only usage if you’re living in your RV full-time – your insurance could be voided when you need it most.
Be More Intentional About Building Community
One thing we didn’t anticipate when hitting the road was how much we’d miss having a consistent community around us. RV life can sometimes be lonely – you’re not constantly adventuring or sightseeing. Much of the time, you’re working, relaxing, or handling day-to-day responsibilities, just in a smaller space.
During these routine periods, having friends to talk with, share experiences, or simply hang out becomes increasingly important. We didn’t prioritize community-building until our second year on the road, when we began attending Escapees events and other RV gatherings.
We’ve met wonderful people through these events, but we’ve realized we need to be more intentional about maintaining these connections. When you find people you click with, make plans to camp together, coordinate your routes, or meet up regularly.
Being nomadic doesn’t mean you can’t have community – it just requires more effort and planning. If we could go back, we’d start attending meetups and building these relationships from the beginning of our journey.
Create a Solid Exit Strategy
This last point is crucial: have an exit strategy. We see too many Facebook posts from people selling everything they own to go full-time in an RV, leaving themselves no financial safety net or way back to conventional living if needed.
When we started, we rented our house in Sarasota, which provided rental income for the first year. When the rental market changed, we sold the house – but we kept the proceeds as part of our long-term financial plan rather than sinking everything into the RV lifestyle.
Life happens – accidents, health changes, family needs arise. Having a contingency plan for coming off the road is essential financial wisdom. RVs depreciate quickly, especially with full-time use, so they’re not investments in the way traditional real estate is.
We don’t see ourselves living in an RV forever. As our children settle down and potentially have families of their own, we envision having a small home base where grandchildren can visit, possibly with our RV parked on the property for continued travel.
Whatever your situation, be sober-minded about your exit strategy. Make sure you have answers to “what if” questions before you find yourself in a difficult situation.
Final Thoughts
Despite these lessons learned and things we might change, we wouldn’t trade our full-time RV experience for anything. Every challenge has taught us something valuable, and the freedom to explore this beautiful country on our own terms has been worth the adjustment period.
If you’re considering the full-time RV lifestyle, we hope our candid reflections help you prepare realistically. And if you want a comprehensive guide to making this transition successfully, check out our Your Complete Guide To Full-Time RV Living course for the step-by-step roadmap we wish we’d had.
Remember, it’s your journey – there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Take what works for you from our experience, and create the mobile lifestyle that fits your unique needs and dreams.
