Did Full Timing Really Save You A Lot Of Money?

[mweiner]

Did the arithmetic work in your favor to sell your primary home,  purchase a new or late model rig and go full time?  

As I see it,  maybe you'll save some money on your mortgage payments,  etc.   but,  it's still a depreciating asset and that's a problem.  

Please explain your reasons why you went full time and how this affected your health care.  

[wolfe10]

Not sure it is reasonable to consider "saving money" as high on the list for changing lifestyle to go full timing.

Also suspect from those we have gotten to know over the years who do fulltime is that there is no universal answer.

Some sell a million dollar home and hit the road with a 20 year old coach.

Others sell very thing any buy their "dream coach".

To me that is the good news-- you meet a wide range of people from a wide range of backgrounds who enjoy the RV lifestyle.

[BillAdams]

I never considered the math.  This is about lifestyle.  I now work to support my lifestyle instead of struggling to figure out how to make my income pay for my existence.  Most full timers are retired and some only move twice per year and some move on a regular basis.  Some are wealthy and some are just making it on Social Security.  To make any kind of an income/savings/expenses comparison is just silly.  Take a look at your situation and if you are happy then that's all that needs to be said.  Support the decision of others.  There is no need to question or compare.

[desertdeals69]

1 hour ago, BillAdams said:

I never considered the math.  This is about lifestyle.  I now work to support my lifestyle instead of struggling to figure out how to make my income pay for my existence.  Most full timers are retired and some only move twice per year and some move on a regular basis.  Some are wealthy and some are just making it on Social Security.  To make any kind of an income/savings/expenses comparison is just silly.  Take a look at your situation and if you are happy then that's all that needs to be said.  Support the decision of others.  There is no need to question or compare.

I agree 100%.  I'm not full timing but spend about 7 months a year in the coach.  I like spending some time at my home shop to upgrade and modify my coach and toads.

[kingfr]

We full timed for 10 years. When you factor in the depreciation on two DP coaches, we spent a lot more than it would have cost to stay in a sticks and bricks. We did not try to be frugal, we traveled in all of the lower 48, rarely staying in one place more than a week or two except when visiting family or taking care of some severe medical issues. It was worth every penny, we would still be full timing if health issues hadn't stopped us. I had bypass surgery and DW had a hip replacement while we lived in the coach. Medicare and Texas Blue Cross took care of everything. I wish that they could make severe arthritis go away!

[mweiner]

2 hours ago, kingfr said:

We full timed for 10 years. When you factor in the depreciation on two DP coaches, we spent a lot more than it would have cost to stay in a sticks and bricks. We did not try to be frugal, we traveled in all of the lower 48, rarely staying in one place more than a week or two except when visiting family or taking care of some severe medical issues. It was worth every penny, we would still be full timing if health issues hadn't stopped us. I had bypass surgery and DW had a hip replacement while we lived in the coach. Medicare and Texas Blue Cross took care of everything. I wish that they could make severe arthritis go away!

I see.. it's all about the life style... Yes, depreciation on any of these is a huge factor.. which is why I think I'll use my RV for traveling..  at least I can always refinance my house to pay for repairs or acquire a new RV ...

[lmsooter]

9 hours ago, MWeiner said:

Did the arithmetic work in your favor to sell your primary home,  purchase a new or late model rig and go full time?  

As I see it,  maybe you'll save some money on your mortgage payments,  etc.   but,  it's still a depreciating asset and that's a problem.  

Please explain your reasons why you went full time and how this affected your health care.  

Saving money did not enter into the decision to go full time for us.  We were in good health and enjoyed our coach.  I had been tied to a demanding job for my entire career and had retired several years prior.  We simple said "Do we want to stay here and mow this 3 acres and maintain a large home for the rest of our lives or do we want to go see the country?"  That was in 2011.

In 2012 we spent 3 months in Canada and Alaska.  And visited many states traveling there and returning to Texas.  We spent almost a year in 2015-2016 east of the Mississippi River visiting every state there.  In between the long trips, we visited friends and family in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.  Now we spend the summer months (or June through September) in New Mexico and Colorado enjoying sightseeing, trains, fishing and photography.  The rest of the year we spend near family in Texas.

As far as health care is concerned, we have a Humana Medicare Advantage plan which has served us well across the nation.

We have never regretted our decision.

[mweiner]

1 hour ago, lmsooter said:

Saving money did not enter into the decision to go full time for us.  We were in good health and enjoyed our coach.  I had been tied to a demanding job for my entire career and had retired several years prior.  We simple said "Do we want to stay here and mow this 3 acres and maintain a large home for the rest of our lives or do we want to go see the country?"  That was in 2011.

In 2012 we spent 3 months in Canada and Alaska.  And visited many states traveling there and returning to Texas.  We spent almost a year in 2015-2016 east of the Mississippi River visiting every state there.  In between the long trips, we visited friends and family in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.  Now we spend the summer months (or June through September) in New Mexico and Colorado enjoying sightseeing, trains, fishing and photography.  The rest of the year we spend near family in Texas.

As far as health care is concerned, we have a Humana Medicare Advantage plan which has served us well across the nation.

We have never regretted our decision.

Great answer.... thanks for sharing...

[manholt]

We travel in 2 Class A, DP's about 5 months + a year!  Linda has a 2006 Phaethon 40 foot, 350 Cat...her hobby is rock collecting and making jewelry (heavy stuff)!  Between us, we have 4 homes and I'm putting both of mine on the market this month...we have no mortgages on anything, we just enjoy our travels.  Linda has 2 small ranches, so we will enjoy the wildlife in Burnet, TX (only one acre to move around house, the rest we take the tractors and bat wings too, once a year) and Tree Rivers, TX.  I will still have the 5 sections in Nevada and 2 sections in West Texas.  Medicare and Blue Cross takes care of our health here and a Universal Policy takes care of us when we are in other parts of the world.

Linda and I travel with folks who are not into "Beat out the Joneses"!  We all enjoy camping and traveling...yes we hit the road with all types of RV's and income levels, no stress!

[nitehawk]

How much does one value the memories created by traveling?

[mweiner]

It's not that we don't love traveling...and we definitely do plenty ..it's just that the depreciation factor on a vehicle as expensive as this is daunting... Again, my house is an appreciating asset.. I can rely on that as a financial backup.. the vehicles not so much... 

So, we'll continue to be part time...we get plenty of memories out of our travels.. unfortunately, not one of these answers came close to justifying the "financial benefit" of going full time... BUT, some of your stories were very good... I'm sure that you didn't regret doing what you did... Just makes me pause.. here's why..

Over the course of time... our home has gone up in value over 500 percent...

I don't think there's anything that anyone can say to justify how an RV can do this...new or used.. And, the expenses of the RV for fuel, repairs, maintenance, parking, rent or whatever you take it have to considered vs. the mortgage and taxes..     

In my particular case, this just doesn't work for me... 

[kaypsmith]

If one goes to a football game and the ticket cost $100.00, there is no appreciation, if you purchase the ticket for $100.00 and then don't show for the game, your $100.00 is lost, unless you sell the ticket to someone else before the game. If you hold the ticket till after the game, then try to sell, that would be a loss. Now if you go to the game, $100.00 is now spent, and if you enjoyed the game, you would probably say money well spent, if you didn't enjoy it, you would probably say, that was a poorly spent $100.00. RV'ing is of the same mindset, if one enjoys it, then he/she can only think of that money as being well spent. If they don't enjoy it, then they need to get out before it costs too much more. No there is very little chance of appreciation in this hobby, same for boating, hunting, or football games for that matter I personally enjoy mine, and think of it in those terms. If I want to spend less money for fuel, I have a very nice park less than 15 miles away and I can enjoy that, but if I have a mindset to take off for the Grand Canyon, I know that it will cost me much more than going to the local park, so if I want to enjoy the Grand Canyon, I know that my children will just not have quiet as large of an inheritance, I raised them to take care of their own selves, and they do very well, for this reason, I don't mind spending the money that they didn't earn anyway. So the moral to my story is, I intend to enjoy myself as long as I can, and all others need to learn to take care theirs.

[rfsod48]

Well said Kaypsmith, my thoughts exactly. I am not wealthy but comfortable enough that I want to live the life I want and don't consider financial concerns as my prime decider. If I did I would not have any type of rv and would not own a home either.

[mweiner]

One more thing... about full time.... while your rig is in the shop for repairs.. you essentially are locked out of your home and have to stay in a hotel... A little more than inconvenient....

I don't collect vehicles... I collect houses....and the investment properties help me finance what I want to do.... You can't refinance an RV... based on appreciation... they don't appreciate... 

I'm not saying that it's not worth doing...this is a business decision... You just have to be very careful with how you handle money and investments... Long term planning is key... I definitely want to travel first... And when this becomes too difficult have my own home to come back to... 

A large Class A that you live in is like a mobile home on wheels... You still have to pay for fuel, maintenance, long term storage, repairs, insurance, any other costs.. traveling and admission to recreational areas... 

All of this we can do and enjoy in our lighter foot print Class B.... 

Again, I'm not saying anything negative or that the Class A's aren't nice.. they're wonderful... I just don't want to spend the extra money for fuel, maintenance and everything else that goes with a more complicated machine like the Class A's...

That's all...Choices ......

[BillAdams]

There are so many things in life that are more important than money that I don't think you will ever understand.  It is not, and never has been, about a financial benefit.  There is a huge physical and mental benefit but you are happy with your money and your financial appreciation so I don't think anyone could explain it to you.  When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it.

[mweiner]

45 minutes ago, BillAdams said:

There are so many things in life that are more important than money that I don't think you will ever understand.  It is not, and never has been, about a financial benefit.  There is a huge physical and mental benefit but you are happy with your money and your financial appreciation so I don't think anyone could explain it to you.  When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it.

Again...I have appreciation for traveling and enjoy doing it... I'm just making decisions that suits my lifestyle... your free to make yours.   

Who said anything about not enjoying my travels... you're making some sweeping generalizations here predicting what other people might do...   

 

[wildebill308]

"All of this we can do and enjoy in our lighter foot print Class B...." That is just fine if all you want is just a Class B. Why don't you go camping and give it a rest. I know I am I will be headed to St. Louis to watch the eclipse starting Thursday. 

I will be taking my class A motorhome that gets about 8.5 MPG and towing my CR-V that gets over 30. I don't care what the cost of fuel I am going. I was traveling a few years ago when Diesel was over $4.50 a gal and only drove 15,000 miles. You can figure out what it cost I DON'T CARE.

You keep preaching about how you can go places that class A coaches can't. Please, you obviously haven't had your oversized van in any of the major national parks. You will be just driving around looking for a place to park. I park my coach in a campground and take my toad and still have a hard time finding parking. Just for reference point I was in 12 national parks and 27 states just last year. I think I know what I am saying about parking. 

One other point. "A large Class A that you live in is like a mobile home on wheels... You still have to pay for fuel, maintenance, long term storage, repairs, insurance, any other costs.. traveling and admission to recreational areas..." How is your B different? Yes I have a mobile condo. I can park it on the coast. East, West Gulf. In the Mountains,..

Bill

 

 

 

[tbutler]

Speaking strictly from an arithmetic perspective, looking at what we have spent on our current motor home, $270,000 and the current value, we've spent (or lost if you prefer) about $200,000.  Amortized over the 14 years we've owned the motor home that is about $14,000 per year.  The initial investment amount includes loan interest for the purchase of the motor home.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.

Now, what did we get for our $200,000?  Yes, there are experiences, read my blog for a few. We also got freedom.  Freedom that is hard to imagine until you experience it. 

Let's imagine taking a trip from home to Alaska.  Most people will go for a week or two, perhaps a little longer then return home.  There are the expenses of going to and from, expenses while in Alaska including a place to stay, a rental car, food and fuel.  Meanwhile you have the utilities, upkeep at home, mortgage (if you have one), insurance, etc.  Somewhere in the back of your mind is the condition of your house.  Is the air conditioner still working?  There was a storm in the area are there any wind damages?  I hope that our friend Joe remembers to pick up the mail.  Will our son have time to cut the grass?  I wonder if I left the iron on...  Meanwhile, the time you leave home until you return you are on the travel treadmill.  You have plane reservations, hotel reservations, special tours or events, all scheduled.  So you methodically go from one experience to the next.  Along the way you learn about an interesting event nearby but, too bad, you have reservations in another location tomorrow.  Want to go back to Alaska another time?  You have to plan another trip.  Will you do it?  I'm betting against it.  There are so many other places to go.  So likely, that trip to Alaska becomes the only time you will be there in your life.

Now imagine that your motor home is your home.  As you travel, your expenses are just part of your ordinary budget, food (we eat most meals in so it is groceries, not restaurant bills and we control our diet), fuel, campground fees (when not boondocking), maintenance, insurance, mortgage, etc.  Your expenses will rise slightly on the way to Alaska and while there simply because the cost of living is higher in Canada and Alaska.  So the expense of taking that trip is not significantly different from your normal living expense.  We spent three months on that trip in 2006.  We were able to see and enjoy things that most people traveling from home can not experience.  All the while, we had not a care about anything related to a permanent house. Along the way you learn of a nearby experience.  No problem, we'll extend our stay for a few more days (or relocate to an area close to that experience).  Our trip planning is done on a daily basis.  If we like a place, we'll stay longer.  If we've seen all we're interested in we'll head on down the road.  If a campground is full we'll find another.  We did this in Anchorage.  The campground had a site for us for three days.  We did what we could, then went down the Kenai Peninsula toward Homer.  Before we left, we made reservations for two weeks in Anchorage and would return to stay there later.  Our travels are flexible in a way that is almost impossible when traveling from home.  From time to time, no matter where we are, we'll just take a day or two and stay at home.  We have no compulsion to be out running at full speed to see everything.  We aren't on vacation, we are living where we are.  The freedom of not having a schedule is hard to understand if you haven't experienced traveling that way.

On the way to and from Alaska, we explored British Columbia in depth.  Also on our way to Alaska we spent several weeks visiting our daughter and her family in California.  This was just one summer out of the 9 1/2 years we were full time.  We continue to live in our motor home for six months of the year.  We now have a winter home, a mobile home in a park in Edinburg, Texas.  So we are in the motor home full time each year from about the end of April until the end of October.  I would have been happy to remain living in the motor home full time but marriage is a partnership and Louise said she needed to have a home again.  She had done 9 1/2 years on the road, how could I say no to that request.  At this point she still relishes the freedom of our summer travels and at the same time looks forward to returning to our winter retreat. 

As to health care, we had employer based health care for the first 11 years and had to return our original home location for health care except for emergency type care.  Emergency care would be "out of network," and was covered with a higher deductible.  Once on Medicare, our insurance became nationwide.  Since we had children near our original employment, we combined family visits with medical care.  We are both in good health and an annual visit was all we needed generally.  I had both knees replaced in 2011 while we were parked in my daughter's driveway.  Recovering in the motor home was at least no worse than in a regular house.  The distance to the bedroom and bathroom was much shorter than in a real home and just outside my door was plenty of are to walk for exercise.  I even used the outdoor steps to their basement to build strength and flexibility on stairs.  Follow-up home care visits were also easily accomplished in the motor home.  The nurse/therapist simply came into the motor home for my check and treatments.

Now, to your most recent inquiry.  We have been out of our motor home for maintenance only one time while full time and that was a single night when the coach was in the paint shop overnight.  We've had painting done and not been out of the motor home overnight but this one shop wasn't able to accommodate us.  We routinely have service done at Cummins, Freightliner and other shops and have never, repeat never, had to spend a night in a hotel.  Both Cummins and Freighliner have RV friendly locations but we've visited their regular truck facilities also and never been refused overnight accommodations in our own coach.  In many cases, they will pull it out of the shop in the evening so we can have the coach until the next morning.  If one case, we had a valve dropped in our first coach.  Cummins had us towed to a spot in front of one shop door, the coach stayed outside while they ordered parts and repaired the engine.  We never left the coach.  They allowed us to use their bathrooms during the day and we weren't there long enough to fill the black water tank.  The gray tank could be emptied into a nearby drain.  I used a bucket to take several gallons at a time and pour it down the drain.  We just had a water heater replaced at American RV in Evansville, IN.  They had electric hookups for us, we came in the night before, plugged in and were ready to go at 8:00 a.m.  They worked through the day, brought the coach back out for the night.  We plugged in and stayed until they finished, doing the last remaining work while the coach was on the lot. 

There have been two major body work repairs on our coach.  In both cases we were able to return to our now winter home and we took the coach to the shop and left it.  So, those might have worked as above but we didn't have to try to stay in the coach.  We did have some body work done on the coach and were able to stay in it through the whole process.

[hermanmullins]

Gentlemen, it's time to stop sniping at one another and get back on the Topic. 

Does full timing save you a lot of money?

I can't answer that since we don't full time. 

Herman 

[mweiner]

50 minutes ago, BillAdams said:

There are so many things in life that are more important than money that I don't think you will ever understand.  It is not, and never has been, about a financial benefit.  There is a huge physical and mental benefit but you are happy with your money and your financial appreciation so I don't think anyone could explain it to you.  When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it.

Bill, 

Not once have I ever said that people, including you, should NOT be entitled to choose a Class A... heck, the Prevost is an extremely large and luxurious vehicle...we saw a brand new one recently at the Grand Canyon.... must have been a million dollars plus rig.... Really spectacular... 

I'm just saying that I don't need to have something this exotic... Is it cool, YES...

I wouldn't have any place to store this and I'm sure that lot of other people don't either. 

Seems to me that by listening to what you are saying....if you don't go full time , you cannot appreciate traveling and experiencing this great country of ours, that's not TRUE..... 

Please layoff making perjorative remarks about us part timers.... even insinuating remarks like 

"When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it."

Don't you realize that a comment like this is really in poor taste?  Not necessary.

Again, keep it up... your killing off new members like me, really obnoxious. 

[mweiner]

55 minutes ago, TBUTLER said:

Speaking strictly from an arithmetic perspective, looking at what we have spent on our current motor home, $270,000 and the current value, we've spent (or lost if you prefer) about $200,000.  Amortized over the 14 years we've owned the motor home that is about $14,000 per year.  The initial investment amount includes loan interest for the purchase of the motor home.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.

Now, what did we get for our $200,000?  Yes, there are experiences, read my blog for a few. We also got freedom.  Freedom that is hard to imagine until you experience it. 

Let's imagine taking a trip from home to Alaska.  Most people will go for a week or two, perhaps a little longer then return home.  There are the expenses of going to and from, expenses while in Alaska including a place to stay, a rental car, food and fuel.  Meanwhile you have the utilities, upkeep at home, mortgage (if you have one), insurance, etc.  Somewhere in the back of your mind is the condition of your house.  Is the air conditioner still working?  There was a storm in the area are there any wind damages?  I hope that our friend Joe remembers to pick up the mail.  Will our son have time to cut the grass?  I wonder if I left the iron on...  Meanwhile, the time you leave home until you return you are on the travel treadmill.  You have plane reservations, hotel reservations, special tours or events, all scheduled.  So you methodically go from one experience to the next.  Along the way you learn about an interesting event nearby but, too bad, you have reservations in another location tomorrow.  Want to go back to Alaska another time?  You have to plan another trip.  Will you do it?  I'm betting against it.  There are so many other places to go.  So likely, that trip to Alaska becomes the only time you will be there in your life.

Now imagine that your motor home is your home.  As you travel, your expenses are just part of your ordinary budget, food (we eat most meals in so it is groceries, not restaurant bills and we control our diet), fuel, campground fees (when not boondocking), maintenance, insurance, mortgage, etc.  Your expenses will rise slightly on the way to Alaska and while there simply because the cost of living is higher in Canada and Alaska.  So the expense of taking that trip is not significantly different from your normal living expense.  We spent three months on that trip in 2006.  We were able to see and enjoy things that most people traveling from home can not experience.  All the while, we had not a care about anything related to a permanent house. Along the way you learn of a nearby experience.  No problem, we'll extend our stay for a few more days (or relocate to an area close to that experience).  Our trip planning is done on a daily basis.  If we like a place, we'll stay longer.  If we've seen all we're interested in we'll head on down the road.  If a campground is full we'll find another.  We did this in Fairbanks.  The campground had a site for us for three days.  We did what we could, then went down the Kenai Peninsula toward Homer.  Before we left, we made reservations for two weeks in Anchorage and would return to stay there later.  Our travels are flexible in a way that is almost impossible when traveling from home.  From time to time, no matter where we are, we'll just take a day or two and stay at home.  We have no compulsion to be out running at full speed to see everything.  We aren't on vacation, we are living where we are.  The freedom of not having a schedule is hard to understand if you haven't experienced traveling that way.

On the way to and from Alaska, we explored British Columbia in depth.  Also on our way to Alaska we spent several weeks visiting our daughter and her family in California.  This was just one summer out of the 9 1/2 years we were full time.  We continue to live in our motor home for six months of the year.  We now have a winter home, a mobile home in a park in Edinburg, Texas.  So we are in the motor home full time each year from about the end of April until the end of October.  I would have been happy to remain living in the motor home full time but marriage is a partnership and Louise said she needed to have a home again.  She had done 9 1/2 years on the road, how could I say no to that request.  At this point she still relishes the freedom of our summer travels and at the same time looks forward to returning to our winter retreat. 

As to health care, we had employer based health care for the first 11 years and had to return our original home location for health care except for emergency type care.  Emergency care would be "out of network," and was covered with a higher deductible.  Once on Medicare, our insurance became nationwide.  Since we had children near our original employment, we combined family visits with medical care.  We are both in good health and an annual visit was all we needed generally.  I had both knees replaced in 2011 while we were parked in my daughter's driveway.  Recovering in the motor home was at least no worse than in a regular house.  The distance to the bedroom and bathroom was much shorter than in a real home and just outside my door was plenty of are to walk for exercise.  I even used the outdoor steps to their basement to build strength and flexibility on stairs.  Follow-up home care visits were also easily accomplished in the motor home.  The nurse/therapist simply came into the motor home for my check and treatments.

Now, to your most recent inquiry.  We have been out of our motor home for maintenance only one time while full time and that was a single night when the coach was in the paint shop overnight.  We've had painting done and not been out of the motor home overnight but this one shop wasn't able to accommodate us.  We routinely have service done at Cummins, Freightliner and other shops and have never, repeat never, had to spend a night in a hotel.  Both Cummins and Freighliner have RV friendly locations but we've visited their regular truck facilities also and never been refused overnight accommodations in our own coach.  In many cases, they will pull it out of the shop in the evening so we can have the coach until the next morning.  If one case, we had a valve dropped in our first coach.  Cummins had us towed to a spot in front of one shop door, the coach stayed outside while they ordered parts and repaired the engine.  We never left the coach.  They allowed us to use their bathrooms during the day and we weren't there long enough to fill the black water tank.  The gray tank could be emptied into a nearby drain.  I used a bucket to take several gallons at a time and pour it down the drain.  We just had a water heater replaced at American RV in Evansville, IN.  They had electric hookups for us, we came in the night before, plugged in and were ready to go at 8:00 a.m.  They worked through the day, brought the coach back out for the night.  We plugged in and stayed until they finished, doing the last remaining work while the coach was on the lot. 

There have been two major body work repairs on our coach.  In both cases we were able to return to our now winter home and we took the coach to the shop and left it.  So, those might have worked as above but we didn't have to try to stay in the coach.  We did have some body work done on the coach and were able to stay in it through the whole process.

Tom...- thank you... your posts continue to be very adult like and well reasoned replies.

I think it's great that you are living 6 months out of the year...and enjoying visits with your family... 

We just got back from the Grand Canyon.. visiting our granddaughter...

We're also on Medicare., Social Security... and I'm retired.. 

We are going on a two month journey with no set scheduled stops across the United States... Have a few key locations but the rest are up in the air...Plan on taking 10 days to the Midwest , see friends, out east down to Florida and finally back to California....a 7,500 miles journey over two months...   AND, we can easily do that in our Class B because we have places and family to visit... 

The journey is the destination...   And, maybe if the weather is too much.. hurricanes, tornadoes, or something, we'll just find a hotel for a few days... No problems.   I'd rather be safe staying somewhere than be at risk on the road....

As far as medical stuff.... we're Kaiser Permanente members...we can get out of area coverage, and get reimbursed later if we need to.. 

Your story about the rig getting fixed right away is very lucky....

We have a couple of small issues to work out before our long trip this fall and I recently called a local RV shop that came highly recommended.... turns out the first appointment is about one month from now just to bring the rig in.... glad I don't live in it.....

Keep moving as long as you can...time and age is like a cruel trick...it creeps up on people and many people overestimate how much time they actually have left.... that's WHY I retired early.....

[mweiner]

1 hour ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

"All of this we can do and enjoy in our lighter foot print Class B...." That is just fine if all you want is just a Class B. Why don't you go camping and give it a rest. I know I am I will be headed to St. Louis to watch the eclipse starting Thursday. 

I will be taking my class A motorhome that gets about 8.5 MPG and towing my CR-V that gets over 30. I don't care what the cost of fuel I am going. I was traveling a few years ago when Diesel was over $4.50 a gal and only drove 15,000 miles. You can figure out what it cost I DON'T CARE.

You keep preaching about how you can go places that class A coaches can't. Please, you obviously haven't had your oversized van in any of the major national parks. You will be just driving around looking for a place to park. I park my coach in a campground and take my toad and still have a hard time finding parking. Just for reference point I was in 12 national parks and 27 states just last year. I think I know what I am saying about parking. 

One other point. "A large Class A that you live in is like a mobile home on wheels... You still have to pay for fuel, maintenance, long term storage, repairs, insurance, any other costs.. traveling and admission to recreational areas..." How is your B different? Yes I have a mobile condo. I can park it on the coast. East, West Gulf. In the Mountains,..

Bill

 

 

 

Bill, 

I was just in the Grand Canyon area didn't see any challenges with parking... NOW , Yosemite National Park.. have you been following what's going on there??

As we just returned from a trip... we're relaxing at home now... very nice...

My plan is go during the off season... We avoid crowds..if we want to experience crowds, I only need to get on the LA freeway... 

Speaking of crowds.... You ain't seen nothing yet.. until you get to the "eclipse"... Whoa, that will be a crowd infested event... guaranteed... 

We're taking our rig across country for two months in late September...no set route to the Midwest.... down the Eastern shore to Florida and across the country back to California...  We have some key highlights we want to see and visit friends and family...   

For me... fuel economy is important... 

By the way... I don't pay for storage costs for the Class B...it is parked in front of the house....the advantage of the single vehicle is I don't have to worry about towing, reduced speeds in California , and the maintenance and repair on another tow car... 

Enjoy your trips...

[BillAdams]

1 hour ago, MWeiner said:

Bill, 

Not once have I ever said that people, including you, should NOT be entitled to choose a Class A... heck, the Prevost is an extremely large and luxurious vehicle...we saw a brand new one recently at the Grand Canyon.... must have been a million dollars plus rig.... Really spectacular... 

I'm just saying that I don't need to have something this exotic... Is it cool, YES...

I wouldn't have any place to store this and I'm sure that lot of other people don't either. 

Seems to me that by listening to what you are saying....if you don't go full time , you cannot appreciate traveling and experiencing this great country of ours, that's not TRUE..... 

Please layoff making perjorative remarks about us part timers.... even insinuating remarks like 

"When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it."

Don't you realize that a comment like this is really in poor taste?  Not necessary.

Again, keep it up... your killing off new members like me, really obnoxious. 

Don't try to discipline me, this was YOUR question. "Did full timing really save you a lot of money".  Assuming you meant pejorative, I made no such remarks.  I did not insinuate anything.  I made a direct statement that you are trying to figure out if full timing saved a lot of money and that has nothing what-so-ever to do with full timing.  The reality is that all of your work to accumulate wealth will only be a benefit to your heirs if you don't enjoy the life you have the opportunity to live.  I am tiring quickly of your "I am the only one here making the right decision" posts.  If I could keep it up and kill off your particular membership I think we would all be better off.

Sorry moderators....I promise I will be good from here out!  I am not going to let this guy continue to get under my skin!

[mweiner]

45 minutes ago, BillAdams said:

Don't try to discipline me, this was YOUR question. "Did full timing really save you a lot of money".  Assuming you meant pejorative, I made no such remarks.  I did not insinuate anything.  I made a direct statement that you are trying to figure out if full timing saved a lot of money and that has nothing what-so-ever to do with full timing.  The reality is that all of your work to accumulate wealth will only be a benefit to your heirs if you don't enjoy the life you have the opportunity to live.  I am tiring quickly of your "I am the only one here making the right decision" posts.  If I could keep it up and kill off your particular membership I think we would all be better off.

Sorry moderators....I promise I will be good from here out!  I am not going to let this guy continue to get under my skin!

Really?? Yes, this was my question on the Class B forum....you answered it. 

As far as remarks, again...you brought this up.... these are your words not mine, you have to own it.... sorry.... Can't turn that back on me...

You wrote;. 

"When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it."

"There are so many things in life that are more important than money that I don't think you will ever understand" 

Again, your decision for your situation is fine... I said that before and I'm not changing my mind on that issue... 

As for making "right decisions"..., I'm not saying your decision is bad at all, just doesn't work for me....

i think that you're reading a lot more into this.... my decisions work for me that's all I'm saying... your free to make yours... 

What I don't appreciate is people making "sweeping generalizations" about my situation.... And, statements like the ...so many things in life I will never understand" ( see second quote from you, above)

Sorry, all your words...in quotations. 

[elkhartjim]

Mark....you are not making any friends and if thats your objective you're on the wrong forum. I told you several weeks ago that we all have an opinion and if it doesn't agree with yours you go bonkers trying to convince us we are wrong.

You have your opinion and personally I don't agree with hardly any of them but they are your opinions and I'm perfectly happy for you to share them just don't try to change everyone else to think like you.

I suggest you either back off or back away from this forum and please stop private messaging me.

Brett, you can delete or edit this post, but I, like some of the other members have endured about as many his posts as possible.