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Old 11-03-2014, 07:51 PM   #21
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Okay, so it is reasonable to budget about $2500 a month when full timing. Some can do it for less. Our health and auto insurance is a major fixed expense, paid if we travel or not. We can add costs associated with maintaining a "sticks and bricks" home, or making tow vehicle and/or Airstream payments. There is some downside to this budget number, and lots of upside.

Full timing is likely more expensive than staying home in a two bedroom apartment. I know plenty of people who live on $1800 a month, $450 a week take home after health insurance benefit. (Small town is cheaper than big city.) Full timing is likely cheaper than living in a 4 bedroom home with insurance and property taxes, utilities and maintenance.

But nothing compares to Airstream adventures while traveling. Worth every penny!

David
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Old 11-03-2014, 08:09 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony View Post
But...
Quarterly, bi-annual, and annual payments need to be considered/accounted for in the monthly budget.
Property tax and homeowners insurance are like that- if you don't plan/budget, you'll come up short-
Maybe for others. Our fixed expenses never exceed 35% of our income.

I just simply adjust for the annual things I pay once a year. But that is me. I have all my insurance scheduled to come out at tax time each year. But I also run a monthly and yearly budget. I know what I need to set aside for yearly expenses, like business taxes and that's accounted for in savings. It's weird, but works for me.

Might not work for everyone, so I understand the accounting for it each month.

I've practiced a steady 35/15/50 spending plan since getting married.

35% is fixed budgeted bills.
15% is spending money on whatever (eating out, recreation, etc)
50% goes into savings and investments.

If you can SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN, you can full time in an Airstream.
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Old 11-03-2014, 08:18 PM   #23
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Hello Bold: Our CPA members would agree. Some obligations are covered yearly, some semi annually, many monthly, and even some weekly or daily (like lunch)! I was just taking all the expenses as a monthly allotment for budgetary reasons.

David
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Old 11-03-2014, 08:45 PM   #24
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Our monthly camping has been coming out to less than you budgeted.. around $400-$700, but will probably go up a bit the next year or so as we hit Florida for the winter and then the east coast.

Gas is more than yours and we only move on the weekends, so you are probably low on that.

We eat well, healthy and don't like to skimp so our food budget is over twice what you listed.

Our phone, internet and insurance is all slightly higher.
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Old 11-04-2014, 08:09 AM   #25
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Jim, I travelled about 7000 miles on a trip from Barrie ON to Whitehorse YK and also put everything on a card also cost about $1.00 per mile.
I have a 1978 like yours but not as shiny, did you polish it yourself or have it done ?
When I got mine it had been painted with spray can aluminum paint I have removed that but still have a long way to go to get it bright.
Been getting needed updates done will work on the outside when all that is done.
The new ones are nice but I wouldn't trade my old tin can for one.
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Old 11-04-2014, 08:19 AM   #26
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Full Time Monthly Budget

$1/mile is interesting. I know my fuel cost is right at 25-cpm


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Old 11-04-2014, 08:34 AM   #27
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Several years ago I copied some fulltiming cost info from RV-Dreams.com and started adjusting it to match my timing and experience so we could see if full-timing was in our future. Unless things get really wacked out, I'm projecting something along these lines in a few (5 or so) years. A 'travel month' will be more costly and should be about 9 of the 12 months. The remaing 3 months should be cheaper with some volenteering or driveway camping. I'm also 100% sure that it could be done MUCH cheaper but we don't want to plan that way.

Average Month Travel Months
Basic Daily Living Expenses $2,814 $3,200
Annual Taxes, Fees, Insurance $950 $950
Totals $3,765 $4,151
Per year $45,180 $49,820

Basic Daily Living Expenses

Campground Fees $490 $540
RV Clubs $12 $13
Propane $16 $17
Cell Phone $140 $154
Internet $100 $108
Directtv $95 $104
Trailer Maintance $31 $34
Diesel $335 $370
Gas $270 $297
Truck Maintance $35 $38
Car Maintance $15 $16
Groceries/Dining Out $600 $664
Laundry, clothing, hair $95 $105
Entertainment $278 $307
Medical & Dental Expenses $44 $48
Misc $257 $283
Total $2,814 $3,100


Annual Taxes, Fees, Insurance

Trailer Insurance $100 $111
Trailer Taxes/Tag $66 $73
Truck Insurance $82 $91
Car Insurance $33 $36
Truck Tag/Registration $64 $71
Car Tag/Registration $5 $5
Insurance - Life, Health $400 $441
Other taxes $56 $62
Other Insurance $141 $155
Total $950 $1,048
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Old 11-04-2014, 12:10 PM   #28
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Peggy Wilson -- Hi! Your post made me rethink some things we've (DH and I) have discussed in the past. BLM camping is something that intrigues me greatly. Hope I'm not bringing on a lot of discussion saying that we're paranoid or whatever, but here it goes...............How do you find BLM places to camp, and when you've located one or some, how do you know it is "safe"? There seems to be more and more people out there invading other's space and not respecting other's rights/privacy. I also am not trying to bring a lot of discussion about how to protect yourself -- we know that tends to bring discussion which ends up closing threads before long, and I don't want to do that. I'd like some factual, earnest discussion about how to safely find BLM camping sites and how to be safe.

We are looking forward to our retirement a few years from now, and enjoy discussing what we'd like to do and how we might go about it. Wintering in our Airstream is what we're planning, however, a lot will factor into that final decision.

I thought this might be helpful to the originator of this thread, but if not, we could move this discussion.

Thanks so much for anyone responding.

Deb
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Old 11-04-2014, 12:17 PM   #29
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ThNks HiHo. Looks like adding a Splendide would work for you and maybe a dishwasher as well. How are you figuring diesel? $4/gl @ 12-mpg for planning? I'm still using that price thus 25-cpm even with today's lower price to allow for hilly terrain (Rockies are another price).


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Old 11-04-2014, 03:11 PM   #30
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2000 30' Excella
Monticello , Florida
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Here is a summary of my actual expenses based on my Quicken bookkeeping over 4.6 years (54.9 months) full timing in two Rvs both Motor Homes 40' and 43' which average 6-7 MPG and a tow Honda 24 mpg used to explore 200 miles around our "base". We tried to stay a month at each CG but when making tracks it would be a night or a weekly basis.
01/01/09
07/30/13
from
to

54.9 months
amusements
$391.89
cell phone
$150.37
entertainment
$ 96.91
groceries
$775.63
grooming
$ 14.98
household goods
$217.56
mail forwarding
$ 24.48
medical expense
$422.11
memberships
$ 2.99
misc
$ 58.94
3 dog vet
$ 73.03
vech repairs
$159.47
space rentals
$381.49
tolls
$ 2.15
tolls
$ 1.27
auto insurance
$310.12
road service
$ 18.15
auto maint
$ 29.38
diesel maint
$ 11.34
misc equipment
$ 90.39
diesel fuel
$242.68
auto gas
$140.25
propane
$ 1.42
vech registration SD
$ 21.39 two vech

monthly expenses
$3,638.40

You can probably cut the diesel fuel cost by a third if you are using gas. We sold everything and hit the road becoming residents of SD because 3% sales tax when buying vehicles out of state, low insurance costs, no income tax etc. and used Mailbox America for mail forwarding. This data is just a guide not including income tax mortgages, etc. We went east to west north to south wintering most years in Tx with lower costs.
Bob
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Old 11-04-2014, 03:15 PM   #31
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2000 30' Excella
Monticello , Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
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Here is a summary of my actual expenses based on my Quicken bookkeeping over 4.6 years (54.9 months) full timing in two Rvs both Motor Homes 40' and 43' which average 6-7 MPG and a tow Honda 24 mpg used to explore 200 miles around our "base". We tried to stay a month at each CG but when making tracks it would be a night or a weekly basis.
01/01/09
07/30/13
from
to

54.9 months
amusements
$391.89
cell phone
$150.37
entertainment
$ 96.91
groceries
$775.63
grooming
$ 14.98
household goods
$217.56
mail forwarding
$ 24.48
medical expense
$422.11
memberships
$ 2.99
misc
$ 58.94
3 dog vet
$ 73.03
vech repairs
$159.47
space rentals
$381.49
tolls
$ 2.15
tolls
$ 1.27
auto insurance
$310.12
road service
$ 18.15
auto maint
$ 29.38
diesel maint
$ 11.34
misc equipment
$ 90.39
diesel fuel
$242.68
auto gas
$140.25
propane
$ 1.42
vech registration SD
$ 21.39 two vech

monthly expenses
$3,638.40

You can probably cut the diesel fuel cost by a third if you are using gas. We sold everything and hit the road becoming residents of SD because 3% sales tax when buying vehicles out of state, low insurance costs, no income tax etc. and used Mailbox America for mail forwarding. This data is just a guide not including income tax mortgages, etc.
Bob
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Old 11-04-2014, 03:22 PM   #32
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I don't know why this post appears here and not under full time monthly budget which is the title of this thread!!! ???
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Old 11-04-2014, 03:29 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LiLNomad View Post
I like to follow:
RVSueandcrew.net
Aluminarium.com
Watsonswander.com
They all post their monthly budgets so it gives you an in idea on different fulltime lifestyles, boondocking vs campgrounds etc and some realistic budgets. Hope this helps
LilNomad
I follow all of these blogs as well. RVSue lives very frugally. She is my chosen role model.
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Old 11-04-2014, 03:37 PM   #34
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Sorry my Bad I didn't realize the #in upper corner was my post # and that it was on 3rd page. Just a newbee here at airstream !
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Old 11-04-2014, 07:27 PM   #35
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Wow, the actual data bust my budget. Thanks for posting your actual expenses. I was figuring $2500 per month would do it. I may be $1000 per month low!

David
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Old 11-05-2014, 05:34 AM   #36
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I don't consider phones, groceries, insurance, vehicle licenses-
That is money spent even if you stay home- "fixed expenses" that you will always have regardless of where you live-
When we take a trip I mainly count the gas and camping fees. We were gonna eat at home.
I guess I have to consider the trailer payment now, but when we retire we won't have a trailer payment.
What we won't have anymore: property tax, house insurance/upkeep/yard work/utilities- it will cost less to live in the trailer.
Gas and campground fees are less than keeping a house.
You would still use some gas even if you stay home. You would still have entertainment and clothing-
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Old 11-05-2014, 05:56 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony View Post
I don't consider phones, groceries, insurance, vehicle licenses-
That is money spent even if you stay home- "fixed expenses" that you will always have regardless of where you live-
When we take a trip I mainly count the gas and camping fees. We were gonna eat at home.
I guess I have to consider the trailer payment now, but when we retire we won't have a trailer payment.
What we won't have anymore: property tax, house insurance/upkeep/yard work/utilities- it will cost less to live in the trailer.
Gas and campground fees are less than keeping a house.
You would still use some gas even if you stay home. You would still have entertainment and clothing-
It's interesting how two different people can use the same term to mean two different things.

I have setup our family budget for fixed and flex expenses.

Fixed to me is things that are usually always the same. Say rent for example. You're always going to pay X every month. Phone bill, internet, etc. Those sorts of things.

We use arbitrary numbers for gas & food and throw them into the "Fixed" category. But I allow for overages.

I try to keep my fixed at 35% of our total monthly income.

Flex to me, is eating out, new clothes, entertainment, etc. Because some months you do more or less. We like to keep that at 15% of our monthly income, and we allow it to roll over. It's made a nice flexible spending account for us.

I will admit though, since having our daughter maintaining a 50% savings rate has been more challenging. When we hit the road I think that's going to change, especially with #2 on the way. But it worked well to build up a nest egg when we first got married.

The great thing is, almost everything is within your control. Affording the full time lifestyle is just a matter of your comfort level.
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Old 11-05-2014, 08:36 AM   #38
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Going full time is cheaper than living in an average house. Going full time is more expensive than most people realize. I think we'd need over $2500 a month to live full time in the Airstream. We could live cheaper than going full time in a small town apartment.

To m hony's point, many expenses are the same going full time versus living at home. I think some folks think that those expenses somehow go away full timing, all we need is campground rentals and fuel. But there are a lot of costs we drag along with us when we go full time. Those costs have to be in the decision to go full time.

David
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Old 11-05-2014, 09:26 AM   #39
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I listened to a 1 hour YouTube video from "technomadia" on this subject and it was enlightening - as is this discussion of budgets




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Old 11-05-2014, 11:50 AM   #40
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Madison , Officially SD but are traveling full time.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV View Post
Several years ago I copied some fulltiming cost info from RV-Dreams.com and started adjusting it to match my timing and experience so we could see if full-timing was in our future. Unless things get really wacked out, I'm projecting something along these lines in a few (5 or so) years. A 'travel month' will be more costly and should be about 9 of the 12 months. The remaing 3 months should be cheaper with some volenteering or driveway camping. I'm also 100% sure that it could be done MUCH cheaper but we don't want to plan that way.

Average Month Travel Months
Basic Daily Living Expenses $2,814 $3,200
Annual Taxes, Fees, Insurance $950 $950
Totals $3,765 $4,151
Per year $45,180 $49,820

Basic Daily Living Expenses

Campground Fees $490 $540
RV Clubs $12 $13
Propane $16 $17
Cell Phone $140 $154
Internet $100 $108
Directtv $95 $104
Trailer Maintance $31 $34
Diesel $335 $370
Gas $270 $297
Truck Maintance $35 $38
Car Maintance $15 $16
Groceries/Dining Out $600 $664
Laundry, clothing, hair $95 $105
Entertainment $278 $307
Medical & Dental Expenses $44 $48
Misc $257 $283
Total $2,814 $3,100


Annual Taxes, Fees, Insurance

Trailer Insurance $100 $111
Trailer Taxes/Tag $66 $73
Truck Insurance $82 $91
Car Insurance $33 $36
Truck Tag/Registration $64 $71
Car Tag/Registration $5 $5
Insurance - Life, Health $400 $441
Other taxes $56 $62
Other Insurance $141 $155
Total $950 $1,048

We have been full timing for the past 7 years and HiHo's budget is close to ours. We are on the road more than most so gas is a significant part of our budget.
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