FULLTIMERS.... want your opinion on this....

[AnnieD]

I was planning to buy a a 34ft airstream earlier this year but i never did do it. i have been thinking about the costs of fulltiming vs buying a small house to live in. when i say small..... i am talking 2bed maybe 800 sq ft.

anyway..... i love the idea of having an AS as my home but i wondered what the expenses would be vs a house. if i lived in an AS i would be moving with the seasons and would not opt for staying in one place thru weather that required an airconditioner or any REAL heating.

so... i guess i am wondering what you fulltimers think about an AS vs a small house. i would STILL have to get out of the bad weather season wherever i lived... whether it was extreme heat or cold. thats why i was thinking about fulltiming in the first place. i am definitely a traveler and never seem to stay planted for more than a year or 2.

right now i live in a SMALL studio apartment..... so i am used to small spaces. just cant decide what to do.

so..... tell me what you think.....i want to hear what you are doing and why... and what you think about it.

thanks

[Foiled Again]

I'm still working, and I do a bit of weekend traveling, plus 3 to 6 big trips per year. Luckily my home base is in coastal Virginia so I only endure 4 to 8 weeks of "winter" - rarely with snow. I do have to put a heater cable on the water hose, and run my furnace for a couple of weeks. For the rest of winter the heat pump does the trick, augmented with a small ceramic heater is fine.

If you're in a position to travel, and are comfortable with small spaces it sounds like a great plan to me. With a 34 you'll have to have a big tow truck - and being in the west you'll need to consider mountain towing. I'd consider a 3/4 ton diesel truck.... Or gasser if you prefer.

The only trouble with a 34 would be gas station size. Truck stops would be your best choice.

LEARN all you can about towing and backing. Find a mentor among forum members and practice, practice, practice. Though you won't find one as long as a 34' you could rent a utility trailer or U-haul to get some of the basics of backing up!

There are lots of single women towing. You will want to know that you can manage the stabilizer jacks and hitching and un-hitching by yourself. I found that I could change a tire on both my tow vehicle and on the trailer (sigh). I've learned that I cannot buy toilet paper or paper towels at Sams Club - unless I split it with two or three other people. I've also vastly downsized what I have in my kitchen. Dinner for more than four involves paper plates.

They aren't making 34's any longer, so you'll have to start looking in the gently used market. I think there is one in the Classifieds now. You may also luck out if you locate some of the "Airstream only" parks. Fortunately there are a lot of retirees who use, and then age out of these units so there are more available than in the 25 - 28 foot range.

Happy Hunting!

Paula

[Lily&Me]

Hello and welcome,

We have a small house, about 1200 sq ft, and a small RV, a beautiful 22' Interstate. It is like a luxury studio apartment on wheels. We are retired, the house is paid for and we are traveling about 8 months out of the year.

For us, having a home nest was a must. We have 5 adult kids and 9 grandbabies, have to have a home to have them to and to spend the holidays. A small class B with no tow allows us to have both---one payment.

We have found that it is much less expensive living on the road that we initially thought when we started out 2 years ago. There are many ways to keep expenses down, while still living and traveling very comfortably, and lots of information on these forums about how to do that.

If it is just you, the lure of traveling while you can would be quite a call to the road. There is so much beautiful country out there, and lots of interesting places to see and people to meet. Go for it!

We'll look for you on the road.

[Mrwaterway]

Annie,

I am currently a Full Timer on week 3 in my 72 Ambassador 29-I don't see where you need more than 29 feet. I have keep all pertainent possessions aboard and stored the rest of my junk in Walmart Plastic bins. Some minor head butting, I am 6'2', but so far a enjoyable situation. Being single helps, but there would be room for a significant other of like mind set. It is nice not to have to maintain a full size house and being mobile. Also being self-employed one can "go" to where the work is-EXPECT this type of living to become common as people loose their homes and jobs. A Gypsy culture is emerging in America and the Airstreams should be streadily climbing in value-Buy two, fix one up, sell it and reinvest the profits into the second to make it the way you want it. 34 FEET is big-expect dents-parking issues-Good Luck!

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

LEARN all you can about towing and backing. Find a mentor among forum members and practice, practice, practice. Though you won't find one as long as a 34' you could rent a utility trailer or U-haul to get some of the basics of backing up!

True; the longer the trailer (unless you're Desi and Lucy), the easier it is to back up, that's why the 18-wheelers make it look so easy. That being said, it still takes some practice to think in reverse. I taught a couple how to do it by buying some cheap cone markers and simulated conditions in a unused part of a big box store parking lot.

[AnnieD]

thanks for your comments everyone. maybe i didnt make myself very clear. LOL i cant decide if i want to buy a small house or an AS to have as my permanent residence.

i dont think i am going to get a 34ft. i was considering THAT when i was thinking that i would not move it for 8 months of the year. but i have come round to thinking that maybe i would like to move with the seasons and if i am going to be towing it.....i would like a gently used 27' or a 28 foot.

for that.... i have checked with a ford dealer.... and i could get a ford 150 with the right engine to tow it easily.

it would be just me and i dont have much stuff but its the expense of owning a house vs living full time in an AS that i was wondering about.

i dont have alot of money comming in so it would have to be one or the other. LOL i cant have both. i would love the option of living in the AS but if it would be more expensive than maintaining a house i'm not sure i could do it.

so thats what i was asking...... what do you think?

[norsea]

Originally Posted by AnnieD

<SNIP>

so... i guess i am wondering what you fulltimers think about an AS vs a small house. i would STILL have to get out of the bad weather season wherever i lived... whether it was extreme heat or cold. thats why i was thinking about fulltiming in the first place. i am definitely a traveler and never seem to stay planted for more than a year or 2.

<SNIP>

thanks

For a single person a 34' Airstream is a bit large according to a friend - he has a 30' Classic and tells us that he rambles about in it since his wife passed away. He has been full time since 2005.

For what it is worth, we traveled for 7 years on motorcycles and "upgraded" to a 30' Classic a bit more than two years ago and have been traveling in the Airstream full time since since 2007.

We tend to move with the weather but do find that we use the heater and air conditioners a fair amount. For two of us we would not want anything smaller than our 30' Classic. But, having said that, we definitely do not want anything larger either.

The down side to the Airstream is limited storage space. We, however, view that as a positive - lack of storage prevents us from hauling too much "stuff" along with us. We became very good at carrying only that which we really needed when on the motorcycles; applying that to the Airstream has worked well.

As for cost keep in mind that no matter where you live you will have expenses related to maintenance and upkeep; in other words, "there is no free lunch".

The interest amount of the payment you make on your trailer can be deducted from your taxes because it is your primary residence; the same as you do for a house. No advantage to either.

Should you decide to go for the mobile lifestyle be sure to get a tow vehicle that will be able to handle the size trailer that you ultimately purchase. And be sure the hitch works properly. Also be sure the wheels on the trailer are balanced properly. There are lots of threads on this here forum about this stuff.

We have found that moving on a daily basis is the most expensive way to travel. Weekly stays reduce costs and monthly stays reduce the cost for space to park the most. And, there is always boon-docking. If you are going to purchase a new trailer be sure to order the solar option. A small generator is also a nice thing to have along for these types of adventures.

We will not be looking for any other place to live as long as we can continue to physically deal with our mobile lifestyle.

Good luck whatever you decide...

Jim

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by AnnieD

thanks for your comments everyone. maybe i didnt make myself very clear. LOL i cant decide if i want to buy a small house or an AS to have as my permanent residence.

i dont think i am going to get a 34ft. i was considering THAT when i was thinking that i would not move it for 8 months of the year. but i have come round to thinking that maybe i would like to move with the seasons and if i am going to be towing it.....i would like a gently used 27' or a 28 foot.

for that.... i have checked with a ford dealer.... and i could get a ford 150 with the right engine to tow it easily.

it would be just me and i dont have much stuff but its the expense of owning a house vs living full time in an AS that i was wondering about.

i dont have alot of money comming in so it would have to be one or the other. LOL i cant have both. i would love the option of living in the AS but if it would be more expensive than maintaining a house i'm not sure i could do it.

so thats what i was asking...... what do you think?

Living in the Airstream, I believe is cheaper in the long run.

To begin with, no annual property taxes.

Yes, a license plate annualy, but far cheaper than property taxes.

Insurance in both cases.

If you don't like your neighbors, it's easy to relocate with the Airstream.

Learning the hookup's, the traveling, and the parking again, is all easy, if taught properly.

If you have even a little mechanic ability, the rest comes easy.

Andy

[AnnieD]

Originally Posted by norsea

For a single person a 34' Airstream is a bit large according to a friend - he has a 30' Classic and tells us that he rambles about in it since his wife passed away. He has been full time since 2005.

For what it is worth, we traveled for 7 years on motorcycles and "upgraded" to a 30' Classic a bit more than two years ago and have been traveling in the Airstream full time since since 2007.

We tend to move with the weather but do find that we use the heater and air conditioners a fair amount. For two of us we would not want anything smaller than our 30' Classic. But, having said that, we definitely do not want anything larger either.

The down side to the Airstream is limited storage space. We, however, view that as a positive - lack of storage prevents us from hauling too much "stuff" along with us. We became very good at carrying only that which we really needed when on the motorcycles; applying that to the Airstream has worked well.

As for cost keep in mind that no matter where you live you will have expenses related to maintenance and upkeep; in other words, "there is no free lunch".

The interest amount of the payment you make on your trailer can be deducted from your taxes because it is your primary residence; the same as you do for a house. No advantage to either.

Should you decide to go for the mobile lifestyle be sure to get a tow vehicle that will be able to handle the size trailer that you ultimately purchase. And be sure the hitch works properly. Also be sure the wheels on the trailer are balanced properly. There are lots of threads on this here forum about this stuff.

We have found that moving on a daily basis is the most expensive way to travel. Weekly stays reduce costs and monthly stays reduce the cost for space to park the most. And, there is always boon-docking. If you are going to purchase a new trailer be sure to order the solar option. A small generator is also a nice thing to have along for these types of adventures.

We will not be looking for any other place to live as long as we can continue to physically deal with our mobile lifestyle.

Good luck whatever you decide...

Jim

Hi thanks for your post.... if i do decide to get an AS it will most likely be a 27 or 28 foot.
and you are right... there is no free lunch but since i have never owned either a house or and AS i dont know which would be the more expensive of the two.

it would only be a small house but then would have to stay there ALL the time. LOL i have been wandering for 30 years....just moving from place to place every year or 2. so this kind of thing is already built into
my brain. LOL

as far as the deduction .... i'll be paying cash for whatever i get so there wont be a mortage on it.

i wouldnt be moving daily or weekly it would most likely be every 3 or 4 months. when i get to someplace new.... i like to stay a while.

and i do like your comment about doing it as long as you are physically able. i guess thats something to keep in mind. thanks so much for your input.

[AnnieD]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Living in the Airstream, I believe is cheaper in the long run.

To begin with, no annual property taxes.

Yes, a license plate annualy, but far cheaper than property taxes.

Insurance in both cases.

If you don't like your neighbors, it's easy to relocate with the Airstream.

Learning the hookup's, the traveling, and the parking again, is all easy, if taught properly.

If you have even a little mechanic ability, the rest comes easy.

Andy

thanks Andy..... you wouldnt happen to know of anyone that has a gently used 28 foot AS would you? LOL

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by AnnieD

thanks Andy..... you wouldnt happen to know of anyone that has a gently used 28 foot AS would you? LOL

Not off hand, but I will check around Monday and Tuesday for you.

Andy

[ibgl6]

In the area I live North Florida Panhandle you can get a monthly campsite for 350. on up to around 500. with full hookups some even have cable and wifi I think it would be cheaper to travel and like has been said if you dont like your neighbors just move. I have a 27 ft and I think it would be large enough for 1 person but myself I stay outside mostly just use it for sleeping but I to only go for a couple days at a time....SAM

[darlingbooks]

We just started full timing is a 34 ftr but there are 2 of us. We're on a fixed income but so far we've been able to stay with in our budget. Haven't needed to boondock but just got a generator so that may be in our future. We just paid for a month in a park in Tucson, AZ and it was $469 with water and power included, also wifi. Thats a big saving for us as our house payments were $900.

Anne Marie

[Foiled Again]

Cost - now I'm probably atypical, but my annual expenses are less than $10K. And that includes 4 new tires on both the tow vehicle and A/S this year. How do I do it?

1. Condo campground - my membership cost provides 30 weeks per year in one primary "residence" total $1250 dues & maintenance (yes it's the deal of the century - details of how to closely replicate it are below)
2. Boondocking/short trips - I still work in a field where I can sometimes write off travel - but between stints at my primary residence (1 week off after 4 on) I take a weekend trip boondocking and stay at other local campgrounds for 4 days at around $200 per week.
3. Winter camping - the primary campground closes on Jan 1 to March 31, so any other local campground has winter rates of about $350 per month. Last year we bought a business in Georgia in late December. Business paid for the whole month!
4. Maintenance - I pay to have my Airstream washed. Not often enough - but it's something I CAN afford, so I do. Women can learn to do all of the routine maintenance like greasing the hubs, etc. And we should learn enough to know that it's being done properly if we choose to have others do it. I have relatives in Ohio, so there is at least one trip per year to JC where I get the big stuff done, normally at 15% off during "winter rate sale". Bigger rallies - especially in spring will have a maintenance seminar or two - that's WBCCI club side.
5. Do buy a collapsible ladder - resealing a litttle leak can happen unexpectedly as can the need to replace vent covers or lubricate your tv antenna, clean leaves out of the refrigerator vent, or get a branch out from under it so that it will come down properly.

Condo campgrounds - NEVER buy an RV park membership in a new campground from a realtor. Almost ALL of them lose value big time. Take a quick look on e-bay, craigslist, or just drive up to the gate of an attractive one and ask if there are memberships for sale. If you join WBCCI, you'll get lots of ads from Airstream only parks - where you can often buy bargain memberships from estates of people who are in the big campground in the sky. At Airstream parks, especially really beautiful ones, the resales stay higher, but in many "snowbird" areas in the south the deals are much better. The campground I bought at isn't Airstream only. It had initially sold memberships at 18K - and you needed 2 memberships to stay 28 days. That campground was almost 35 years old and the vast majority of the original members had moved out, aged out or died out. I bought in at the low point, and now memberships are actually going up slightly - about $2500 each. Still, A far far cry from $18K x 2!

BTW - the same holds absolutely true for vacation apartment type time share condos! My sister paid $4K for one, I bought one on e-bay for "take over annual dues" of $300 per year.

I don't think you'd spend more maintaining an Airstream vs. a House. However the water heater - figure it will last about 5-7 years at most if you're fulltiming. Just a lot smaller than a home water heater - will wear out faster.

Paula

[tslanier]

The size trailer is personal preference. We love a 34', it tows like a dream with the proper TV, I never have trouble parking. They actually back better than shorter models. I've watched many people buy too small and trade for more room. If I were interested in a 34', I would only ask advice from people who own 34s.

[2airishuman]

a 34 is certainly NOT too much space for 1 person and i've yet to get LOST inside mine.

it's basically UNDER 200 sq ft 1/2 the size of many studio apts.

mild weather and pleasant locations mean using the OUTDOORS to expand the living space, a real bonus.

a full time rv budget is just like a full time stick house budget...

with different categories that drain the piggy bank.

there are SEVERAL books on rv living which cover the budget issue (search the bezos river')

and MANY rv sites go into great detail on this topics...

here's a few threads and LINKS inside ...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f314...ing-19312.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f314...get-27388.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f314...ons-31983.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f348...ers-36380.html
____________

if U R under 65 and want health insurance it's important to sort out this issue and the expense...

it will matter as much or more that the UTILITY bills for heating/cooling the stream.
____________

here's a couple of thread on the SIZE issue, with MANY links buried inside to other good threads.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f368...buy-40383.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f368...ads-41744.html
_____________

u might want to visit the 'escapees' website there are a LOT of resources and wisdom posted there for full timers...

cheers
2air'

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I own my house and my trailer. I don't full time yet, but we have thought about it. As for cheaper, I think my house is cheaper. When we hit the road, depending on how far we drive per day, I could spend $100.00 per day for gas alone. Then there are the campground fees at $25.00 to $55.00 per day. I have heard of cheaper and much higher, but haven't been in them yet. Natural gas for my home is way less than two propane tanks on my trailer. In really cold weather we went through one tank in three days. That's about two months worth of gas in my home. I can do some work on my trailer at home; I can't even wash my trailer in a campground. If you only plan on staying in one or two places for the year, I'm sure it would bring some of the costs way down. You can stay in one place with a house. I have to pay rent where ever I take my trailer, but I don't have to pay rent for where my house is. I don't want to discourage you from your dreams, I only want you to consider all of the options. I think most people will agree with me and several who might not, but my personal opinion is to limit a half ton tow vehicle to 25 feet or less. Compromise; buy a small house and a small trailer with a proper tow vehicle.

GOOD LUCK.

[AnnieD]

WOW! thanks everyone for your advice ! i wont be going with the 34 foot because i have re-thought what i want to do.
if i do this i plan to move when the weather changes to where i need ALOT of heat or ALOT of air conditioning. LOL.
in other words...... when i cant leave the windows open all the time for fresh air.

i dont really expect to be moving around alot. maybe 3 or 4 times in a year.... or maybe less.

i still wish i could afford both a house AND an airstream but i cant. its one OR the other. i am really leaning towards the airstream. LOL

thanks again for your comments. this is SUCH a great site !

[Victorialhq]

Hi Annie .. my hubby and I just bought a 34ft will be doing fulltime in it. So far it is just fine.. We own a house but the monthly upkeep on it is 4500 a month. We were both truck drivers and just some bad luck came our way and being fulltime is the best option. You don't have to go to truck stops with the trailer but you do have to look at the place your pulling into to make sure you can get out.. for us it is a breaze because we pulled 53ft trailers for over 20yrs well hubby had that I jiust had 9.. remember one thing if you go with a AS if you stop at truckstops try to park up front as the Truck Stops are not safe .. hubby had a gun held to his one night.. saw a guy get beat up pretty bad then you have the friggin lot lizards and they will rob you. Plus their fuel is maj of the time higher. We are on a real tight fixed budget so it seems it is working we have plenty of room the little hall way is about the same width as the semi had and the bunk of that is really small like the bed is a twin bed. On the top I had a little kitchen with a toaster oven,george foreman,microwave and other stuff. the closet was about 24 inches wide and had 2 drawers but we had 30 days worth of clothes and food,water... we spent 4 days out of 3 months in that house but now that things went bad we can't afford it and chose to do what we had planned when we were to be 60 just doing this 10 yrs early
You will love it as everyone says you can move if you don't like the neighbors as you are not stick in one place... you can spread your wings
Good luck to you in what ever you decide to do...but I vote for the airstream

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by darlingbooks

We just started full timing is a 34 ftr but there are 2 of us. We're on a fixed income but so far we've been able to stay with in our budget. Haven't needed to boondock but just got a generator so that may be in our future. We just paid for a month in a park in Tucson, AZ and it was $469 with water and power included, also wifi. Thats a big saving for us as our house payments were $900.

Anne Marie

Exactly. When we first started traveling extensively, we kept track of every penny spent, then relaxed a lot after the first few months. 2 years later, we spend less now than we did in the beginning.

We don't view boondocking as a last resort, but as an opportunity to stay in a beautiful spot near water (our favorite), at a scenic overlook, etc., just because we can. That these stays are also FREE just helps the budget all that much more.

There is really a rather exhilarating feeling to being completely self-sufficient, too, and we think it is important to perfect that part of the travel lifestyle. You never know when you might need it.