Feedback wanted: Couples living in small rigs & still working 9to5 ?

[accrete]

Greetings,

Some of you may recall my wife and i live full time in a (waaaay to big) 40ft Toyhauler (actually 43ft. did i say it was way to big?).
We do have our van conversion for ~monthly~ little adventures. We are very compatible (34yrs of loving marriage, empty nesters) and rarely a hug apart.

We are thinking of getting rid of nearly everything we posses and downsizing even more. We've been full time in our tiny house on wheels/5th wheel since 2011, had the van since 2010. I turn 60 this holiday season and Cari just turned 57 in spring. I'm thinking i'd still like to hang out in the workforce (We are both long term Costco employees - me 24yrs, her 17yrs) until i'm 65. That would put her at 63 the spring before my 65th and we could at least, hopefully draw some SS and not really pull from our 401ks (that are sizable from 24 years of buying stock). We don't need much in the way of a rig, most likely something along a DIY Transit or maybe a Unicel box van. We are dreaming and scheming.

Here is my (and Cari's) question:
If you are a couple and are basically rooted in one city due to your employment, i'd like to know your take/experiences on living inside a relatively small (possibly mobile and not hooked up all the time?) rv such as a stealth box van or similar, or maybe even a class B/C/A < though we really like the idea of going stealth, just don't know if it is reasonable to pull that dream off living and working at same time?

Thanks in advance for any insights shared.

Thom (& Cari)
The WET! Coast of Oregon

 

[bullfrog]

The biggest concern for us is health insurance and physical shape we are in. At 66 and 60 I this next year will no longer be penalized for working, but this is necessary to pay for my wife's health insurance until she reaches 65 and Medicare. We both work seasonally to pay for insurance and treatment, she suffered a broken ankle that will not heal several years ago but after we started traveling it and other health concerns came up. As we age we are thinking a 28' toy hauler might be better. We currently live in a 28' motor home and travel in an 11' trailer pulled by a small truck during the off season. How you handle health concerns and if you have a plan B would be my concerns. As singles it is different than a couple married over 40 years to "make plans". We have been able to do most of what we want traveling wise but not all or as much as we would like. We can travel in a smaller space but with work comes things, uniforms, and tools that take up space and convalescing even in the motor home can be a problem if mobility is an issue.

 

[akrvbob]

I lived in a box van and kept working at my old job for 6 years and it worked great for me. But, where will you park? I was in a city that didn't care and it was never a problem. The box van worked great for stealth for me.

A couple would be much harder, but if you can solve the parking problem I think you could do it just fine.

 

[accrete]

...if you can solve the parking problem I think you could do it just fine.

THX and agreed.
Our little slice of Soggy Paradise on the Oregon Coast has "No Overnight Parking" regs in all cities so stealth would be key (like the idea of the box van and so does wife!). One thing i'm pondering is discussing the overall plan with our current park-owner (i develop/maintain their website & get a wee bit of a brake on space rent of the nicest "yard" in the park) and see if we could simply park in the overflow as needed and continue to maintain site... pondering the possibilities.

Thom

 

[masterplumber]

Thom, as a couple I think it will actually be easier if you're both still working. That way you're whole world isn't wrapped up in just the two of you if that makes sense. The other thing with a small space is make sure you both have your own space. It doesn't need to be big, but just a place where you can each have a time out to read, work, or whatever. I know my wife and I have been together our entire adult life, but since we are two totally different people we need our time apart to make it work.

 

[bullfrog]

We were able for several months to live and park at our place of employment "providing security" for the property, since you are working maybe talk to your employer and get a note on company letter head stating you are allowed to park as you "work" nights.