Ryannis
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2014
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Hi all!! Just an intro and some thoughts.
Have camped all my life. We've done 'em all... tent, pop up, VW van, travel trailer and motorhome. Quite the challenge growing up in a family with 4 girls, but we always had fun. I adopted some of this later on in my 30's with my last hubby, having some 21' C's up to 31' class A's. One 16' flatbed camper that was modified to pull behind a regular truck that housed me for 6 weeks once. Hey, it was free at the time and I needed it. All were unique in their own way.
So here I am now, 43 and widowed with one grown daughter. Oddly enough, I now work in an RV business owned by family. I'm around them all the time. The ones I see every day are the higher end 5th wheels, and not what I'm after.
Currently own an older 29' Class A, he's 31 years old. Looking to upgrade a little and specifically want to get into a Class C again. Just like them better, I feel better driving them. Have my eye on one and crossing fingers it will still be there when I sign the sale of my house in 10 days. Will have a little stash and a plan.
So here's the plans and the why's.
(some of these are out there, bear with me)
Will always have a house to live in. Will be paying cash for it, so if things get dire and if needed, can park it and have a roof and a soft bed. Late hubby had cancer he fought for 2 years, I know what all they can take, and it's scary. I want the security along with the mobility.
Your own stuff. You decide what is important, what is needed, where it goes. And it's yours. You take it with you. You get your bed the way you like it. Decorate it. Personalize it.
Extra wheels if needed. Being single and having one vehicle, it's a spare if my regular wheels hit the skids. May not be the best in mpg but I won't be stranded. Also considering adding a rack for my bike.
It's furnished. Am going through a minimalist phase, as well. Sick of the excess crap!! Everything that is going in will have a purpose and a place. Selling the rest.
Possible off grid. Would eventually like a piece of permanent land as a home base, and go off grid. You could outfit an rv or use a lot of the stuff to go with off grid. Not super easy, but do-able.
Coincides with the love of tiny house and less is more. Added bonus is you can move it. If I ever needed to or get a wild hair can take off to wherever to find work or escape.
In my experience, people that camp are just plain nice!! Most everyone is friendly and you get to hear a lot of stories and get different perspectives. You don't have many snobby "I'm better than you"s'.
Weed out the toxic people. Would rather not be friends with people that turn their nose at my choice.
At the moment am living with someone, but who knows what life throws at you. The perks of that now is he's mechanically inclined (I know, mean of me to think that), so can make sure she's mechanically sound. Another is I'm not out much $ to live here, so the longer I'm here the more $$ I can put aside. I don't think home ownership is for me. If I'm honest with myself I should admit I detest yard work. Mowing in 100 degrees is not my idea of fun. Along with obtaining and maintain the mower. And weed eater. Etc., etc. I can stay in a local RV park for less than rent is around here, and they usually do the yard work. I don't own much outside stuff, so that works, too. And no loan on it, so I can get by cheaper than an apartment or home ownership.
Cheap insurance. Right now I'm paying $142 a month for home insurance. I paid $47 for the whole year on current rv. Umm.. heck yeah! Taxes on house, $731 a year. Tags on older rv, maybe $150? Not sure yet on that one.
Oh, utilities... The house I have (soon to be 'had') wasn't that great on heat/cooling. 1008 sqft, electric in summers was in the $200 a month range (keeping thermostat at 82, I kid you not), and gas in winter was about $150. CFL light bulbs, hand washing dishes, hung clothes on drying rack, I did it all, still had high bills. RV parks with hookups would still be cheaper over all. Add solar panels, alternative heating (looking in to that to save on propane), building tolerance to climate, etc... could save, am researching into this.
Did I mention the ability to get out and see the world??? haha.. Think I've rambled on long enough. So many, many reasons why I'm doing this. If you've read this far, kudos!! Hope to see you all around a campfire sometime!
Have camped all my life. We've done 'em all... tent, pop up, VW van, travel trailer and motorhome. Quite the challenge growing up in a family with 4 girls, but we always had fun. I adopted some of this later on in my 30's with my last hubby, having some 21' C's up to 31' class A's. One 16' flatbed camper that was modified to pull behind a regular truck that housed me for 6 weeks once. Hey, it was free at the time and I needed it. All were unique in their own way.
So here I am now, 43 and widowed with one grown daughter. Oddly enough, I now work in an RV business owned by family. I'm around them all the time. The ones I see every day are the higher end 5th wheels, and not what I'm after.
Currently own an older 29' Class A, he's 31 years old. Looking to upgrade a little and specifically want to get into a Class C again. Just like them better, I feel better driving them. Have my eye on one and crossing fingers it will still be there when I sign the sale of my house in 10 days. Will have a little stash and a plan.
So here's the plans and the why's.
(some of these are out there, bear with me)Will always have a house to live in. Will be paying cash for it, so if things get dire and if needed, can park it and have a roof and a soft bed. Late hubby had cancer he fought for 2 years, I know what all they can take, and it's scary. I want the security along with the mobility.
Your own stuff. You decide what is important, what is needed, where it goes. And it's yours. You take it with you. You get your bed the way you like it. Decorate it. Personalize it.
Extra wheels if needed. Being single and having one vehicle, it's a spare if my regular wheels hit the skids. May not be the best in mpg but I won't be stranded. Also considering adding a rack for my bike.
It's furnished. Am going through a minimalist phase, as well. Sick of the excess crap!! Everything that is going in will have a purpose and a place. Selling the rest.
Possible off grid. Would eventually like a piece of permanent land as a home base, and go off grid. You could outfit an rv or use a lot of the stuff to go with off grid. Not super easy, but do-able.
Coincides with the love of tiny house and less is more. Added bonus is you can move it. If I ever needed to or get a wild hair can take off to wherever to find work or escape.
In my experience, people that camp are just plain nice!! Most everyone is friendly and you get to hear a lot of stories and get different perspectives. You don't have many snobby "I'm better than you"s'.
Weed out the toxic people. Would rather not be friends with people that turn their nose at my choice.
At the moment am living with someone, but who knows what life throws at you. The perks of that now is he's mechanically inclined (I know, mean of me to think that), so can make sure she's mechanically sound. Another is I'm not out much $ to live here, so the longer I'm here the more $$ I can put aside. I don't think home ownership is for me. If I'm honest with myself I should admit I detest yard work. Mowing in 100 degrees is not my idea of fun. Along with obtaining and maintain the mower. And weed eater. Etc., etc. I can stay in a local RV park for less than rent is around here, and they usually do the yard work. I don't own much outside stuff, so that works, too. And no loan on it, so I can get by cheaper than an apartment or home ownership.
Cheap insurance. Right now I'm paying $142 a month for home insurance. I paid $47 for the whole year on current rv. Umm.. heck yeah! Taxes on house, $731 a year. Tags on older rv, maybe $150? Not sure yet on that one.
Oh, utilities... The house I have (soon to be 'had') wasn't that great on heat/cooling. 1008 sqft, electric in summers was in the $200 a month range (keeping thermostat at 82, I kid you not), and gas in winter was about $150. CFL light bulbs, hand washing dishes, hung clothes on drying rack, I did it all, still had high bills. RV parks with hookups would still be cheaper over all. Add solar panels, alternative heating (looking in to that to save on propane), building tolerance to climate, etc... could save, am researching into this.
Did I mention the ability to get out and see the world??? haha.. Think I've rambled on long enough. So many, many reasons why I'm doing this. If you've read this far, kudos!! Hope to see you all around a campfire sometime!
