living in RV park details

[Guest]

Hi,<br><br>&nbsp;We are thinking about renting or buying a 5th wheel and staying in a park for awhile (while we work, save, etc.) to make sure it is something we want and can do. I really have no idea what the atmosphere is though and we have kids (10 and 8). Can anyone share their experience or opinions?<br><br>Thanks! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>

 

[blars]

I've only done short stays at RV parks, but they vary.&nbsp; In general, you get a place to park and utilities, and your neibors can be quite close.&nbsp; I recomend doing a tour of the park before committing to a long-term stay.&nbsp; The nicest one I stayed at was a membership one, I got in as a free trial for listening to the sales pitch.<br><br><br>

 

[Phantom Blooper]

Stayed 3 months in Wildwood,Florida.<br><br>Month to month stay......paid a monthly amount then paid for electric.<br><br>You would really need to check out the park. No amenities....cheaper.<br><br>You may possibly be able to negotiate a price in the off season.<br><br>Florida is ate up with snowbirds so rates vary park to park.<br><br>Depending on your work hours and family commitments you may be able to get a work camp site.....at some parks.<br><br>Watch for the word resort and campground.....there is a major difference.<br><br><br>

 

[SoulRaven]

Depending on your location, look into BLM, DNR, or FS lands to stay on for free... You may have to move every 2 weeks but that is no big deal with a fifth wheel... Hey if saving money is the key, free is a good price...<br>

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

<p style="margin: 0px;">I would also second the motion on looking at staying in a COE Park as a gate attendant or on a work program in your spare time to park for free and get free utilities.&nbsp; This would probably work well for you since you also have kids.&nbsp; They are always looking for voulenteers or attendents and offer some great sites to park at often.&nbsp; Many are fairly close to the city and allow you to enjoy rual living without being in the boonies where you cant work in the city at a normal job.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Im a full time RVer and I have found that parks atmospher vary considerably in cost as well as living accomodations.&nbsp; They generally have a lot of transient workers or older folks and this may not be so great with kids in many cases.&nbsp; I would definitely vist various parks and check them out at different times of the day, year and get a good feel for what your going to be dealing with.&nbsp; I have had some excellent experiences and I have had some very bad ones!&nbsp; Check out there rules carefully and make sure you understand them as well.</p>

 

[owl]

<P>&nbsp;&nbsp; It has been my experience that anything is what you make it. Parks have their own personalties, some will work with yours some won't. I have been full timing in a fiver for a year now and have never been happier. Remember, this isn't like buying a house. You have the option of changing your neighborhood whenever you like. Good luck!</P>

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

Thats what I like about RVing the most...dont like your neighbors, hook up and park else where!

 

[dborla01]

we got the sales job at thousand trails park awhile ago and did not bite<br>would not recommend it. Darrell<br><br>

 

[judycmomx6]

Just make sure that you ask them before hand if they take children, if you are trying to get into a resort type campground. Some of them are adult only, especially in the west. You didn't say what area you are in, that would make a big difference in the parks.&nbsp;

 

[Guest]

Hi SoulRaven, I know I am a total NEWB but what does this mean:<br><span id="post_message_1272706070">look into BLM, DNR, or FS lands to stay on for free...<br><br>In general I would like to find some sort of trade for stay but I don't even own an RV yet so I can't really start looking for jobs like that. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>You guys shared some really good info, thanks.<br>And in my area there are a lot of retirees and many places are 55+.<br>Thanks, again.<br></span><br>

 

[yesican]

<p>and to add to that question...how do you find out where those lands are?&nbsp;&nbsp;Certain websites we can go to?</p>

 

[owl]

<P>&nbsp; Google Blm etc and then look for camping. Start slow, don't rush into something because it looks good, if it is for you it will be there tomorrow or the next day. When you are next at Walmart look at the rigs parked there. Don't be afraid to knock on a door and ask questions. You will be amazed at the amount of knowledge you will be given. Read this site and one like it wall to wall and message for more info from posters. You will find this is a great way to travel through life and your fellow travelers will help in ways you can't imagine. You are on the edge of a great adventure!</P>

 

[akrvbob]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Hi Allison, tell us a little more about your plans. I am assuming you already have jobs you are working at now in a city, and you just want to move out of an apartment into an RV in a RV park in town, is that right? </p><ol><li><div style="margin: 0px;">First, I think it is a great idea, you have everything to gain and nothing to loose. If you find out you hate the small space of the 5th wheel, you sell it and probably loose nothing. If you love it you can take it camping and start planning your new life.</div></li><li><div style="margin: 0px;">I love living on Public land, but that probably isn't an option for you becuase the commute would eat up all your savings in paying less for the RV park. Thats something to look forward to in the future.</div></li><li><div style="margin: 0px;">A better idea than an RV park, is to find a Moblie Home park that will take your 5th wheel. The lots are much bigger, and the people are generally younger and more stable staying in one place for years. </div></li><li><div style="margin: 0px;">Not every mobile home park will take&nbsp;&nbsp;RVs, so if you can't find one, then go to a RV park.&nbsp;&nbsp;Depending on where you are, most RV parks are only busy a few months out of the year, and then they are mostly empty the rest of the year.</div></li><li><div style="margin: 0px;">Where are you going to be? If it as a place with cold winters, be aware that RVs are hard to keep comfortable in real cold. I've done it in Anchorage, AK, and it was not pleasant. </div></li></ol><p style="margin: 0px;">Tell us more about your plans, where are you, can you move? Bob</p>

 

[Guest]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the comments, info, etc. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>My plans, situation, etc. We are 33 and 28, with kids 10 and 8. My husband has a pretty decent job as an engineer in Dunedin, FL where we live. Dunedin is just north of Clearwater. This means snowbirds which means RV lots are expensive.<br><br>So, he is also defending his dissertation for a PhD in physics in a couple weeks. And I will be finishing school to teach in about a year (which should have been a couple months but due to reasons I am about to explain, I am not). I will be able to teach bilingual students, special education, elementary education, as a reading specialist, and science. <br><br>We had kind of tooled around with the idea of getting internet work in teaching, physics tutoring, writing code which we can both do. Juts doing something and travel around for a while, show the kids the US. <br><br>But then my husband was diagnosed with a weird form of glaucoma about 2 years ago and last summer my mom was diagnosed with a blood disorder and suffered several catastrophic strokes and now lives with us.<br><br>Thankfully after a couple years and many surgeries, his glaucoma is basically "in remission" for several years at which point he will need more surgery. This is real deal surgery, not laser, can be paid out of pocket cheap surgery. The last one was paid at 50k and out portion was 3k and this was the second of this type, just to give the order of magnitude here. <br><br>So with these medical issues we needed to maintain health insurance (and proximity to specialists) and with my mom, well, she is MUCH better now but in general, it is a long haul. She lives with us and needs to see doctors monthly.<br><br>BUT WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP!<br>This is really something we want to do, for ourselves, for the kids. We have discussed finding an online position w/ benefits or going a single year or so without insurance and then getting regular jobs again. This would mean, though, that my mom has to live with my sister or fly home monthly for appointments. A huge commitment to undertake.<br><br>So we want to try it out and see if this is worth the sacrifice and work and stay here while it is in out best interest to finish school (my mom's stroke is why I am behind schedule, I took off 2 semesters), save a little more money, learn more about road living, etc. <br><br>Sure, we COULD wait until we are older, etc, etc. but we would rather do it while we are young, the kids are young, before we are heavily committed in careers, and so on. Also, as a sort of soul seeking expedition. We don't really know what we want out of life except healthy, happy kids and selves and enough money to support us into retirement when we CAN'T work. We just want to make sure we are not slaving and sacrificing away in the rat race for no justifiable end. We want to live really authentic lives but that means defining what that means for us and I think a little travel and freedom might be in order. I have found this forum&nbsp; to be a great resource.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br>Allison (and family)<br><br>

 

[yesican]

<p>Allison, you have a lot of stressors in your life yet you still sound sane.&nbsp; Whatever your decision, it should be one that removes stressors and does not add more.&nbsp;&nbsp;The road may need to&nbsp;wait a year, two, or three,&nbsp;be patient.&nbsp; You will know when the timing is right by the comfort and lack of fear about going.&nbsp; The best for your kids is a life with their parents who aren't always stressed.&nbsp; Take care of you, your husband, your kids, your mom, and life will take care of itself.&nbsp; May your dreams come true and the love for your family grow.</p>

 

[squire]

We lived 7 years in a rv in a mobile home park before we hit the road. We chose a mobile home park vs a rv park because it we cheaper and the spot was larger. We paid our own water/sewer and electric but most long term stays in rv parks will require you to pay your own electric ( this is done to keep the lot rent as cheap as possible). When we are no longer able to travel we will go back to that life style. <br><br>Sam and Judy<br>

 

[angeli]

Hi,<br>I lived in a small trailer with a husband, two dogs and a cat in an RV park for one year and another for 6 more years in Colo.&nbsp; I agree that a mobile home park would have been much less expensive, but we couldn't find one within easy distance of our office, and chose the higher expense and easy access.&nbsp; It was really sort of a mixed bag.&nbsp; As long as we kept our space and ourselves squeeky clean, no one bothered us.&nbsp; The rigs were pretty close together, but we really learned how not to bother people!&nbsp; Some folks just came in short term and were the nicest people you'd think to meet and some were loaded for bear and ready to start something.&nbsp; I think living in close quarters is not for everyone, and so sometimes folks who are just on a vacation may not do as well at it as those who do it longer term.&nbsp; Since we were working much of the time, and our puppies slept mostly in the day, we didn't really have to interact much, thankfully.<br>We didn't really have much trouble keeping warm in the winter, but we had an older trailer and it may have been better insulated than most.&nbsp; You learn things like how to wrap your pipes, and what plants you can grow on which windowsill, and the importance of letting your doggies run themselves exhausted twice a day!<br>Good luck with your endeavors.&nbsp; I think working online and living mobile is really the way things are headed for lots of people.<br><br>

 

[mangrunts]

Hi everybody.&nbsp;I am a single recently retired 58&nbsp;year old male.&nbsp;I just joined but do have an RV and currently at an RV park in California...East Bay...45 miles east of San Fransisco.&nbsp; I am paying $500.00 for hookup ( water, dump ).&nbsp;I pay extra for electricity.&nbsp;There is a laundry and shower on premises.&nbsp; This is my first full-timing&nbsp;in an RV so I am staying close to my former home while I slowly get used this new lifetyle.&nbsp; I am planning on going north into Oregon and possibly Washington.&nbsp; The 'ernt' is much cheaper.&nbsp; I have seen/called several places and they range from $300.00 up.&nbsp; <br>I have MANY places I would like to travel to and eventually, maybe, even go cross counrty to upstate New York.<br>Well, there you have it.&nbsp; That's my intro.&nbsp; If anyone has any questions or would like to add to my 'knowledge bank', please do.&nbsp; <br>Thank you.<br>peace-health<br>robin<br>

 

[Guest]

welcome! can't believe the price of the park. your RV looks pretty much self contained. what about some NF land and stay for free? its a sweet looking rig!

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;A lot of times it would be just as cheap to just rent a hotel room if it's off season (up here in B.C.) and, regardless, it's like living in a sardine tin.&nbsp; <br>