Minimum needed to live in an RV?

[[email protected]]

Just curious if it may be doable to live in an RV off 900/month of ssdi ?

Reason I ask is my father mentioned the possibility of purchasing me one but not sure what the costs would be

Thank you guys and Gals

 

[user 423]

"RV" is a very broad term. From a lightweight popup to a huge 40'+ motorhome. Also, where you choose to live has everything to do with how cheaply and comfortably you're able to live in one. Sure it's 'possible' but there are many,many variables that would determine how much it would cost. Gas,repairs,insurance,licensing all vary by a huge amount in different locales.

 

[user 423]

....there are many,many variables that would determine how much it would cost.

PS: It would also depend on what condition the RV is in initially. If it's an older model, then you can count on having to do repairs that can be very costly. The cost of camping or park fees, how much travelling you do,if you always have to depend on shops for maintenance/repairs,etc. That can all add up to a lot of $.

 

[bullfrog]

Lots of people are paying very high mortgage payments or rent and think they will be able to live cheaper in an RV. It is possible in certain places at certain times of the year and being willing to live without much in the way of comfort or utilities to save a lot of money. It is also possible to work seasonally for a free or extremely cheap full hookup site then make improvements to your RV so you can boondock on BLM land Long Term Visitor Areas but you will have to maintain your RV and keep it roadworthy as you will have to eventually move every so often. Your other living expenses most likely will change and often go up if you end up eating out, join a health club or get an electric bicycle. Really the cheap part of RV living revolves around you wanting to make life style changes to live simply. Think about how cheaply it would be if everything you needed and owned fit in a back pack and you simply walked to state and federal lands to camp. Hikers and bicyclists have been doing it for years. Most can do it for less than $600 a month if they are well equipped and healthy. A RV can be thought of as simply a metal tent with a few extras. If you can figure out how to make the RV part (fuel, insurance, fees and maintenance) cost less than $300 a month then by living very, very simply you should be able to make it work but you may be able to do it even cheaper and better living in government housing and living simply if you are unable to work. It would require an emergency fund large enough to replace everything including the RV to make it worth the risk when trying to live on $900 a month in my opinion for me. Try getting a backpack that fits all your stuff and see if you can bike or hike and camp comfortably and cheaply for a week at a local state or federal campground and visit with the RVers there to see what life is like. Campground hosts are usually very helpful.

 

[afblangley]

Living in a vehicle is not magically cheaper than living in a stationary home. As Bullfrog said, cheaper comes from a change in lifestyle.

Living a nomadic life in a vehicle is undeniably more challenging than living in a stationary home. If your primary reason for undertaking this is economically motivated, I think you'll be disappointed.

 

[RvNaut]

There are too many variables to give you a detailed answer, but te basic answer is "a qualified yes. What that means is "people are doing it". That does not mean you will be able to.... I did 18 months of research before selling the home and buying an RV. The nomad rabbit hole is deep indeed, let alone the RV one.

One guideline is "have at least $5,000 as an emergency fund" and I would add "the ability to replenish it".

An RV will, like a boat, present a string of things you will have to fix or otherwise repair. The larger the RV the bigger the bill for consumables.. gas, oil, tires... let alone repairs...

Simple is.. better, but is it a lifestyle that will make you happy?... can you live on the cheap? meds/health ins...??

If the RV you were to end up with were in good to very good shape, you may make it on $900, but it really means can you live on $700 and put $200 a month into the emergency fund? Insurance for RV? As a full-timer?

....

I decided to live in an RV. In order to not fail, I am not moving as much as I can get away with while still staying out of the heat. I will be spending a long time in an LTVA over this winter in order to finish the solar build and stuff away $$ into the emergency fund, as well as save up for tires and Ins... My SS is more than yours and that helps a lot, but I still need to watch the $$ closely.

Give the forum more info about the RV you would select and where you intend to live, and you will get more specific answers.

YMMV IANAL

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Exactly! Many people here do this because they want to live this lifestyle and enjoy it as well as those that need to. It becomes more difficult if you become physically impaired, financially depleted or mechanically unable to cope with maintaining your RV. We as we have aged travel less, have newer or simpler rigs ( no holding tanks/full hookups ) and start to stay closer to towns with hospitals, helpful organizations and if we do travel travel with helpful friends or go to familiar places where there are others that can/will help as we have in the past.

 

[Morgana]

This is probably a dumb question, but do any of these LTVAs have pit toilets, or wash-water sources? I know the BLM website says "most" don't ...

 

[bullfrog]

The ones I have been to have vault toilets, dump stations and dumpsters. Potable (drinking) water is usually available in a nearby town or public water plant. I usually stay at night on BLM land (the 14 day stay kind) near a National Park and use my National Parks pass during the day to shower, dump/fill tanks, cook in a picnic area with running water in sinks and public flush toilets, sit in the AC at lodges/visitor centers, use free WI-FI, charge my bike battery and maybe hike, kayak or swim before going back to BLM land to sleep. Works well once you find BLM areas near National Parks. Many people qualify for free or reduced price National Parks pass but even the normal price $80 a year is well worth it at least for me. Fuel costs, RV maintenance and how far you have to drive for supplies are the biggest concerns money wise. 10 miles a day is a gallon of fuel unless I ride my bike. I drive so little I have to add fuel stabilizer to my vehicles. As stated previously a $200 a month increase to your emergency fund is a good idea and figure $300 to $400 in fuel if traveling twice a month to a new 14 day stay area over 125 miles away. Having room to store two weeks of supplies bought during travel days really helps with the budget. So maybe $600 a month or about the same price as a monthly rate in a RV park with full hookups unless like me you pay $1,000 a year for a primitive spot with access to water and sewer or work camp for a full hookup site.

 

[VanSkulk]

There's this guy, Bob, who seems to know a thing or two about saving money in an RV.

Cheap RV Living

youtube

 

[keebler]

Just curious if it may be doable to live in an RV off 900/month of ssdi ?

Reason I ask is my father mentioned the possibility of purchasing me one but not sure what the costs would be

Thank you guys and Gals

buying a RV-can be a huge expense I had a 34 ft Bounder needed all 6 tires plus a spare over $900 per tire plus mount Balance--.this & that, tags Property Taxes (virginia) full timers insurance-breakdown /towing insurance-- food, oil changes $$ not all places will touch a motorhome. shops $140.oo ++ a hour
please do a lot of checking things out. camp grounds might be a low $30==to 100++ a night water sewer & electric.. there are lots of Van dwellers some are very nice BUT dropping down to 24/7 in a van. NOT for everyone..I wish you the best, BUT do a lot of homework. before a huge lifestyle change.
i have a 22 ft Thor/chevy engine Class "C" motorhome fine for just me.
keebler in Va.

 

[JDub]

"The 2nd Happiest day of my life is when I bought my RV! The HAPPIEST day of my life is when I SOLD my RV"!

Cheers!

 

[jacqueg]

This is probably a dumb question, but do any of these LTVAs have pit toilets, or wash-water sources? I know the BLM website says "most" don't ...

It all depends. La Posa South near Quartzsite has them all.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Just curious if it may be doable to live in an RV off 900/month of ssdi ?
Reason I ask is my father mentioned the possibility of purchasing me one but not sure what the costs would be.

RV is too broad a term: applies to anything from a tent trailer (¢¢) to an Earth Roamer ($$$$$). You need to be more specific.

Write down your current expenses. Cross off the ones that will no longer apply.
Experienced here can help with what additions you will have and what current expenses will change.

 

[maki2]

La Posa South LTVA has fresh water spigots, a dumpster station and a waste water dump station. There are also a number of vault toilet buildings. The other three LTVA areas in Quartzsite have dumpsters as well as vault toilets. But they do not have a fresh water well or septic system. However you can drive into the La Posa South facility to use those services if you have paid and are current for the visitor fees to stay at a BlM LTVA.

 

[RoamerRV428]

very vague question which can vary alot with your decisions on how you are living in it.

are you stationary on someone's land for free maybe?

or in constant travel needing a landing spot every night?

permanent spot in some leased rv type part situation?

just different places to put your money. one might have to mow the yard and deal with landscape issues like dead tree removal or whatever and that costs, but in a moving rv your gas is a big daily expense and your paying for any COE, state park etc is gonna cost per day or ya gonna boondock only or sleep in rest areas or walmart stops?

so 900 isn't bad but it won't stretch that far depending on your life on the road, or if life in your rv is stationary and what costs involved.

wishing you the best

 

[tripper]

900 is enough to get by. Living frugally he can meet some good people and enjoy life. I'd suggest a small, self contained rv trailer towed by a reliable truck. That way if the vehicle eventually has repairs too expensive for him he can always put the trailer in a cheap rv park. Almost everyone I know has catastrophic expensive repairs that make them abandon their old class A and C rvs or vans and they lose all the hard work they have put into their rigs and left with nothing. Rv trailers are very ez to maintain.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Very good point! I would also suggest that there is a huge difference in the materials and quality of the trailers made in this country and has always been that way. Make sure you know what lasts and doesn’t and what you intend to do with them. A lot of time, effort, skills and money can be wasted on a poorly built and thought out trailer. Seems in general the smaller cargo builds and fiberglass trailers last the longest if you can live happily with less.

 

[[email protected]]

900 is enough to get by. Living frugally he can meet some good people and enjoy life. I'd suggest a small, self contained rv trailer towed by a reliable truck. That way if the vehicle eventually has repairs too expensive for him he can always put the trailer in a cheap rv park. Almost everyone I know has catastrophic expensive repairs that make them abandon their old class A and C rvs or vans and they lose all the hard work they have put into their rigs and left with nothing. Rv trailers are very ez to maintain.

Thanks Tripper,

Just curious.If I have a 2011 honda crv at a kelly blue book value around 6k at 180k miles can this hall a small rv trailer without putting wear and tear on the engine and transmission?

Vs trading it in for a Truck that comes with a truck bed as back up and using that to haul the RV trailer ..

Just looking at the most economical way to do this

Thank you

 

[[email protected]]

^^^Very good point! I would also suggest that there is a huge difference in the materials and quality of the trailers made in this country and has always been that way. Make sure you know what lasts and doesn’t and what you intend to do with them. A lot of time, effort, skills and money can be wasted on a poorly built and thought out trailer. Seems in general the smaller cargo builds and fiberglass trailers last the longest if you can live happily with less.

Does this mean that stealth parking will be more difficult than a van or suv?

Thank you