Today is D-Day. Should I do this?

[RialtaRalo]

When I bought my Rialta back in June, I didn't knew much about living fulltime in a RV. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But now as the decision point draws near, it's feeling more like homelessness. Maybe that's because if I move out of my apartment, my current income level would not allow me to get another one if I wanted to. I'm also afraid my chances of increasing my income from the RV will decrease. But, if I continue renting and can not increase my income, I will soon eat through all of my savings. My former girlfriend who was helping with the bills recently left me, so that's why this has become an issue all of a sudden. I'm scared to dead.

While moving into the RV fulltime should decrease my expenses, I'm afraid it will be so depressing that I never recover. I feel homeless when I'm in the RV. No where to park. No where that I belong. No where to go. I've never been homeless before and this feels like homelessness.

If I stay in my current apartment ($1200 per month), I'll have to get real serious about increasing my income with my current business (which I have been neglecting). I was pursuing a new business venture but that's not working out so well at the moment so I'm forced to try and rebuild my old business (computer repair) or reduce my expenses.

I know there are those here that may think I don't really have a problem (compared to others here) and you are probably right, but again, I've never been homeless before and it's scary. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

RialtaRalo (Atlanta GA)

 

[Gary68]

there are 10's if not hundreds of thousands people in the rv community,your far from alone,there are rv parks of all different levels,from cheap gravel pads to luxury resorts or you can just permacamp around the national parks and such,if you look around this forum all the answers are there,
it's all in your mind,you'll be fine if you put in the effort

 

[SoulRaven]

I know there are those here that may think I don't really have a problem (compared to others here) and you are probably right, but again, I've never been homeless before and it's scary. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

RialtaRalo (Atlanta GA)

Hi and welcome.

The thought is scarier than the reality. Once you are in it, you will find the solutions that work for you. By having an RV and what sounds like a decent income, you can rest assured that basic life necessities are taken care of--that is food, shelter, protection from extreme elements, etc. IMO the main difference between homelessness in a vehicle and full-timers is that the former constantly struggle to stay adequately warm/cool/dry/fed/etc, and the latter have those basic life necessities all sorted and stable.

I began with homelessness and inch a little further out of that category each month.

It sounds like having a sense of belonging someplace is important to you--I can relate because I feel similarly. It's important to note that not everyone who lives on wheels full time wanders full time. For me, I live in Seattle, and enthusiastically participate in several communities. The cafe and grocery stores local to my favorite spot all know me by name. I volunteer my time at a community center, I go out with friends, I dance fusion with a gigantic group of people and when I'm feeling up for a little more adventure I drive to a place I've never overnighted in before and have myself an exciting time. Otherwise, I have spots where I know I "belong", where I can settle back into 'home'. It took some time to find and discover those spots, but they are out there.

 

[mayble]

I think it must be a matter of perspective and expectations, as I don't understand how leaving an apartment that you RENT to live in an RV that you OWN would make one feel insecure.  
You won't be homeless - you'll be living in your own space and out from under the thumb of a landlord, with the freedom to alter and even relocate your home to suit your fancy.
It sounds like you have some changes to make regardless.  I hope you find the answers and it all works out for you.

 

[Marie]

Bitty and Gary gave you good advice. They know what they're talking about!

I just looked up Rialtas on Google. They are awesome!  They advertise them as being "like a studio apartment". And that IS what they look like! Very cool!

Did you buy the RV outright, or are you making payments? If the payments aren't too high, maybe you could rent a spot at an actual RV park. You'd get water, electricity, sewer, and possibly other amenities. For sure it would be way less than the $1200 rent you've been paying!

That way you'd get the feel of living in it, but it wouldn't be as much of a hardship as boondocking might be. Also, you'd have time to look around and see if there is a cheaper / better place to park it. But you wouldn't be rushed, because you'd have a place to go home to every night.

 

[RialtaRalo]

Thanks for your reply Bitty!

When you say "spots", are you talking about RV parks? I was hoping to avoid that expense.

RialtaRalo


Hi and welcome.

The thought is scarier than the reality. Once you are in it, you will find the solutions that work for you. By having an RV and what sounds like a decent income, you can rest assured that basic life necessities are taken care of--that is food, shelter, protection from extreme elements, etc. IMO the main difference between homelessness in a vehicle and full-timers is that the former constantly struggle to stay adequately warm/cool/dry/fed/etc, and the latter have those basic life necessities all sorted and stable.

I began with homelessness and inch a little further out of that category each month.

It sounds like having a sense of belonging someplace is important to you--I can relate because I feel similarly. It's important to note that not everyone who lives on wheels full time wanders full time. For me, I live in Seattle, and enthusiastically participate in several communities. The cafe and grocery stores local to my favorite spot all know me by name. I volunteer my time at a community center, I go out with friends, I dance fusion with a gigantic group of people and when I'm feeling up for a little more adventure I drive to a place I've never overnighted in before and have myself an exciting time. Otherwise, I have spots where I know I "belong", where I can settle back into 'home'. It took some time to find and discover those spots, but they are out there.

 

[rvpopeye]

This lifestyle will be whatever you want it to be..

If you're sure it will suck and you're going to be miserable and lonely,
most likely ,that's what you will find.

If you're sure it will be the best life you ever imagined and you can't wait till you start to meet all your new friends ...
Welcome to the forum.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

It took me about 3 months to get used to mobile living. I find the best thing is to keep active. Don't stay "housebound" all day. Get out there, make friends, have fun.

 

[Seadog729]

I have experienced some anxiety on moving from my condo to my van. Once I was out and established with regular haunts, like the gym, the river and the college, it was fine. I go to a potluck once a week and the routine becomes quite comfortable. There is good community here, youtube and facebook. When you turn your van into a home... you won't be homeless. When you get out there, you will spot others doing the same thing. I go out and meet them. Share with us your build and we will cheer you on!

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

 But, if I continue renting and can not increase my income, I will soon eat through all of my savings. My former girlfriend who was helping with the bills recently left me, so that's why this has become an issue all of a sudden.

If a girl were to post that she has a hard time saving money because she helps her boyfriend with his bills, I'd tell her to leave him.  For some strange reason, I've always been the one to help out with the bills.  You never really explained why you were thinking about living in an RV fulltime when you bought the Rialta.  
Several things to consider, what will you use for an address?  You'll (probably) need a storage unit.  Where will you park it?

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]... it's feeling more like homelessness. Maybe that's because if I move out of my apartment, my current income level would not allow me to get another one if I wanted to. I'm also afraid my chances of increasing my income from the RV will decrease.[/font] 

Homelessness sucks.  It's a whole lot better if you have a (legal) car, even better with a van.  But what's even better is a credit card that works, money in the bank, and an income that is far more than your expenses.  You've left a lot out, but it sounds like you got into a new business that isn't working, and you'll need to abandon it and rebuild your computer repair business.  And, your girlfriend got tired of it all and left.  Those are all really stressful events.  Just moving is real stressful, and moving into a situation that is full of unknowns is stressful.  If you know what to do in a bad situation is isn't stress.  You know what you have to do. 

You have to "[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]get real serious about increasing my income with my current business (which I have been neglecting)."[/font]
My advice is to stay in your apartment, and get REAL serious about your current business, give it everything you have.  That way if you fail you'll know it wasn't because you didn't try hard enough.  Now is a good time.  You won't have to spend time adjusting to a new life style living in the van, you won't be arguing with your girl friend, you can focus solely on the business.   

Let us know how it works our!   

        
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font]

 

[RialtaRalo]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm pretty sure things won't be nearly as bad as I'm imagining. It's just that some of the books I've read in preparation for the transition have scared me more than that have reassured me. And some to the post I've read on this site haven't helped either.

I guess I'm worried about this becoming permanent. Maybe I'll love it but I worry that if I don't, I'll be stuck. Well, I guess I'll find out. Even if I don't move now I'll have to move at the end of May. I just can't see signing another lease at these rates. Not if I have a choice.

Although I was hoping to avoid the expense, the idea of living in a monthly RV park does give me some comfort. That wouldn't be too bad, especially since I can leave whenever I want. That idea gives me a little peace.

Also, I have a friend that will let me park in his drive way but he lives in a pretty rundown neighborhood and it just doesn't feel right. I tried it one night. Plus he's going to charge me too.

For the record, I'm not as cheap as I sound, but I'm trying to save money for my new business venture. I need startup capital and there are training cost. And success is far from guaranteed. I could lose everything. It's also important that I be in a good place mentally or my chances of success decrease dramatically. So I think my concerns are valid.

Since I bought the RV, I've made several trips to Louisiana to visit my grandchildren. I felt like that was the proper use of my RV. I loved having my bedroom and bathroom with me, as well as having a fridge and the ability to cook. All the comforts of home. And I didn't feel out of place at rest areas and truck stops, even though I made myself at home for a few extra hours. But camping out at a local shopping center or in a neighborhood where I don't belong feels very uncomfortable. I've been making test runs and it has not helped. So a RV park...even temporarily...is probably the answer for me. I'll just have to hope that at some point I'll come up with an idea to earn an income from the internet (if my new business doesn't work out) like some are doing here.

One of my main problems is I need to hold on to my current source of income which requires that I be here in Atlanta. My clients are use to seeing my face every now and then. But I guess I can let them know that I am "expanding my business" and hiring some help so that if an onsite visit is necessary, it doesn't have to be me. I do have options, just don't like making such life changing decisions on such short notice.

Thanks for listening.

RialtaRalo

 

[RialtaRalo]

If a girl were to post that she has a hard time saving money because she helps her boyfriend with his bills, I'd tell her to leave him.  For some strange reason, I've always been the one to help out with the bills.  You never really explained why you were thinking about living in an RV fulltime when you bought the Rialta.  
Several things to consider, what will you use for an address?  You'll (probably) need a storage unit.  Where will you park it?

Homelessness sucks.  It's a whole lot better if you have a (legal) car, even better with a van.  But what's even better is a credit card that works, money in the bank, and an income that is far more than your expenses.  You've left a lot out, but it sounds like you got into a new business that isn't working, and you'll need to abandon it and rebuild your computer repair business.  And, your girlfriend got tired of it all and left.  Those are all really stressful events.  Just moving is real stressful, and moving into a situation that is full of unknowns is stressful.  If you know what to do in a bad situation is isn't stress.  You know what you have to do. 

You have to "[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]get real serious about increasing my income with my current business (which I have been neglecting)."[/font]
My advice is to stay in your apartment, and get REAL serious about your current business, give it everything you have.  That way if you fail you'll know it wasn't because you didn't try hard enough.  Now is a good time.  You won't have to spend time adjusting to a new life style living in the van, you won't be arguing with your girl friend, you can focus solely on the business.   

Let us know how it works our!   

        
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font]

Thanks, HarmonicaBruce

That does sound like the most logical course of action and the recommendation I get from most people who know what I'm going through. But I really wanted to give this new business a shot.

Not an easy decision.

RialtaRalo

 

[nobodyG17]

It's all in your mind set.  To me it sounds like a huge amount of  freedom.

Get rid of your 1200 a month apt and be saving that amount every month?  Freedom!

Girl left you?  You get to spend your time getting your business back into tip top shape and save money and time.  Freedom!

At worse live an RV park and be able to move any time you want?  Freedom!

Focus on your business, yourself, and saving money.  You could be far ahead of where you are now in a year or two.  Set a plan for how much to save, time to dedicate to work, and bust your ass staying busy.   You wont have time for anything else with lofty goals.   Once you reach where you want to be you will feel great about all of the achievement and you can re ***** at that point.

 

[BradKW]

Most of what holds us back is fear about how others and society will view our choices that don't conform  

 

[akrvbob]

It's all in your mind set.  To me it sounds like a huge amount of  freedom.

Get rid of your 1200 a month apt and be saving that amount every month?  Freedom!

Girl left you?  You get to spend your time getting your business back into tip top shape and save money and time.  Freedom!

At worse live an RV park and be able to move any time you want?  Freedom!

Focus on your business, yourself, and saving money.  You could be far ahead of where you are now in a year or two.  Set a plan for how much to save, time to dedicate to work, and bust your ass staying busy.   You wont have time for anything else with lofty goals.   Once you reach where you want to be you will feel great about all of the achievement and you can re ***** at that point.

That is some really good advice!!

I was forced into a van and I felt exactly like you describe, like a homeless bum who had hit bottom.  I felt like life couldn't get any worse. Then a miracle happened and discovered the incredible freedom that nobodyg17 described above and I fell in love with it. Today I hope to never live any other way!!

Of course that may not happen for you, maybe you'll never like it, maybe you will hate it! But I truly believe that if you will embrace it as a giant adventure, even if you don't like it, the day will come when you look back on it with fond memories of an adventure and a challenge overcome. I suspect it will be one of your fondest memories and the one you love to tell to others with the biggest grin on your face. It's funny how a hardship overcome works that way for us. 

Look at it this way, you can't lose! You may have found the key to a new wonderful life of adventure, and if not then you are building wonderful memories for your future. Either way, you win in the long run.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

It sounds like an RV park may be a good choice for starters.

Then I would get temp jobs for the income until you can build your own business into the income level desired.

Income is the most important thing for success. Concentrate on that first and foremost.

 

[SoulRaven]

Thanks for your reply Bitty!

When you say "spots", are you talking about RV parks? I was hoping to avoid that expense.

RialtaRalo

No, I've never stayed at an RV park in my life. By "spots" I simply mean parking locations. If you end up staying in the same area for a while, you begin to notice that some spots, e.g. that one 2 block stretch of street...tends to be something you gravitate towards when you want to just relax. "Spots" can be anywhere...they can be in a parking lot, or streetside, or even off road! And that's not the technical term for them, in fact, I'm not sure there IS actually a technical term for them...

 

[Theadyn]

Just wanted to say Hi and Welcome!! I hope it works out well for you.

Remember, you have a roof over your head, you are NOT homeless. You are just lucky that it has wheels to move it, shall you choose.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I read your original post several times and got the impression you were younger than you are (i.e. grandkids).  Check on what RV parks charge.  Since you'll get all electricity you want, they may charge a lot.  Good luck to you!

 

[RialtaRalo]

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to post an update on what happening with me. This will be short but I hope to provide a more thorough update soon.

Well, I've done it. I've sold most everything, cleaned out my apartment, and moved into the RV. Today is the day I turn in the key for the apartment (I'm running behind schedule). I had hoped to be out by the end of Feb. but more about that later.

I've spent the last four night in the RV even though I still has access to the apartment. I went out looking for places to park trying to get use to it. I know it's only been four days but I'm no where near comfortable with this. I'm finding that I'm more comfortable parking where there are other vehicles so I don't look out of place. So the last two nights I parked at a retirement facility in the employee parking lot. I leave before 7 am assuming that's the shift change. So not being able to sleep in is the first disadvantage.

I did make arrangements to park at a friend's house for $300 per month including water, electric, and laundry. But I'm having mixed feelings about it now and I think he is too. It doesn't feel like a "friend" trying to help me, it feels like he's just doing it for the money and is not really happy about it. More on that later but so far, I haven't spent a single night there. And I hope it soon won't be needed.

Again, this is just a brief update. I just wanted everyone to know that I did follow through with it. But I have a lot more to report. I will say that so far, this doesn't seem like the best decision I could have made and I'm really concerned about my future. But things didn't go according to plan either. But if I had it to do all over again, I would correct course starting about 2-3 year back. But hindsight is 20/20. More later....

RialtaRalo