Tips to Become a Successful Rv’er!
How to become a successful RV’ER? It does take work and trying new things to see what works for you, but before we get started, here are two scenarios of what it might be like, a beach scene and a mountain scene. Which one do you prefer?
Looking down at your feet, you see sand covering your newly polished toenails, glimmers of sparkle on your feet, a gentle sound of waves as the tide comes in, and you look up, smiling with a smile you have not noticed in a long time. You have a cool, sparkly drink in a hand, gently bringing it up to your mouth with a sip of joy and satisfaction. Softly, you lick your lips, in gratitude for this heavenly place that you are at now. The smell of the sea is something you have longed for and now it is here, yours for the taking.
Or:
Sitting down lightly on a lounge chair, on a cool summer day, you notice a soft breeze, blowing a few wisps of your hair across your cheek. You look up and notice the pine trees mildly swaying with the breeze, as if performing a slow dance only for you to see. It beckons you to join them. Softly you chuckle, and say, “maybe next time,” as you only want to watch as you sit back in your lounge chair. A warm cup of tea sits next to you, permeating a wonderful smell of instant delight, and a warmness that sure will come. Picking up the mug with the tea bag string dangling down, swishing with the gentle breeze close by, you inhale its fragrance as you put the mug to your slightly parted lips and take a drink. This is the life you say to yourself.
This could be you! Anyone can camp, whether in a tent, a trailer, a truck camper, school bus, whatever suits you best, yes, you can do it! Fulltime or parttime, camping is fun and currently an immensely popular activity now. But first, let us go over some steps to help you accomplish your dreams!
1. Have a money source. Whether you are retired and earning social security and other savings, or perhaps still working, money will help you camp in a style that is comfortable for you.
2. Look at trailers. Take the time to go out and investigate. Walk in the trailers and make sure you fit, especially if you have a tall someone in your life. This is a decision not to take lightly but do your homework and take your time. You have plenty of time!
Our first camping experience in Quartzsite, Arizona!
3. Boondocking style of camping? Boondocking is dispersed camping, meaning you camp on land for a set amount of time, for free, and then move on to your next adventure. You will have to search for a place to get water, dump the waste and dispose of your garbage. This can be a challenge as sometimes a camping spot is far away from those necessities. But you have the freedom to choose where to camp and have the spot or area to yourself. The views can be amazing! Most free camping is up to 16 days. Check with the local blm.gov or National Forest Services for camping questions.
Our campsite view in Sundance, Wyoming!
4. Fee-based campgrounds or resorts? This type of camping requires planning up to several months ahead. Some places are pricey, and some are not. However, most of them have full hook-ups, meaning you have electricity, water, and dump, plus a place to throw away your garbage. No searching facilities for that! You are closer to a town for fun amenities, such as local town activities, night life, grocery shopping and more.
5. How long will you be a fulltime rv’er? Do you have a stopping point, or this is something you want to do the rest of your life? It is important to discuss this with your significant other (if you have one) and make plans for the inevitable. Some people are happy to do this type of lifestyle for many years, while others only want to do this lifestyle for a year or two. The choice is yours!
6. Sell the house or keep it? This question resonates with the previous one if you plan on fulltime rving for a short time. You can always rent out your house for extra cash if you do not mind managing it a distance away or hire a property management team to take care of your house. On the other hand, if you sell your house, may I encourage you to pay off debt with the profit you will receive? It would be so helpful if you start this new adventure without debt!
Here are some resources that I hope you find helpful as it has helped us with our fulltime adventure:
a. Campendium.com – a great resource that list many free and paid camping, with reviews from others that have camped at many places. This also includes information about dump stations. Read the reviews as they will help you decide to visit the destination or not. Loads of photos also help with visualizing the campground and if your rig (camper) will fit there or not.
b. Freecampsites.net – another great resource that will direct you to free campsites. Just choose the city and state you want to visit! Helpful reviews are here too.
c. Rvdumpsites.net – just dumpsites only. Some of the reviews are old, but it is helpful.
d. Blm.gov – the western part of the U.S. has many BLM sites for your camping pleasure. However, a phone call can be helpful if you cannot find the place or want an idea of how big it is to accommodate your rig.
e. fs.usda.gov – Sometimes these are fee based and sometimes not. The fee-based ones are relatively inexpensive and guarantees you a spot. It may have a spigot, or garbage, but some do not have anything but a picnic table and a grill. The free ones are first come, first serve. So, get there early, especially on a weekend!
f. Recreation.gov – you can book a lot of campsites through this website. They will tell you the size of the lot and availability. Book early as camping sites fill fast! And what I mean early is several months.
This is just a handful of recommendations we have tried and tested ourselves. Yes, you can be a successful rv’er if you do your homework with the above suggestions. We primarily boondock as it is a little cheaper, with lots of scenery, but do not expect to get much wifi! You are really getting away from the city when you boondock. I did not list rv parks as there are too many, but book early! They fill up fast!
Click below for part 1 of this 2-part series about how to become a fulltime rv’er. I wish you most happiness and joy as you seek a fabulous future! What is something you have learned from this short series?