Why I Don’t Watch Fulltime RV YouTube Channels (but maybe a few)
I remember her. I remember watching her and her boyfriend having these fabulous trips anywhere they could go, anytime they wanted to. You just need a RV and a sense of adventure. The scenery was breathtaking, it seemed like the perfect solution as we were planning for retirement, but there was a catch.
They were not retired.
And had to make money to afford to travel in a RV.
So they started out with some savings, played music at some gigs and started a YouTube channel. They had a shoestring budget and made it sound so good to be true. I believed it and was excited about starting this lifestyle when my husband retired. We chose to wait till our kids were done with school. And time went by very quickly and before we knew it, we were on the road.
But wait! Where was the shoestring budget this YouTube channel (and others) talked about? I was finding out very fast that these YouTubers were not telling the truth.
And it hurt.
YouTube is a fascinating place to find what you are looking for, like how to fix something, how to do something of interest to you, learn anything, be informed and especially to be entertained. So this is not a negative conversation about YouTube, but it is based on our experience and how we learned from that.
When it comes to fulltime rving, it can certainly be appealing. I mean, who wants to work several hours a day, stuck in a building, lack of free time not, able to spend time with those you love? Spending time in nature, whether it is the mountains or the deserts or a beach could offer much desire to the overworked.
But there is more to this lifestyle, more work, responsibility, research, and expensive expenses. These YouTube channels would never tell the whole story. Some of them would even say it cost them $2000 or $3000 a month without flinching on camera.
Bah humbug in the words of Ebenezer Scrooge and I agree!
I do not like being lied to, and these YouTubers certainly pulled the wool over our eyes. Yet, we have learned much on this incredible journey and how we learned what to believe and what to research. The following are just a few things to help YOU make an important decision to RV or not:
It does not cost $2000 - $3000. It will cost more! With rising gas prices, food and inflation, the price is steep. Living on a fixed income told us we needed to bring in more money, like work camping to help with the excessive costs. But I will tell you, your monthly costs will be different than anyone else.
Research, research, research! Create a spreadsheet based on your current expenses, even if you still live in a house. Project what YOU may spend and put that in your spreadsheet. Put your monthly expenses on the spreadsheet that you will continue to pay when you start fulltime rving (like health insurance, vehicle insurance and more).
Groceries and gas are an everchanging price factor when figuring out your budget. I will say the more you cook at home (in your trailer) the more you will save $$$$, even on gas. Plan special times to go out and eat so you can splurge without feeling guilty!
You will see amazing destinations, showing the wow-factor to your family and friends. It will be glorious to visit places you could not see before due to work and time constraints. There is a lot to see out there and it is waiting for you to step into those dreams of visiting those fantastic places for the first time. So not totally negative advice for fulltime rving!
I have decided to watch more realistic YouTube RV channels that explain the realities of fulltime rving, the good, the bad and the ugly, to borrow the phrase from Clint Eastwood. Channels such as: Creative RV, Cheap RV Living, Fate Unbound, Liz Amazing, EnjoytheJourney.Life and RverTv. There are a lot of RV YouTubers and these are the ones I would watch first, either for their realistic expectations, some of the funny and hard things they go through and how we could benefit from their knowledge of fulltime rving. I will say that Cheap RV Living is the best as Bob Wells is always looking for ways to make fulltime rving cheap, especially if you have a desire to live in a car or a van.
We have learned much in the short time we have been fulltime rving and I am thankful for the handful of others on YouTube that have shown the truth and nothing but the truth. Fulltime rving is a life choice, for some, a lifetime and for others a short time. Remember the young woman I talked about that went rving with her boyfriend fulltime at the beginning of this story? Well, they only part time RV and live in a house, benefitting from the revenues earned from YouTube.
What step are you going to take today to move into your future?