View Full Version : RV Life ????s
This may not be the proper forum for this, but here goes:
I'm back in school and I'm looking at going to another 2-3 years at another school away from home and I'm looking at all the options out there for housing. I want to go with the cheapest option that does have me living in a demilitarized zone or stuck with a roommate from Hell.
I actually know a couple people who've lived in a "van down by the river" while going through school (or rough financial times) and lived pretty well on almost nothing besides the initial investment in a trailer or RV.
I've seen some great bus conversions that are in the realm of reason and was wondering what I should look for, what the life is like, what kind of costs I'm looking at, financing, maintenance issues, etc, etc, etc. Whatever comes to mind, all inputs encouraged.
Depends on what sort of RV housing you are looking for. You could look at a pop up, travel trailer, 5th wheel, or an RV or converted bus. You are a college student so you can strike the 5th wheel, RV, and bus. You wont be able to afford them. Of the two remaining choices I would go with a travel trailer, but you will also need to own a full sized truck to pull it. Then you will have to deal with lot rent at a camp ground. Oh and there will be fees for electrical hook up, water, and waste disposal. For that last one you will have to tow your trailer to the pump station. RVs usually have a life span of 15 years or so.
Honestly, ditch the idea and find a nice trailer park or someone with a trailer they want to rent. Rent a single wide and you will be set.
VW vanagon might be of interest.
Granted they haven't made them in a while, but there's many still around in various stages of upkeep.
You get the pop top cap if needed to sleep 2 up above, stove (self contained propane tank under chassis) sink (self contained water tank under chassis and external hookup, hot water kit) refridgerator (propane, external electrical outlet, block of ice) room to sleep 2 w/o popping the top, removeable dining table, rotating driver and passenger seat, big hatch, big side door.
Readily available parts on the air cooled VW powerplant (1.6L IIRC) and depending on model year, carburetted or Bosch K-jetronic EFI. (were it a survival thing, I'd opt for the carb'd onnaconna even if dicked up they can be made to run an engine, but once one part of EFI fails you're walking)
Unless you have a place to park you are going to have a HUGE ass ache.
I lived in an Air Stream for almost a year and it was great. However, I lived cheaper in college in a real house with a few other people I was friends with.
Now this doesnt include the payment on the trailer and I had mine at a fairly nice RV park, but this is what it cost me for a monthly arrangement:
rent(included water, sewer, trash and cable) was $425/month
I was responsible for the electricity I used which averaged $75/month
I had my own internet connection(not the shared RV park wifi) and HD cable/DVR for another $50/month
So I was in it for $550 a month. You might find an RV park that is a bit cheaper maybe $350-$375 a month, but it also might be filled with meth addicts, which the one I lived in was not.
As far as actually living in an RV, I loved it and got hooked. Now I travel in my RV for a few days at least once a month. Would I want to live in a small trailer for 4 years, hell no. If I had a large 5th wheel or Class A, then I would probably be ok, but a small bumper pull trailer is just to small for that kind of extended living, although people do it all the time.
When I was in college I lived in a few houses and most cost about $250-$300 a month plus utilities(maybe another $100). I had some friends that bought single/double wides when they started school(obviously had their parents help), rented out the extra room/rooms and when they were done with school sold it to another kid who was starting and basically lived for nothing for 4 years. I had other friends who basically did the same, but with a house(and then rented the rooms out) and lived for free in college.
My dad sold his apartment and house after he retired. He bought a large 5th wheel and a little bit later he also bought a Lance camper. His rent in MO was not as much as what rjacobs was paying and it’s in a decent park. He also kept a spot in NC which was very cheap. I think it was under $200 a month and the park mainly served people traveling but had a few long-timers. It would be in your best interest to shop around and pay close attention to the neighbors.
The 5th wheel he has is fine for 2 people and has all of the things you would expect to find in a normal house. The Lance is really neat but I don’t think it would work for more than 1 person. He has done some 2-3 week trips in it by himself and said that it was comfortable.
With any RV weight and space management is key.
What is your budget?
I actually found a trailer park that rents single-wides with carports for $350/month gas/water/sewage included. They even have real AC units. It's not the Ritz, the units are dated and they're close together, but it's clean and based on some research of 911 call-outs, safe and very quiet.
It's only 20 miles from campus and since I ride a motorcycle I won't be dying on gas.
I seriously doubt I can beat that deal.
Sounds like a great deal.
ryanschmidt65
06-07-11, 20:32
^^^ I agree it sounds amazing, you should totally go for it!
I actually found a trailer park that rents single-wides with carports for $350/month gas/water/sewage included. They even have real AC units. It's not the Ritz, the units are dated and they're close together, but it's clean and based on some research of 911 call-outs, safe and very quiet.
It's only 20 miles from campus and since I ride a motorcycle I won't be dying on gas.
I seriously doubt I can beat that deal.
Edited to remove prickness. Sorry, OP!
I thought my half mile drive to campus was bad. Man, I love the perks of a great small private school :lol:
Man you're either an arrogant ass or just have a bad sense of humor. The guy is trying to save money and you need to let us all know you go to a nice small private school and then you complain about a half mile commute. How was you post helpful?
Man you're either an arrogant ass or just have a bad sense of humor. The guy is trying to save money and you need to let us all know you go to a nice small private school and then you complain about a half mile commute. How was you post helpful?
Yeah, in hind sight my ill-rested posting wasn't the best.
OP, is there any public transportation you can take advantage of? My apartment complex had a bus stop that made it so easy to get to class every morning.
cowpuncher
06-08-11, 17:23
We live in a rural community in the mountains in Wyoming. Somewhere between 75 and 90% of residents in our county live in RVs (not trailer homes, RVs). While the numbers drop in the winter, a significant portion do so through winter also. We do. Winter time temps are regularly below -20F, and 40-80MPH winds are common year-round.
While a lot of single guys live in this county, there are also large numbers of families, some with multiple older children and teenagers, who live in their RVs. For a single guy in a more favorable climate, I can't see any reason at all not to do it.
The only drawback to it, when it comes to prepping is the massive lack of suitable storage space, and the transient nature of the lodging, apparently making it difficult to develop alternative power sources, etc. Here's what we've done.
1) Instead of flexible skirting, we put 2" thick insulated aluminum siding around the skirting, providing more than adequate insulation. With two heat lamps underneath, even at -30F, it keeps the undertrailer space above freezing (It's tight, and well sealed). It also locks.
Under the tongue of the trailer area (it's a 40ft fifth wheel), I put in a chest freezer, some shelves, and pallets on the ground. I can store a LOT of shit under there, even though it's tight.
2) We got a gasoline powered generator for power outages in summer months. Just to keep the lights and freezer running. I am also in the process of putting together a solar/wind hybrid system sized appropriately to our needs. We also have several smaller, back-up propane tanks, in addition to our primary. We use an on-demand hot water heater to reduce the amount of energy expended keeping hot water going. It ran us $500 to get it installed in the RV. The plan is, in a grid down scenario, we run the hot water heater and kitchen stove off the stored propane. We run the lights and freezer off the electric system. Heating is the only issue we face, since room for a woodstove is limited. I'm currently planning on oversizing the PV/wind system enough to provide power for electric space heaters (since we currently don't pay for electricity, we that's what we use now.)
3) In addition to the drag-up fuel tank in my personal truck that I keep topped off with fuel, I have between fifty and 100 gallons of fuel in cans, padlocked together behind the trailer, at any given time as well. More than enough to back up the PV/wind system to keep the generator running.
I pay about 300 for a RV site water/ elec. included have to drive 1 mile to dump station weekly. if don't like location I can move from the camp ground. RV payment, RV insurance and cell phone. need more storage space as stated by others, but its better than what I lived in on any deployments. you have own bathroom, self contained can use on weekends "camping" after grad. and moving on to better living arrangements. It is some thing to get used to living in one though. you may want to rent a RV for a few days/week just to try out first.
I was actually thinking about possibly being one of those snowbirds who drives around the country in an RV after retirement, but being able to prep must be next to impossible unless you establish cache points at your regular stops.
No different then what the Japanese and the Chinese average working joe lives on a daily basis but better. Only problem is SPACE. Planning will solve that. However, we live in the US of A, a home space or an apartment can't be beat. Once things start getting worse...I might consider. But fuel is a bitch.
I was actually thinking about possibly being one of those snowbirds who drives around the country in an RV after retirement, but being able to prep must be next to impossible unless you establish cache points at your regular stops.
No different then what the Japanese and the Chinese average working joe lives on a daily basis but better. Only problem is SPACE. Planning will solve that. However, we live in the US of A, a home space or an apartment can't be beat. Once things start getting worse...I might consider. But fuel is a bitch.
I wouldn't be driving all the time. Drive somewhere, stay a month, move on. Figure you have car insurance and a car loan if you didn't buy the RV outright. Lot rental wherever you stay. Might be cheaper than a mortgage.
As for space, if I was a single guy I think I coud do it. We Americans amass too much junk anyways. No matter how big the house we get we fill the space up. From a prep standpoint it would be hard. Maybe would need to have a cache set up at a place or two thats central to your travel area.
From a prep standpoint it would be hard. Maybe would need to have a cache set up at a place or two thats central to your travel area.
One way to go is with a toyhauler. A typical three axle toyhauler has over a 100 gallons of fresh water storage, a built in generator with 30 gallon fuel tank and dispenser, and a storage capacity of over 3 thousand pounds. This is provided you don't use the garage space in the back.
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