This is the question most people ask when we tell them our plan. In Febuary 2015 we sat down before deciding to take this challenge head on and these are the questions we asked ourselves.
Why are we doing this?
We want to challenge our family to live with much less, and learn to appreciate what we have, along with getting closer as a family (being that we are in such a small place we are forced to interact 24/7.) We also want to be able to spend more time outside with our kids teaching them to become closer with nature by learning how to plant and grow food/flowers, to not be afraid to explore, to learn, and to get dirty are a priority. We also want to save money! We want to be able to pay off student loans and save so that we can do more traveling as a family or send our kids to camps to learn and be able to do sports/activities. These are just some of the top reasons why we chose to live the RV life and there are so many more!
How much will we save?
With rent only being $325-$350 currently and being that our RV is paid for, we sat down and looked at our bills to get a ballpark figure of what our savings would look like. With different military pay and bills we are looking at saving around $1,800 a month. Who wouldn’t want that?
What do we want to come from this lifestyle change?
-becoming closer as a family
-being forced to go outside more often
-saving money
-getting to spend more undivided attention with our kids
-learning to live with less
-learning to appreciate what we have
-teaching our children how to do things besides watching tv, playing on electronics, and playing with friends.
-challenging our family to try something new
Are we doing this for ourselves or for our family as a whole?
We believe our family will truly benefit as a whole from this experience because of the reasons above.
How will the kids adjust?
We think the kids won’t really notice the difference being that they are so young. They may miss their friends but that comes with all families that move. We can always visit! I mean come on we are going to live on the Lake what kid wouldn’t enjoy parks, water, and playing outside all summer?
Can we get a loan for a new RV or will we have to buy outright with Tax return?
We quickly learned that we wouldn’t be approved for a recreational vehicle loan so buying outright was our only option if we really wanted to get the ball rolling.
What do the kids need?
Their own space (bunk beds), some toys, clothes, and food/water of course and most of all LOVE.
What will we do to pass time?
Play outside, learn how to plant things, learn how to build and fix things, enjoy the outdoors, arts and crafts, learn about animals and insects, travel and much more!
Are we mentally prepared?
We think so. That’s why we are asking these questions!
When will we begin?
As soon as possible
Roughly how much do travel trailers cost?
New: around $10,000-$13,000 just staring out-really freakin expensive if you customize
Used: decent condition to nice $5,000-really freakin expensive depending on type, year, condition, and how much customization it has.
Will this work with the military lifestyle?
The military travels and so can a house on wheels! The only time we wouldn’t be able to take our RV with us is if we get stationed over seas and even then we can store it so we can have it when we get back!
What will we do with all of our belongings?
That’s the main challenge. Getting rid of the things you don’t really need!! Selling,donating and storing as little as possible (just incase!)
What can we not live without?
To be really honest we can live without it all, but we decided to not go full on cave man style. My husband loves his tv so we kept that. We kept both cars (the truck for pulling the travel trailer and my car for everyday errands) we each have about 15 outfits if not a little more and we brought our little trinkets/decorations to make it feel like home and some kitchen supplies. The kids kept a box of toys and some art supplies as well.
Why now?
Why not. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
What about visitors?
There are 2 extra sleeping areas aside from our bed and the kids bunks. The kitchen table turns into a bed and the couch pulls out into a bed if people want to stay. There is also a thing called “outdoors.” You should try it, it’s great!
How much does it cost to park the RV?
The spot we have at the lake right now costs $325 for a single lot and $350 for a double lot. It all depends on amenities and the location as well. We are on the lake which is not considered an RV park. Our amenities include:
-water and electric included in rent
-laundry site
-waterpark
-lake
-nature trails
-horse back riding
-restrooms
-picnic pavilions
-front office has a variety of things to rent like boats and sports equipment and much more.
What are our future plans?
We want to try to save up as much money as we can to start planning and building our tiny house if we decide we like this lifestyle. We also want to travel more as a family and saving money will give us that opportunity as well. We want to get away from the normal style of living and not be tied to a house payment for years and years, as well as not wanting to deal with apartment complexes and prices constantly going up. We eventually want to find a piece of land we can call our “home station” and travel as much as possible to show our children the beauty of the world. We as a society are often wrapped up in the “new trends of today” (some good, more often not so much) We hope to enjoy and cherish this time and experience but most of all hope that our children have more of an appreciation for the small things in life like getting to watch the sun set with your family and exploring Mother Earth and all of Gods creation.
- The Fosters **Are you convinced to stop and think about this lifestyle choice as a possibility or do you think this is bonkers? Share your experiences with us good or bad. We would love to hear them!**
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