How to Start Full Time RVing in 2023

All Things RV

Nov 20

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Do you daydream about being a full-time RVer? Dropping everything to hit the road in an RV sounds like a great adventure. But before you quit your job and hit the open road, you should consider a few things.

Full-time RV living is not as carefree as it sounds. It's essential to do your research and plan ahead before making the switch. But if you're up for the challenge, it can be a fun and rewarding lifestyle. Follow these easy steps for a smooth transition to full-time RV living!

Choose a launch date

This sounds like a small step, but it is enormous! Choose your date. Circle it on the calendar, and then start your countdown! Even if your launch date is five years away, there is no time to waste! Starting early will make your transition smooth and stress free.

Find your why

Decide why you want to live full time in an RV. Do you want to travel to all the national parks? Do you want to visit every state? Do you want to travel for a year or five years before settling down and having kids? Do you want to travel before you are too old for adventure?

Once you find your WHY, write it down. Make it a part of your countdown so you can see it daily. It will remind you of your goal when the steps below get hard.

Tell family and friends

Telling family and friends may be a roller coaster ride of emotions. Some will be excited for you, while others will think you have lost your mind. A friend burst into tears while asking why we were leaving her. Our mom said, “You will NOT sell your house.” Decide when to share the good news. Just remember, not everyone will consider it ‘good.’

Start purging

This step should start today. Right now! Your first step in purging is to stop buying. Before you buy anything, ask yourself if it will fit in the RV. If the answer is no, then put it back. You will save yourself time and money by leaving it at the store.

For more tips on stress free purging head to PURGING FOR FULL TIME RV: TIPS TO PURGE STRESS FREE

Get your finances in order

This is a big one and may determine your launch date. We recommend living debt free on the road. Actually, we recommend it to everyone. Most full timers want to explore and have new adventures. Having a lot of debt makes it more difficult because life of travel is not free or cheap. The following resources may help.

Dave Ramsey’s Debt Free Snowball (We used this method over 20 years ago).
Full Time RV Finance by our friends Sean & Julie Chickery. This book will walk you through the steps to become debt free while planning for RV life.

Emergency fund

Build an emergency fund large enough to cover 3-6 months of living expenses. This will cover any curve ball that comes your way, whether on the road or in your sticks and bricks.

RV maintenance fund

A separate RV maintenance fund is also a must. This fund covers new tires (ours cost over $4,000), maintenance and unexpected repairs. Having a separate fund prevents you from tapping into your fun money when these issues pop up. And they always pop up!

Find income on the road

Most of us are not independently wealthy, so a job on the road is a must! This step kills the dream of full time RV life for many people. Thankfully there is a ton of opportunities. You have to think outside the box or office!

Keep your current job

Have you considered keeping your current position? Approach your employer to see if your position can go remote. If most of your job has you sitting in front of a computer, it could be an easy transition. Ask for a 90-day test period to prove your productivity won’t decrease when you go remote. It may be all that is needed to convince them.

Become a Certified RV Tech or RV Inspector

This is a great way to earn an income on the road. We have a few friends who are RV Inspectors and make a great income while traveling. They work as much or as little as they choose. Opportunities vary depending on location and the number of inspectors are in the area.

Becoming a certified RV technician is also a great option. RVs break down all the time so technicians are in high demand. There are even technicians who specialize in specific maintenance items such as air condition maintenance, roof maintenance, and generator oil changes.

To learn more, head to the National RV Training Academy (NRVTA). They will prepare you for a great career. Phil has attended both courses and can vouch for the curriculum and the hands on training.

Find a remote job

There are ton of resources to help you find remote work. Here are a few great resources.

More Than A Wheelin - Bryce and Camille are full time RVers who guide others to find remote jobs. They have a great 3 part blog series on remote jobs called TOP REMOTE JOBS FOR RVERS.
WRKFRCE - The founder, Jesse, lives full time in a 27 foot Airstream. WRKFRCE helps professionals divorce the cubicle and find remote jobs.
RVER Job Exchange - This site lists remote job opportunities, freelance jobs, and workamping positions.

start workamping

Many RVers accept temporary and seasonal positions at campgrounds, national or state parks, or companies like Amazon. It’s a great way to supplement income on the road. These positions may come with a free campsite, salary, or both. Find your a great gig below.

CamperGigs - If you want to work at campgrounds to supplement your income CamperGigs is a great resource. Use code TIS50 to save 50% through Nov 30th!
Workamping Jobs - Free site with workamping positions listed.
Cool Works - This site features seasonal jobs at national parks, ski resorts, dude ranches, summer camps, and more.
Workamper News - This is the original website for workamping. So OG that they trademarked Workamping. You can find jobs for RVers here.
Kamper Jobs - This free site lists jobs for Rvers.
Workers on Wheels - This site connects potential employers with RVers.

Need more info about workamping? Click here CAMP HOSTING: Everything You Need to Know

Go Paperless

This is something you can check off your list very early! If you receive paper statements from your bank, credit card company, or other companies, change them to electronic statements. You can also switch magazines and newspapers to emags.

Healthcare

Explore healthcare your healthcare options. This topic is very deep and wide and can be challenging to navigate. Start your research early so you can include it in your budget if you will not have it through your job.

Budget

It’s hard to budget for a life you have never lived! We’ve 3 years of our expenses to get you started, One Year of Full Time RV: What it Really Cost Us and One Year Full Time RV Living Costs: Expensive. Below are a few expenses to include in your RV budget

Campgrounds
RV
Fuel
Cell phone
Retirement
Savings
Health Care
Internet
Cable/streaming services
Groceries (usually the same as in a sticks & bricks)
Storage unit
RV Clubs
Entertainment
Eating out
Tolls
RV Memberships
Rallys
Propane
RV Maintenance & Repairs
RV Gear

plan your rv exit

This is a step that many don’t think about, but it’s critical. Before you uproot your life, sell your house and move into an RV, plan for the end of RV living.

Do you plan to live in an RV for the rest of your life? What if you get sick and can no longer RV. What if your partner needs full time medical care. Would you still want to travel? If the answer is no, you need an exit plan. Learn more about our exit plan in the video below.

Choose a Domicile state

Your domicile is your legal residence. It will determine where you vote, your tax rate, your insurance rate, and much more. When deciding which state to call yours, do your homework. The most common states for full timers are South Dakota, Texas, and Florida. Below are some things to consider.

Does the state have a state income tax? What is the tax rate?
Does the state have an inheritance tax?
Does the state have personal property tax?
What will it cost to register your RV and car? Do you need inspections before registration?
What is the vehicle insurance rate?
What are the laws for homeschooling?
What is health insurance going to cost for that state? What is available in the healthcare marketplace for that state?
What are the jury duty rules? (We have been called for jury duty twice on the road but were able to be exempt because we were out of state).
What mail forwarding services are available in the state? What are their fees? What do they offer?

Find a Mail solution

Many full time RVers use mail forwarding services, including us. These services provide you with a physical address and can help you establish a residency in a day or two. They provide a legal address that you can use to open bank accounts, pay taxes, insurance, apply for a driver's license, and more.

Every state has mail forwarding services. The following are popular options for RVers.

RV Insurance for full time

Let your insurance company know when your become a full time RVer. Not all insurance companies will cover full time RVers. We used a broker (FCIS) to find the insurance for us. We have used Progressive for the last four years.

Buy the Rv

Phil researched RVs for almost two years before we purchased Ruby. But it was still scary. We literally paused with our pen over the contract and said are we really doing this?? Are we sure we want to live in a tiny RV.

Our friends from Less Junk, More Journey have a great course, Buy The Right RV , that might help you navigate the RV buying process. They have purchased every type of RV and share their lessons learned along the way.

THE RIGHT AND WRONG WAY TO BUY AN RV

The following tips might help you during the buying process.

Tour as many RVs as you can. Our friends at RVBlogger do a great job with RV Tours.
Study RV prices (RV Trader & RVT)
Get your RV inspected. You wouldn’t purchase a home without an inspection, so don’t purchase your home on wheels without one.
Rent an RV if you are unsure of your needs.
Don’t be in a hurry. Wait for your perfect deal.
Buy at the end of an RV show or the end of the season.
Don’t be pressured into buying something that won’t suit your needs.
The RV salesman sometimes is just that, a salesman. They may not have RVed ever! So they may not understand all of your needs for full time.

Find mobile Internet solution

Good reliable internet is another tough one for full time RVers. Before you spend a lot of money on internet, assess your needs. If you only use it to occasionally check email park wifi or your cell phone carrier may be all you need. The Mobile Internet Resource Center is an excellent resource for figuring out the best internet option for your needs.

We started with a puck from AT&T and upgraded to our 7-in-1 roof antenna. Our speeds are better than ever.

Learn to maintain your rv

Staying on top of your RV Maintenance will prevent big problems down the road. There are several options when it comes to tracking your maintenance schedule.

Download our free spreadsheet and update it to reflect your RV’s systems and appliances.
RV LIfe Maintenance. This app is part of the RV Life bundle. It tracks your RV maintenance, fuel, and documentation and sends email alerts when a maintenance item is due. Click the link to save 25%.
The NRVTA offers RV Fundamentals for RV Owners. You will learn how RV systems work and to properly maintain them. It’s an up front cost that you will get back in no time!
RV Maintenance & Repair Home Study Course has all the same systems as NRVTA’s classroom version, minus just the hands on portion. It is less expensive and a great option if you can’t get to the school house.

Plan SHAKEDOWN trips

Take a few local trips to get comfortable with your RV. It’s a great way to learn your RV systems. You can also camp in your driveway! This is exactly what we did for a few nights after we brought Ruby home.

Learning RV Trip Planning

RVers are usually surprised at that RV trip planning can be time consuming and confusing at first. But the more you do it the easier it will become. Especially, as you learn your favorite travel style. Some prefer to book months out, while others fly by the seat of their pants. We do a little of both.

You can find more RV Trip planning tips in the following blogs.

Our favorite RV trip planner is RV Life Trip Wizard. It’s part of the RV Life bundle with RV Life Maintenance Tracker and worth its weight in gold! Save 25% when you click the link!

Sell the house

This is the moment that everyone pauses and asks big questions. Do I really want to do this?? Am I crazy?? What if I hate RV life. Being nervous about changing your entire life is completely normal. Everyone is nervous and worried and anxious and so much more. So just go for it!

Learn to setup & Breakdown your RV

Every time you pack up and move to another location, you will get faster and more efficient with setup and breakdown. It just takes practice and a checklist. Create two separate checklists, one for setup and one for breakdown. Write everything you need to do on the checklist. Use it every time you move. We have been on the road for almost five years and still use our checklists.

You can create your own checklist or download ours for free here: Setup and Breakdown Checklists for Your RV

That’s it!

That’s all there! Not get out there because you are about to discover this life is full of excitement, wonder, community, beauty, friends and fun!

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