Comments on: How to live simply in a 39 foot RV — From Louise Hornor

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:13:11 +0000

My husband and I have talked about doing this. The problem is that we have children and, don’t want to subject them to the life of moving frequently and having to make new friends everywhere. Any suggestions?

By: Lil

Lil — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:37:14 +0000

@stephanie- i was in a flood a few years back also! it really made me realize posessions arent so imporatant, but since then ive gotten a lot more stuff again. then i got a new boyfriend and he and i have recently decided were going to live in an RV. we are saveing like crazy to buy one so we can leave and planning how we will do it. hes planning on playing guitar on the road to help support us. i will do whatever i find, i suppose!! We are young and dont want to live the way everyone tells us we have to, so we have decided to live. we both think it will be an experience of a lifetime. maybe it will be difficult, but i think it will also be an adventure. when he asked me to go and proposed this idea, i knew i couldnt say no! Thanks, Louise and everyone for these tips I have never even set foot in an RV so i am researching all i can!!

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:20:48 +0000

My wife and I are travel nurses that work half of the year, so we need to stay in a RV park/resort for 3 months at a time. What we look for are facilities like laundry, wifi, and a good area to walk the dog. Our organization tip is: anything stored is in a clear tote with a lid on it that is labelled, so it can be stacked if necessary. It’s very easy to move them around the basement storage. We use paper plates and cups when we can and toss them in the campfire. We prefer plastic dishware to glass or metal because of weight. We too have two laptops. We travel in a 40′ Newmar Dutchstar and it has its ups and downs but are very different from a permanent residence and willing take the tradeoffs. We lived in Phoenix when it was 116 degrees down to 15 in Seattle last winter. Sean and Louise, I’ve followed your travels on your website and enjoy it.

By: lashanna blair

lashanna blair — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:29:29 +0000

You are a very smart person and i left my hands to you. Very independent, that is kool. You are kool.

By: Louise

Louise — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:00:40 +0000

@Lav Jain: All RVs include furnishings; they are built in. That being said, it is not too difficult to change them.

Our bus is one-of-a-kind because we started from scratch and had it built on a tour bus chassis. However, there are many different RVs on the market, at many different price ranges. Certainly lots of nice ones are for sale in the $100,000 range.

Your best bet is to visit a local RV dealer and look around. Look at both new and used ones, since colors and styles change from year to year. More important than surface issues like decor, though, is how well built and maintained the unit is. For more help with that, I again point you to the on-line discussion groups I mentioned two comments above this one.

By: Lav Jain

Lav Jain — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:03:47 +0000

I was just curious to find out how much would RV like this cost including furnishings? If it is somewhere around $100000 then it may be better to buy one (and get a housing loan to make mortgage payments) than rent.

By: Louise

Louise — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:51:24 +0000

For a good analysis of the financial aspect of full-time RVing, try this site:
http://www.adventure.1tree.net.....atdoes.htm

Here’s one couple’s real life expenses:
http://www.adventure.1tree.net.....hreeyr.htm

Income in this lifestyle, just as in any other, comes from a variety of sources. Some folks work full-time, some work part-time, some are fully retired and living on pensions, social security, investment income, etc.

As for fuel mileage, many RVers manage that expense by modifying how far they drive on any given day. Some people travel only twice a year: once to their summer area, once to their winter home. Those two trips can be thousands of miles each. Others, like us, travel fairly constantly but only a short distance each time.

If you are interested in learning more specifics about how other people manage, I suggest two on-line discussion groups:

http://escapees.infopop.cc/eve/forums
http://www.rv.net/forum/

By: Jealous

Jealous — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:25:29 +0000

Ooooh I’m jealous. Sometimes in these discussions comes up the subject of income. How do you PAY for opting out like this? I’ve got an office job — and soon will be returning to law school for yet more certifications — and I just wonder whether I can “do without” sufficient changes of clothes, winter and summer versions of them, shoes and shoe-shine equipment, and so on …

I often see that people who are free to opt out, are also “technical consultants” (whatever that means). I’m in the humanities. Guess I have to actually BE at work when I work. Otherwise I’d certainly “cyber commute” … if they’d let me.

So, how DO you pay for it? I’ll bet that RV gets very low gas mileage …

By: Nary

Nary — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:43:02 +0000

Bungee cords are fantastic. I work on an at-sea science program and we use a lot of bungee cords. They are good for so many things.

By: Cherie

Cherie — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:01:13 +0000

Very cool to encounter you guys. My partner and I have been full timing in a 16′ travel trailer. We both do technical consulting remotely via our laptops, solar panels and cellular data connections.

We’re right now considering upgrading to a much larger trailer… all the way up to a whole 17′. I can’t even fathom the space of a 39′ mobile home.. I’ve gotten so used to a very very small space.

– Cherie / http://www.technomadia.com

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:32:42 +0000

@Craig — Interesting choice of words. I would say that Odyssey is probably the least sterile place we’ve lived; the nature of such a small space is that every surface, even the ceiling, is utilized for something and has some visual interest. In fact, one challenge when we were designing the space was to ensure that anywhere you looked, what you saw was pleasing and not harsh. That extended to choosing ceiling and wall treatments, light fixtures, countertops, and even appliances and switchplates. And, for the record, we do have built-in bookcases with our books visible. There are tasteful bars across the shelves horizontally to keep the books from flying out under way.

As for the laptops, all is revealed in the post linked by Louise in the comment immediately before yours, above.

@burro — We practice safe surfing around here. As a veteran information security professional of over 25 years, I can say that I have virtually no concerns whatsoever about crackers (in fact I’ve helped put several behind bars). Some of the security tools we use are outlined in the aforementioned post, as well.

-Sean

By: Burro

Burro — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:59:08 +0000

Hopefully your online accounts won’t get hacked by people of eBaumsworld or 4chan.

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:14:00 +0000

Something to strive for, but I can’t say I’d want to LIVE in an RV. Far too sterile for me. I like seeing wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with books.

But you have created a very nicely uncluttered space that has gotten me thinking. You say you each have your own laptop. That certainly makes sense from a space-saving viewpoint. What make & model of laptops do you have, if you don’t mind my asking?

By: Louise

Louise — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:56:34 +0000

@Stephanie: Thanks for adding your clutter-reducing techniques. I learn things from other RVers every time I visit their rigs. I like the “fruit basket” idea!

@Kristin: We access the Internet using a satellite dish that we carry with us on the bus. As long as have a clear view of the sky, we can get on-line. Very rarely, we use wireless. Sometimes an RV park provides the wifi, and sometimes an open network is close enough for us to use.

My husband Sean wrote extensively about how set up our computers, internet access and other techie stuff in this post:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com.....tment.html

You can clearly see the satellite dish on the roof in this post:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com.....oiler.html
Scroll down to the fourth photo.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:58:58 +0000

I’m curious about the computer hook-up: how do you typically access the internet? Are you able to score free wireless most places, or…? Congratulations on living the dream, btw, & thank you for sharing!