calling all RV'rs

[Billy]

Gosh, Bayfield... so sorry to hear about your husband's health chalenges. I hope he gets what he needs at the VA.

I will look for an individual plan that has high deductible for myself, but if I'm unable to find one, I'll be back on the payroll somewhere I suppose. That makes it not really "retirement", but thats our option for now.

If you are possibly thinking of employment (part or full time) while in retirement to cover health benefits, you might want to take a look at our Preferred Links Page: http://retireearlylifestyle.com/favorite_er_links.htm and scroll down to RELOCATION, RETIREMENT JOBS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

There are several links listed that could provide you an alternative in the work idea department. You could work from your RV (if you have a high speed access for your computer) and are self motivated. This would allow you to still travel, not have to pay for a wardrobe, lunches, parking fees and gas, office pools, and so on.

I don't know if this would appeal to you or not... There are other links there for companies who specialize in hiring people over 50... and of course, you could always trade services for good-as-cash ala Craigslist. They have sites in every city in the US.

Just a thought. I wish you lots of openness and options, and of course, health.

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[newyorklady]

this topic makes me so sad. it was always my fathers dream to have an rv and travel the country, too bad he died young and never got to do it. lesson learned, follow your dreams young, you never know how much time you have left.

 

[Toejam]

Many folks do both - they have their house/community/stuff but also enjoy the RVing lifestyle for several months a year. This is almost twice as expensive to do, but it does offer the benefit of the best of both worlds. If you can afford it, nothing wrong with this approach.

Audrey

Just yesterday I was chit-chatting with my brother's retired neighbor who is an RV'er and has a motor home very similar to Audrey's - a 36' Alpine. He said he had just ordered a brand new one (also a 36 footer) to replace the one he has now. Cost: $240,000. Gets 8 miles to the gallon. He showed me the inside of his current RV. It is beautiful inside, just like a fully equipped and furnished apartment. This man and his wife really enjoy the RV lifestyle, but they also maintain their small home as a base.

this topic makes me so sad. it was always my fathers dream to have an rv and travel the country, too bad he died young and never got to do it. lesson learned, follow your dreams young, you never know how much time you have left.

NewYorkLady: I felt a similar sadness while chatting with my brother's aforementioned neighbor. My Mom and Dad had plans to travel the country in an RV, too. They got to do some of it but my mother passed away at a relatively young age, and my father didn't have any fun going on his own (he didn't want to travel with people he didn't know well), so he stopped. I mentioned this to my brother's neighbor, and he said it is very common to see many of these big RV's for re-sale, usually because the husband passes away and the wife doesn't know how (or doesn't want) to drive or operate these huge vehicles.

 

[Billy]

newyorklady

this topic makes me so sad. it was always my fathers dream to have an rv and travel the country, too bad he died young and never got to do it. lesson learned, follow your dreams young, you never know how much time you have left.

This especially hits home with me as well, NYL... My parents never had a retirement either. They worked hard their whole lives and died young.

Billy and I talk about how time is a commodity too. We are spending it every day, whether we know it or not.

Toejam

I mentioned this to my brother's neighbor, and he said it is very common to see many of these big RV's for re-sale, usually because the husband passes away and the wife doesn't know how (or doesn't want) to drive or operate these huge vehicles.

That is very true. One of the best places to buy these rigs is in the American Southwest. Some people have to sell them due to a death of a spouse but some are being sold because couples bought them thinking they would like the lifestyle and then found out that they didn't.

Maybe the place was too small, maybe the stress of hauling one of these things became too much. Perhaps the time away from the grandchildren became an issue. There are lots of reasons...

We know singles who have joined Loners on Wheels http://www.lonersonwheels.com/ and that has helped them with some of the above mentioned problems.

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[loosechickens]

We are new to this board, but not to RVing. We have been fulltime RVers for nearly fifteen years now since we were 42 and 50.

We live and travel at present in a 37 foot (actual size 38 feet 10 inches....don't know why they call it a 37 footer), diesel pusher motorhome.

Only extreme old age or serious health problems would ever have us settling down in one place. We love our nomadic life, and would never give it up willingly.

Nice to see some others here on this board RVing or having an interest in doing so.

LooseChickens