RV Life – The REAL Scoop…an insiders tips

I’d like to speak with you today about RV Life and the RV Lifestyle. I’ve been on the road for 8 consecutive years now and I’ve got a few thoughts to share…

As you saw in my video above, this post was inspired by a reader/viewer who reached out to me after a younger couple made a video that ALMOST stole his RV dream.

As you review the information that follows, please feel free to use the space below to share your own tips and insights!

Now, I will NOT tell you that there aren’t challenges to living the RV Life, however, for every challenge, there are MANY rewards. AND… the choices you make can to a GREAT DEGREE mitigate the challenges you will face.

Succeeding at the RV Lifestyle – an Insiders Tips…

As I outlined in my video, there are a few key areas that can make or break your travelin’ experience. These include – the cost of your travels (campground costs), the quality of life at the campground (having ample space around your camper AND avoiding over-crowded campgrounds), maintaining connectivity (ESPECIALLY important for those of us who are doing business while “on the road”, and limiting the “downtime” due to “camper issues” – ie – unexpected repairs.

Allow me to address each of the above points in some detail…

Selecting Campgrounds that offer the opportunity for a GREAT RV CAMPING EXPERIENCE without breaking your wallet

Here are a few rules of thumb (and the size of your camper will determine the extent to which you can use this plan)…

• Look for state parks, National Forest Service (NFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), dry camping, and dispersed camping opportunities in preference to privately-owned campgrounds.
• Do some basic “advance research” to find “the ideal campsite.” I use two primary tools in my searches – Campground Reviews (.com) and Allstays.
  • I use the reviews site to read what other RV’ers have to say about a particular campground/park, etc. When doing so, you have to read between the lines (somewhat) to gain a sense of whether the campground you’re considering is for you. AND you can also gain a sense of whether you’re going to have a good cell signal there (which translates into internet connectivity for your computer – read on for more detail below.)
  • Allstays helps me to locate campgrounds/camping areas near water (a personal favorite of mine) or any other features I’d like to be near AND it contains data on LOW BRIDGES so I know in advance if my route has any “gotchas.”
• Join two INEXPENSIVE discount RV campground membership programs. You’ll see who I recommend in my post HERE.
• Plan to spend a week (or even a MONTH) in a particular spot. Your greatest discounts will apply to those kinds of extended stays instead of paying daily rates. Important: These discounts often apply to private campgrounds, in fact, most public camping (State, National Parks, NFS, BLM) are limited to about 14 day stays.
• Over 62? GET A GOLDEN PASS!! $80. for a lifetime pass for discount rates at most National camping areas (not just National Parks.) Hint: Buy it AT a National Park instead of online- you’ll save the $10. processing fee.
• Look into the same for state parks – and – look for other state discount programs. For example, both Wyoming and Idaho offer (separate) discounts to pass holders and the “break-even point” when you factor in the cost of the pass is about 7 nights in any state park in either state.

A note about the LENGTH of your RV Camper

The longer your camper is, the fewer options you’re going to have as to where you can take it. I wrote an article that addresses the ideal length for an RV camper – I encourage you to review it.

In summary (thus far), if you follow my tips and thoughts, and avoid KOA (and similar) campgrounds, you’ll find your nightly costs are closer to $15-20 instead of $40+! I traveled this summer after breaking camp in the Jackson Hole region in early April and averaged about $15/night for the entire 7 months of continuous travel. I’m now back to monthly rates as I stay the winter again near Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Beat the crowds – seek out DRY CAMPING opportunities

Often referred to as “boondocking”, I’ve been doing this for quite a while, in fact, at one point this summer, I went FOUR WEEKS (save for 3 days) without a campsite that had access to “shore power” (110-volt electric supplied by a power pedestal.)

Successful dry camping experiences require solar power (at a minimum) and ideally a generator. I finally “broke down” and purchased a generator this summer – here’s my story on that topic (and a note about solar panels as well) – CLICK HERE. My Lake Cascade post shows in one of the videos how different the usage level is of a campground that provides hookups vs. one that is dry camping only.

One additional feature that you must plan for IN ADVANCE… when purchasing your camper, look for one with a LARGE fresh water tank. I’d recommend a minimum of 70 gallons. This is just a small piece of advice I offer my clients who hire me for my Concierge RV Buying (and Selling) Service.

Dry camping (boondocking) also tends to be FAR less expensive than camping with hookups. My average stay while boondocking is about $10 per night, and I never pay over $18. while dry camping.

Trying to conduct business while “on the road” – let’s talk CONNECTIVITY

Wow has the world changed! Twenty years ago I could not be running a business from my camper. I recently had a client who was doing their own work (missionary service) in southern Canada, he had a motorhome in Georgia, and I was in Idaho – I successfully handled the sale of that camper, and then negotiated the purchase of a fifth wheel in Tennessee, including its inspection locally AND its transport to Georgia – so that when they return to Georgia, their new camper will be waiting for them! (Interested in this kind of service? Contact me!)

My connectivity plan is simple: I have a Verizon smartphone. I’ve learned how to use an app to “tether” it to my laptop. My data plan is extensive enough to allow for as much use as I like. Contact me privately if you want to learn the mechanics of this. I also have an AT&T plan with a “harman spark.” It too is adapted for use in my camper. Again – contact me to discuss the mechanics. There is also a new “togo” service from AT&T which is worth considering.

The bottom line? Between virtually unlimited service with both AT&T and Verizon, in 7 months of travel, I found ONE campsite where I could not get online – and even there, connectivity was only about 1 mile away! So… you gotta get pretty remote to NOT have connectivity anywhere in the “lower 48” continental United States!

Limiting your “downtime” due to RV Camper issues

Hammering on poorly built RV campers has become a pastime of mine! Its the reason the industry is struggling to grow over the past 20 years! Despite massive expansion in the population one typically considers when thinking about rv travel, and I’m of course referring to “seasoned citizens!” – there has been LITTLE GROWTH in the actual RV’ing population. This strongly suggests as more enter, many leave – and I fear are leaving because of all the problems they encounter with their camper. This situation MUST change – and you have a say in it by buying from the FEW manufacturers who make a superior product.

I’ve written several articles addressing the quality of camper issue in the RV’ing world, most recently a “fifth wheel buying guide” where I NAME NAMES – exposing both the good AND the bad.

Here’s the bottom line: Buying a quality camper (it does NOT have to be NEW) will GREATLY reduce the likelihood you spend weeks (months) dealing with a wide variety of rv repair issues. Yep, it’s really that simple – well – save for one fact… 85% of all the campers made are sub-standard – so it really helps to know what you’re looking at! Again – I urge you (even if you’re looking at a travel trailer or a motorhome) to review my fifth wheel buying guide – it will at a minimum get you started moving in the right direction.

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