Do Watch Your Money
Just because you’re living in an RV and don’t have the typical monthly expenses of living in a stationary house doesn't mean you shouldn't be frugal. While we don’t have rent or a mortgage, utilities, or other monthly expenses like that, there are still costs that come along with this lifestyle. The biggest cost is typically fuel, but a close second in our life is food. We have found that we love to find local restaurants around the country, much more than we enjoyed eating out when we were in Arizona, but we’ve also discovered that grocery prices vary significantly from city to city. We also spend a chunk of money on sightseeing that we never had to budget for before.
Regardless of how you are spending your money, you need to make sure you are keeping a tight watch on your budget. We’ve met more than one couple who has had to make a more permanent home in a town because it’s where their RV broke down and they were out of money to fix it. Always make sure you have a rainy day account for fixes, and make sure you have money coming in quicker than you spend it.
Do Have a General Idea of Where You’re Going
Living in an RV allows for a lot of flexibility in travel plans. At any point in time, you can pick up and move to a new location. This is amazing, but it can also be overwhelming because there are so many great places to see. Plus, the more people you meet on the road, the more recommendations you get for amazing places. What we’ve found helps is having a general idea of where we are going, and goal dates to arrive in certain cities. It keeps us on track, and helps us prioritize the places and things we really want to see, but it gives us flexibility to deviate or stay longer if we really fall in love with a location.
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Don’t Freak Out When Things Go Wrong
Notice I didn’t say IF things go wrong, rather WHEN, because things will go wrong. Ask anyone who has been on the road for longer than a month, and they can tell you a list of things that have gone wrong. From leaks to engine trouble to accidents, there are so many things that can go wrong when you are driving your home down the road every day. What we’ve found helps is to get to an RV park or campground and start talking to the other RV owners. Chances are high that someone has had a similar challenge and can offer you advice or a helping hand. Stay calm and know that you’ll be able to work through almost any problem you encounter.
Do Check for Leaks EVERY TIME It Rains
Every time you move your RV, it’s like taking your home through an earthquake. Things shift, and seals can come unsealed, especially if you have an older unit. Whenever you get to a new location, we’ve found it’s a good idea to take a quick peek at the roof and make sure that everything still looks good. Then, every time it rains, we check around for leaks. Leaks are pesky, and they are elusive, disappearing as soon as the rain stops, so check every time to figure out where the water is coming in. Catching leaks early is key to preserving both the integrity of your RV, as well as your sanity!
Don’t Sacrifice Comfort or Style
Just because you’re living on the road doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on comfort. In our RV, we added a plush memory foam topper to the mattress and use a great set of percale sheets. We also have nice towels, real dishes, and our favorite cooking pans and utensils. While it may be tempting to set up your RV like you are on an extended camping trip, think of this as your home on wheels instead of your camper. Having nice dishes instead of plastic ones, good towels instead of the ones that are almost rags, and luxury sheets helps make an RV feel like a real home. Don’t skimp on these items, but also know that you need to take care of them a little differently when you’re on the road.
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Do Secure EVERYTHING Before Moving
Speaking of caring for your items, the most important thing you can do to care for 90% of the things in your home on wheels is to secure them when you move. I’ve talked with people who have lost every dish in their cabinets when they took a corner too quickly. We’ve found that the squishy foam type of shelf liner works great for helping to make sure things don’t move or break during a move. We have all our shelves lined with it to prevent things from sliding, and we also use strips of the liner in between all our dishes to make sure they don’t rattle against each other. Whatever you choose to use in your RV, make sure things are secure, or you’ll be cleaning up messes each time you arrive to a new location.
Don’t Stay Inside All Day
One of the greatest things about this lifestyle is the ability to get out and see different parts of the country (or the world). At almost every stop we get to though, there is a couple who appears to hunker down in their motor home the entire day. We were recently at a beautiful beach campground, and there was a family there who spent almost every hour inside watching television. There are going to be days where the weather forces you to stay inside, so take every advantage you can of the sunny days and get outside and explore.
Don’t Buy in Bulk
When we moved in to our RV, I thought it would be smart to stock up on a few things that we use frequently. That’s what we had always done in our home, so why wouldn’t we do it in the motor home? Well, space is a very limited commodity in an RV, so those stashes of toilet paper, paper towels, and rice have taken us months to work through. The whole time we’ve been on the road, these bulk items have been taking up precious storage space. The lesson we’ve learned is to only buy enough items to keep you stocked for a few weeks at a time.
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Do Think Multipurpose
When stocking items in the limited space of an RV, it’s important that things have multiple uses. For example, we use our salad spinner to wash and spin greens, but also as our large serving bowl. We have a stick blender that has a food processor attachment to grind coffee beans and cheeses. We even recently changed out our plastic food storage containers for glass ones so we can use them in the oven as well. The more things that can have multiple uses, the less clutter you have in your tiny home on wheels.
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