Thinking off (sort of ) full timing (1 Viewer)

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
Hi all. Bit of a serious post this time.

I am debating with myself about the possibilities and feasability of more or less full timing for a few years when we get our motorhome. Deciding whether or not to do this may affect our choice of MH so I need to make a decision sometime soon.

Retirement is coming up and I am not particularly looking forward to being confined to one place and spending all my time looking after the house/garden and its needs. I have only owned a house for the last 12 years ( tied accomodation before then ) and although it was a sort of lifetime dream I cannot say I am over enamoured with the hassle of it all. ( I may sell the house or rent it out, that is another decision for another time )

I hope to ask all sorts of different questions in the thread ( as they occur to me ) and hope it will be interesting and informative to others in our position.

Neither of us are as fit as we might be ( must do something about that ) and neither of us fair well in the cold and damp ( or extreme heat for that matter ) so my main thoughts are that we might spend most of the summer wilding here or hereabouts and move further south ( probably on a campsite ) for the winter.

So, first off........ I am thinking about the economics of it all. A decent MH costs a fair bit but then I assume there would be other 'lost' expenses that may offset it to some degree. ie, I guess we wouldn't be paying council tax.

What other savings are we likely to make that I could factor into the equation ?
 

old-mo

Funster
Extra Special
LIFE MEMBER
Oct 16, 2008
16,341
93,473
Weymouth. Dorset...
Funster No
4,470
MH
Nearly aint got one.
Exp
Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
Cannot speak regarding full timing,, but can re selling up and disposing of bricks and mortar in this country,, we did and it was only by shear luck when the living abroad did not suit us that we were able to get back into the UK housing..

Spose what I am trying to say is,, if you can afford to, rent out your house but dont give up your bricks and morter over here. :thumb:
 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
Thanks `Old Mo'

As far as the house goes I think I probably have three options.
1.... Rent out while we are away ( with the risks involved )
2.... Sell up and let the council worry about housing us when we get to old and come back ( tounge in cheek )
3.... Sell up, get a small flat and let til we come back.

But, as I say, One thing at a time :Smile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,091
9,067
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Cannot speak regarding full timing,, but can re selling up and disposing of bricks and mortar in this country,, we did and it was only by shear luck when the living abroad did not suit us that we were able to get back into the UK housing..

Spose what I am trying to say is,, if you can afford to, rent out your house but dont give up your bricks and morter over here. :thumb:

I can speak as a full timer going back to a house and totally agree with Mo .. it's not easy .. be aware.. you are not eligible for social housing if you make yourself homeless..

but come off a ferry with a suitcase and you are welcomed with open arms.. :RollEyes:

If at all possible keep a UK base and it will make life soooo much easier

jim
 

old-mo

Funster
Extra Special
LIFE MEMBER
Oct 16, 2008
16,341
93,473
Weymouth. Dorset...
Funster No
4,470
MH
Nearly aint got one.
Exp
Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
Thanks `Old Mo'

As far as the house goes I think I probably have three options.
1.... Rent out while we are away ( with the risks involved )
2.... Sell up and let the council worry about housing us when we get to old and come back ( tounge in cheek )
3.... Sell up, get a small flat and let til we come back.

But, as I say, One thing at a time :Smile:


I would go for 1 or 3,, put it in the hands of a good agent, admittedly they will take a good lump of your income but go with an agent that keeps an eye on things and get it written in the contract that it is left in as good a state as when you handed over.. and that they do monthly checks.. after all it is your premisses and they are getting paid to look after your interests.

Number 2,, you would probably get stuck in some grotty B&B,, there are not enough houses/flats to go around now,, let alone a few years down the line.. imho.
 

old-mo

Funster
Extra Special
LIFE MEMBER
Oct 16, 2008
16,341
93,473
Weymouth. Dorset...
Funster No
4,470
MH
Nearly aint got one.
Exp
Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
Solution "Jim" unless you are sorted,,

Move into my place for 5-6 months while we are away,, peppercorn rent,, we come back and evict you and council give you a nice house or gives you time to look around,, ready made parking for your RV till you sell.. jobs a good un,, house sitter for her in doors is fish.. :winky::thumb:

sorry thread high jack.. :Blush:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,091
9,067
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Solution "Jim" unless you are sorted,,

Move into my place for 5-6 months while we are away,, peppercorn rent,, we come back and evict you and council give you a nice house or gives you time to look around,, ready made parking for your RV till you sell.. jobs a good un,, house sitter for her in doors is fish.. :winky::thumb:

sorry thread high jack.. :Blush:

nice offer Mo .. .. thanks , but we are sorted after many hoops and hurdles.. move next week

jim
 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
sorry thread high jack.. :Blush:

No problems, always happens. :Smile:

But to get it back on target......

What else would I be saving on ?
Like maybe..... If I spent the winter in.... (spain ? ) I wouldn't need to worry about heating costs ?
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,832
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
I would go for 1 or 3,, put it in the hands of a good agent, admittedly they will take a good lump of your income but go with an agent that keeps an eye on things and get it written in the contract that it is left in as good a state as when you handed over.. and that they do monthly checks.. after all it is your premisses and they are getting paid to look after your interests.

Number 2,, you would probably get stuck in some grotty B&B,, there are not enough houses/flats to go around now,, let alone a few years down the line.. imho.


shirl looked into this option as opposed to selling her investment flat.

all done through a local company.....they want 30% of first months rent to set up and vet a tenent.

if she wants them to be ongoing agents ie...collect rent, arrange repairs etc it will cost her 10% of monthly rent.

worked out around £50 per month.

she decided to sell instead.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

old-mo

Funster
Extra Special
LIFE MEMBER
Oct 16, 2008
16,341
93,473
Weymouth. Dorset...
Funster No
4,470
MH
Nearly aint got one.
Exp
Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
No problems, always happens. :Smile:

But to get it back on target......

What else would I be saving on ?
Like maybe..... If I spent the winter in.... (spain ? ) I wouldn't need to worry about heating costs ?


It can get very cold down south,, at night down to 5-6 deg at night,winter time, plus you get acclimaticed after a few weeks, and end up putting the heater/fire on some times during the day..

Overall I would say with campsite fee`s etc it is not that much cheaper if you want to live as you do in this country, couple of pints/days out/ petrol-diesel etc..

but if you just want to chill out it can be a little cheaper,,, live as the locals do food wise and cheap plonk yes it is cheaper,, but how many britts go abroad and do away with there home comforts..

I think the majority go to get away from our long cold wet chilly days and nights..

I know that is what I am looking forwards to. :thumb:
 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
all done through a local company.....they want 30% of first months rent to set up and vet a tenent.

if she wants them to be ongoing agents ie...collect rent, arrange repairs etc it will cost her 10% of monthly rent.

worked out around £50 per month.

That doesn't sound so bad for the peace of mind it brings. Rest of rent would be a nice extra income and still have a flat to come back to.
 

Bulletguy

Free Member
Feb 7, 2008
2,043
8
Cheshire/Staffs
Funster No
1,441
I am debating with myself about the possibilities and feasability of more or less full timing for a few years when we get our motorhome. Deciding whether or not to do this may affect our choice of MH so I need to make a decision sometime soon.

Retirement is coming up........
Likewise here also 'cowboy'. Been considering the possibility a while now though do have other 'irons in the fire'.

I'm also approaching retirement and quite possibly early....if i manage to get lucky and take a redundancy.

There have been a number of threads on fulltiming, many of whom seemed to be looking through 'rose tinted glasses' at it so i started a thread concerning the downside to fulltiming. It went on for quite a while with many posters and proved very interesting.

Through that thread i have remained in touch with a guy who is fulltiming and the best advice he gave me was to never treat it as a holiday. It's a 'lifestyle'.

Insuring the vehicle seems to be the biggest obstacle as companies want you to have a residential address, which, if you have sold your house you won't have an address! There are ways 'n means of getting around this of course though it's not quite as simple as some will have you believe. Always remember that a false declaration to your insurance company could result in them voiding the policy. Not very funny when you have a few grands worth of motorhome smacked up on the side of a road when that is your home!

As for costs, if you are not very careful you can run up expenses close to that of living in bricks 'n mortar. Some insurance figures i've seen quoted are not that far off what i pay in council tax. And as you probably already know you can pay anything from £5 grand up to six figure 'silly money' for a motorhome.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
Thanks Bulletguy. All valid points.

Fulltiming is a term much used on here so that is the one I used. The way I see it is that we will be retired and own a motorhome anyway ( we will get one regardless ) so it makes good sense to me to think about fulfilling a dream while I can still see enough to enjoy it and spend some time sight seeing and enjoying some warmer winters.

We can still have an english address with some relative or other and would probably keep a flat here ( rented out ) so we could look at it as several lonnnng trips a year rather than actually 'fultiming' if we needed to work it that way.

Still thinking about the economics of it all though and comments on that seem hard to come by ::bigsmile:
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,091
9,067
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Still thinking about the economics of it all though and comments on that seem hard to come by ::bigsmile:

I think that's because we all have different budgets, life styles and expectations ..

All inclusive ball park figure £12 - £14k per year and that's not being extravagant ..

some will do it cheaper others more .. how long is a piece of string ..


jim
 

Bulletguy

Free Member
Feb 7, 2008
2,043
8
Cheshire/Staffs
Funster No
1,441
Fulltiming is a term much used on here so that is the one I used.

We can still have an english address with some relative or other and would probably keep a flat here ( rented out ) so we could look at it as several lonnnng trips a year rather than actually 'fultiming' if we needed to work it that way.

Still thinking about the economics of it all though and comments on that seem hard to come by ::bigsmile:
Ah.....that throws a totally different light on things cowboy! Sorry if i misunderstood your initial post!

So basically you are retiring, possibly have a residential address to live at (if required), and buying a motorhome to take trips in.

The 'economics' for you are therefore quite simple......tax, normal insurance, fuel bill plus an unlimited breakdown cover (some limit the length of stay outside the UK to 21 days). Job done!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
Its more about the differences rather than the actual costs involved Jim.

I can figure out the obvious savings of fultiming that come immediately to mind like not paying council tax and saving on heating costs if spending the winter somewhere warmer..... but there are probably others that dont come immediately to mind.

And, of course, other expenses that aren't so obvious.
 

adenough

Free Member
Sep 12, 2008
53
0
Manchester
Funster No
4,036
If it is just a question of spending the winter in a warmer climate on one site I do not see the economic sense in RVing it. You can rent a very nice apartment in Southern Spain, long let, for the price of site rental without having to spend £1200ish in journey costs there and back plus insurance etc. If you actually tour [which is surely the point of owning an RV]then it is a completely different scenario but then of course your fuel, toll, site fees go up unless you wildcamp but surely that would be more difficult with a larget RV. Worth gathering all the info on this site before making such a big, possible, lifechanging decision.
Jim:Smile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
adenough is correct. if you want to be static in spain rent an apartment. using sites is a mugs game most are not cheap. wild camping can be alot cheaper. but spain is not exactly hot in winter ,can be very cold at night .deep snow if not by the coast. i have been doing winters away for years and think two of you living carefull need about 3to 4 grand to winter in spain ,possibly 600 quid more if you cross to maroc. it all went up alot last year with the falling pound. yes it is possible to do it cheaper but come on we want a life. also i always say you need a further 3to 4 put by for the bad things like breakdowns etc. if you go with out it you just end up one of the scroungy brits that frequent southern spain. lots have trieed to do it on a shoestring most dont make it. but saying that have fun there,s thousands down there .
 

barryd

Free Member
Feb 10, 2009
1,143
109
Yorkshire Dales
Funster No
5,594
MH
C Class
Exp
Since May 08
This is our dream as well and have discussed this quite a lot with many of the chaps in this thread. We recently did a 3 month trial run in the summer to see if we liked being in the van for a long period and most importantly to get an idea of costs. We stayed mainly in France but also Switzerland, ITaly, Germany and Belgium. We spent just over £3K in 3 months so the estimate of £12-14K seems in line with that. There is always emergencies though for example the bike broke down, cost £100 or so to fix, I had to have a trip to the dentist, another £300 (should be able to claim most if it back though). We did too many miles though and if we were full time we would do much less so would probably nock a good chunk off the monthly expenses but and this is a big but we never used campsites and I think in three months we only spent about £140 on Aires, Stellplatz fees, service post charges etc. If your going on big posh campsites they can prove expensive especially if you move around a lot. Why anyone without kids would want to stay on a campsite in Europe (well FRance for definate) is beyond me though. Not sure how our costs would compare in the winter as we havent done a winter yet. Will use more LPG but that costs next to nothing but would probably do even less miles. Depending on work we may try and get away this winter for 3 months but its looking a bit dodgy at the moment.
 

Bulletguy

Free Member
Feb 7, 2008
2,043
8
Cheshire/Staffs
Funster No
1,441
adenough is correct. if you want to be static in spain rent an apartment.....
I'll second that too, though not only in Spain. Anywhere!

It amazes me the number of the 'top end' expensive mh's that only get to turn a wheel once a year. With maintenance and depreciation it would make more sense to rent a suite of rooms in some five star hotel instead! Not only cheaper, but a lot lot easier too!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
6pm Cowboy

6pm Cowboy

Free Member
Jun 26, 2009
916
2
South Oxfordshire
Funster No
7,260
MH
none ( yet )
Exp
0 - but I live in hope
I guess one of the problems with longish threads is that the original post gets forgotten ::bigsmile:

I am not just thinking of spending the winters in Spain. The whole point was to spend three or four years touring around looking at the views before I lose the ability to do so ( I already need the wife to do the driving ) So summers would be spent in the UK ( or thereabouts ) and winters somewhere warmer ( possibly Spain but open to suggestions )

I was thinking that we may need to be on a site in winter, partly in case we needed EHU and partly for occasional English speaking company but that is only a thought.

I dont know if I would be a sponging brit or not ..... That is why I am asking what unexpected costs I should expect (oxymoron :ROFLMAO: )
 

Pikey Pete

Free Member
May 25, 2008
1,481
1,143
o
Funster No
2,818
MH
o
Exp
0
I've been fulltiming since Dec 07, so I should point out that it's not a long holiday, it's a lifestyle.
You need income and capital or lots of capital. If you are relying on a state pension to see you through you are asking for trouble.

I would average my annual costs out at around 10k to 12k p.a. but don't keep a real check on it. The pound to euro doesn't help but that's life.

I tend to travel Europe in the summer and winter down in southern Spain, with the odd trip into Portugal.

Campsite fees get cheaper the longer you stay so expect to pay 10 to 15 Euros per day which includes electric, and on some sites a serviced pitch.

It can get a bit cold at night but you soon learn where the warmest area's are and a 1kw fan heater using site electrics is enough to keep you warm at night.

It all depends on what you want out of life. Better to have tried and failed than spend the rest of your life wondering what if?

Pete:Cool:
 

adenough

Free Member
Sep 12, 2008
53
0
Manchester
Funster No
4,036
Campsite fees get cheaper the longer you stay so expect to pay 10 to 15 Euros per day which includes electric, and on some sites a serviced pitch.

=£70 to £105 a week site rental. Yikes!:Eeek:
 
Apr 27, 2009
435
218
Departed Cabopino in Oct 17
Funster No
6,478
MH
Dakota
Exp
Fulltiming from 2010- 2017
Re : the house. We are going full time from next March. UK for a while & then abroad.

Maybe you could do what we have fixed up. We have a single, professional friend who is going to stay in the house & pay a peppercorn rent & pay all the running costs?

Why? I hear you cry.

Because, even though we are theoretically losing £750 per month it doesn't really work like that.

We have a trusted friend to look after it instead of unknown tenants who generally dont give a damn.

We can come back anytime we want & stay for any period.

My daughter can stay whenever she wants .

He pays all running costs - elec, gas, rates etc. 25% off council tax.

We dont pay storage charges for all our kit. Taxman gets nowt.

We are not homeless. The house is occupied ( burglars- heating etc)

All this written into formally signed tenancy agreement in case we fall out.

Seems a really good option to me...:thumb:
 

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
going back to the original thread. lots have tried it, lots have decided its not for them . lots still do it .lots want to do it. having been a traveller from a young age i always wanted to do it . as i aproached the time i was spending more n more time travelling . i came to the conclusion that its best not to do it . keep a place somewhere. my choice is here. i do see lots buy abroad ,but if you have to return to uk for family each year its nice to have a base . of your own. campsites are expensive in every country. some more than others, money soon disapears through your fingers like water. try staying in this country its getting harder n harder to stay anywhere more than a few days. there is also breakdowns ,repairs .where to sleep when your campers locked up in a secure workshop etc. even worse if you do just end up parked like a static. i know i put the worse side forward but ive seen so many end up broke in money and mind. once you get on the flying carpet its hard to get off. but the thing to remember is you dont fail if you change your mind .you just have a different idea. think seriously before making the decision it is possible to keep a base n travel alot. hope it puts things in perspective. have fun thats the anmswer .cheers alan.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,091
9,067
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
going back to the original thread. lots have tried it, lots have decided its not for them . lots still do it .lots want to do it. having been a traveller from a young age i always wanted to do it . as i aproached the time i was spending more n more time travelling . i came to the conclusion that its best not to do it . keep a place somewhere. my choice is here. i do see lots buy abroad ,but if you have to return to uk for family each year its nice to have a base . of your own. campsites are expensive in every country. some more than others, money soon disapears through your fingers like water. try staying in this country its getting harder n harder to stay anywhere more than a few days. there is also breakdowns ,repairs .where to sleep when your campers locked up in a secure workshop etc. even worse if you do just end up parked like a static. i know i put the worse side forward but ive seen so many end up broke in money and mind. once you get on the flying carpet its hard to get off. but the thing to remember is you dont fail if you change your mind .you just have a different idea. think seriously before making the decision it is possible to keep a base n travel alot. hope it puts things in perspective. have fun thats the anmswer .cheers alan.


Good post Alan ... fully agree

jim
 

ArenqueRojo

Free Member
Nov 10, 2008
260
3
Anywhere in Europe, so fa
Funster No
4,900
MH
A-class
Exp
13 years
Before trying to get to hard numbers, better explain what we are doing so that you get some context.
We are retired with a state pension and a SIP. We sold up Aug 08 and fulltime happily. Our general principle is South for Winter and North for Summer. Last year Wintered at Cabopino, near Malaga. We had a 20 year old Pilote (for sale now, if you are interested:RollEyes:) and then decided that we liked the life and bought a bigger, newer van with all the gizmos we think we need. The van has fixed gas tank and full central heating with 5 radiators. Having said that, we found a 1kw heater fine for the "worst Winter in Spanish memory".
We have 480 watts of solar panels. 60 litre gas tank. Eberspacher diesel backup heater. Alden Netmaster 90 for unlimited internet access wherever. We tow a Smart car on a trailer with folding Portaboat and outboard. We also carry two bikes.
We seldom eat out but eat well. We drink a bottle of wine every two days. We both smoke.
We tend to stay a week most places except for the Christmas period when we stayed for 6 weeks.
We always stay on fully serviced campsites (except when in a hurry to get someplace.)

OK. Some costs:
Internet access £450 per annum which includes Skype. We have Skype In and Out so all European calls to land lines are free and friends and relations can call us on a Leeds landline number. This is the single thing that keeps us happy wandering. Couldn't cope without it.

Fuel costs. We went to Spain and Portugal last year. Journey of 3,500 miles at 22mpg costing about £1 per litre average = £750 per year
The car is much less. About £300 for the year in fuel

Food is variable. We tend to buy whatever we fancy without looking at costs and it works out at about £60 per week for the two of us.

Insurance is Saga (they give us 365 days out of UK) Fully comp is £450 including special cover for trailer, Sat kit and £3,500 worth of SLR camera kit.

We spend about £30 a week on touristy things.

The car is an essential for us. It allows us to explore the areas much more thoroughly than we could when we towed a beach buggy.
We run three computers. A small one for radio internet and ebooks, a laptop for SWMBO and a big desktop quad processor for my photos and video hobby. With 2 x 110 Ah leisure batteries and good sunlight, we can charge enough during the day to keep us going for the night but we tend to go for EHU anyway.

Ferries are about £70 each way for the rig. We did 5 crossings last year.
We don't bother with extra medical insurance or any other breakdown than the Saga European recovery.
I carry a lot of tools and expect to do all repairs etc myself.
We rent flats or sheds on campsites when children come out to see us. Guess the cost of that is about £3,000 per annum. Lets leave that out of the equation. Sometimes involves paying air fares for youngest son (22 at Uni):Cool:
The overall costs keep us just within the pension at about £13k

Hope that gives you a bit of a feel for the way we live. Have to say it, we are delighted not to have a house to worry about but we have the capital put aside should we wish to become stationary again but so far this seems an horrendous prospect.

Happy travelling
Patrick
 

ArenqueRojo

Free Member
Nov 10, 2008
260
3
Anywhere in Europe, so fa
Funster No
4,900
MH
A-class
Exp
13 years
Forgot to mention, we use ACSI and CampingCheques a lot. ACSI £6 per year. We bought 200 CC before they put the price up last January. Still have about 150 left!
When in UK, we tend to return to the family area in Leeds where there is a nice site which costs £12 a night incl EHU and decent showers. Theoretically would use CL & CS sites for Summer in UK but somehow don't seem to have done that many...
Patrick

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top