Bulletguy

OK....most of us on this board are simply mh/campervan owners who either enjoy the odd weekend away or a couple of weeks now 'n then. Some of us dream about selling up and getting rid of the house, taking early retirement, and getting a van we can go 'full time' in. Some have actually done it.

Many different threads and comments on here but i'm not sure just how many on the mb are real genuine 'full timers'.....and it's you i'd like to hear from.

Ignoring the freedom lifestyle for a moment, lets concentrate on exactly what are the downsides....the negs to full timing?

For example; you don't have a fixed address so where do you get mail sent? If drawing a pension how and where do you open a Bank account?

Is it easy to 'full time' in the UK....or better out of the UK?

What size/type of mh would be suitable for somebody like myself (single man living alone), which would give a decent living standard without going totally 'ott'?

I'm hoping to retire in a couple of years time, am totally peed off with the rising cost of maintaining the bricks 'n mortar of my house plus still having a mortgage, so have considered a variety of options to get shut of the mortgage, shove some cash in the bank, and give me a more relaxed lifestyle.

I've thought about Park homes (not gone into that much yet), narrow boat (put off by listening to a guy who had actually done it who commented it is not cheaper than running a house like most people think), and 'full timing' in a mh.

So what are the downsides and what are the 'hidden' costs?

pappajohn

not much help really but you gonna need something a damn site bigger than a transit based M/H

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Don Madge

Hi,

Have a read of MagBaz Travels - A to Z of Long-term Motorhoming you shoud get most of your answers there.

Don

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Parcverger

We've full-timed now for the better part of six years, and have never regretted it. We bought an RV - a Georgie Boy Cruisemaster - that is 32ft long, no slideouts, and have found it to be ideal for our needs. We are agreed that if we were to buy another RV we'd buy the same again!

We spent the first 2 1/2 years largely in the UK, with visits to France, and the rest of the time has been mainly in France, with visits to the UK. It's fair to say that when in the UK we can't wait to get back to France! The weather and the way of life is better, and we love it here.

Banking is no problem, as your pension(s) can be paid into your UK bank or into an European bank - we have kept our UK account, but also have an account with Credit Agricole, who offer accounts for Brits. Living in France we can move to anywhere on the continent without having to cross the Channel, and we are just a comfortable days drive from Spain - easy!

Do not forget you would be exchanging what would normally be an appreciating asset (your house) for a depreciating one, but you can buy an RV second-hand with much of the depreciation already gone. You need to maintain it, so must make allowance for that, and for eventual replacement, but you can go where you like and stop where and when you like! Like us, most sites will offer special terms for long-stays, so if you find somewhere you like then you can stop there until the urge to travel bites again!

If you want something to do, there is always a demand for site managers or assistant wardens (adverts are in the back of the CC & CCC mags).
One thing is sure - you will meet many wonderful people (we have).

Just realised - you asked about the downside - er...er...can't think of any off-hand!!!

Cheers!

Bob and Di

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sprokit

great item and even if you aren't planning full timing there is so much info there which is useful for us ordinary motorhomers still working and using the van when we can.

johnsandywhite

We ARE genuine Full-timers. But perhaps different to most. We did NOT sell our home's to fund our lifestyle. We still own 2 cheapo's that we rent out to family at a meagre rent. So we cannot really help you.
The down sides to Full-timing?
If you are mobile? You need to get MOT, Tax and insurance every year.
If you are parked full time on a camp site? You have to pay fees.
Other than that? Can't think of any.

Size of RV/Motorhome? Depends on your lifestyle and hobbies.

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moandick

BulletGuy asking if he should get a bigger motorhome .......... Is this really the same Bulletguy who has expressed his views so forthrightly in times gone past? quote: "Anyone who carts a great big lump of an RV around"

We have been totally full-timing for nearly 5 years now - we have had to opt for a quad slide RV because Mo is quite often confined to her wheelchair.

We have NEVER had a problem with anything to do with normal life - just so long as we have access to the Internet via a mobile connection - and bear in mind we run a fairly large club/business on the move!

Would we do it again given the same choice (sell the house and all our belongings and become 'gypsies') too darned true, we would BUT we would have done it ten or more years earlier!

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Jim

One of the big downsides I have heard people mention time and again is what to do when you full time and get old and ill. This prospect does scare a few people.

Full timing in the USA is massive, with just one of the fulltiming clubs boasting over 36,000 paying members. They have full-timers nursing sites, for those members who lose their health. They can park up and have the benefit of on-site nurses and doctors and eventually a priest!

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apxc15

Most fulltimers are couples and though much of the advice you will get is very useful, as a solo fulltimer you will find you have different requirements. For example whilst I agree that the unit you have is not really big enough, you don't need a big RV.
I have a an Adria Coral 650 which meets my needs pretty much and is not huge being about 7meters long.
Storage space is some thing you need to consider and you soon find that you never seem to have enough, so my next MH will have a garage.
I've been solo fulltiming since last December and though I thought I had all the base's covered when I set out, I soon found I hadn't.
A relative can be your C/O address and if you intend to travel around Europe, sometimes it's a good idea to rest up on a site and get your important mail sent out from the C/O address to the site address. It works for me.
Pete.

johnsandywhite

MOST Full-timers (single or otherwise) that we have met over the last 11 years have had a big box trailer and roof boxes fitted if they didn't have an RV. As I previously mentioned. It depends on your hobbies and lifestyle. Some could even live in a car with 6 dogs. Believe me we met such a French lady.

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