How to Retire to an RV

A few years ago, when my working days were winding down, we considered buying an RV. Not one of those cramped little campers, but a 40 foot long, truck-sized Class A luxury home on wheels. We wanted to travel, and to have our comfortable home go along with us seemed to be a fun idea at the time.

We looked mainly at Fleetwood Class A full size models, which were going for between $300,000 and $400,000, a similar price to the condos in Arizona and Florida we were considering retiring to. With a Cummins 8.3 liter diesel engine they get about 10 mpg. With a 90 gallon tank, they cost about $350. to fill up.

We had seen examples of this motorhome style of living in earlier years, when visiting California, Nevada, Florida, national parks and beach cities throughout the U.S. It seemed all RVers had to do there was drive right in, find designated parking areas and hook up the electricity. Then, it was just a few steps to swim, surf, climb a mountain, fling a fishing line, try their luck at a casino or just relax in the sun. It was all so inviting.

When I retired, with our kids all grown up and gone, we sold our home in Philadelphia and drove to the dry, sunny desert of Tucson. We rented an apartment and then went shopping for the ideal home on wheels. At the high end were those on a bus chassis, typical for rock stars. Some had private compartments, dining areas, washer/dryers, lounges, kitchens and several bathrooms. Prices ranged from $200,000 to a million dollars. The less costly were camper vans with a small bedroom, teeny bathroom, Pullman kitchen and couch area. Some had pop-up roofs and slide-out sides to make them more comfortable when parked. They were priced from $40,000 on up to $100,000.

To help us make up our minds, we rented a medium-sized camper from El Monte RV for a trip to Las Vegas and the Southwest. El Monte RV offers various specials where they will apply the rental cost to the purchase price of a vehicle.

After driving 350 miles from Los Angeles, we went to the Circus Circus RV Park right on The Strip to park and hook-up. The charge was $90 a night including taxes. The RV Park, like many full service locations, features a swimming pool, jacuzzi, full service hook ups (power, sewage and water), laundry facilities, showers, a convenience store, pet runs and dump stations (for sewage). Some of the spaces feature patios, grass lawns and other nice features.

A good research website if you are thinking of retiring to an RV is Kampgrounds of America, koa.com, the respected national organization of campgrounds and RV hookup areas.

After sampling the RV retirement life, we eventually bought a home in a Southwest senior community and just decided we wanted to stay in one place, and then take several vacations each year, which has worked out great.

Here are the key tips we would suggest to those considering an RV retirement:

Rent First
Check out the whole lifestyle by renting a vehicle like the one you are considering. Many RV dealers have rental programs allowing you to apply the rental cost to the purchase price.

Consider All The Costs
After you spend more than $100,000 on the motorhome, you will have insurance, maintenance, fuel and other vehicle costs.

At each location, you will have to pay nightly fees, as well as other costs for water, power, sewage and similar things. You may also have additional costs for basic monthly expenses like satellite TV, mobile phone plans and Internet service.

Consider The Hassle
Really try out the driving and hook-ups and other non-glamorous aspects of RV living . Sure, cruising down the highway is fun, but there is a lot of preparation and planning to have a good trip.

You also may want to consider retiring to an RV for a year, while you explore the country and discover a place where you want to retire permanently.

More from this contributor:

"Choosing A Retirement Community"

"Understanding The Reverse Mortgage"

"Tax Planning Tips"