For many, life in an RV is, or would be, a dream come true.
You can live almost – almost – where you want to live, with views over mountains, the ocean, or wherever suits your fancy.
If you get fed up of a particular place, off you go. Simply put foot to the metal and travel onwards to your next destination of choice.
But, while it sounds great and all, there are some disadvantages to life in an RV.
So let’s now assess the advantages to living in an RV, as well as the disadvantages to living in an RV.
Advantages of Living in an RV
1 For most, it’s far cheaper to reside in an RV than it is to have, and live, your own home.
In the world of the RV, a physical home is known as “sticks and bricks.” And, for most folks, owning and residing in an RV is a lot less costly than owning and residing in a sticks and bricks.
Sticks-and-bricks living calls for a mortgage or rent to be paid, for utility bills to be settled, and for a host of other bills to seen to as well.
You can either rent your RV or buy it outright. Either way, it’s a whole lot more affordable than renting or owning a bricks-and-mortar home.
A used towable can be had for less than $5k.
A used motorized RV? Well, you can get one – in decent condition, of course – for under $15k.
Renting an RV will cost around the $500-per-month mark.
RVing means paying for campground rental, for insurance, for gas, and there other bills, too.
Nevertheless, RVing, providing you don’t have too much of a penchant for particularly luxurious living, is still – or can be – far cheaper than the alternative.
2 Travel.
It’s the dream of many of us to travel. RV living is the perfect way to achieve this goal.
Not too keen on your locale? Pack up and off you to someplace else.
3 Outdoor living.
For most of us, outdoor living in a beautiful setting is a dream that can rarely be obtained, even over the long term.
But with an RV lifestyle, the great outdoors is literally on your doorstep wherever you are.
You’ll need holding tanks for fresh water as well as sewage. You’ll want a battery and perhaps also a solar hookup. This way you can stop off in the middle of nowhere.
4 An RV lifestyle makes it easy to meet new people and make new friends.
When you live in an RV you meet up with fellow RVers, fellow campers, with campground hosts, with hikers.
When you live in an RV you have plenty of opportunity to meet new people and to make new friends.
5 Personal growth.
No two days are the same when you live in an RV.
Life certainly doesn’t go according to a previously-made plan.
You’re constantly adapting and making changes. It’s a matter of figuring things out as you go along.
Disadvantages of Living in an RV
1 There’s little space and it can be a struggle in the kitchen.
If you love to cook, soon enough you will not love to cook if you’re living in an RV. The kitchen space in the typical RV is nothing more than tiny.
Because the space is so small, you have to make some serious decisions about what you’re going to take with you on your RV travels.
There’s zero space to have the luxury of extra clutter.
What’s more, clutter can build up fast. Persistent cleaning and organizing is a must.
And, unless you have a very large-sized rig, your shower space isn’t going to be up to much, either.
2 Climate control isn’t always a piece of cake.
There’s little to no insulation in a typical RV.
High temperatures with high humidity outside = high temperatures with high humidity inside. And that’s with the AC full on.
Cold outside = cold inside. And that’s with the heating full on.
3 A big rig can be stressful to drive.
You have more space in a larger-sized RV.
The downside is, with a larger-sized RV, you have less choices as to where you can stay.
Then, navigating around one-way streets and handling rapid lane changes on the highway can be a nightmare in a larger-sized RV.
Driving a large-sized RV, for many, is the most stressful thing about RV life.
4 Issues with mildew and mold.
The space is very confined; the ventilation is poor. Added together and you have a recipe for mildew and mold growth.
If you’re intent on buying a used rig (that’s a wise investment since RVs lose value as soon as they are driven off the lot), you should get your RV inspected for mildew and mold prior to purchase. If, for whatever reason, you are not permitted to have it inspected, don’t part with your money. Move on instead.
5 When you drive, your home becomes an earthquake.
If you drive your RV at 60+ mph, you’ll feel like you’re close to the epicenter of a 6.5+ Richter Scale earthquake.
Make sure, before you drive your rig, to strap any interior “movables” in place. Otherwise, you’ll experience breakages.
Have a good check of your RV before you drive and after you drive.
Inspect the corners and the seams of the vehicle to check for leaks and cracks.
So, What About RV Life – Is It Perfection Or Is It A Living Hell?
RV life can make your dreams come true.
But it’s not for everyone.
If living outdoors, or as close to outdoors as it gets, is a passion, and you can handle the small space and the driving, then by all means go for it.
If you’re unsure but you’re still curious, why not rent an RV for at least a few weeks and give it a go.
There are different types of RV to choose from – trailers, camper vans, motorhomes.
Try them all. See what fits. Then, start living life the way it ought to be lived.
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