Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
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  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

September 18, 2019 by Guest Post 10 Comments

5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret

We can’t believe it has been 5 years already! First, we just want to say that overall it has been terrific, and we are so happy that we chose to embark on this full-time RV journey. However, there were growing pains and sometimes we miss the comforts of a traditional home (believe it or not). It has been a learning process and we wanted to share some of our lessons learned along the way. We rarely have regrets in life because even mistakes can cause growth, but we will share one regret that we do have from our full-time RV lifestyle.

Note: It’s been a year since we wrote this article. We updated the post to ensure it is up to date. Feel free to watch the two part video series below or read on for a few more examples and details.

Lesson #1: Find Your Travel Style

Find your own travel style and don’t  worry about anyone else. In other words, do you! Do what makes you happy. Ask yourself:  

  • How far do you want to drive in a day? 
  • How long do you want to stay in a location? 
  • What types of places do you want to stay at? 

Don’t let anyone tell you there is a right or wrong way to RV. And watch out for social media. It can give you serious FOMO – Fear of Missing Out and lead to travel based on someone else’s ideal rather than your own. 

Wondering what works for us?

We are still working full-time from the RV so we like to stay in a location for at least a month. This gives us time to enjoy the area. It also gives us time to go back to places we enjoy — we’re not “one and done” kind of people. If we really enjoy a park, farmer’s market, or restaurant, we’ll want to visit it again.

Because we’re staying in one place for a month (or more in the winter), we usually travel farther in between. We often make big jumps between stops and by that I mean 12-15 hours driving time. We’ll typically drive two long days (Sat & Sun due to work commitments).

We typically stay in urban areas. We need to be within an hour of a major airport for work and we need good enough internet for video teleconferences. Internet has been an ongoing struggle for us over the past 5 years. Click here to read what we’ve tried and what we’re currently using.

We also like to stay at RV resorts that have all the amenities especially a good fitness room, swimming pool, and hot tub. Two of our favorites that we’ve been back to more than once are the Tucson LazyDays KOA and the Alsatian RV Resort near San Antonio, TX.

We do mix it up from time to time and do a little boondocking, as well as stay at COE Campgrounds or State Parks (Florida has some of our favorites). We do that for 1-2 weeks maximum and usually when we can take a little time off work.

Finally, we have access to military campgrounds since we both served 20 years in the Air Force. We love these because it feels like going home to us. Also, even though the campgrounds don’t necessarily have many amenities besides full hook-ups, the bases usually have great gyms, pools, and more! If you have access to military bases, check out our Guide to Using Military Campgrounds.

Lesson #2: RVs Require A Lot of Upkeep

Not only is there a lot of routine, preventive maintenance, things on RVs break. A lot. And usually at the worst possible time. So, have an emergency fund and try to learn how to do things yourself as much as possible. Here are just a few things we’ve had to pay to get fixed over the last year: 

  • New truck tires 
  • 2 new RV tires 
  • RV refrigerator – although it was under warranty we paid for the mobile repair tech’s service call and some parts when we tried to fix it ourselves. Plus we had to trash the groceries in the refrigerator and freezer.  

Of course, you know how things go…a couple of years ago, right AFTER the warranty ended we discovered water damage to the deck on our toy hauler. Neither the extended warranty, nor insurance covered water damage, so we had a hefty $7,000 bill to replace it!

In addition to routine maintenance and repairs, you may want to modify or upgrade your RV systems. A few years ago, we upgraded our power system to include solar panels and lithium batteries. When we downsized to our current fifth wheel earlier this year, it came “solar ready,” but we added panels and moved our lithium batteries over from our previous RV.

Lesson #3: Be Flexible

It’s life. Things are going to happen. I’m a planner and have reservations several months in advance. However, I’ve learned to be a little more flexible and only make reservations at places that have a liberal cancellation policy. In fact, my rule is that I don’t make a reservation at any place that will charge me more than $15 to cancel or make a change. 

A couple of years ago, we had to evacuate Florida for Hurricane Irma. When we returned to Florida after the storm, we still had quite a few reservation changes to make because the parks we planned to visit in the Keys had not recovered.

You may also just change your mind about your current itinerary. We did that this year. We were tired of being cold, so we diverted to Arizona after two months in the Pacific Northwest.

Lesson #4: You Don’t Need as Much Room as you Think

We thought because we had a large 2400 square foot home, that we needed a large RV. As a result we purchased a 44′ Fifth Wheel toy hauler. Here’s a tour of it:

After a few years on the road, we sold our toy and realized we didn’t need such a large RV. Of course it took us 2 more years to pay it off before we would allow ourselves to get a new RV. 

This year we downsized to a 30′ Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel and love it! Learn why we chose this particular make and model below:

There really is a lot that goes into choosing the right RV for you. I wrote this article earlier this year on some things that everyone should consider when trying to determine which RV to get.

Lesson #5: It Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

We like to say we’re making for now decisions, not forever decisions. That applies to our full-time RV lifestyle too. Change is really second nature to us after having served 20 years in the military. In fact, we moved so often that our first RV was the longest we ever lived in one home — 4 1/2 years!

So we went into this full-time RV life knowing that we would do it as long as it felt right to us. Once it doesn’t, we’ll move on to the next thing — whatever that may be. We actually never owned an RV before we moved into one, but now we know RVing will always be a part of our life. However, we do think we’ll move back into a traditional home (still small though) one day and part-time RV. Even then, we’ll still allow ourselves the flexibility to change our minds.

One thing that really helps with options, is money. That leads us to our one regret…

Biggest Regret: We Didn’t Start Debt Free

We were so excited to get started one our full-time RV life that we rushed out and financed an RV instead of saving up and buying it. In fact, our RV wasn’t our only debt. We financed a truck, had a Parent Plus loan from one of our son’s college semester abroad, and some credit card debt.

A couple of years ago we read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and it changed the way we looked at money and debt. It took us two years, but we are now debt free. Click here to read how we paid off $139,000 in 2 years while traveling full-time.

It was not always easy that’s for sure. For example, we knew we wanted a different RV, but we wouldn’t allow ourselves to get another until we paid off the last RV AND saved up enough to purchase the next one outright. 

So even though we had to really prioritize what was important to us and make sacrifices, being debt free allows us to save even more money. Our savings provides us with more options for the future, and keeps us from stressing out too much when things happen (like needing new truck tires and a new refrigerator in one month). We only wish we had started out debt free because we know how much farther ahead we would be now. Still, we don’t dwell on that because all we can do is change our future, not our past.

Want to Learn More About Full-Time RV Travel?

Full-Time Freedom Life is an online library of everything you need to know about full-time RV life.

More than 20 RV enthusiasts share their expertise on topics such as:

  • Purchasing and maintaining an RV
  • Building community on the road – for solo RVers, families, and RVers of all types!
  • The financial side of full-time RVing: making money and saving money on the road
  • Full-time RVing for families: children, road-schooling, pets
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  • Transitioning and overcoming challenges of life on the road

Learn more now!

Hope We Helped

We hope this article has helped you as you plan your full-time RV journey. We don’t expect yours to be exactly the same as ours, but hopefully we’ve given you some things to consider.

Learn more about our Nomad Story here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an email. We answer each and every one.

Sharing is Caring! Feel free to save this image to Pinterest or share the article on social media.

After 5 years of full-time RV living and traveling, we share our top five lessons learned and biggest regret. While we don't expect your RV journey to be the same, we hope we can give you some things to consider. We also share some tips and ideas for enjoying your RV life whether you are traveling in a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer.
After 5 years of full-time RV living and traveling, we share our top five lessons learned and biggest regret. While we don't expect your RV journey to be the same, we hope we can give you some things to consider. We also share some tips and ideas for enjoying your RV life whether you are traveling in a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer.

Filed Under: RV Resources Tagged With: full-time rv, full-time rv life, RV Living

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