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.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • The Best U.S. National Park Campgrounds
    • 28 Must-See State Park Campgrounds You Can’t Miss
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds: Discover Hidden Gems Just Outside the Park Boundaries
    • 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
      • Complete Guide to Camping at Shenandoah National Park
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah Views Campground (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
    • Alaska
      • 5 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Trip To Alaska
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation
    • 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 (Dunnellon, Florida)
      • Enjoy the Best of 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
    • Hawaii
      • Everything You Need to Know About Camping in a Jeep Wrangler in Hawaii
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Road Trip
      • Discover the Beauty of Monhegan Island, Maine
      • Acadia National Park: Highlights You Can’t Miss
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • North Carolina
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Uncover the Coastal Charm of North Carolina’s Outer Banks | A Guide for Visitors
    • Tennessee
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • 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 Restaurants in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
      • Explore Nature’s Untamed Beauty at Big Bend National Park
    • Virginia
      • Explore Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • 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
    • Maintenance
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • 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
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • 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
      • Get Ready for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • The Ultimate Guide to Embracing the Full-Time RV Lifestyle
      • 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 – Stories from the Road
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • 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
    • How Book Readers Can Space and Weight in the 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
    • Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Next Vacation
    • 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
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV: Try Before You Buy
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Attend An RV Show – Even If You Already Own An RV | Exciting Reasons Why
    • 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
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

10:47 pm by Julie 5 Comments

What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing – Stories from the Road

We wanted to share what we wish we knew before we started full-time RVing, but thought it would be fun to hear from others as well. In this article, four full-time RVing couples relay what they wish they had known before hitting the road.

Maintenance

One primary lesson learned about full-time RVing is how much maintenance is required, even when the RV is new. Bryce from More Than a Wheelin’ said he wish he had been better prepared for the amount of maintenance and repairs that would be necessary on their new Class A motorhome. Even with a warranty, service work can be inconvenient or even inaccessible. This is something we have also lamented about a time or two. Click here to see our video where we discuss whether or not we think our new RV warranty was worth it.

Finances

Full-Time RV Finance: Learn tips for budgeting for full-time travel, earning an income on the road, and implementing techniques for saving on campgrounds and more!

Financial issues prevailed as the most common theme in this discussion. It is a hot topic among many full-time and prospective full-time RVers. In fact, we’re asked questions about it so often that we even wrote a book based on what we’ve learned over 3 years of full-time RV living and travel. Click here to see Full-Time RV Finance available on Amazon.

Section I: Budgeting For The Full-Time RV Travel Lifestyle. Covers the full range of topics from purchasing new or used, how much to spend, and factors like depreciation and financing.

Section II: Earning Money On The Road. Provides numerous examples of ways to earn an income while traveling. From workamping and travel jobs to starting your own business, this section provides numerous case studies of full-time RVers financing their RV travels.

Section III: Saving Money On RV Travel. This section gives you ingenious tips for saving money on campgrounds, fuel, and many other full-time RV expenses.

Budgeting

Lindsay from Follow Your Detour relayed that she wished she knew how affordable the RV lifestyle could be. It really is about setting priorities and budgeting. She surveyed several other full-time RVers on how much they spend monthly on a variety of RV life-related expenses. Click here to learn How Much It Costs to RV Full-Time.

Remote Work

Camille from More Than a Wheelin’ wished she had known about how many remote work opportunities were available. She says she stressed out about it too much in the beginning, and now hopes to share how easy it is to find remote work with others. Click here to get your free copy of the resource she created called 21 Remote Work Websites. Worries over earning an income on the road are shared by many. In fact, Ed of The Virtual Campground is registered to attend an RV Repair Technician program in a few weeks, but he wishes he had gotten a head start on it before they started their full-time travels.

Boondocking

Liz of The Virtual Campground wishes she had learned more about boondocking, or camping without hook-ups. It is a great way to save money but requires a little planning. Click here to read our tips for boondocking success.

Saving Money

We don’t boondock a lot because we’re a little spoiled and like our hook-ups. However, I wish I had known that there were plenty of other ways to save money while traveling. In the 3+ years, we’ve been on the road, I’ve learned all about them. Click here to see our video on Saving Money at Campgrounds.

Choosing The Right RV For You

Dan from Follow Your Detour also provides some great advice about choosing the right RV for you. For example, they started with a Fifth Wheel like us. While our 44′ Fifth Wheel is perfect for our lifestyle (you can see it here), Dan & Lindsay realized that they wanted to travel to places that required a smaller rig. Now they have a 24′ Winnebago Navion that is perfect for them. He recommends that you consider renting before you buy, and we couldn’t agree more. Click here to read an article about Why Renting Before Buying is such a great idea.

Fellowship

Finally, Sean shared that he wished he knew how easy it was to connect with the full-time RVing community even while traveling. Last week we attended the RV Entrepreneur Summit where we reconnected with friends and made new ones as well. Events like the summit and large gatherings like those in Quartzite each year are a great way to enjoy the fellowship of other full-time RVers. Click here to read about other ways to Make Friends While Traveling Full-Time.

What to Learn More About Traveling Full-Time?

Read our article on How to Prepare for Full-Time RVing where we cover all the basics that you need to know to get started on the path to the RV lifestyle. Specific topics include what to do with your home, where to establish a domicile, how to get your mail, how to plan for healthcare, and how much it costs to RV full-time. Each topic also includes a companion video.

What Do You Wish You Knew Before RVing Full-Time?

Please leave us a comment and let us know what you wish you knew before RVing full-time. If you’re still in the planning phase, feel free to ask any questions you may have. We’d love to hear from you!

Read these 8 expert RV tips and tricks for beginners! These hacks will improve your RV living in motorhomes, 5th wheels, travel trailers, and ensure happy campers.

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Filed Under: RV Resources Tagged With: couples rv, couples who live in rv, couples who rv fulltime, full time rv couples, full time rv living, full time rv living in a travel trailer, full-time rv finances, full-time rv lessons learned, full-time rv tips, remote work, rv full timers, rv full-time, rv fulltime living, rv life, rv life full time, rv life on the road, rv lifestyle full time, RV Living, rv living full time, RV Maintenance, saving on rv campgrounds, things i wish i knew before full time rving, what we wish we knew before we started rving

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