The DOWNSIDE to full timing.

[Mark&Sue]

Blogs

Ok, i'll give it a go but don't expect too much, never written publicly before, check the first entry under the blog section, let me know what you think....



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[PenelopePitstop]

Hi Peeps,

Just reading through the thread and wanted to mention that in fact although we have always wanted to have the balls to go fulltime, we never got down to it till now. We dont have a mortgage and have very little savings and our business is quiet so we aren't making a living and are faced with using our meagre savings to pay our rent. We have decided to buy a '96 Damon RV and a trailer and go find a layby somewhere. Now this has been forced upon us in a way, other options are available but none that apeal and i'll be damned if I'm going to dig into my 20k savings to pay my rent.

So....RV'ing full time it is then, am I worried? No! Am I Excited? You bet I am, what an adventure.

Because I work for myself as a computer engineer and Sue is self employed locally we will stay in and around Weston-super-Mare for now but we will travel as and when oppotunities arise.

As for money, aside from repairs and site rent when we have to hook up, we will find ourselves much better off and will be able to save at a much faster rate. We are also trying to come up with another method of earning on the move but that will take time and a lot of thought.

So how do I feel? Well we move out on Wednesday next week and we already have our stuff packed, emptying the contents of the house to anyone that wants to take things away, leaving a donation at the door in the "Mark&Sue RV fund tin" as they leave with their booty is optional and everything must go!

I feel the weight of the world is being lifted from my shoulders, the last few weeks I have cheered up so much and I am already feeling the benefits of the decision and we haven't even started.

I feel sorry for all those millions of people that will still have to struggle and rely on the system to survive in these difficult times.

One of my friends said "You'll be a Itinerant", I say, "i'll be happy".

Sue and I love each other very much and spend loads of time very close to one another, we know what little quirks annoy each of us and have learned to see them as part of each others personalities so I think that we will not only survive each other well but will enjoy each other even more that before.

So there you are, jumping in at the deep end with no (financial) lifesaver and fully believing that we will not only be able to swim, but we will prosper and grow together, take the rough with the smooth and laugh about it.

I will keep you all updated with our progress.

Best Regards,

Mark and Sue.

Mark and Sue your story brought tears to my eyes - I really hope things work out for you!
It's a great life fulltiming - we've been doing it for 18 months now! Different circumstances in that we both retired. Rex was offered Voluntary redundancy and early retirement and I reached 60. We had a choice of staying in the house and getting part itme jobs to keep afloat or selling up and living our dreams - we chose the latter! Clearing the house was very cathartic and not as difficult as many people imagine! It's a relief to get rid of all that responsibility!
We've had the inevitable comments about what if one of us is ill etc etc but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and follow your dreams. We don't know how long we will do this for and when and if we decide to stop then we'll look at the options available to us. Life is changing all the time and you don't know what's around the corner - you can't possibly plan for it so go with the flow! Money ain't everything (although it does help put diesel in the tank!!) living the life you want with someone you love is more important!

Hope we meet up with you somewhere - maybe on a meet next year? Will enjoy reading about your experiences!

Marie

 

[scotjimland]

We have been fulltimers for just over two years, and for me the downside is NOT having a place to call my own, no home to go back to, no fixed address... always on the move.
Practical problems can usually be resolved but my personal feelings are proving to be more difficult..

Please don't misunderstand, I have no regrets, I absolutely love travelling and living in the RV but I wasn't prepared for the mental impact of being a permanent traveller.. this can bring it's own type of stress.

I don't crave a 'bricks and mortar' house but it would be great to own just a small corner of a small field, nothing more, .. a base to rest up and relax.. a place to call home, I do miss that.. :Sad:

 

[Bulletguy]

We have been fulltimers for just over two years, and for me the downside is NOT having a place to call my own, no home to go back to, no fixed address... always on the move.

I don't crave a 'bricks and mortar' house but it would be great to own just a small corner of a small field, nothing more, .. a base to rest up and relax.. a place to call home, I do miss that.. :Sad:

The current financial crisis may provide some comfort Jim, along with the biggest drop ever in property prices.

Very close to where i live there is a small village....very sought after and select area, a couple of years ago you would have struggled to find just one property for sale there. Now the place is littered with For Sale boards. My betting is that most of those are people who bought into a 'dream lifestyle', mortgaged up to the absolute max, in debt up to their eyeballs and struggling to pay just the interest alone off their string of plastic.

Even where i live, property simply isn't selling at all. Next door neighbour has dropped £25k off his price and been told he may have to drop another £15k.

I'd like to think that if i decide to fulltime when i retire (an option i'm still keeping in mind despite the credit crunch), there would still be friends and family 'back home' that i could spend a few weeks with.

Perhaps you could discuss more of just how you feel in having 'no fixed address', the stress you've experienced etc? After all, your motorhome is your 'house'...your 'bricks 'n mortar'....your own 'property'. Do gypsies and traveller people feel similar stresses, or does it not bother them never having had the experience of living in a house and having a permanent fixed address? It might prove interesting to know what they think?

 

[scotjimland]

Perhaps you could discuss more of just how you feel in having 'no fixed address', the stress you've experienced etc? After all, your motorhome is your 'house'...your 'bricks 'n mortar'....your own 'property'. Do gypsies and traveller people feel similar stresses, or does it not bother them never having had the experience of living in a house and having a permanent fixed address? It might prove interesting to know what they think?

Unless you have actually experienced having no fixed address it's difficult to explain.. it's a feeling of rootlessness, almost like being a fugitive, or refugee.
Travelling people normally move around in groups, they know no other existence, that is their life, how they were raised.. it's the 'norm' for them.

When abroad, mostly in France, we have gone for weeks without meeting or talking to another English speaker.. The French are friendly and helpful but if you can't converse fluently, friendships are hard to develop.

Back 'home' it now feels different, we have the internet, make friends easily with fellow campers and can chat to the 'locals'

Will it ever feel diferent ? I don't know, our plan is to have shorter trips to Europe, say 3 months, with more time spent in the UK. with our son and try to visit my elderly father in Scotland more often..

My advice to anyone thinking of taking the plunge is to have retain a 'base' in the UK, perhaps a residential caravan or a small rented flat.. or even a relatives driveway.. Right now I'd settle for a corner of a garden

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[Jan Pendreigh]

We are lucky in that we have a superb Lincolnshire cs very close to where we had bricks and mortar which we return to (our bolt hole) in school holidays etc. I visit my mum in the nursing home and then we're ready to move on again. Merv misses his garden, and we both miss a bath.

However, we've spent the last 18 months travelling in England and had a ball. From one site go out in the car and choose the next. Buy an OS map of the area and explore, forget work - you can live as cheaply or as expensively as you choose, and we choose cheap.

Full timing means totally different things to each and every on of us, some by choice sell up and do it, some have to do it because of financial difficulties, some do it and retain their bricks and mortar just in case - but on our travels we've made a point of going out and talking to everyone and we've never yet met anyone who regretted doing it (maybe because they'd already given up?).

Give us the full time travelling life any time.
Jan

 

[adenough]

What a good topic. Almost twenty years ago I sold everything and embarked for a new life in Spain with a volvo estate packed with my four children and my wife plus all that was left of our possessions. We towed a samll caravan that was to be our home until we were settled. The deal on an apartment fell through and also the promised work for myself. We drove the whole of the coast, living like gypsies before taking a long term rental in a Spanish Apartment Block. The months went by without being able to obtain work, [pre EEC] which resulted in me having to fly back to the UK spasmodically to earn money. One day we were talking to a German couple out on an extended tour. They said "we are now returning home". Those words "Returning home" had a real impact on my wife. She realised we did not have a "home" for her or her children [even though we were in a decent rental]. We came back to the UK. Lost a fortune on property while away and had to start again. Still. We now have a paid for comfortable home and a liveable income. The children have all flown the nest and we [well I do] look at the RV life. However the memory for my wife of the "no home" experience is still strong and she will never leave the UK permanently, unless she had a lottery win and could take all with her. Apart from the strong maternal ties she will always want a base here [no matter how small] and although I would flee tomorrow from the sinking ship, I understand and respect her feelings. So a permanent RV life I cannot have, but months at a time. Mmmm. Maybe?

Jim

 

[Pikey Pete]

This has become a a very interesting thread and long may it continue. There have been some very poigniant posts, some of which I can relate to.
So many why we can, why we can't, why we will, why we won't, why have,why we haven't, why we did and why we didn't. All of these relevant to the individuals concerened.
There is no set answer because we are all different.
I relate in particular to the post about the couple who love each other and are happiest in their own company, and how they wouldn't survive each other very easily. Unfortunately I have that T shirt and now I'm on my own. I like being on my own now because the any companion I have encountered or may encounter have and will fall way short of the companion I have lost.
The only reason I have now, to go "home", is that I have paid for the plot next to her in the Woodland Burial Site and that's my final journey.
So till then I will "fulltime" till I run out of health and then I will know it will be time to take the final journey.
Pete

So in years to come, you hear tales of an eccentric old 'Ingles" bag man on the beach in an old Adria running on chip oil then it will probably be me

 

[Pikey Pete]

Thanks for the pm Graham. I will email you.

Hope I haven't killed off this Post :Sad:

Pete

 

[adenough]

I believe [please feel free to shoot me down if I am wrong] that the typical male has an inbuilt stone age need to wonder far and wide. I also believe the majority of the ladies have a need to nest. I wonder how many women actually travel full time not because they particularly need or want to but are their for the love of their companion. But will not risk saying so. I have seen this in my family and friends. I think I could happily live off the back of my motorcycle and I yearn to, many times, to do the clothes on a beach thing, but the love of others prevents me. There again my wife tells me there are many women who wish to do a Shirley Valentine on a bad day. I just think it is a much stronger permanent need in the male population.
Well there is my sexist non pc comment for now [don't ya just love the net. I'll never get a job down the town hall now].
Jim

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[theboadacea]

It was my idea to fulltime when we started 4 years ago ... I have always had itchy feet and find living in a house just bores me - although I do also enjoy home comforts and would find it hard to live out of a backpack for extended periods. Motorhome fulltiming seemed a good compromise.

Stuck in a house again at present (temporarily), can't wait to get back out there.

 

[Pikey Pete]

I believe [please feel free to shoot me down if I am wrong] that the typical male has an inbuilt stone age need to wonder far and wide. I also believe the majority of the ladies have a need to nest. I wonder how many women actually travel full time not because they particularly need or want to but are their for the love of their companion. But will not risk saying so. I have seen this in my family and friends. I think I could happily live off the back of my motorcycle and I yearn to, many times, to do the clothes on a beach thing, but the love of others prevents me. There again my wife tells me there are many women who wish to do a Shirley Valentine on a bad day. I just think it is a much stronger permanent need in the male population.
Well there is my sexist non pc comment for now [don't ya just love the net. I'll never get a job down the town hall now].
Jim

Just tell them you are a 'reformed non pc sexist' and you are bound to get a job in the Town Hall
I didn't realise till now that I am a Neanderthal, explains the shape of my forehead though

Pete

 

[vwalan]

we all have different objectives in life , when you spend a long time in a van we all become more equal. where is the water tap , where to tip toilet, buy bread ,etc. we all need an address for licencing ,registering van etc. a small corner of a field is just enough to do repairs on the van and ourselves. we all would like to escape somewhere, some do ,but sometimes we just change the rut . i like to be herein summer n some where warm in winter. if uk had better weather it would be nice to stay here . roll on november the ferry is calling . keep on trucking. :thumb:

 

[Bulletguy]

......When abroad, mostly in France, we have gone for weeks without meeting or talking to another English speaker.. The French are friendly and helpful but if you can't converse fluently, friendships are hard to develop.

From my experience not many French go out of their way to converse with English who can't speak any French. Even if they can speak English they have a tendency to let you sweat a bit first! German people don't seem to have this problem and willingly accept your lacking in ability to speak their language. Swiss openly welcome you in their country and can't wait to try their english out on you. They made me feel quite inferior though we would often have many a laugh at my feeble attempts at Schweizerdeutsch, the dialect they speak which may sound similar to German....but is most certainly not! The accent also varies greatly from one Canton to the next. Zurich accent is fast and more 'gutteral' where Bernese is slower and softer. Many Swiss are multi lingual and its not uncommon to find some who speak four or five languages.

I once found myself in lengthy conversation with a couple of mh'ers i'd met when touring the Outer Hebrides. I detected a slight 'accent' which i couldn't place so asked where they lived in the UK. She replied, "we aren't english....we are from Holland"!! Their english was absolutely perfect.

I can relate to what you say about 'going for weeks without speaking to another English speaker' though in my case it was only a few days, it still felt quite strange. I had driven east from Krakow right across to the Ukraine border. Absolutely nobody around that area spoke one word of english....nothing! Each time i parked up anywhere, people looked at my van, then at me as though i had just landed from some inter-gallatic planet. It all felt pretty weird but despite this i still managed 'communication' via hand signs and photographs. When hunger sets in and you want something to eat you will try anything! I travelled hundereds of miles along from this border without ever meeting another english speaker till i got to the Baltic coast.

I found Polish people very friendly and will go back there again one day....despite some of the roads which are virtually falling apart and full of potholes. The young women in the towns and cities dress like models and looked absolutely stunning.​

 

[Bulletguy]

.....if uk had better weather it would be nice to stay here . roll on november the ferry is calling . keep on trucking. :thumb:

Hmmm.....i'm not sure it's only weather!

Quality of life and decent affordable standards of living would make me think twice about shipping out of here. By comparison to Swiss we are living 'third world'.

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[vwalan]

i think the secret of life is to be happy with what you have then when you change your life style you will still be happy. if you jump in a van to escape the life you have here you only take it with you. every country i have ever been to has good n bad , thats why its nice to visit so many places, hopefully we pickup on the good leave the bad behind . be happy its always a good day to wake up to. life is what we create , never be jealous but be happy for others . there is alot of unhappy rich people in the world. having visited third world countries i am happy with what i have and still prepared to share my sandwich with the next person. :thumb:

 

[Greg Ledder]

i think the secret of life is to be happy with what you have then when you change your life style you will still be happy. if you jump in a van to escape the life you have here you only take it with you. every country i have ever been to has good n bad , thats why its nice to visit so many places, hopefully we pickup on the good leave the bad behind . be happy its always a good day to wake up to. life is what we create , never be jealous but be happy for others . there is alot of unhappy rich people in the world. having visited third world countries i am happy with what i have and still prepared to share my sandwich with the next person. :thumb:

Hear hear!! There are always those that are much worse off than ourselves and those that are much better off than ourselves but it all depends on your outlook on life and what makes you content.
Me? My glass is always half full and I count myself very lucky that I am still alive and kicking and in good health - for now at least!
Becoming a fulltimer will be the real beginning of life as far as I am concerned and as I haven't lived in 'Bricks and mortar' for at least 11 years I can't say I miss it in any shape or form.
It's taken many years to realise it but living in one place for any length of time doesn't suit me at all - there's so much to see and experience outside the four walls of a brick built box full of possessions (many of which never see the light of day) and I want to see as much of it as I can before I pop my cloggs thank you very much!
Bring it on!!!:thumb:

 

[Road Runner]

If i was down in the dump would rather be rich with my money than poor with my giro

Can alway do things with money even buy a motor home but with a giro you cant even afford a motorhome magazine to dream about it with

 

[madbluemad]

:Cool: Yes there are lot's of Insurance companies willing to offer Insurance for static, semi-static or otherwise Motorhomes, Car-A-Vans etc. We have no recommendations. They all offer basically the same.

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Hi John
Woudnt this type of insurance just fall under a limited mileage scheme

Jim

 

[vwalan]

hi greg .. my cup is never half full or half empty . its always full but sometimes only of air. if we wait to be rich or to win some money you just keep waiting. life isnt a rehearsal we only get one chance. its not what u earn but how little u spend . watch the telly at teatime see how greed gets the better of the contestants. me im off to maroc for winter , spend little live alot. :thumb:

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[adenough]

I notice that this post has stalled. After re-reading it. I notice that not many of you mention family that you leave behind in the UK. Does nobody miss their children, grandchildren and if so how do you cope with this especially at this time of year? Or do I get the impression that most full timers are childless couples?

James

 

[scotjimland]

Not childless, lol , I have six kids,
one still with us..
one in Canada
one in S. Africa
one in Kent UK
one in Basildon UK
one in Scotland

So, it would be hard for us all to be together at Christmas, it must be in our blood to travel.. (read wander)

Yes, we do miss them a lot, but whether we full time or not wouldn't change much.. this year we will have two with us..

Jim
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[Wildman]

Hi I am not a fulltimer, but answer to that question is easy, they are fulltimers, not banished and have to travel to UK for MOT, Tax ins, etc at least once a year so why not a Christmas, then off again for new year. Besides not all fulltimers are overseas, many fulltime in this country so no problem.

 

[zaskar]

Not childless, lol , I have six kids,

Jim
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.........and no TV!!!!!!!!

 

[scotjimland]

.........and no TV!!!!!!!!

Yip. thanks to Mxaview ..

must call the next one MAX VIEW ALLAN

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[MicknPat]

I notice that this post has stalled. After re-reading it. I notice that not many of you mention family that you leave behind in the UK. Does nobody miss their children, grandchildren and if so how do you cope with this especially at this time of year? Or do I get the impression that most full timers are childless couples?

James

James,

Using the internet, Skype and a web cam we see MORE of of our 'kids' now,since being in the USA than what we did in the UK ( they only appear when they want something )

M&P

 

[Road Runner]

If circumstance were different i would like to winter in Spain.

Wonder what the site costs would be?

 

[zaskar]

If circumstance were different i would like to winter in Spain.

Wonder what the site costs would be?

A dammed site less than here!
My folks overwintered on Sertorium (Near Benidorm) for 5 years.
Basically, the longer you book on for, the bigger the discount.
I think they were paying about £8 per night for a site with a bar, pool, beech front reasonable space and good tiolet facilities. There was even a car washing area!!!:thumb:

 

[adenough]

Our youngest daughter is currently doing a 12month stint in Australia. Yes we do make use of all the technological tools to keep in touch. But none of that replaces a cuddle when they or us are upset, down or just happy. We also miss the tales of the day over the evening meal and the stupid giggles my wife and her share whilst I look on in bemused amazement. Her continued absence is killing my wife. I enjoy the company of my two grown up lads dragging their old man to the pub or the game. Then my eldest daughter has a severley disabled grandchild and a newish 2yr old addition that runs us ragged. Although they are a pest at times and usually want something they are a big part of our lives. These are some of the chains that keep us tethered to the UK and the bricks. I wonder how others cope.
I have costed the winter in spain thing and a site deal at £60ish a week rent plus water electric and the cost of RV there and back [£2500?] seems to be expensive when you can rent a nice long stay apartment for £60 a week on the Blanca and easyjet there and back.

James

 

[MicknPat]

If circumstance were different i would like to winter in Spain.

Wonder what the site costs would be?

John,

Do you want a rethink that location?


Exchange Rate
SPAIN €1.14. to £1.00.
USA $1.48. to £1.00.

USA
Petrol.$1.59 per US Gallon
Diesel.$2.71 per US Gallon

Spain

Petrol €0.66 per litre
Diesel €0.66 per litre

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