Reflections (Part 1): Year One of Full Time RVing - 3/06/15

I have been thinking about all that we have learned in our first year as full-time RVers and thought I would share some thoughts here. I am thinking this is the first of several posts.

Schedule:

• We have settled into a weekly schedule for completing household chores. One day a week is our "chore day," usually Monday or Tuesday.
• On this day, I also check our rvvmail.com account (and schedule a mail shipment, if necessary, based on what is in our mailbox) and review our weekly financials (bill payments, budget, etc.)
• We do our laundry, general clean up of the RV (vacuuming, bathroom, etc.) 
• Complete grocery shopping. 
• Then relax.

Laundry:

• There seem to be two schools of thought about laundry when you live on the road. Lots of full-time RVers have a washer and dryer in their motor coach. 
• When we were looking to purchase an RV, John was in favor of having the washer/dryer on board. I was not for the following reasons:
• It takes up too much space (I really don't want to drive around with a washer and dryer). If I am desperate, I will wash stuff by hand.
• It takes too much time to do one load at a time. I think it is quicker to just do 4-5 loads of laundry with multiple washers/dryers once a week; only takes about 2-2.5  hours.
• This is definitely an area of personal preference!

RV Parks:

• It is our preference to stay a minimum of one week and a maximum of 2 months at an RV park. 
• The (obvious) reason for staying one month in a single locale is the advantageous pricing for longer stays.
• Many parks also offer a one-week offer; pay for 6 nights, 7th night free. So we do one-week stays, too.
• Staying in national parks can be wonderful. However, wifi, cellular, and TV coverage is poor or non-existent. The beauty of nature in these locations makes it worth the stay.   
• I am a planner and make reservations in advance at RV parks, assuring we can stay where I want (or plan). Some folks are more spontaneous and just plan as they go.
• Reservations at RV parks in winter months in warm climates should be booked in advance. We have found many to be booked. RV sites in national parks should also be booked in advance as they are usually very limited for full hook ups.
• Lots of folks dry camp or boondock. Thus far, we have preferred the convenience of full hook ups. 
• We stayed in 16 parks in our first year. Our average monthly cost was $780. One month stays averaged $600; one week stays $175-$250, depending on the park; national parks are about $35/day with no discounts. 
• We have Good Sam Club and Passport America memberships that can be used for discounts in some parks (do not apply for monthly stays).
• We will be looking into state parks and other good places to stay in 2015 and beyond.

Meals:

• We eat at home so much more than we ever have. There are several reasons for this:
• We have the time now;
• It is so good!; and, 
• It is so much cheaper than all of the dining out we did in the past.
• When we do go out to eat, we usually go for lunch instead of dinner (cheaper meal with same quality food at the restaurant). 
• We usually make a salad and cut up fruits that we eat all week after we go shopping.
• We purchase food, cleaning supplies, paper products, toiletries, wine/beer/liquor, at the same store when we go shopping. Most states let you purchase alcohol in grocery stores. 
• We buy whatever meat is on sale and, sometimes, in bulk. I repackage into meal-sized portions in our freezer. 
• I am so lucky...John does most of the cooking with our propane stove (or propane outdoor grill). I usually prepare the side dishes. 
• We usually cook a couple of dinners per week in our crock pot. This is so convenient when we plan to spend the day sightseeing. Coming home to the smell of a good dinner is great!
• We also usually prepare a picnic lunch or snacks to take in the backpack when we go hiking or to the beach. 

Please let us know your tips and suggestions on these topics (or others).