After moving into a townhome for a year, we knew we did not want to be renters. It was not for us.
Our townhome lease was up for renewal. Rent was already expensive at $2500, and they were going to increase it by $300.
It seemed unrealistic to pay so much for renting a place rather than owning a home. It’s no wonder buying a house is so difficult – all of your money is going to rent rather than savings.
The townhome was lovely, and the amenities were great, but renting is just not sustainable. Would we have to move every year to avoid rent increases, or would we have to pay insanely high rent?
Buying our RV
Jerry and I had a long conversation and came up with a plan to stay in one location, avoid expensive rent, and save for a home of our own.
In 2018, we decided to get rid of most of our belongings and move into a Grand Design Solitude fifth wheel full-time!
The goal was to do this for a few years until we paid off our “bad” debt and saved enough money for a down payment on a house.
It was not an easy decision, but to this day, we do not regret it. We made a few mistakes and have faced some obstacles along the way, but we continue to push toward our goals.
The Solitude was homie and spacious for a fifth wheel, but it was not the best purchase we could have made. The Solitude required a full-ton truck to tow it, and buying a truck like that would have been too expensive.
We found a site to rent and had the fifth wheel towed there. We did not move the fifth wheel for almost two years.
In 2020, we realized our mistake in buying a fifth wheel. It didn’t make sense to live in a home with wheels and not travel!
We decided to trade in the fifth wheel for a 2017 Coachmen Freelander RV. Now we can continue with our goals and even do some traveling. Woot!
Full-time RV Living
RV living is not for everyone. There are so many things we have had to learn and sacrifice. Read our 10 things I wish I knew before living in an RV full-time.
The most significant sacrifice we have made is SPACE! We have been creative with our space and have had to put many of our belongings into storage.
Living in an RV teaches you that you can always have too many things! I considered becoming a minimalist, but I’m too much of a shopaholic. 🙁
I definitely miss my walk-in closet and the ability to walk into another room when I need alone time.
We do not plan to do this for the rest of our lives, but it has been fun. RV living helped us reach our financial goals and is giving us unforgettable memories.
What’s next?
I officially quit my nine-to-five job in June 2021 and started my blog. This has been one of the best decisions we have made! I can spend more time focussing on my family’s well-being and happiness.
I am less stressed and can pursue any interest I may have. Lately, my days have been filled with remodeling the RV, creating plans and budgets for our travels, learning how to do web development, and writing content for Ride Or Die Adventures – Blog.
Our “bad” debt is officially gone, and we can put all of our energy into buying a home and traveling across the country.
Appreciating what’s really important
Anytime we think about living in a house, we wonder – what we will do with all that space!
We have decided to move our family to Nashville, TN. Ideally, we will find a home that is a driving distance to the downtown area but still far enough where we can find silence and greenery.
I have lived in Los Angeles, CA, for almost my entire life. Growing up in a fast-paced environment like Los Angeles can make you forget what is really important.
The most essential things in life have nothing to do with our job or materialistic items. The most critical thing in life is to truly live!
That’s why we want to slow down our way of living. We want to enjoy our adventures, friends, family, and most importantly, we simply want to enjoy life.
Living in the RV and traveling has allowed us to value each other and everything we have.
Although we do not plan to live in our RV forever, we plan to continue taking extended RV trips even after moving into a house.
