Living the RV Life

Sue and I thought it would be interesting and educating to interview people that have made the leap to being RV full-timers.  Connecting on Facebook groups have been awesome but we thought we could gain even more insight by talking with people on our podcast.   In this episode we talk with Rich and Carolyn Sasek. I first met Carolyn on her Nomadic Blogger Resource Network Facebook page and then Sue joined Carolyn's Nomadic Hugs Facebook Group. Rich and Carolyn were a delight to talk to and it was very interesting to hear their story. They have some really good insight into being prepared to downsizing, the advantages of living in a small space, and much more in the podcast. I asked Carolyn to share with me her top 5 tips for those that are in the planning stages of going full-time and this is what she had to say. 5 Downsize -- Downsize -- and then... Downsize Again -- Sell/Gift/Long-term Loan/Donate -- live in boxes for a bit to see what you really use and then part with the rest! 4 Being involved in an extended community is important -- creating a support system -- Whether that's online via Yahoo groups, Facebook, etc and/or organizations like Escapees ("Birds of a Feather" - BOF Groups) and such. Even joining Thousand Trails can create a community of sorts as it's a membership.  3 Don't be lured into buying an RV at a show -- Ever! and Contrary to what some believe, there is no "Perfect rig" "one size fits all" for everyone! Driving yourself crazy to find the 'perfect' rig should have it's limits -- remember in all likelihood if you continue RVing long term your needs/wants and desires will change overtime and with experience. (As they did with us... ** We started with a 36' Class A and thought our next 'rig' would be a 'bus/highway coach' -- but due to our cross-country trip in our Suburban (2010) we downsized to an 18' Vintage trailer -- and are now contemplating if our next rig -- we're thinking a little bigger, but how much bigger will our 'next step be???' -- and how long until we change our mind again?? )  2 Recognize that nothing is in stone -- We have often shared that "Nomadic plans are made in sand... and the wind doth blow!" As we said earlier the rig that you start with will most likely not be your 'forever' rig, as you have different experiences they'll have an effect on your perspective and future choices. If someone would have told us in the beginning that we would downsize to a small, 18' Vintage trailer, we would have told them that they're crazy, or at minimum... That's not likely! Additionally 'life happens' whether you're in 'sticks n bricks' or 'on the road' -- Roll with it! The more able you are to 'make lemonade from lemons' the more contentment and joy you will find in this lifestyle. 1 It's Your Life!! Make the choices that you can live with! (And give yourself permission to change your mind as you see fit, whatever that looks like!) You will encounter "Naysayers" and you will encounter those who say "Wow! I/We wish we had the guts to do that!" Over time some of the naysayers will change their perspective when they see that you're truly happy in your life choice; and then those that won't no matter what! (It's okay that not everyone shares our joy... really. We understand.) You can read more from Rich and Carolyn on their blog at nomadicjesters.blogspot.com They also have numerous Facebook Groups for Nomads and wannabe Nomads NomadicMama  Nomadic Papas NomadicGigs NomadicVendors  Nomadic Blogger Resource Network  Nomadic Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Nomadic NonTraditional Kitchen NomadicGeneration NomadicSisters NomadicHugs NomadicActs of Kindness NomadicJesters (Page) NomadicNexus (Page) Thank you so much Rich and Carolyn for being on our podcast and we look forward to connecting with you on future episodes, on Facebook, and perhaps even while on the road.

Bobby and Sue discuss some helpful tips they learned from a couple of RV Facebook groups and how they helped them when they went to the Green Country RV and Boat Show.

When Sue and I decided to go on this adventure of going full time in an RV we had to decide which class of RV fit our lifestyle the best. We knew we were going to sell everything including our house so we needed something that could support us living in it for years to come. With so many variables like the number of slide outs, the length, a motor home or something we towed, gas or diesel the initial decision making can be overwhelming. In this episode we talk about our thought process behind why we chose a Class A, how I learned to switch drivers while the RV is in motion (not something I will do again) and our excitement for our first trip to an RV show.

When you decided to live full time in an RV did you get resistance from you family? Did they think you were crazy for selling your sticks and bricks for the life on the road? Although our family is supportive we still had to deal with a lot of questions to the point we almost felt like we had to justify our decision. In this episode Bobby and Sue discuss some of the reactions they got from coworkers, friends, and family.

Let me introduce you to our story Hello and welcome to our new adventure. My wife and I have been on a journey to get out of debt and simplify our lives. It all started a little of four years when my wife began having joint pain and would become severely fatigued. At first we thought it was just the stress of working long hours and living paycheck to paycheck. After months of trying to fight these feelings she finally had to stop working and was later diagnosed with  Fibromyalgia. Through the years she battled chronic fatigue and just recently started having issues with her liver. This has caused us to take drastic steps to relieve as many of the stresses that we can. We have changed our diet to a much more clean eating and nutrient dense foods. We have worked to pay off our debts by creating budgets and following Dave Ramsey's snow ball plan. And we made plans to move out of our four bedroom house since our daughters would soon be old enough to be out on their own. At first the plan was to downsize to an apartment or a condo. Then a possible opportunity came for me to pursue my passion of working on video. A company wanted to hire me to work on product videos and be IT support for their offices. The video work would require quite a bit of travel during the summer months and we would have to move to Kansas. The one state that during a conversation we had about my pursuing my dream job she confessed she did not want to go to. But she was willing to support me in my efforts to achieve my dream job. But once we both realized I would be traveling a lot her excitement began to dwindle. The thought of uprooting her and then leaving her alone as I traveled did not set well with my wife. So I began to brainstorm ways that I could go for my dream and she would be able to be with me. It seemed that living in an RV full-time would be the answer. When I first brought the idea up I think my wife did not take me to serious. But after she had the opportunity to live in a travel trailer while helping my daughter with our new granddaughter my wife was hooked. She loved the small space, it took her 30 minutes to clean. She is now ready to leave our sticks and brick and see the country. You might be wondering why we made a podcast about living in an RV when we don't live in an RV yet. You will have to listen to the episode to understand why I use my love for techie stuff helps me achieve goals that I set for myself. If you have any advice for us newbies in the research and planning stage please let us know.