Documentary on mobile living

[Stacy]

I just watched this fascinating documentary on living in an RV and traveling the country. Most of the people are retired, as I expected, but there is also a young couple. It's something I've never considered for myself, because I assumed the expenses would be too high, but they all claim to live on $500 to $630 a month (the vehicles are paid for, of course). I told my husband about this, and he pointed out that he's always wanted to go south for the winter. If a person finds some self-employment or seasonal employment, they could easily make the expenses.

I've never been able to really travel in my life. This might be an option someday.

http://documentaryheaven.com/without...mobile-living/

[kib]

I've traveled in a mobile home, and also lived in one for about six months. It had its wonderful moments and boring/depressing/uncomfortable ones, just like life. I'd do it again, but I'm not sure I'd commit to doing it "forever".

One thing ... there's a big difference between living in a mobile home, and actually traveling in it, as far as cost goes. The cost of gas plus short term stays in places it's legal to stay overnight and have access to electric and water alone can easily top $70 a day to make a short hop of 100 miles, or $200 a day if you're driving all day long.

Of course if you have a fixed destination and you plan to stay put for a month, that kind of expense only applies in transit, not once you arrive, so yes, a long term lease and no moving of the mobile home can be extremely affordable.

[Stacy]

That's what I figured. I really don't like to drive all that much, so I'd choose a place I'd want to stay for a season and minimize the actual driving. I think good planning and learning where the best spots to stay would help a lot to keep the costs down. If I only traveled twice a year, north to south and back north again, but went different places every time, I could see a lot of the country in just a few years.

[shadowmoss]

If you go to my blog, in my sidebar are several folks who do just that and you can read about it. Bob Wells is one of the blogs I follow.

His blog: http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/

My blog: http://shadowmoss.blogspot.com/

There are several guides for the places to boondock in the Southwest. On The Good Luck Duck 's blog she lists them if you want to buy them.

If you read Bob Wells' site and Technomadia's site, you will know more than most about how to embark on this lifestyle. I'm trying to get there myself, in case you can't tell.

Technomadia's blog (not on my sidebar yet): http://www.technomadia.com/

EDITED TO ADD:
In case it isn't obvious, Bob Wells is the guy featured in the video mentioned in the OP.

[Stacy]

Shadowmoss - Looks like some good reading -- thanks for the links.
Here's the snazzy blog for the young couple in the documentary: http://www.vagabloggers.com/
They just drive a van, which would help with gas consumption. I'm not as outdoorsy as they are, so I might want something with a little more room, but nothing too big.

I hope you're successful in fulfilling your dream to create a traveling lifestyle! Like I said, it's not something I'd ever considered for myself, but I know a lot of people who have that dream and have not gone for it for one reason or another. Being "stuck" in a job, needing to be close to family, and all kinds of other excuses that lead them to be very cranky individuals. For me, I'm on another path in life, but if this is something that keeps tugging at me, I may pursue it.

[Kestra]

I'll have to check all this out in more detail. I've been toying with the idea of living in a van for half the year.

[pinkytoe]

It is rather intriguing though it seems the impetus for most of these folks was a great loss of some sort - an un-mooring so to speak from a conventional life. I would like to do it for a few years but unless it was better than I had imagined, I would want the touchstone of a permanent base after wandering a bit.

[Stacy]

It is rather intriguing though it seems the impetus for most of these folks was a great loss of some sort - an un-mooring so to speak from a conventional life. I would like to do it for a few years but unless it was better than I had imagined, I would want the touchstone of a permanent base after wandering a bit.

Maybe that's why I got interested. I've been doing a radical (to me) decluttering and change of direction in my life.
The female singer in the documentary had lost everything in a fire, which led her to take to the road. That would be devastating, and I'm lucky enough to be able to pick and choose what I want to let go of.

[Float On]

I watched that video a few weeks ago, enjoyed it.

Casita Escapes, listed on your side bar shadowmoss, has spent a lot of time here where I live. There are a lot of work kampers here throughout the year and it was fun to peak in on their take of the area. I love that they are doing it tiny in a Casita, some the the huge rolling mansions that come through here are just crazy, and sometimes there is a rolling mansion pulling a boat pulling a car. Not sure how they make it around some of the curves and always see a few high centered at the music show entries (blocking 3 lanes of traffic).

[Packy]

There's always a show being done about some novel, alternative lifestyle. That's why it's entertainment. But, it's not really a cheap way to live, if you are on the move. Fuel mileage--5-7 mpg. Then, they have at least 6 large-sized tires, that are not cheap to replace. I've seen people set them up for awhile in cheaper, old mobile home parks, or in backyards of suburban/rural homes. But, they're not insulated extremely well, so when winter arrives, that will be a problem. They are made for what they are made for---50-something retirees who want to travel the USA on extended vacations, and combine car-jocking with camping in scenic, semi-wilderness areas, and avoid hotels, en route. . You see several of them every night at the walmart parking lot, along I-44.. But no, I cannot see living in one, long-term, unless you are homeless and on a fixed income. It's strictly a temporary thing.