RV Life FAQ – Update

We haven’t done an FAQ post since 2015, so it’s time for an update!
Have a question? Send us an email and we’ll answer it!
Cat@incredibledash.com

Check out our previous RV Life FAQ post here: RV Life FAQ 2015

Why would you choose to live in your RV?
Check out this post: Why We Choose To Live In Our RV
and this post: What We Learned From 365 Days Of Living In An RV

What is your rig setup?
We currently have a 35′ motorhome, an SUV.
Sometimes we also travel with our 2nd car towed on a trailer.

Do you both drive the motorhome? How did you learn to drive it?
We are both comfortable driving the motorhome and have both driven it long distances. Cat’s Dad drove a school bus for 13 years and has given us lots of pointers and a few lessons.

Do the kids ride in the motorhome?
Generally, no.  There’s a lot of controversy surrounding this topic and I’m very aware of car seat safety, the dangers of riding in a vehicle with unsecured objects and the fact that RV’s are not generally as well tested or as well built as standard motor vehicles. This is something that families have to weigh and decide for themselves. No judgment.

We have done it a few times, but it is not something we are comfortable with long-term as part of our permanent setup so whenever possible we will drive separate. It does add to the cost, but we factor it into our budget and when you also calculate the better gas mileage from not towing with the RV we probably come close to breaking even on the financial standpoint.

What do you do for income?
Travis is currently working for BNSF Railway which is our main source of income. We have workamped in the past and really enjoyed it!

We have other streams of income, but the railroad pays the bills and the rest pays for fun.

What do you do for health insurance?
Our health insurance is provided through work and we are covered nationwide. We are so thankful for this option, however if you are hitting the road as an independent contractor there are several cost-sharing options that meet federal requirements.

How much does it cost to live in your RV on the road as a full-time family?
This is really variable.

Just like in a house on dirt, you can live as cheaply or extravagantly as your budget allows. We choose a happy medium, but we’ve also made it work with very little.

Generally speaking, our monthly RV park costs are lower than our rental houses ever were and they include electric, water, and sewer.

Our gas costs are about the same as when we lived in California and had to commute an hour for everything – this is the most flexible because obviously if we are heading to the opposite side of the country, the cost is going to go up.  

Our food costs are about the same as well. We eat healthier by choice so depending on the region the cost can go up a little, but we also eat out less.

We’ll be posting monthly RV life budget recaps soon, so check back!

What did you do with all your stuff from your house?
We sold a LOT!

We will eventually buy a house that will be our “home base” so it makes sense for us to keep a few things, but we’ve sold most big things. We have some boxes in storage that we still need to go through. Every time we get the chance we purge more because we just don’t need the emotional, physical or financial weight of STUFF.

What kitchen appliances and gadgets do you keep in your RV?
I still have my Kitchen Aid (with attachments). I’ve added a Pampered Chef Egg Cooker, 8 qt. Instant Pot, new George Foreman (switching out for a griddle soon likely). I also bought a new cookie scoop and pizza cutter, but don’t miss the panini press. We still have our outside grill but it doesn’t get a ton of use.

This is another area where we’ve found less is more!

How do you wash your clothes?
We installed a vented washer/dryer all in 1 combo. Our rig did not originally have the hookups or space to do this. We renovated and have not regretted it for a single second.

I do one load of laundry a day, generally at night before I go to bed.
Our combo machine automatically switches from wash to dry without us touching it – it’s pretty magical! Clothes are dry in the morning and I fold it and put it away.

If you’re shopping for one for your rig, Amazon is typically the best price most consistently. I’ve not seen them for less than $1200 ANYwhere, ever. It’s worth every.single.penny.

How do you get your mail?
We have everything paper sent to our home base address. We have a trusted family member gather and sort our mail. If something is important, they let us know and we arrange to get it to us either digitally or physically.

What do you do about internet?
Cat’s Dad has our old jetpack in his RV.
We currently use a hotspot on our phone with an unlimited data plan.

Will you stop full-timing when your kids are school age?
Nope! Our kids are preschool age, 1st grade and 3rd grade respectively.

Our plan has always been to homeschool our kids, and we still feel that it’s going well on the road.

We believe that our kids learn best by doing and experiencing, however, we will still have a curriculum and a routine for getting schoolwork done because its important to us to instill good learning habits as well as a love for learning.

Do the kids have to miss out on being a part of sports teams and other activities?
Yes and No…  If there is a desire to participate in a sport or activity we will do our very best to make this possible for our kids for wherever we are. As long as the job allows, we are willing to spend extra time in one location should they want to pursue an interest in depth.

This is still true. Last year we stayed in AZ for baseball season and horseback riding lessons. We will return for those again this year. It’s only a few months out of the year, and as long as it is important to the kids we will evaluate if it will work for the family to accommodate their desire.

Do you have any friends? What about the kids?
We all have lots of friends, and we all make more new friends at each place we go!  We keep in touch with friends all over the country!

How do you manage to go on dates as a couple?
We mostly still get creative and do date nights at home! Occasionally we’ll get a date night when at our home base or visiting my Dad. Mostly, our date nights are board games and campfires while the kids sleep.

Have more questions?  Send us an email so we can answer it!