My Full-Time Nomad Budget

People are Living Mobile. It’s a thing. Some in RVs, some in vans, or fifth-wheels, Skoolies, converted cargo trailers, and even cars. Why?

Because a mobile-life can be radically less expensive than living in a sticks-and-bricks home. 

If you’ve never considered this possibility before, you’re not alone. I had no idea a mobile life was even possible until I started researching it for myself.

Less than five years ago, I thought the RV life was for Seniors only; the kind of thing people did once they had a secured retirement and wanted to travel a bit. I imagined they drove their giant rigs to RV parks to pull in next to another giant rig on a patch of asphalt with one sad tree between them. Driving for hours to park in a parking lot next to a bunch of other people didn’t look very fun to me, so I drove past these rigs without ever considering there was another way.

Plus, I believed, like many of us, that I had to stick out another twenty years in my depressing corporate job to travel at all, so what was the point in thinking about it, right? Then, a series of catalysts changed my life and I dove into years of research to find that the ways in which people choose to live a Nomadic Life is as varied as their modes of transportation and that there was a way for me to change my life and pursue the dreams I had buried for years.

The Time is Now.

Travelers now have options that were not available even ten years ago. One study shows that mobile workers will make up three-quarters of the U.S. Workforce by 2020. So consider this: instead of doing one of these jobs from your house in the suburbs, you can travel full-time and do that job from anywhere where you get a cellular signal. A pretty liberating idea, right?

Now, combine that with the fact that you can take your mobile conveyance, whatever that might be, and camp for free, all the time, all over the place which can reduce your Nomadic Budget substantially. For reals. No kidding. This style of camping is called Boondocking and it was the second factor that allowed me to make the leap into a nomadic life.

I started crunching the numbers and was shocked. When I removed a mortgage or rent, utilities, gas to commute, cable, and all the other nonsense I was paying for in a regular house, the difference blew my mind. My minimum budget dropped from around 4k a month to under $1,300.

I could barely rent a studio apartment in Denver for $1,300 a month and by going mobile, that figure covered all my expenses. If I could figure out a way to earn that monthly figure on the road, I could quit the job I hated and live a life I had dreamed of for years. And I’m not alone.

Now, let’s get down to the quick and dirty about dollars. When you start planning your mobile life, I suggest three steps. 

Step 1: Pay off your debt.

I know, “jeez, Robin. Shit. I thought this was a site for dreamers. Step 1 is a downer, dude.” I know. Step 1 sucks, but I think it’s the first thing you must do to live a free, mobile life. But, don’t despair! I was in debt-to my eyeballs, but I dedicated myself to paying it off, knowing that this life was my reward.

Look at your expenses now. Don’t be scared. Pull out your credit card statements. All of them. Even the ones you never opened, buried in a kitchen drawer. What are you spending your money on? If you’re like I was, I found that I was spending tons of money to either keep up with my corporate life (AKA buying suits, electronics, etc.) or spending tons of money to survive my corporate life (AKA booze, pedicures, eating out, generally spending to make myself feel better; after all, I earned it, right?) Seriously, once you know you are going to live a totally different life, it’s easier than you might think to cut out a lot of those extras and put that cash towards debt reduction.

When you hit the road, you don’t want the stress and commitment that comes with a debt payment.

Step 2: Save up for an emergency fund

I know, “Seriously? I have to pay off my debt and save? That will take forever.”

Sorry, friends. If you just pay off the debt without having an emergency fund before you hit the road, you’ll just go back into to debt again the minute an unexpected expense pops-up. The amount you need will vary depending on your style of travel and needs. Think about how much you would need for new tires, or a blown transmission or a medical deductible. Save that. Then…the fun part:

Step 3: Planning Your RV Budget

Finally, we are here! You’ve read through the first depressing steps and have reached the sweet spot; the spot where you see how cheap the RV Life can be. I have inserted my own little spread-sheet below, showing you my ongoing expenses and how much I’m spending in each category.

Your expenses will vary; this is just an example to get you started. If you have a job that is stable, mobile and allows you to carry debt, or you have income from another source, perhaps you can go about these steps differently; this is what worked for me.

What? You can live as a Nomad, FULL-TIME for under $1,300 a month?!?!?!?

Yes, I do, and a lot of people live on less..but hold on. You might notice I left out two important things: 1) Your rig, and 2) Health Insurance. I left out these two things because they vary greatly. What you choose to spend on your RV, van or camper is totally up to you and your budget. Some folks can add a payment into their monthly budget, no problem, while some want to buy their home-on-wheels outright before embarking on their adventure (like I did).

There are endless resources on YouTube, blogs and social-media groups that can help you make the best choice for you. As for health insurance, some of you may be a Vet, or on Medicaid, or your parents policy, or the exchange. The options and expense associated with Health Insurance can be extreme. Figure out the best way to get covered and add that in to your total. If you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel, do it here; I will be reviewing Health Insurance options in an upcoming video along with tons of other info you’ll need when you hit the road.

Voila!  There is the RV Budget for your new life. Now ask yourself…can I make that dollar amount pursuing my  dream? Maybe that’s photography, writing, yoga, whatever. If you don’t monetize your creativity, you can absolutely make enough to live the RV life by telecommuting in a regular job from your rig.

Thank you for reading! And, let’s help other people discover everything the RV life offers by sharing, liking and subscribing.

Be Happy. Create More. Set Yourself Free .

Robin

CreativityRV