Traveling with an RV can range between living life on the road 365 days per year and just taking a weekend to go to the countryside. In recent years, traveling with an RV has become increasingly popular, as people are looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors and traveling while retaining the comforts of modern life. An RV poses a great connection between the two. If you’re not sure what it stands for, an RV is a recreational vehicle, which always includes some sort of living quarters. And the RV life – sometimes called “van lifestyle” – has really taken flight in the last few years, boosted by the romanticized images on social media. And a lot of people now want to hop into an RV and hit the road. But besides just saving up and buying an RV, what are all the ways you might be able to get one?
Tips on Getting Hold of an RV
Trading
Trade has been the way to get the things we need since the beginning of civilization. The trick is to figure out what you have that someone else might need, and then trade them for something you need. In this case, you need an RV, so let’s look at some popular trade options:
Home
Yes, you can actually trade your home. A lot of people who want to commit to an RV lifestyle would find having a home nothing but an extra responsibility. So it makes sense that you might want to trade your home for a fully-furnished and operational RV. In addition to trading your home, you might want to sell your furniture to stock up on money in case you have an emergency on the road. In the best-case scenario, you’ll find someone who is retiring from their van life and wants to settle down and is looking to trade their RV for a home. This is perfect because you know that the RV is probably already set-up with all the functionalities you might need.
Vehicle
Now let’s talk about cars. Even though an RV might seem more expensive because it’s bigger, it’s not actually always more valuable, especially for someone who doesn’t need it. You might be able to find someone who is looking to replace their RV with a regular car that they can use for everyday life and drive around some busy city streets. You can’t drive two cars at the same time, nor can you tow your car behind your RV, so it’s probably best if you just find it a loving new home when you set off on your adventure.
Rent
If you’re just looking to get away for a little while, or if you’re not really sure if you want to commit to living in a vehicle full-time, a great option is to rent a van. Another reason why renting a camper is a smart idea is because you can rest assured it’s in good condition, and you don’t have to worry about it breaking down and leaving you stranded. Every rental company must regularly inspect their vehicles and repair any damages, and if something does happen, they are the ones that come to your rescue and replace the damage, so you can sleep easy. Also, when you rent a camper, you know it’s going to be clean and fixed with all the amenities marketed, so you don’t have to worry about getting any more equipment.
Rent out the RV
Speaking of renting, if you already own an RV, but don’t use it year-round, you can rent it out to other people who want to get away for the weekend. Friends, family, and neighbors can all take turns using it when it’s just sitting in your backyard. If you feel weird asking people close to you for money, you can ask anyone who borrows it to pay for a mechanic to check and fix any issues, or to pitch in for the registration fund. Owning an RV isn’t cheap, so if you already have it, you might as well get full use out of it.
Crowdfund
As the popularity of van life grows, there are more and more YouTubers and other social media influencers who are showcasing how they live their life from a van. So if you have a flair for the camera and an eye for picturesque sunsets, you might be able to convince people to donate enough money for you to be able to get an RV, and in return – you’ll give them amazing content online, and they can live out their van life fantasies through you. You can also use this to raise a part of the money and then save up the rest. Remember that if you opt for this, you’re making a promise to deliver the content people essentially paid for, so be careful when making the commitment, or you might end up with some very unsatisfied sponsors.
Share
If you want to spend some time on the road, and some time back home with perhaps a seasonal job or a family you want to spend time with – there’s probably someone else who wants the same thing. Find a person who wants to spend half of the year traveling in an RV and take turns throughout the year. Think of it as sharing a vacation home, but this vacation home is on wheels. While one person is traveling, the other is living their regular life at home, and then at some point your swap. This means that you can buy the RV together and you don’t have to feel the burden of guilt for paying a lot of money for something that you only use a part of the year.
Living life on the road isn’t for everyone, but for some people, it can be the escape from everyday life they’ve been searching for. With the tech available today, you can basically do any remote job right there from your RV and you can enjoy most of the luxuries of modern life, just on a smaller scale. Some people live for years in an RV, sometimes alone, and sometimes with partners and even kids – but one thing is for sure, and it is that the first step of this journey starts by getting your hands on the wheel of an RV.
