Episode 3 | RV Living with a Family of Five

by girlseeksjoy · Published February 21, 2023 · Updated February 24, 2023

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Imagine this scenario for a moment: five people, three of them under the age of eight… RV living in 200 square feet.

Do you ever consider the lifestyle of full-time RV living? Whether that “full-time” camping life is only a handful of months or a lifestyle you’re considering for the duration…has it crossed your mind?

This is exactly what Jen Araza (that’s me) and her family considered doing after leaving California and adventuring out to find a new state to call home. She is going to answer all the questions she’s been asked over time about their experience on the road for 4 months with five people in a 200-square-foot travel trailer.

RV life is gaining serious attention. The 2020 North American Camping Report found that four in 10 campers are more interested in going full-time after the pandemic. One in 10 infrequent campers is considering full-time RVing.

The report also found that travelers are eager to spend time outdoors with their friends and family. Also, 60% of travelers think it’s now critical for their kids to experience the great outdoors. The sentiment suggests a long-term growing interest in the RV lifestyle.
camperfaqs.com

In this episode on tiny home living, we ask the questions:

Did we all go crazy being together in such a small space?
How did Nick and I stay intimate in such a small space? (the most often asked question!)
How we were able to drive 10,000 miles without our kids’ using screens in the car (and why!)
How would we compare the expenses of living in RV for 4 months vs. living in a home?
What were the hardest and coolest parts of the trip?
What did we learn about ourselves and our family as a whole?
…and so much more!

RV Living Resources

Harvest Hosts– I cannot express enough how much we truly loved all of our experiences with HH…cannot recommend them enough.
RV Life Pro– I would say that this is where we spent the vast majority of our limited internet time. This was what we used almost daily to look for our next place to stay. There is a WEALTH of information on this site about each site, the roads and whether they are safe for RVs or not, and things like dump sites. It’s gold, and so worth the $59 a year!
Internet on the road– If you plan on working from the road, get Starlink or another internet hot spot (but I was told by RVers constantly that Starlink performed the best)
Good Sam– another great way to save money on campsites. We used our Good Sam membership all the time! Every little bit adds up.
National Park Pass– this paid itself off in the first park visit or two.
KOA– we REALLY enjoyed checking out different KOAs. These campsites range from meh to amazing. They really are so much fun for kids as there is usually so much to do for kids on site.