What It’s Like Living In An RV: How Much is Life in an RV
As Alberta slowly enters the winter season, some are preparing to face the cold in their caravan. In Fort McMurray, for example, oil and construction workers prefer to live in recreational vehicles because of a lifestyle that is synonymous with freedom for them.
I love sitting here drinking coffee and watching the birds,” says Sonia Kozlow, who takes advantage of her landscaped garden whenever she can to get some fresh air and feed the lonely thrushes flying over her caravan.
Being in the wild is priceless for the 55-year-old Albertan who has been living with her husband in a recreational vehicle for six years. Their 12-meter-long house has electricity, a television, a fitted bathroom, and a spacious living room that can accommodate a dozen people.
If the couple lives in an RV, it is not out of obligation. “A lot of people don’t understand that we live here by choice,” says Kozlow. I like living in my trailer. We have privacy, space and this campsite here in Fort McMurray is clean and quiet. That’s ideal.
While her husband works as a mechanic in oil projects, Sonia prepares their home for the harsh winters of the North. Their vehicle is equipped to withstand the four seasons thanks to an insulating skirt that envelops the caravan. And it’s guaranteed for life,” she says proudly.
In the fall, a tarpaulin is installed to block the cold from the ground. But the most important part is the running water system: That’s where you really have to be careful. We’re going to cover and insulate the pipes in the next few days. Then, keep an eye on the thermometer daily to make sure nothing freezes.
The couple still pays $1390 per month for their location, including water and electricity. Their biggest expense is heating. During the colder months, it costs at least $400 per month to fill the propane canister.
People think we live in an RV because it’s cheaper, but it’s mostly because we feel at home like that, we feel free, concludes Sonia.
Overpriced rents in the city
Keely Dunford, too, is not one to live in an apartment. She lives a few meters away in one of 84 campsites at Centennial RV Park, on the outskirts of Fort McMurray, ten of which are occupied in winter.
According to Dunford, the majority of her neighbors work in the oil sector: It’s nicer to be able to go home rather than living in labor camps, in dormitories, with strangers.
While temperatures are already below zero, she admits she has work to do to properly insulate her vehicle, which is not yet wearing its winter coat.
Together with her husband, they have always been attracted to alternative life choices. Originally from Calgary, they came here to work in construction after the 2016 wildfires. They have been living in a caravan for more than two years for economic reasons.
The price of housing here is crazy. Rents easily reach $2,000. It’s worse than Calgary,” she says.
Life choices that divide
At a time when others need to end a lease or live with a mortgage over several decades, Keely and his companion can leave, if necessary, to any destination in less than 24 hours.
This is the other advantage for this 26-year-old: the feeling of freedom and detachment that this lifestyle offers, but a concept difficult to assimilate for her loved ones.
My family was surprised at first. My brothers and sisters thought it was very cool, but my parents are very traditional. They would prefer to live in a house and they are worried about my future.
The couple is now putting money aside. He dreams of buying land away from the big cities to build his own house one day
Lived in an RV all year round
“I have long enjoyed the freedom that an RV brings. (As in the phrase “VR Freedom”) In fact, living in an RV is more of a pleasure. It’s like all the amenities but close at hand.”
“With all the current restrictions, it is more and more common to stay in an RV, or even modify it. Personally, I lived for several months in an RV and learned a lot from it. So today I wanted to share my experience with you and help you better prepare,” said Kelly Gallagher, another camper from Ogden, Utah.
After hearing other campers’ stories, here are our reasons why living in RV is full of life
There are many constraints to living in a recreational vehicle, but fortunately, the good sides are more important and make, at times, our nomadic life exceptional.
Here’s what we enjoy to coexist with four in just over 100 square feet, glued like sardines.
- Short and fast, housekeeping
Cleaning up? With pleasure! Less than 15 minutes to pass the broom and wash the floor. A micro bathroom to scour, two small garbage cans to empty, six windows to clean.
The longest is dusting horizontal blinds, outdoor maintenance, and cleaning of mosquito nets. These works are less frequent and usually carried out on a beautiful sunny day, which makes the task more enjoyable.
- Own little
Do you know the contents of your cabinets in detail? I am proud to say that with the exception of toy storage, I know the contents of our thirteen cabinets and five drawers!
Life is simpler without superfluous; each of the objects has been chosen, its presence deserved and they are accessible relatively easily. If one new item enters the rolling house, another must come out. It is a policy that is applied fiercely.
- Eating well
For us, cooking is a great pleasure. We enjoy frequenting restaurants and discovering local cuisine, but traveling and being able to cook dishes at will is a much-appreciated luxury. With a little adaptation, the majority of revenues are achievable. Eating well is accessible and beneficial for both health and the portfolio.
- Sleeping out of the ordinary
Camping directly on a beach, in the desert, in the mountains, or in the city, while remaining in our comfort is one of the major positive aspects of our nomadic life. The autonomy of our vehicle makes access to new places that we would not otherwise have access to.
Once, for a few dollars, we were able to sleep in the middle of the city but close to the beach, right next to a five-star hotel.
- Freedom
The strongest argument of all, the freedom to move. We traveled by bicycle, backpacking, flying, sleeping in a tent, at the hotel, in rental accommodation. The most comfortable and pleasant is for us to travel with all our possessions. It’s impossible to forget an item at home since it comes with us! Hard to be caught off guard by the weather, all the clothes are there! In addition, if we don’t like the weather, the option to drive to another discovery is within our reach, for a few kilometers.
For those who enjoy traveling without losing all their bearings, life in VR is a great opportunity to satisfy this need for a change of scenery. It is possible to go on an adventure while finding, at the end of a day of discovery, a familiar and relaxing inner bubble, no matter how small.
