We bought an RV!

I like to be spontaneous. I appreciate a well-ordered and executed plan, but sometimes I just like to get an idea and run with it. I mentioned in a previous post that we were planning a big cross-country move, and that has morphed into a completely new adventure: we're going to live in an RV.
The craziness of this idea hasn't completely set in, there are three more weeks of preparation that we have to endure before our drop dead date. But we are frantically trying to figure out how this is going to work.
NO job. NO permanent address.
Just me, my Anya, my daughter the spiritwolf, and our fur companions, Muffins (the dog) and Kitty (the cat). Sharing a space not much bigger than our current kitchen!
Fortunately, we come from a long line of people that enjoy being in close proximity. My mother used to always say, "Just give us four square feet." Now that's going to be a reality.
The best part? We don't have any RV'ing experience. Zero. Everything that we know about it, we are learning from the internet.
So this ought to be a very interesting adventure!!

Tips for first time RV buyers:

1. Do your homework. There are things that we learned about our rig that we didn't know until AFTER we purchased it. Things that are going to require costly repair. There are a million RV blogs and resources out there, and you would be doing yourself a favor to check as many out as you can.
2. Join an RV club. We are members of Escapees, and I highly recommend it. The communal feeling is helpful for the confidence level. Particularly when you're just starting out from scratch like we are.
3. Be prepared to spend more than you think you want to. RV's are a significant investment. Even if you're only going to be using it for holidays and occasional camping, there are tons of hidden costs that you should be prepared for. If you can afford it, find a place like National Indoor RV Center where they do all of your off-season maintenance as well as getting your rig ready for trips. Storage and maintenance all in one place? Yeah, that's perfect.
4. You can do it! Even though it's a daunting thing, and sounds scary, it's completely doable. The people that founded Escapees did it when they were in their 40's with kids, pets and less than $1000 in savings. Chase your dream!