Latest news with #RVliving
Wall Street Journal
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Wall Street Journal
‘Everyone Called Each Other Buddy': Texas Floods Wipe Out RV Communities
KERRVILLE, Texas—Two decades ago, Hurricane Rita destroyed Keith and Karel Halbert's house in Silsbee, Texas. They moved about 300 miles west to Texas Hill country, thinking it was safer ground. 'That's what brought us to Kerrville, the hurricanes,' said Keith Halbert, a 59-year-old mechanic. They lived just outside town in a 24-foot recreational vehicle, a common sight in a community packed with RVs. Full-time residents, retirees, vacationers, traveling nurses and pipeline workers formed their own communities in RV parks alongside the Guadalupe River.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dallas woman wants to live in an RV with her husband, kid and 2 dogs — but The Ramsey Show hosts have concerns
Sometimes, when you're in dire financial straits, your parents are able to bail you out. That's what happened to Rachel from Dallas, Texas who recently called into The Ramsey Show looking for advice. Rachel's home flooded in 2023, so her parents helped out by loaning her an RV to live in. Since then, Rachel — along with her husband, toddler and two dogs — have been living in the RV on her parents' property. Doing so has allowed them to save some money and pay off debt. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it However, Rachel's parents need their aging RV back, so she's looking to buy her own — even though she still has $40,000 of debt. Ramsey Show hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman had some firm advice in that regard. Rachel has been doing better financially while living in her parents' RV. She's saved a little and put a fair amount of money toward her debt. But Rachel's parents are now retired and could use some extra money, so she wants to return their RV so they can sell it. And Rachel believes that buying her own RV will be more cost-effective than paying rent. But Warshaw and Coleman warned her that doing so would require taking on more debt. Since she already has $40,000 in debt, they strongly advised against it. "You should not stop paying down your debt to buy an RV," Coleman said on the call, point blank. "You have no idea what the RV is going to cost, you only have $2,500 in savings … and you're presenting to us as though you can't even afford to pay rent." Rachel's take-home pay is $70,000 annually, and her husband earns $11 per hour in a job he has held for a short time. Based on their take-home pay, Warshaw ran the numbers and told Rachel she should spend a maximum of $1,250 per month on rent. She warned that if they go beyond that, it will be hard to make progress on their debt. Coleman suggested two things: moving closer to Rachel's place of work and having her husband pause his marine biology studies, which could open the door to the husband finding a better-paying job. "I'm not in any way crapping on the dream," said Coleman with regard to the husband's degree. Rather, he wants the husband to put his degree on hold while the family tackles so much debt. "You all need to get your income up and change your lifestyle," Coleman said. And once the family is in a better place, returning to school could be more feasible for Rachel's husband, as could buying an RV of their own. Read more: You don't have to be a millionaire to gain access to . In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here's how It's clear that Rachel's family is in a tough spot. However, many others are also carrying their fair share of debt. According to Experian, as of the third quarter of 2024, Americans collectively owed $17.57 trillion in total debt. And while the majority of that was mortgage debt, auto loan and credit card debt also rose on an annual basis. If you're serious about paying off debt, try to boost your household's income — something Coleman suggested to Rachel. That might mean switching companies, roles or starting a side hustle. Recent data from the American Staffing Association found that 64% of workers plan to take on a second job or start a side hustle in the year ahead. If you have similar plans, you'll be in good company. Once you're earning more money, you can total up your debts and create a strategy to pay them off. Two common methods include the debt avalanche and debt snowball. With the debt avalanche strategy, you order your debts from highest to lowest in terms of interest rate and pay them off in that order. This means that if you owe $16,000 on a credit card with a 24% APR, $12,000 on a personal loan with a 9% APR and $14,000 in student loans with an 8% APR, that's the order you would tackle your debts in. But you still need to make minimum payments on the other balances. With the snowball method, you pay off your debts in order of smallest balance to largest. In this example, you'd pay off the personal loan first, followed by the student loans and then the credit cards. Minimum payments are also made on the other balances in this method too. You'll pay less interest with the avalanche method, but the snowball method has a psychological benefit and can be more motivating. That's because by paying off smaller debts first, you can enjoy some quick wins on the road to being debt-free. There's really no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing between these two options, so you should think about which is likely to work best for you. Once you've decided on a payoff method, determine the total amount of your essential monthly expenses, then set up automatic payments toward the debt you're trying to address first. For example, if you have $400 available after your fixed expenses, including the minimum payments you're making on your debts, send that amount to the debt you're tackling first. The sooner you eliminate debt, the more money you can save on interest, and the more peace of mind you can gain. So it's worth making some sacrifices for a while to enjoy the freedom of being debt-free. Finally, look for ways to reduce your spending. This will help you speed up your debt payoff timeline. That could mean getting a roommate or moving to a more affordable rental for a year, carpooling to work to save on gas or canceling any streaming subscriptions you don't need. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Redditor Is Concerned About Their Brother Financing An RV Because Rent Is Too High: 'My Gut Tells Me This Is A Poverty Trap'
Sometimes, you have to downsize to cut costs. It's pretty common for retirees to reduce their costs to give their nest eggs more mileage. However, cutting costs can also make people comfortable with staying low instead of pushing toward challenges. That's why a Redditor is concerned that her brother wants to finance an RV because rent is too high. The brother is married with kids, and this decision can reduce costs while giving him ownership of an asset. However, the Redditor isn't sure if it's a good idea. "My gut tells me this is a poverty trap," the Redditor explained. Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Other Redditors jumped into the comments to share their thoughts about financing an RV. RV living has been growing since the pandemic due to its affordability and flexibility. The Personal Finance Reddit community suggested getting an RV that's a few years old to save on costs. New RVs are more expensive, and they have higher insurance and maintenance costs as well. However, the brother will have to buy an RV that is less than 10 years old. Most long-term RV parks will not let you park your RV there if it is more than 10 years old. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Living in an RV may be a poverty trap if the brother doesn't have the goal of owning a house in the future. Having a bigger goal can inspire you to work harder and put yourself in a better community. While each RV community is different, he may get comfortable with owning an RV and scrape by with that setup. We don't know about the brother's level of ambition or the people he surrounds himself with. However, if he isn't surrounded by ambitious people, he is unlikely to become more ambitious than he currently is. This mentality can also help the brother when the RV inevitably needs repairs or breaks down. RVs don't last forever, and RV parks can boost their rents at any time. Most RVs can last for 100,000 to 300,000 miles, with a range of 10 to 30 RV living has risks, it can be a great idea if you approach it with the right mentality. One Redditor explained in the comments that they know doctors and nurses who have lived in RVs for two to five years to save money. Then, they were able to become debt-free and buy their dream home. The doctors and nurses in this example could have bought a smaller home instead of living in an RV. However, they now have much larger homes in more desirable locations. Doctors and nurses aren't the only ones to capitalize on the RV living costs. The original poster mentioned that the brother has that type of plan. RV living as a short-term solution can bolster your finances and set you up for a better lifestyle in the future. Read Next: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article A Redditor Is Concerned About Their Brother Financing An RV Because Rent Is Too High: 'My Gut Tells Me This Is A Poverty Trap' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Associated Press
11-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Associated Press
Time to RV Unveils Expert-Curated Guide for Full-Time RV Beginners
New guide from Time to RV supports families taking the leap into full-time RV living—includes tips, planning help, and real-world insights. FL, UNITED STATES, May 11, 2025 / / -- Time to RV Publishes Free Educational Guide for Families Exploring Full-Time RV Living Time to RV, a family travel and lifestyle platform, has released a free digital guide designed to help individuals and families navigate the transition to full-time RV living. The resource, The Ultimate Guide to Full-Time RV Living, offers a comprehensive overview of the key considerations involved in adopting a mobile lifestyle. Interest in full-time RV living has grown steadily in recent years, especially among families seeking alternatives to traditional housing, education, and work-life balance. However, the path to becoming a full-time RVer involves multiple logistical, financial, and lifestyle adjustments that are often difficult to research or understand through fragmented sources. The guide aims to serve as a central reference for those evaluating or preparing for full-time travel. Topics covered include selecting a suitable RV, budgeting and expenses, mobile internet options, route planning, and considerations for homeschooling on the road. It also addresses commonly asked questions related to mail forwarding, insurance, and RV park memberships. 'We created this resource to support others who are looking for a structured way to plan their transition,' said Lauren Gamble, co-founder of Time to RV. 'Many of the questions we receive center around practical decisions that need to be made early in the process. This guide is meant to provide clarity on those points.' In addition to checklists and planning tools, the guide includes personal insights from full-time RVers who have experienced both the challenges and benefits of life on the road. It is intended for families, couples, or solo travelers considering RV living on a short- or long-term basis. Key sections include: Overview of lifestyle and mindset changes associated with full-time RV travel Guidance on choosing between RV types and layouts Monthly budgeting frameworks with sample expenses Homeschooling resources for families with children Tools for maintaining reliable internet access on the road Route planning strategies and campground selection tips The guide is available to download free of charge at: About Time to RV Time to RV is a digital platform created by Lauren and Donny Gamble, who began traveling full-time with their family in 2024. The site provides practical information for RVers of all experience levels, including destination reviews, travel planning strategies, and educational resources related to RV living. Media Contact: Lauren Gamble Email: [email protected] Website: Lauren Gamble Time to RV email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
