Wednesday, December 21, 2011

RV Living Verses Apartment Living

!±8± RV Living Verses Apartment Living

A couple of years ago my wife and I decided we were going to travel the US in a semi-retired state. We kicked out the kids (all over 21), sold our home and purchased an RV. Well live situations change and we didn't get on the road, at least not yet. We ended up staying in the area and taking full time jobs. But we decided at the time to stay in the RV as full-timers.

The purpose of the article is to offer some insight as to the possibilities of using RV's instead of apartments and the advantages of Rving. First a little background for those that are not familiar with the Recreational Vehicle (RV) terms. RVs are classified into several different categories.

Class A are the bus like vehicles you see traveling down the road. These are also called Motorhomes and for good reason. Class A's are the cream of the crop so to speak. They are the most expensive in terms of cost but have the most storage and amenities. I have seen some really nice Class A's and when it comes time for us to upgrade or trade in our current RV we will be looking at the Class A again. However, my tastes start in the 0,000 range, which is a little hard for me to justify.

Next are Class B, these are mini motorhomes. They are built on a light to medium truck chassis and can be identified by the truck cab appearance of the vehicle. In my opinion, these will not be suitable for full time use unless you really like small places. Some newer Class Bs are including what are called slides which are sections of the RV that 'slide out' from the body giving you more living space inside. Living space is what you will be looking for in the long run.

After the Class B comes Fifth Wheels. Fifth Wheels are trailers that are pulled by pickup trucks. So to get a fifth wheel you will also need a pickup truck of appropriate size. I would figure at least a ¾ ton pickup. Fifth wheels offer an advantage over Class A and Class B in that once you have the fifth wheel set up on a campsite, the truck is detached and can be used as a means of transportation. With Class A & B RV's you will need to either tow or bring another vehicle with you to get around. Fifth wheels approach the Class A RV in amenities and in some cases have more space. Dollar for dollar you will get more living space in a fifth wheel than a Class A.

However, you do need an expensive tow vehicle (truck) which has to be considered as part of the purchase. The fifth wheel is also part of a class considered as 'Towables'. The next 'towable' is the travel trailer (TT). These are similar to the fifth wheel except in the connections to the tow vehicle. With TT you connect to a hitch that sits near the bumper of the vehicle. Hence, just about any vehicle has the capabilities of towing a TT depending on size and weight of course. Class A, Fifth Wheels and Travel Trailers are the 3 main RV that you will find people living in on a fulltime basis. After the TT comes the camper class. These are light weight RV really not suitable for full time, however, I have met people that are full-timers in pop-ups, truck campers and even tents. The top of the line for the camper class is probably the truck campers.

These are units that slide into the bed of a pickup truck. In general, the max length is no more than 12 feet from front to back and maybe 10 feet side to side. They are very compact. These offer the ultimate in freedom, in that they are quick to setup and take down so that you can move quickly from place to place. However, just like the class A & B, your home is also your transportation, unless you bring another vehicle with you. The last group of towables is the popup or tent trailers. These have a study box frame and as the name implies pop up or lift up to raise the roof over the frame. This class of campers usually have soft sides made of cloth. I have used popups for years as an alternative to hotels while on assignments around the country. Even did some camping in the middle of winter with snow on the ground in a popup. Needless to say, a heater was required and it ran all day and all night. At night it wasn't able to keep up with the cold so the morning was a little fun getting out of bed. It was 20 degrees outside and about 50 inside.

That is a basic overview of the types of RV's available. As mentioned before, Class A, Fifth wheel and Travel Trailers are the units that most people will find suitable for full-time living.

Our experiences with living full-time in an RV.

We currently have a fifth wheel. Ours is from Jayco and is 38 feet long with 3 slides. One slide is in the bedroom, the other two slides are in the living room one on each side of the trailer. After almost 3 years in the RV as full-timers, we both love it. My wife likes to say it takes less than an hour to clean from front to back, floor to ceiling.

Let's start with the financial side of living in a RV. You have the cost of the RV. These are to be treated just like cars. If you buy new, you will take a beating on depreciation. However, like a home, the interest is tax deductible. So the best deal seems to be a unit that is a year or two old and financed. If you want to buy new, figure a discount of about 25-30% off from the list price. Our unit was a 2003 still on the lot in 2005 with the 2006 units being delivered. The sticker price was over ,000. We paid ,000 saving us about 38 percent. Now at the time we did not have a tow vehicle so the dealer delivered the fifth wheel to a near by campground.

Oak Grove in Hatfield, PA is a year round campground. This is important. You want to find a campground that offers year round operations. You don't want to have to move out in the wintertime. A lot of camp grounds close from November to March or early April. When we started there our rent was 5 a month and included water and electric. Our only other expense was propane for heating and hot water. Oak Grove supplied 2- 100 lb propane tanks and they automatically changed the tanks for us. This is really nice, kind of like automatic oil delivery when you own a house. During the warmer months we hardly use any propane, maybe a bottle every other month if that. However, wintertime we will use 3-4 bottles a month due to the heater. Currently propane runs about a bottle. So from the standpoint of renting an apartment to living in an RV expenses are normally cheaper. My daughter pays 0 a month for an apartment near us and we pay on average 5-450.

Other benefits of living in a RV - people! The people you find camping are the most wonderful folks you will ever come across. They are friendly, helpful, young at heart and just plain nice to be around. We have been avid campers since before we were married. I used to sneak down to DE where my wife (girlfriend at the time) and her family were camping and pitch a tent, then make myself part of the family. In the almost 40 years we have been together and camping we have never met anyone that was rude, a thief, or not willing to lend a hand if asked. In fact we have had more offers of help without asking than anytime we lived in a house or apartment.

It's funny, but when I traveled and stayed at hotels, you almost felt like a ghost or leopard or something. Heaven forbid if you said 'hi' to someone in the elevator or hallway. But when camping, everyone waves as you walk by, some will offer drinks or have you sit by the fire and chat for hours. Its like we are all family.

Speaking of fires, what is it about a campfire? To sit down at night around a nice campfire is so relaxing. Nothing needs to be said, just watch the flames and it seems all the stress just floats away. But campfires have another benefit, food. Nothing tastes better than food cooked over an open fire. Try doing that in an apartment.

Rving has another benefit, vacations. If you live in an apartment, you vacation consist of going to a destination, finding a hotel/motel, eating out every meal, and taking enough clothes with you for the length of the vacation. When you live in a RV, your home goes with you. 30-40 minutes to pack the RV, disconnect the utilities and hook up to the truck and you are on the road. When you get to your vacation destination, another 30-40 minutes and you are ready to enjoy the sites. Meals are not a problem, you have a complete kitchen already stocked just like at home, since it is home. On a special diet? No problem, you normal routine is uninterrupted. Clothes get dirty, a lot of RV come with washers and dryers, so you can do your laundry while relaxing in the evenings or before you get started for the day. Rving is usually cheaper too. When you compare the expenses you will find the RV trip is a lot cheaper than hotel/restaurant trip.

These are just a few of the things to consider when you look at living in an apartment verse living in a RV. I hope you have found the information useful.


RV Living Verses Apartment Living

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Top Load Washing Machine Benefits - Why They Can Be Better Than Front Load Washers

!±8± Top Load Washing Machine Benefits - Why They Can Be Better Than Front Load Washers

With the numerous front load washers now available in the market, top loaders are now a thing of the past. But despite the advancement of washing machine technology, a lot of people still prefer the convenience of using top loaders.

There are actually a lot of benefits of top loading washers that cannot be provided by its front loading counterpart. Here are just some of them:

1. Easier to use
You don't have to be a genius to manipulate this washer. Its relatively simpler controls are easier to understand. Older people trying to wash their clothes without a hitch will surely find this machine a better and a more reliable choice.

The vertical construction of the machine also makes it more ergonomic. Old people do not have to bend down to load and unload their garments. You can just throw your clothes in the vertical drum of this machine.

2. Easier to install
This machine does not have a lot of fussy parts. You just need to hook it up to a water source, have an electrical outlet nearby and direct the drain hose to your drain pipe and you are good to go. Most top loading machines also include platforms. These platforms will elevate the machine to make it easier to load and unload garments. The platforms also help reduce washing machine noise.

3. Cheaper
If you have less than 400 hundred dollars, you can already buy a fully functional and fully reliable top loader. Its front loading counterpart costs nearly twice as much as a regular top load.

4. More durable
The more parts and nifty features incorporated in a washer, the higher the chances of breakage are. If a front loading machine has sensors, those sensors might eventually give out. Replacement and maintenance cost a lot of money.

5. More resistant to molds and mildew
The machine drains out water more effectively because of its vertical drum. In addition to that, you can just leave its top door open all the time to allow air to circulate inside the washer and dry up the parts you cannot reach.

Perhaps the only thing that will deter you from choosing this type of machine is its inefficiency. Compared to front loads, this is a less efficient choice. But there are now a lot of companies who have developed improved versions of the traditional vertical drum washing technology. These machines are now called HE top loaders. These washers have the benefits mentioned above but with the efficiency similar to front loaders.


Top Load Washing Machine Benefits - Why They Can Be Better Than Front Load Washers

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Monday, November 7, 2011

GE GFDN110ELWW 27 7.0 cu. ft. Front-Load Electric Dryer - White

!±8± GE GFDN110ELWW 27 7.0 cu. ft. Front-Load Electric Dryer - White

Brand : General Electric | Rate : | Price :
Post Date : Nov 07, 2011 11:09:50 | Usually ships in 1-2 business days


  • 7.0 cu. ft. Capacity
  • 10 Dry Cycles
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  • 4 Heat Selections
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GE GFDN110ELWW 27 7.0 cu. ft. Front-Load Electric Dryer - White

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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

7.0 Cu. Ft. Capacity 27" Coin-Operated Gas Dryer With Greenwald Coin System LED Readout Galvanized Steel Cabinet 3 Cycles & In White

!±8±7.0 Cu. Ft. Capacity 27" Coin-Operated Gas Dryer With Greenwald Coin System LED Readout Galvanized Steel Cabinet 3 Cycles & In White

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Post Date : Nov 03, 2011 01:03:36
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70 Cu Ft Capacity Coin-Operated Gas Dryer 3 Cycles Greenwald Coin System Galvanized Steel Cabinet LED Readout White

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Sunday, September 25, 2011

General Electric PFWS4605LMG - GE Profile 5.1 IEC cu. ft. stainless steel capacity frontload washer with Steam

!±8±General Electric PFWS4605LMG - GE Profile 5.1 IEC cu. ft. stainless steel capacity frontload washer with Steam

Brand : General Electric
Rate :
Price :
Post Date : Sep 25, 2011 19:00:13
Usually ships in 2-3 business days



The GE PFWS4605LMG GE Energy Star Profile Front Load Steam Washer features pre-set specialty cycles, vibration control, Steam Refresh and Steam Assist making this one powerful washer and also one of the biggest capacity in GE's lineup. APPEARANCEFront Load DesignTilted Stainless Steel Wash DrumSee-Thru Glass Window DoorTrueGrip™ HandleCAPACITY4.3 Cu. Ft. DOE CapacityCONTROLSRotary-Electronic ControlsLED Cycle CountdownLED Status IndicatorsWASHING SYSTEMAutomatic Water Level AdjustmentAdaptive Vibration Control™HydroHeater™ Temperature ControlHydroMotion™1300 RPM Maximum Spin SpeedHydroTemp™Stain Inspector™ SystemWASH CYCLES2nd RinseActive Wear CycleDrain and SpinPre-Wash CycleSpeed Wash1 Custom Cycle5 Wash/Rinse Temperatures w/ SanitizeBasketClean™ CycleColors CycleWhites Cycle-Heavy DutyAdaptive Fill Water LevelsDelicates CycleMultiple Wash CyclesSteam AssistSteamRefreshEasy CareHand Wash5 Optional Soils LevelsE-WashCONVENIENCE FEATURESBleach Timed Flow-Thru™ DispenserFabric Softener

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