Driving highways these days has to be timed out right. Traffic is crazy. People are crazy, a lot of crime these days too. What ever you choose make sure your camper door is solid and secured with good locks. Good luck
Saving - I prefer to call it "preparing" for retirement actually isn't that hard if you are serious about it. All you have to do is pay yourself first. Put something away for retirement every pay period. I don't care how bad things are, you can put a dollar or two in a retirement account out of every paycheck. when things get better, put more in the account. When there are enough funds available put some of it (most of it) in an IRA or an annuity. My biggest investment is in a mutual fund that has earned an average of a bit over 10% annually for the last couple of decades. Don't panic if some of your investments lose value for a year or two. My mutual fund lost about $40,000 in value last year, but still paid me north of $4,000 in capital gains and dividends - half of which I reinvested. Yup, I'm still saving for retirement even though I have been retired for more then 10 years. I also have a small whole-life insurance policy and some stocks as well. I am not rich nor have I ever had a job with a spectacular salary, I just put something away every pay period. After a while it gets to be a kind of fun thing to do. I don't make a ton of money in retirement, but between a relatively small pension, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, I'm doing OK. There is not a new Bentley in my immediate future though.
After a lifetime of camping from tents to a pop up, slide in pickup camper and now a 27' 5th wheel. My biggest piece of advice is you don't get a camper to save money. Get one because you like to camp. Buy used truck and trailer. I expect the used market to be flooded soon when all the people with no camping experience that got talked into big units during COVID look to get rid of them. I am in love with my 2002. Dodge Cummins. Avoid anything new enough for def and anything modified. I will be living in the camper this summer while I work as camp staff at a youth camp. If you go with a 5th wheel convert to gooseneck tow and you don't loose the bead to that big hitch. Good luck whatever you decide. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
I camp a lot. With not too much. Queen size bed-A/C (never had to use) Well stocked galley. 21mpg pulled with my 4cyl Colorado.
My uncle worked for WDOT for most his life bought a new monster motor home upon retirement and crashed it by falling asleep at the wheel on his second voyage. He was so crushed that he waited so long to afford it and then physically couldn’t keep it. Enjoy whatever you do just do it. I want to car camp and get a motel every other or third night. Not a fan of towing.
I've spent the last 25 years doing this kind of thing. I don't have any issues towing or not towing. ...and have now moved to this. I think I'll still offroad but I'm THRILLED to get a hold of a fun '72 Skylark with a mongo torque engine that makes very loud noises and gives you some G's when you hit the skinny pedal. I'm pretty over the tent camping thing. I do like my own bed rather than wondering whatever happened in the hotel room I rented. Bonus points to having your own cooties in an RV or similar I've always wanted to car travel throughout the country. A motorhome seems to be the best fit for that if I wanted to tow a ride behind. I don't know that I'd want a motorhome more than 2-3 years? Hard to say. A Super C seems like an ideal fit to tow with. Not many toy haulers can take the weight of a trail Jeep so that kind of rules those out. I've spent a LOT of $ trying out different tow rig setups. 2 Jeeps on a trailer, 1 Jeep on a trailer with a smaller SUV towing, travel trailers, etc. A capable motorhome or bus (they are capable but kind of meh to me. Every now and then you see a well executed unit that makes tons of sense) would haul a rig behind it without a wimper
Wow, you asked for opinions and the replies sure do run the spectrum (isn’t that always the case). Here is mine: We have tented, had a pop up camper, a 30ft class c and now a Newmar gas 38ft class a. None of the motor homes were bought new. Even if money was no object, I couldn’t see myself spending 350k and up when a well maintained quality built rv’s are available. Think Newmar, Tiffin etc. We never looked at buying a motorhome as an investment but did consider fun factor and tried to buy the best quality manufacturer we could afford ensuring the highest residual possible. We have done lots of regional trips to the coast and to see concerts and such along with cross country trips. The ability to do this with friends and family who have joined has been most enjoyable for us. We plan as well as we can for traffic and such but the real value comes in the experience. As some have stated, being able to drive and not have a specified check in or our time along with the ability to eat, cook and have a bathroom available is convenient. Is gas expensive, yup, but what isn’t? It’s part of the journey! I also have a suburban that is outfitted like a small overland camper we use for over the sand at the beaches and state parks that has served us well. Do we ever fly and stay in hotels, of course. There is nothing that says you cant do both. Good luck whatever you choose to do.
I say play it by ear ( retirement) plans usually change/ fall through Learn to adjust or compensate, health becomes a HUGE issue as we get older, while you may feel at the top of your game at 40/50 y/o, come 55/60’s maybe not so much. Enjoy life NOW, waiting till “The Big Day” may result in disappointment.
My mailing address is Naples, but I actually live in an unincorporated part of Collier County. If I owned the same amount of land that I do (about 11 acres) in Naples proper, I'd probably own the Bentley dealership. You are not wrong about fitting in with a Bentley or Roller; I see them virtually every day. About a year ago I was at a stoplight with a Bentley ragtop directly behind me, and another facing me waiting for their left turn arrow. On the same street (the Tamiami Trail) in Naples are BMW, Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Maserati dealerships. They all appear to be doing well. There is a lot of money down here. Every year the jet set puts on a wine auction to benefit children with serious health problems. Everything is donated, including presentations by five California wine makers who are flown in by (donated) private jet. In addition to high-end wines, there is lots of good stuff auctioned off. A 100-point restored Ford Bronco (!) brought $400,000. The whole shindig brought in about $20,000,000. I did not get an invitation to attend. Edit - The actual number raised was $26,000,000.
