A Beginner's Guide to Living in an RV: Everything I Wish I Knew Before Full-Time RVing Across America (RV Travel Books)

This delightful book is nothing short of brilliant. It is dense and practical: every page is packed with useful information. It is entertaining: Padgett's writing style is wonderful, humorous, and insightful. It is timely: after reading this book you will have a sense of what a modern RV is, what RV living is nowadays, and what you need to do to prepare, whether it's a lifestyle or a hobby for you. The only caveat I'll offer is that it was published in 2017 and a few things have changed: unlimited data plans and mobile hotspots are easier to come by, and smartphones are a lot better at navigation today. This is a book that you want to have on hand all the time as you prepare for your new RV, or any long term trip. It is a book that you can - and will - read cover to cover, over and over. I don't give out a lot of 5 star reviews, and certainly not to first time self-published writers. But in this genre, Padgett stands head and shoulders above the rest. Buy this book.

This is a must read for anyone considering a lifestyle that includes full-time work and play while living in a recreational vehicle rather than a “traditional” home. I have owned a travel trailer and taken numerous extended family vacations to state and national parks, bureau of land management properties, and private land. The thought of doing this full-time has been a lifelong dream. Now that my wife and I have retired I hope to soon realize that dream of exploring and experiencing places that we have not yet ventured out to see, and revisiting those that we have enjoyed in the past, in one continuous journey from one destination to the next. I had questions that needed answers...Alyssa provided answers to many of those questions. Establishing ones legal domicile, insurance plans that work, and equally important, insurance that does not work. She has detailed good and bad experiences and explained what worked and didn’t work in her context. She provides experience with real situations, for example when a disabling breakdown occurred and a call was required to secure emergency services when traveling, or the plan versus the reality of scheduling and obtaining necessary routine maintenance and when warranty work is needed for minor repairs to the RV. These examples were insightful and informative. I appreciate the variety of RV resources hi-lighted, both free and especially pre-paid, including the ROI analysis for each based upon her firsthand experience. Thanks for a great read!

I have to admit that while we were contemplating making the leap to full-time RV life, I spent most of my time saving RV pins on Pinterest or mooning over fabulous Instagram photos, leaving my husband to deal with most of the actual research. If this book had come out a year ago, I might've quit dreaming and started learning. Still, it's valuable insight I'm glad the author shared. We did get an RV, but haven't yet graduated to full-time life (soon, though!!!). I learned a lot from the book, and it was an enjoyable read. Unlike most of the RV books hubby bought :D The author is knowledgeable, experienced, sassy, opinionated and at times pretty damn funny. This makes what might otherwise be a fairly mundane topic a pleasure to read. I dinged my rating by a star because of minor editing lapses near the end, and because she presents a few of her preferences as fact rather than a choice based on ones circumstances. But it's such a great guide for newbs like me that I wish Amazon would let me give it 4.5 stars.

This is the real deal book on the subject of RVs, buying an RV, and living the untethered lifestyle. I've been reading Alyssa's Facebook group page and also her blog (with husband Heath) for the past few months and the content and tone is so welcoming, so helpful -- this book only adds to the total amount of information both Alyssa and Heath generate and share. The distinct advantage to owning this book and having it handy is that the questions it answers and subjects it addresses are in a single, concise, well-written, and informative package. It's also just fun to read, as well. This is the definitive guide to planning, getting, and thriving -- on the road. Thanks Alyssa!!

Super handy guide. I'm a little while away from living the dream so I can't speak from an application standpoint, but there were some solid answers to almost every question I had. So much excellent information. Alyssa references apps to help you find free camping and I was surprised to see how many were around. I live in Idaho and thought I knew most of the campgrounds but these apps picked up some free sites that I didn't know about. The book is worth the money for that alone plus other little tidbits. Definitely keeping this on hand. Only thing not discussed is how to pick out a used RV in terms of mechanical and structural soundness. She mentioned they bought a Class A from Craigslist for 10 grand.... Seems like a gamble to me. Just imagine being hundreds (thousands?) of miles away from home and the engine or driveline catastrophically fails. You can and should hire a pro to look it over but you should know what they're doing and what their findings mean. Consider also that if you don't know what to look for how do you know that the pro looking over it is being thorough?

The author shares a lot of good info, but I'm not sure how realistic and applicable it is to most readers who are considering living in an RV. It reminds me of an old Steve Martin shtick-- "You can be a millionaire and never pay taxes. First, get a million bucks!"

Out of all the RV life books I have read, this is one of the best ones relating experiences, and tips. While not a page by page guide on how to make a mobile home, it gives many tricks and tips of the ups, downs, and in between’s of RV life. Highly recommended to people curious about van life, or anyone really!

I’ve been following the RV Entrepreneur podcast for some time and I cannot speak highly enough of this for its motivating ability I’m moving to full time RV life, and also development of a sustainable income. The book brings together the best advice possible that Alyssa is constantly asked by people about making the shift to Living in an RV.

I highly recommend it! It is interesting, it is very well writen and gives tons of good tips and information. I hope it is just the beginning of a series of guides for everyone who wants to dream or live on the road.

WILL START READING SOON

It was an easy read with some quick ideas to make the transition to rv living easier