I have been a (single)mom for almost 7 years, and I can tell you from experience: The three biggest stressors facing (single)parents are financial stress, overwhelm, and lack of support.
Living in an RV full-time might sound tough, but here are three reasons why RV life actually benefits single parents.
1) RV life alleviates financial stress.
Do you know how many wonderful, otherwise-successful single mothers faced homelessness this year? Too many to count.
Women who were able to make their bills one month and then couldn’t due to changes in life circumstances.
Stay at home moms and working moms, alike. Women I know personally. Myself included.
The stress and financial instability that comes from raising children alone can be unbearable with the rising cost of living, the changing market, and not being able to rely on consistent support from the other parent.
You can find creative solutions for the cost of some of the expensive RV parks, such as boondocking or renting a spot from a friend.
Having an RV can be the difference between financial stagnation and financial abundance.
Families who own their own home have the means to travel inexpensively. They also have the freedom to pursue careers or businesses that would give them true financial stability and the means to save, without the month to month stress of making rent or a mortgage.
Imagine how much your quality of life will go up when you switch to RV living!
2) RV life allows families to minimize and simplify their lives, thus decreasing the overwhelm.
Less stuff means less to do! Fewer toys to organize! Less space to clean! Best of all–more time to be present for yourself and your children.
RV life means you need less money to live, which means less time spent needing to work, which means more options to travel and unschool.
Imagine the decrease in stress from not needing to run around, rush the kids out of bed, and off to school.
Stress from working full time and the overwhelm of trying to balance it all is a huge factor in parent burn out. Why not do whatever you can to decrease that?
The ability to be present and not constantly multi-tasking is huge for a (single) parent and huge for your kids, too.
Get RV LIVING: An Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To The Full-time RV Life – 111 Exclusive Tips And Tricks For Motorhome Living, including Boondocking here on Amazon!3) RV Life allows families to live in a community and have a built-in support system.
One of the biggest stressors for a (single) mom is not having a support system. There is no one to pass the kids off to when you’ve had a rough day and need a break.
Who can you count on when you need a second to breathe? It’s no wonder that (single) parents report that they struggle with impatience and overwhelm.
When you are surrounded by other families with children, your children are naturally happy and entertained.
There are other families that you can bond with, and even trade childcare with. It’s not only beneficial for children, but for the emotional health of mothers and fathers.
I’ve currently taken the first steps in downsizing to get ready for tiny living and I’m now saving for a camper. The benefits to my family will be life changing!
Do you have any plans to downsize? Tell me in the comments below!
I am currently in the downsizing portion. My husband and I have no kids and have seriously been discussing selling our small house we bought two years ago and purchasing an RV to travel in full time. He’s still not 100% onboard with the idea, but we’ve given ourselves a year to be mostly debt free so we can be more financially prepared.
That’s wonderful!
I’m slightly intimidated by the skill set needed to do it on a budget and care of the RV, but I definitely feel that it is the next step on our adventure.
When I become pregnant 7 years ago, I decided to downsize, and change my life. I did. I sold unnecessary possessions, and paid of debts. I have from time tom time rented places, and at times bartered housing for work, for almost three years I lived in my RV full time. My baby was 10 months old when I became a full time RV:er at first. It was wonderful. I could definitely see myself going back to that.
So inspirational! Thank you for sharing! I’ve done the same with bartering and live-in positions. I loved our little rental home, but the cost of it was not worth the stress of making the bills. I’m trying to decide what type of RV would work for us.
I would like to travel for a bit and pulling a trailer intimidates me. I’m thinking about a Class B or C camper van.
Having been a single mother for 44 years now, I wish ferverently that I had read your artical those many years ago! Now, I am a single senior on a fixed disability pension. I would like to try RV living but worry about enough monthly income. With my disability, I am unable to increase budget with casual labour. Anyone out there in a similar situation?
I bought a RV in May and am currently working on fixing the interior up. I am renting an apartment currently and feel so trapped. I started searching this weekend for a better way. I need to figure out how to make a mobile income so I can hit the road with my son.
Great idea! Pollute the air we all breathe driving a giant RV around while promoting horrific oil wars, oil spill disasters, and endless destructive road, refinery, ship and pipeline building, all the while funding and empowering ruthless, destructive corporations and governments hell bent on profit at any cost, environmental or humanitarian.
Oh well, taking responsibility for the planet we live on and our fellow creatures and humans is someone else’s problem, I guess.
I leave my skoolie parked for a year at a time at different properties so I can really enjoy different parts of the world. I doubt I use a lot of fossil fuels when I move her that slowly and infrequently… I am saving so much energy by living tiny!
You only need to drive to your parking spot or your piece of land.
I finally have one and it’s stationary.
As a single, hardworking mother, it has been a constant challenge between making sure my childrens needs are always being met, and getting the day to day tasks done to ensure we had/have what we need. To where, I would totally sacrifice my owns needs to make sure that my children had/have what they need. We are now currently homeless staying on a couch at a family members house, living check to check, hardly able to make ends meet. Since being evicted, my children and I have learned to live with very little belongings. We had to downsize our belongings… Read more »
Joanni, I believe in you! You can do this! For yourself and for the kids! Living in a converted school bus has been the best decision of my parenting life – the kids have really learned what it means to live without so much STUFF!
Tear. I could of write this myself. All but one son still in public school but this timing couldn’t be better. I just bought a camper. I get it Friday. I’m telling you the more I read about this, the more excited I am. My sons are super ready to have their own space and just like the article said.. the financial burden of providing with no support is becoming more a reality of serious relief.
Please send us an update when you get the RV!
You can do it. Things just started turning around for me and we are renovating.
I am a single mom of 2 and had bought a house. My oldest wanted to go live with his dad which means I am completely financially on my own for my daughter. I had planned on struggling in this house but once he moved out and the inconsistent child support would come to an end I knew I had to do something. We close on our house in 4 days and we will are on a hunt for our full time RV. We are going to be stationary in a park. I will just be so glad to have… Read more »
Please keep us updated! Glad you are finding a solution!
I’m so excited for you!
[…] Three Reasons Full Time RV Life is the Stress Free Solution for (Single) Parents […]
Do you typically park somewhere for a period? Trying to figure out the details so I can do this eith my 2 boys! 🤍
I was living at a park with other Homeschooling families, then we moved to my friend’s property and we are so happy! It’s amazing and our quality of life has improved so much!
This article is helpful to me, thank you for sharing! I am a single mother of 3 and am strongly considering buying a used Class C RV and living full time just the 4 of us. But a part of me is terrified! Lol.