What’s Rv Chickadee’s deal??

Helloooooo! My name is Kelly Beasley. I am the co-founder of the all-in-one guide and review website CampAddict.com.

How Do You Make Money, Living In An RV?

Well, when I started, I was a writer for VIE Magazine, and I worked part-time for their parent company, The Idea Boutique.

Next, I worked for Appen as a social media consultant. I also had a rental in Florida that gave me a pretty darn good chunk of income. (Sold it Feb 2018)

My new venture started when I met my now business partner, Marshall Wendler in January of 2016.

He knew so much that I didn’t about everything RVing, and we saw a need for a site where people could get all of their answers about RV products they are using or need.

I had the design, writing, and research, and social skills. Marshall had the website creation and back-end knowledge.

More importantly, he had the RV technical knowledge for us to help teach others what they couldn’t find or learn elsewhere find on the internet.

We quit our online jobs mid-year in 2016 to work full time on the new website.

In essence, I created my own income by creating and designing an educational affiliate website. Camp Addict.

It supports me and my business partner full-time now.

Why Live In An RV?

I’m a single, animal loving girl in her 40’s. I am mostly from Northwest Florida. Why did I leave for the freedom of living in an RV?

I got VERY tired of Florida, for one. Why? Well, the mosquitos, heat, humidity, cold, lack of seasons, fire ants, mold, hurricanes, jellyfish, no mountains, not even hills, yellow flies (pic below), endless pine trees, unspectacular fall color, no snow to look at, rednecks, sunburns, flooding (my backyard, below), poison ivy, hornets, rain, and most of all, the ROACHES. Geez, you probably wonder why I left the sunshine state. 😂 Let’s not forget skin cancer.

 

I knew I wanted to live elsewhere. But, where?

I wanted to live (very) far away from the southeast. But traditional moving is a big commitment.

Not to mention it’s very expensive to pack up all of your stuff, only to move to a new, unknown city and move in, only to find you may not like it. Or worse, cannot find a job.

Being an adventurous spirit and having always been a frugal gal and good with my money, the idea of living in an RV sounded SPLENDID to me.

Why not??? I had done all of the other traditional stuff… have bought three houses, had the boyfriend, been married, got the dog, fenced yard, the job, etc.

And I was left unfulfilled. I was happiest when I traveled.

Hell, my mom sold her very nice house about 20 years ago and has lived in her RV ever since.

It’s cheap, I could literally live for free on public land out west, and I could live wherever I felt like living.

What’s not to like? I could move anytime, and see the country for just the cost of gas. I haven’t met a full-time RVer yet who said: “I need a vacation”. 😂

This idea originated in November of 2014, and by May of 2015, I was a legit nomad on the road to everywhere. I have whole heartedly embraced this lifestyle ever since.

Learning and Embracing Minimalism

Being a ‘minimalist’ pretty much comes with the territory of RV life. You have no choice, really because you have very little space.

However, I like to push the envelope. Because of how I live, I notice way more how much of a ‘footprint’ I do or don’t leave.

Utilities- I have to gather my ‘utilities’ and keep track of them and manage them (water, gas, propane, solar) because I boondock exclusively.

I don’t stay in RV parks where these things are provided for me, for a price. Me? I find them myself and I get to live for free.

The cost is that I have to do a little research to find these things, and oh, I have to suffer by having some of the greatest views for a backyard in the country.

For free. Woe is me. (HA!)

I keep my water bags in the black container, generator is the blue and there’s a gas tank in there somewhere, (I used to have two. Now only one) while solar panels are out, being used.

Trash- I don’t have a dumpster right up the street. I have to store my trash until I get into town.

Seeing it for longer makes me more aware of it and of how wasteful our society is. I do my best to use as little toilet paper and paper towels as I can.

I try not to buy food that has excessive packaging. I try to recycle when I can.

Stuff- Getting rid of things has become almost a game to me now.

It’s like my own personal challenge to see how much I can live without and how much I actually DO need. I keep downsizing, again and again.

 

I own maybe 30% of what I started out with. I’m still pitching and selling and giving away. Much of my storage space in my rig is empty now. I didn’t need all of that stuff. I am happier without it. It doesn’t rule my life anymore.

What do I miss that I have pitched? Nothing. Nothing at all.

Rig- I also sort of want to get a smaller travel trailer.

It will be more gas efficient to pull since it will be lighter and it will allow me to get to stealthier boondocking locations than I can currently make it to because it will be lighter and shorter than my current 24′ TT.

I am also dying to have a Toyota Tacoma. For now, I  have a Ford Raptor. Its got its pros and cons.

Simplicity- I like the idea of having very little that can break, or having mostly stuff I can fix.

This means less maintenance and fixing of the stuff I have. I do have a comfort minimum though. I tried out the bucket method, and it only lasted three days. I’ll keep a toilet, thank you!

My Travel Buddies, Gizmo and Trixie

I live with two Chi type dogs that follow me around, one being quart sized (Trixie) and one being pint-sized (Gizmo, the Chihuahua).

These dogs live better than they ever did. Now they have the freedom of being off leash and having new places to smell all the time.

YES- I watch them like a  hawk when we are out on a walk and when around the campsite, they are always within eyeshot.

Gizmo could be carried off by a sparrow. She’s 2.4 lbs, y’all. She’s smaller in person than you can tell in photos.

Finding RV Friends

I am surprised to find so many others around my age who live this nomadic lifestyle, and I like pretty much everyone I have met.

I have a great community of new friends including like-minded Gen- Xers, and Millenials with some Boomers in there as well.

I thought it would be all boomers, but happily, I have found peeps my age and even way younger and way older who are very cool.

You can meet people through Instagram. I couldn’t believe it when I heard this, but it’s true. Using travel-related hashtags, you can find others who are full-timing.

Chat here and there with them, and if you find yourself near them, you can plan to meet up. Facebook is another place you could find people like yourself.

Mostly though, I have found SO many friends through Xscapers. I am an ‘almost’ original member, and it has grown by leaps and bounds since 2015!

Is Full-Time RVing As A Solo Lonely?

RV life is not lonely if you are willing to be social.

In fact, these days there are times when I need a break from socializing!

This happens mostly in the winter months when most full-time RVers are in southern Arizona and California to escape the winter cold and snow.

I am always parked with friends. Other times I am visiting old friends or family. We are nomads and we are fairly rare so we bond easily. Birds of a feather…

RvChickadee Is Gonna Be In An RVing Documentary?

Oh, you heard this crazy rumor?🙄

Well, believe it or not, yes!😁

It’s called, well, RV Nomads.

You can watch it HERE.

I’m super excited to have been picked to help to show the world what this nomadic lifestyle is really all about.

It’s sort of like a new American dream that thousands and thousands of Americans are starting to embrace. It’s really an honor to be a part of it and I can’t wait to see the end result.

It will premiere in October of 2018. We will also have a premiere event release in Wellington, Texas in October called NomadFest.

The public is invited, and yes, I will be there along with most or all of the other cast members.

Conclusion

Life is what you make of it. I made this life happen through decisions and by taking action. And I love it.

Thanks for following along with my little stories! It’s no fun to just keep it all to myself.