Heading into summer 2024, temporary housing rental costs are skyrocketing, so travel is getting (more) expensive. Paired with continued post-COVID market adjustment, the current state of affairs in the travel industry leaves some travelers wondering if it’s time to hang it up.
Don’t give up yet! It might just be the perfect time to consider traveling differently. There are some distinct advantages to utilizing a vehicle that allows you to say, “Home is where I park it!”
5 benefits of RV Living as a Travel Nurse:
1. Cost-Effectiveness
- Compared to finding temporary housing, RV living is typically cheaper.
- Only one “park” fee typically includes water, power, and the spot per month
Housing costs continue to increase nationally, and rental prices for mid to long-term temporary housing have risen consequently. According to an article from the National Association of Realtors online magazine, the top ten largest metro areas in the US saw upwards of a 14.8% increase at the end of 2023. It’s no surprise that the rental market reflects it with the current average, around $2183 per month, according to Zillow. These statistics apply to more long-term housing, of course, and any experienced traveler will tell you that temporary housing required by traveling healthcare providers will typically be higher.
Directly compared to the average cost range of an RV park between $500 – $1200 monthly, it seems like a no-brainer. You do need to keep in mind there are additional costs to consider, though:
- RV payment
- Tow-vehicle payment, if needed
- insurance
- Gas
- Propane
Lower your overhead
Consider buying a used RV to decrease your payment. Trailers and motorhomes are notorious for decreasing in value, quickly losing as much as 45% of their value after only 5 years, depending on the type of RV.
Pro-tip: Purchase a used RV customized by other travelers for full-time living who are exiting the RV life. These rigs often have considerable add-ons, such as full solar packages and luxury items you won’t find elsewhere, and can save you considerable cash to boot!
Keep the fuel costs down by signing up for a fuel or fleet card and earning points while decreasing costs at the pumps. Open Roads is a program we use to save on diesel fuel. It even gets you into the fast-pumping truck lanes!
Staying closer to your home destination and keeping miles down will also help, but traveling to new destinations could be more fun.
Propane is used for heating, cooking, and, on some models, even running refrigerators. These costs are mostly mitigated when staying at an RV park, as most things switch to electric power when you’re plugged in. Skip the heating costs by using the RV to chase those 70° weather locations!
Pick the right type of Rig
If you’re a single traveler opting for something more conservative in size will also keep the payment and fuel costs down. Some RVs can cost as much or more than your average home, such as this 45ft Toy-Hauler or a large Class A diesel-pusher. Going smaller will also save you on park spots as larger sites with bigger electrical hookups will be more expensive.
Keep in mind if you choose a trailer-type RV you’ll need something that can safely pull it, while if you go the route of a drivable RV you’ll still need something to get you to work and back.
2. Flexibility and Mobility
The ability to quickly and easily relocate between assignments is unparalleled within the RV community. Being able to travel with your belongings and not worry about finding housing takes significant stress off the traveler. Sure, you’ll need to find RV parks but that can be as simple as a quick Google search and performing a little research to learn what areas of the country cater more to RVers.
Spoiler Alert: The majority of RV park locations reside in the Southwestern part of the country but certainly don’t count other areas out.
3. Comfort and Convenience
Your home goes with you! You’ll have all the comfort and convenience of having your own things at your fingertips. There’s nothing quite like sleeping on your own bed, using your own shower, sitting at your own table in your own kitchen. (even if it is a little tiny)
No more worrying about if the place will be clean, the AC/heater working, hot water running, or if they can take pets.
Got problems with the RV park where you’re staying? Unplug and drive down to the next one!
4. Community and Camaraderie
Checking off your list has never been easier
- Find other Travel nurses within my RV park
- Getting together to hang out and spill some tea!
- Make new friends and lasting connections
The travel nurse lifestyle creates an instant connection that is only further solidified when its paired with RV living! You’ll find others who have chosen this unique way to travel easy to talk to and genuinely interested in how it’s going for you. RVers love to compare rigs and talk about places where they’ve been. Make sure to ask when checking into a new RV park if there are other travel nurses there – the answer is almost always YES!
5. Adventure and Exploration
- The unique advantage of picking up and rolling out means it’s easy to visit places while on contract
- Make sure to keep your RV spot so you’ve got a place to easily return to.
- Travel to new places between contracts
- Visit family and friends
Bring it all together by setting goals related to your travel! Even the trip to the next contract or back home can be an adventure by choosing unexplored routes and visiting places you didn’t have an excuse to see before.
Come to TravCon 2024 to learn more!
This article barely scratches the surface. If you’d like to learn more about what RV living as a traveler is like, make your way to Las Vegas for the 2024 TravCon in September! There, you’ll have the opportunity to meet my wife and me and learn about No Ordinary Path. We’re a family known for our RV adventures and expertise in the RV travel nurse community. We’ll have two speaking engagements about RV living and traveling with a family and there’ll be plenty of opportunity for questions. We’ll be hanging out, walking around, and passing out SWAG the whole week. We hope to see you there!
We hope you found this article on RV living helpful. Do you use an RV while on travel assignments? Do you have any tips or tricks for making RV living easier? Comment them below.
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