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Full-time RVing is an exciting way to experience new places and try new foods. Many full-time RVers live the lifestyle, but many others dream about giving full-time RVing a shot. One of the most challenging hurdles can be getting a partner on board. Convincing your partner to go full-time RVing may take some time, but today, we’ll give you some tips to help convince your partner. Let’s get started!
What Happens When You Want to Full-Time RV, but Your Partner Doesn’t?
Relationships require equal give and take to make them work. The future is exciting for those who dream of living the full-time RV lifestyle, and the potential seems limitless. However, reality often comes crashing down when a partner isn’t on board with the plan.
Jumping into the full-time RV lifestyle is incredibly scary and feels out of control at times. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a partner might not jump on board immediately with the idea. It will likely take some convincing and encouragement to make your dream a reality.
If you and your partner can’t see eye-to-eye about full-time RVing, it’ll create some tension. You want to do something you think will be fulfilling, but they’re not on board. Their lack of enthusiasm for something you’re passionate about will likely lead to disagreements resulting from your frustration. However, just because they’re not excited about the idea now doesn’t mean they won’t eventually join you in your excitement.
10 Tips to Help Convince Your Partner to Go Full-Time RVing
There’s no magic potion you can give your partner that will convince them to jump into full-time RVing. Getting them to share your excitement for the lifestyle will likely take some time, but here are 10 of our best tips to convince your partner to go full-time RVing with you.
1. Get Them Hooked on RVing YouTube Channels
One of the best ways to get your partner on board is to get them hooked on an RVing YouTube channel. If you jump over to YouTube, you’ll quickly find there’s a full-time RVing channel for practically every situation. You’ll see RVers both young and old, families with kids and those with no kids, solo road-trippers, and more.
Many channel hosts have incredible cinematography skills and create gorgeous content to document their travels. The lessons you learn by watching can help you understand and prepare for the future. Watching these channels with your partner can help them warm up to the idea as they start to see what the lifestyle entails.
2. Start Sharing Dreamy Instagram Photos of the RV Life with Them
After you’ve subscribed to a few channels, connect with them on Instagram. Sharing their travel adventures with your partner is also a great way to help them further connect with the lifestyle.
Many of the full-time RVing Instagram accounts showcase epic camping locations on their pages. You’ll quickly discover new and exciting places that can appeal to your partner. It may be beneficial to share accounts that align with their interests as well.
3. Start Small–Take Short Trips
Short trips are a great way to dip the toe when it comes to full-time RVing. Taking shorter trips can help you test the waters to determine if the lifestyle is suitable. It’s easy to see the YouTube and Instagram accounts and think it looks so easy, but in reality, it’s not as easy as it appears in most videos.
Taking short trips will allow you and your partner to grow your skills over time. You can even slowly work your way up, extending your short trips to longer and longer. Next thing you know, you’ll be a full-time RVer!
4. Get Your Finances in Order
There’s not much that can cause arguments between partners faster than difficulties with finances. Full-time RVing is likely more expensive than you’re anticipating. However, if you get your finances in order before jumping into the lifestyle, you can transition to the lifestyle smoothly.
If finances are an obstacle, do your best to cut your monthly expenses as much as possible. If you need to work from the road, you want to have the lowest potential monthly costs. Eliminate credit card debt, student loans, and any other expenses that will free up cash each month.
5. Help Them Realize It Is Possible – Financially and Otherwise
Jumping into the full-time RVing lifestyle can be a terrifying adventure. Your partner may feel the idea is impossible at times. Take the time to do your due diligence and organize a plan. A clear laid-out plan can help them see that the impossible isn’t so after all.
When things feel impossible, it’s easy for your partner to feel discouraged, so it’s essential for your plan to be clear and concise. An overwhelming or confusing plan will do nothing but drive your partner further away from the idea.
6. Learn Their Fears and Doubts and Squash Them
Take the time to hear your partner’s fears and doubts. Assuming you understand their thoughts on the matter won’t help you make any progress. Listen to your partner and ask questions to help them clarify why they have fear or doubts regarding the idea.
It’s okay for your partner to be skeptical, but you don’t want them to miss out on many new and exciting things in life. Look for others who have become full-timers and ask them about your concerns. Doing so can help your partner feel more open to the possibilities of full-time travel.
7. Take an Extended Trip
After you’ve conquered taking a few short trips, an extended trip (a week or more) is the next big adventure. Go into the trip with a plan for how you’ll spend your time and how often you’ll change campsites. Try to mimic the full-time RVing lifestyle as much as possible. There’s a big difference between using your RV on weekends and full-time RVing.
8. Talk to Other Full-Time RVers
Getting to know other full-time RVers is another excellent way to convince your partner to go full-time RVing. RVers love sharing their stories from the road and about the exciting places they’ve visited during their travels.
Other full-time RVers will be incredible resources for finding new places to visit. You may have driven past a location because you simply didn’t know it was there. However, talking to other full-time RVers can help educate you on the area and any other RV-specific topics.
9. If They Won’t Budge, Take a Solo Trip
Sometimes you can’t do anything to get your partner to budge on their decision. That’s okay, too; RVing isn’t for everyone. If your spouse refuses to join you for an adventure, nothing says you can’t go without them.
Taking a solo trip can help you experience a bit of adventure but on your own. You can set where you go, when you go, and how you get there. You never know how sharing stories from the road can help your partner warm up to the idea of full-time RVing.
10. Be Willing to Compromise
The key to any successful relationship is compromise. Both sides need to listen to the other and develop a solution with which everyone can live. Maybe your compromise means RVing seasonally or staying in a particular geographic region of the US.
Ultimately, if your partner isn’t on board, give a handful of these items a try. Constant communication between partners increases the odds of you being able to compromise.
Did you have to convince your partner to go full-time? If so, what were some of the ways you convinced them to make the leap?
I’ve lived thru AND first hand witnessed this scenario, and let me tell you, it’s NOT always successful! I watched for over 15 years, my grandparents, whom otherwise got along famously, BATTLE IT OUT YEARLY around August, because that was when Granddad got “the wonder lust.” They had been “RV’ing” ever since I was 5 yrs old and by the time they became “snowbirds” I was in my mid teens! Grandma was fine with weekends and a week or so here or there, but DID NOT like leaving her home & family for extended periods! When Granddad decided to “winter” in South Texas, Grandma WAS NOT happy! Sure their trips always allowed for her to visit with her only sibling, but her heart was in the “home State” with their only child and grandkids. My Grandmother would fuss & fret for MONTHS leading up to their departure date. While she DID enjoy her time in the South, she was never truly happy until their return North.
In my experience, it was my ex husband (& a HUGE part of why he is my ex!) He decided, unilaterally, that WE were going to become full time RV’ers… nothing else would do! As MUCH as I tried to dissuade him, it would have been easier to stop an out of control Sherman Tank. He finally “PROMISED” me that we would return to our home State EVERY summer to allow me to visit. That lasted exactly 1 year! (And THAT was without a TOAD, therefore I was unable to GO anywhere, as he refused to allow me access to his dad’s vehicle and we had a Class A which wasn’t feasible for “visiting.”) I was raised with very “traditional” values and thus bent over backwards to “make my marriage work.” (Despite the fact, he wasn’t a very nice man.). Ultimately, between the other aspects and his refusal to uphold his promise, I threw in the towel on this 22+/- farce!
I’m NOT saying that full time RV living isn’t “doable,” just that BOTH parties MUST be 100% on board with the idea AND they genuinely MUST Love and – more importantly – RESPECT each other, or no matter the length of the relationship, resentments WILL arise! (FYI: Have been full time with current husband for nearly 4 years now – 9/1/21 will mark 4 yrs – and COULDN’T BE HAPPIER! Thus above situation WASN’T a “FT RV’ng” just wasn’t right for me thing!)