5 Books to read before Full-Time RV Living

If you want to start Full-Time RV Living, you need to do a little research. You can find the answers you need in Facebook groups, YouTube videos, chatting with other RVers, attending RV Rallies, and books. We have searched and found some great books that can help you get started -whether you are single, a couple, or a family with kids, these books will give you practical tips and the inspiration you need to hit the road.

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I’m recommending these books based on my trust for the individuals that wrote them or the fact that I have read them myself. This is why the list is so short! There are plenty of other books out there, but not knowing the authors or read them, I could not add them to the list.

Ready to find out which books made the list?

Here we go!

Table of Contents

Rather Watch?

A Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV

Everything I Wish I Knew Before Full-Time RVing Across America

This book is by Alyssa Padgett. She has been RVing with her husband Heath for more than 3 years. When they started they really didn’t know what they were getting themselves into and learned along the way while making plenty of mistakes. In this book, she shares RV living tips that will help you avoid these mistakes.

Alyssa specifically covers the following topics:

Internet on the road
Costs of full-time RVing
Towing a car behind your RV
Health insurance while traveling
RVing clubs and memberships
Apps for RVers

Why I’m recommending the book

Alyssa has successfully, and happily, made a life on the road with her husband. Together they visited all 50 states as newlyweds while creating the documentary Hourly America. They have an annual summit for RV Entrepreneurs where they gather hundreds of RVers for 4 days of intense workshops, presentations, and networking to help RVers and future RVers figure out how to make money on the road. Let’s not forget their podcast, The RV Entrepreneur Podcast, that is all about RVing as an entrepreneur and how to be a successful digital nomad. If you want to know how to avoid RV newbie pitfalls, this is the book to read.

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2n8z8zJ

Take Risks: One Couple’s Journey to Quit Their Jobs and Hit the Open Road

Written by Joe Russo, this book takes you through how Joe and Kait quit their stressful and high paying jobs and started their full-time RV life. Since leaving their corporate jobs, Joe and Kait have been traveling and working throughout the United States and Canada while making a living since 2015.

Why I’m recommending the book:

Everyone needs some inspiration and to see others succeeding in the life and here is one couple doing just that. Joe details their experience purchasing their motorhome. They didn’t take the decision lightly and detail their experience. It’s so important to know what to look out for and what to expect when purchasing an RV, especially if you have never done it yourself.

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2nAHPDg

Joe has published a follow-up book!! It starts right when the first book left off. You can check it out here.

Full-Time RV Finance

Sean and Julie Chickery of Chickery’s Travels share their experience with RV finance in this book. They have been on the road for more than 3 years.

They include information on how to:

Save money to purchase your RV
Create a full-time travel budget
Make money while on the road
Save money and minimize costs while traveling full-time

Why I’m recommending the book:

The Chickery’s have been able to successfully pay off $91,000 of debt in 12 months while RVing full-time. They know what they are doing and share practical tips and information to help you also manage your money while on the road.

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2vLZzjB

How to Hit the Road

Making Your Family’s Full-Time RV Dreams a Reality

Kimberly Travaglino, the author of the book and founder of Fulltime Families, shares her own experience and knowledge of planning RV life with a family (and four kids in her case).

She covers topics such as:

What to bring
Best RVs for families
Supporting a family on the road

The enhanced edition also includes:

downloadable budget worksheets
packing lists
free lifetime e-updates

Why I am recommending the book:

Kimberly was able to successfully RV with her entire family…hubby and four kids. You don’t do that for years and not learn a thing or two. In this book, she shares what she learned. She also takes into consideration that there are children involved, and offers information on how to make decisions that are based on more than two people consciously deciding to leave their old life behind.

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2vgrFDg

Must Have Been Another Earthquake, Kids

This book was written by Jason Robillard. He and his wife had this crazy idea to RV full-time…with their kids. He shares the good, the bad, and the shocking in this book.

Why I recommend this book:

This book actually helped Robert and I make the decision to RV with the kids. It was one of two books that we read before we hit the road. It is entertaining and very real. When I finished reading the book, I was actually a little nervous to hand it to Robert because it was not all about the amazing campfires they had, but it was about the day they ran out propane, about having sex in a tiny space with kids nearby, it was about some of the hard and rough times that sometimes accompany the life. No book can ever cover everything, but let me just tell you that this book really prepared us for what living on the road was really like.

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2ncxtsV

Bonus Book

Ok, I know I said five books, but maybe after reading a bunch of inspirational, yet practical books, maybe you just need a good laugh about RVing and about the life.

So lastly, I am recommending Tales From the Black Tank

This is a compilation of humorous short stories about the realities of RVing written by full-time RVers (including us!!). This hilarious book is the brainchild of funny and quirky Liz Wilcox.

Buy the book: https://gumroad.com/a/557233267