Why? Why would you want to buy a used RV? Why would you want to live in the RV? How did you get this motorhome idea?
Growing up, I never saw a RV. I didn’t know anyone that owned one. I imagined trailer trash or retired folks in Florida. All of that changed when I discovered Tynan.com.
Tynan is a very interesting character. Among his credentials include being a former professional gambler, being featured in the best selling book The Game, and most pertinent, he’s lived full time inside his Rialta RV for the past 4+ years.
I discovered his site back in early 2010 as I was just finishing graduate school. I really didn’t like my apartment located a few miles outside of Washington DC. Rent seemed like an absurdly high expense considering that I would be content with just a small bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. I rarely entertained guests or ever used the living room or dining room. And I wanted to be in the downtown area itself.
So there were a few reasons I believed living in a RV was a great change including saving money, opportunity for great growth, new beginnings, and it would just be cool.
First, there were the financials. I suspected the RV I had in mind would cost around $15,000 with an additional $3,000 for repairs and upgrades. At the time, I was paying $600/month for an apartment in a bad location. Depreciation for a used RV would largely be gone after ten years. So, I could still sell the RV a few years later and only lose a few grand (I ended up selling it for almost the same amount I purchased. Repair expenses ruined it though.) But, if a quality downtown studio costs $1,000/month then living inside the RV after a year or two would pay for itself. Not to mention the freedom that I could live downtown in pretty much any city, no lease tying me down.
Second, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had graduated with my Masters having decided that I would not pursue academia anymore. But I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I was wandering around looking for a new mission. I also wasn’t sure where to live. My friends were scattered around the globe, and my job allowed me freedom to work from anywhere with wifi with the right timezones.
Third, I expected somehow the RV would push me to a level of growth in many areas. I had traditionally always been a risk-adverse person especially when it came to money. I had an obsession with being able to predict and control things. I had an ingrained distrust of surprises and beliefs that the world is a vicious place for those like myself without a lot of resources. I thought I would be forced to meet girls, be forced to learn how to make friends anywhere/everywhere, and maybe even find my future graduate school, meditation mentor, or even next job.
I also originally thought that I could travel to where the masters in the fields I’m interested in are. I could live next door to a meditation center. I could train with some of the best athletes. I would do pickup in Vegas and find a startup co-founder in SF.
Finally, the cool factor. Yeah, let’s just admit facts. I thought it would be cool. I liked Tynan’s lifestyle and wanted the same for myself. Like so many dreams, I thought somehow that once I had a RV, my life would be somehow imbued with awesomeness. I could travel to mountains, beaches, and national parks staying indefinitely. I would be absolutely free.
As I realized on my journeys though, being cool or more accurately, being perceived as cool isn’t really all that great. Actually, it is great. But, precisely, because you realize the futility of trying to be cool. It’s just a mirage. Ultimately, I think this insecure comparison with others is just a normal symptom of a not fully developed identity. A byproduct of a 20 year old something who is still figuring out their values, goals, and so on. At a certain point, you realize you can’t do everything. And that the average person is…really average. Just being slightly confident, honest, and genuine makes you above average. And so, as it happens, by the end of my RV journeys, the three supporting reasons for having a RV were gone. It ended up not being a financial smart move, I discovered I really enjoy Boston and Boulder, and I no longer cared about being cool to everyone.