For Newbies, Wannabes and Seasoned RV Fulltimers

A Book Review for "Retire and Stay Retired: Enjoying the RV Lifestyle"

by Richard Parker

Richard Parker is an RVer who is also a financial adviser and entrepreneur. He is a speaker, trainer, author and consultant for both the financial and RV industries. He has combined his love of RVing and his knowledge of the financial world into a book to help you make sure you have the funds for your RV retirement. He wants you to be able to not only hit the road, but keep on RVing as long as you want and are able to. 

In determining what income you need, Parker first notes that many people don’t know the true cost of RVing. You should figure that your cost will be about ten percent per year of the price of your RV. So if you paid $200,000 for your rig, you’d allocate $20,000 a year for costs, not including camping and fuel! What that does include is insurance, license AND the big one—depreciation. In fact, the day you drive a new RV off the lot, it loses 25-30 percent in value! Offhand, I know of no RVers who have the same RV that they started with after ten years, many get a new one well before that. You need to figure that, at some point, you will be replacing your rig.

In addition to outlining how to ensure that your nest egg does last in Retire and Stay Retired, Parker talks about the three components of your retirement monies: social security, pension plans and personal investments. With the future of social security—especially for people coming up—uncertain plus many companies no longer offering their defined pension plans or dumping their current plans, the burden falls heavily on personal investments. 

 IRA's, an RVers Nest Egg

One of the important points of Retire and Stay Retired is that you have the ability to have a self-directed IRA. Your retirement portfolio should include a percentage of real estate, which can be purchased by a self-directed IRA. Real estate is an important part of Parker’s investment philosophy. Real estate holdings could be a lot in an RV community, your home or other property. 

This book sheds light on what it takes to make your retirement funds last and measures to take to stretch your dollars and/or add to your principal. I recommend it. In addition, purchasers of his book are entitled to a free coaching session on setting up a self-directed IRA so you hold an RV lot or other property within your IRA. You can purchase Retire and Stay Retired: Enjoying the RV Lifestyle at Amazon.com $12.95.

Jaimie Hall Bruzenak is an RV lifestyle expert, specializing in getting started in the RV lifestyle, life on the road, working on the RV road, and solo RVing. She has been RVing since 1992. She and her late husband weren't retired so RVed on a budget and worked on the road. She is the author of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road and other RV books. Find out more at RVLifestyleExperts.com.