This is the second article in a four-part series about full-time RV living: Getting started | Lifestyle choices | On the road | Final preparations

When you think it may be time to investigate the full-time RV lifestyle, lots of things need to be considered.

Are you currently full-time RV planning? It is best to plan ahead and develop a calendar of events for the things that need to get done. The timing will be different for everyone, but most of the steps will be the same. If you fail to plan, you might be planning to fail.

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about how we decided to live in an RV full-time. Then, I went over a crucial step to take before you begin: renting before you buy. Here in Part 2, we will look at things to consider when adjusting to full-time RV living.

Can you live in close quarters?

Can those of you who are considering living full-time in an RV do that for extended periods of time without getting on each other's nerves? In your current lifestyle, do you need time alone from each other? Imagine living in 200-400 square feet with not too many places to hide if things go wrong.

There are now RVs that have two bedrooms — perhaps that would work better for some — but will that be the class of RV you want to buy, and do you want something that big? We are talking a rig that with truck and trailer could be up to 65 feet long. Do you want to drive that? At some point, you will have to back it into an RV space.

These are things you have to consider when looking at the space you will share (or not want to share).

Being away from family

Do you have a large close-knit family? Do you currently see each other all the time? What will happen when you hit the road and you are not around as much? Will you miss your family, your brothers or sisters, the grandkids, the grandbabies? Will you be able to be there for family events when needed?

You will need to have a plan for these things, too.

Choosing your domicile state

Once you hit the road full-time in your new RV home, where are you going to call home? In the industry, and here in the United States, we call this the domicile state: the place where you claim residence.

You will need a domicile state to receive mail as well as have your RV licensed, a corresponding state driver's license, the ability to vote, an address for the IRS to communicate with you and state taxes if applicable. There is even the consideration of billing addresses for credit accounts and banking institutions.

Pam and I chose Florida as our domicile state. We found a mailing service that meets the requirements of a physical address for voting and getting a driver's license. There is also no state tax, reasonable costs for vehicle tags, and concealed weapons reciprocity in many states because I have a Florida concealed carry permit.

As I said earlier, there are lots of things to consider when making your plans. Don't miss the little details.

We know some fellow full-timers who used a family member's address as their place to receive mail. Weekly, the family member would send the mail to the location that was given to them. That may work for a while, but do you want to burden the family with that responsibility? What if an important document gets misplaced? That just creates additional family tension.

What about the fur-kids?

How about any pets that you will be traveling with? Will they adapt well to the RV lifestyle? What have they been used to? Some pets will not enjoy going from a bigger space to a smaller one. Others don't care.

How will you handle vet care as you travel to different locations? You need your vet records from each place you visit so the next vet will know what care has been provided before. Simple organization will keep this aspect from being difficult to deal with.

The budget

What will be your budget for your new lifestyle? Will you need one? Some people have endless resources, but most of the full-timers we know have a budget. They know how much they can spend on fuel, repairs, meals, entertainment, basic necessities and fixed costs.

Sit down and write out all the regular costs you have for your lifestyle coming into full-timing, then add some expected costs you think you will have in addition to those. You will have to include additional costs for RV insurance, RV park fees, a travel budget, repairs and maintenance, and perhaps even funds for unexpected events like a blown tire that tears apart the underside of your RV.

One of the larger expenses, as you travel about, will be your nightly campground and RV park fees. You can cut some of those costs by boondocking (living in your RV with no external hookups), but you will only be able to go so long before your fresh water tank is empty, your waste tanks are full, and you are out of fuel for the generator.

Pam and I try to average $20 a night for our park fees. We do that by choosing parks that offer specials, discount camping clubs like Passport America, and choosing monthly site rates. If you plan ahead and are persistent in your searches and choices, you can keep those costs between $20-30 a night.

Find a way to supplement your lifestyle

What can you do to supplement your budget if you need to? What if you want to adopt the RV lifestyle sooner? Here are some ideas.

Run a business out of your RV. Also, while traveling to places you want to visit, work in campgrounds and RV parks to get a free site and perhaps some extra spending money.

There are many RV parks that look for people just like Pam and me. We even get calls from them asking if we would work for them. We get those phone calls because we are members of Workamper News. Our resume resides in their online system, and we select which states employers get to see based on where we want to go.

Take the financial aspect of the RV lifestyle seriously and plan accordingly. Be conservative in your estimates. We have seen several of our RV acquaintances quit full-time RV living because they just could not afford to do it anymore.

Choosing the best RV for you

OK, now let's address a major issue! What kind of RV will you buy? Which one is going to be most suitable for how you plan to use it? If you have taken some trips in a rental RV or owned one in the past, this will help you with your decision when you decide to start looking for the RV you will buy.

What type of RVs are most full time RVers using? They are traveling in Class A diesel pushers, Class A gas RVs, fifth-wheel trailers pulled by a production truck and travel trailers. There are some out there choosing other types, but these are the main choices.

So how can the experience Pam and I have with this help you out? We have traveled in all of them, and we have even full-timed in a few of them. If your full-time RV lifestyle will involve lots of travel and frequent moves, a motorized unit will make for a much better travel experience. It is much easier to back up into an RV site. You may think you will only use a pull-through RV sites. They are not always available, and if so they usually cost more.

If your new lifestyle includes staying in one area for longer periods of time, a fifth wheel or travel trailer may be more suitable for you. They are less expensive than motorized RVs. You can get a lot of bang for the buck. A 40-foot fifth wheel is a lot like a one-bedroom condo. But you will need a substantial truck to pull it safely, and they are not cheap.

And I can tell you from experience, they can be difficult to drive and handle in certain situations. Research this choice completely before choosing a monster rig. If you have never pulled a trailer before, this will take some time to learn how to do it right.

Should you buy a new RV or a used RV? You can save yourself thousands to tens of thousands of dollars if you choose to find a used RV to suit your needs. You may not get exactly the floorplan and features you think you need, but you will save money over buying a new one.

When the time comes, and you are ready to put cash on the line, you can also visit an RV show if you are determined to buy a new RV. Show specials can also save you thousands of dollars, but be sure you have done your homework. Know what you want: the RV make, model and features so you will know if you are getting a good deal.

Don't forget the small stuff

Don't forget to focus on the kitchen and bathroom areas. You need these two areas to be able to suit you. If you hit your head in the shower ceiling, that will be a problem. If you can't sit comfortably on the toilet, that won't work either.

Think about how you are going to use your RV kitchen. Will you be able to prepare the kind of meals you like to eat? Will you be able to store the kitchen accessories you need? Remember my earlier story? Will your dishes fit in the cabinets?

Before buying anything, even with some past RV rental experience, spend time in the RV looking around. Don't impulse buy! The salesman will want to speed up the process. Do what you can to slow it down to give you time to be sure the RV will be what you think will work for you.

If you make a wrong choice, there are only two things you can do: live with it or trade it in for another one.

If you plan ahead and take your time, you will not be planning to fail.

But wait, there will be more! In Part 3, we'll take a look at life on the road.