A no-regrets full-time RV retirement checklist

By Cheri Sicard
Three years ago, Nancy, of Making My Own Lane, wouldn’t have believed she’d be living full-time in a 2005 Class C RV, coffee in hand, parked in the Florida sun. She’d dreamed about this for 20 years, but it always felt out of reach. Now, at 63, she travels the U.S. about 200 miles at a time with two small dogs. In the video at the end of this post, she’s honest about what it took to get there.

Nancy’s life looks simple from the outside: a small RV, two dogs, and a flexible route. But the bigger story is that she didn’t fall into this life by luck. She built it on purpose, even when it looked “impossible” on paper.

For years, she worked a corporate job that wore her down. She wasn’t chasing a fantasy or trying to “find herself.” She wanted a life that felt like her own, even if it meant risk, discomfort, and a big change.

The American dream that wasn’t enough

Nancy had the checklist: a home, nice vacations, retirement savings, and the ability to buy what she wanted. Still, the happiest part of the year was often the lead-up to time off.

• Planning vacation days
• Requesting the time off
• Counting down until a full week away (even though work still called)

Over time, she felt less happy, not more. One thought kept showing up: “Is this it?” Then the harder one followed: How many good years were left to do something about it? She realized she wasn’t too old to change—she was too old not to.

The RV idea didn’t come from nowhere. She’d camped for years, but full-time RV living felt “crazy.” The excuses sounded familiar:

• Too expensive
• Too risky
• Too old
• Too alone
• No way to retire

Five steps Nancy used to design the life she actually wanted

She didn’t start with vague goals. She worked through it in clear steps.

Step 1: Get honest in a notebook: She wrote down what wasn’t working, then what she wanted instead.

Hated:

• A job that burned her out after 14 years
• Paying a mortgage

Wanted:

• To work for herself
• To be debt-free
• To travel the U.S. without airports and rushed weekends

Step 2: Face the fears head-on: At 60-plus, her fears weren’t about a resume. They were about money, safety, regret, judgment, and missing loved ones. She challenged each fear with two questions: “Is this likely?” and “If it happens, can I handle it?” Most answers were yes.

Step 3: Test the waters: She bought her RV and kept it. After quitting her job, she took 6-week trips close to home. The big surprise was simple: After six weeks, she still didn’t want to go back.

Step 4: Crunch the money numbers: Nancy compared what her old life cost to what RV life would cost. She sold her house, downsized, and planned how to stretch what she had, plus how to earn on the road. For anyone doing the same math, she shares a tool here: RV budget worksheet for planning full-time RV costs.

Step 5: Sell and purge: Her house got an offer in three days, and she had 30 days to leave. If it didn’t fit in the RV, it had to go. It felt freeing.

The real reality check

Full-time RV living isn’t all sunsets. Challenges include:

• Learning to drive and manage a 41-foot setup
• Figuring out parking, errands, and grocery runs
• Living in about 200 square feet with two dogs
• Letting go of collections and antiques
• Dealing with loneliness at times (she stays longer near family and friends, like winters in Florida)

What she gave up (and why it’s worth it)

Nancy gave up a steady paycheck and a fixed home base. In return, she found other income sources that feel less stressful, and her home now moves with her. She’d rather secure the RV to travel than pack a suitcase. Her bed, food, clothes, and dogs come along.

What she gained: freedom, confidence, connection, joy

Nancy says she gained the freedom to shape her days and change plans. She gained confidence from solving problems she never expected to face. She also found a connection in the RV community, deeper time with people who matter, and daily closeness with her dogs. The joy is real, mostly because she’s choosing this life.

Your turn

Nancy’s point isn’t that everyone should live in an RV. It’s that people can stop living someone else’s version of life. A small step counts, even if it’s just writing down what feels off, and what would feel better.

Living differently can feel scary, but time passes either way. Two years from now, a person will be two years older no matter what. Nancy’s story is a reminder that it’s possible to be older and freer at the same time.

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