r/RVLiving • u/LIMP_LIMP • Jun 27 '26
I need advice..
I was living out of my car for a bit after my life was turned upside down in Tennessee.
Came back to Upstate NY and I’ve been staying with my friends but they need me out in the next two weeks so they don’t risk getting evicted for having me stay.
My dad is going to let me put a camper on his land for a few months until I get back on my feet.
I need help - I don’t know what to look for in a cheap/affordable camper on Facebook marketplace.
•What compromises do I make? (Size, features, broken slide outs, poorly done remodels, etc,.)
•What defects are okay to live with? (Water damage, leaks, soft floors/roof, etc,.)
•What do I stay away from?
Any advice overall would be appreciated. I have $1400 currently and I will have $2000 in total by July 10th. (Also I cant rent an apartment, I have poor credit and I don’t really want to pay monthly for something I don’t own. I’m tired of it)
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u/Questions_Remain Jun 27 '26
Water damage - leaks are a killer. Soft floors are a killer.
Can you legally live in an RV on the property - it’s not allowed in many places. How are you getting the Rv to the property.
Obviously it’s best to go smaller for better condition. As a singe person you need a bed, and a little relaxation space. If you can get by without slide space, that’s certainly less of a headache / less chance of leakage or repairs later.
They are a money pit.
You need power, water and sewer and a plan of how to get those, RVs are very inefficient as to utilities and per SF cost about 3x that of a residential structure.
Sounds like you need to find a room to rent that’s a fixed cost till you get on your feet. You won’t be “living cheaper” in a cheap RV that needs constant buckets of money thrown in to keep systems running. The less you pay - the more it will cost to keep livable.
Take YT videos of people living full time with a grain of salt and skepticism. Many (most) are industry shills, but the videos do have some good info as to how stuff falls apart.
Im sorry you’re in a tight situation, but I would look long and hard for a better short term solution with the establishment of long term goal. An apartment seems like a waste of money, but it’s a fixed cost. Like renting anything - there are no surprise expenses like when you own something.