Is your truck your only home?

I don't know how people do that, I can only stand so much time in my truck, I have a nice home out in the country with 17 acres that I always look forward to coming home to, I am lucky that I am only on the road for 4-5 days at a time. You need a place to come home to and relax and take your mind off of work.

I have known people who have had to live in their trucks, mostly because they divorced and had nowhere to stay, but I know how miserable they were doing it. Living in a truck is not as much fun as you might think it is

 

I will be doing exactly what you propose, for at least the first year. All this needing a port to call home stuff made me chuckle, though. Being single, it just doesn't make sense to rent and pay all the miscellaneous crap that goes with it. What's so great about coming home to an empty apartment? I just don't need it. I'd much rather pull into a hotel, in a new city, and explore for a day or two. There are many, many drivers doing this year after year. Some have the smarts to pull it off and others just really need to be home. To each his own I guess.

 

This is exactly why I am going into trucking. Divorce and other misc reasons have contributed to my decision.

I want to be on the road and travelin'. I understand the need to get "home" now and then, as I had a job making really good $$$ where I traveled a lot. Mostly jumping on a plane and going wherever my company said I had to go, even overseas and Mexico. It ended up costing me my marriage.

Now I'd rather get out of town and move on. I know I can handle it, as I've done it before, and now their isn't anything to come home to. I'll let you know how it all turns out...

 

The DH and I have done this for 3 years now. We have bought and paid for 20 acres and are in the process of building our house. House will be finished in the next month. So the hardships have definitely paid off.

We took mini vacations every six weeks or so to places we wanted to see. Because when I get off I plan on never leaving home . We've had some fantastic vacations from Hawaii to camping in Yellowstone.

I'd say as long as you balance it out and have a goal in mind and stick to it, it's ok to do.

 

i did this for 2 years when i first started driving and loved it. I would just tell my dispatcher when i loaded and headed out don't load me right away i'm takeing a few days off on the other end. i would get a motel room rent a car and just play tourist some where for a few days. I did it in florida for speed week and i did it for bike week i did it for sturgis a couple of times i just had a ball. I had no family except my folks and left every thing at there place and would taker a day or 2 off there every once in a while but mostly just get tired and need a break just take one where ever and relax and get away from all of it some where you would be suprized how much you can save when all you have is your truck and no payments. If i was single i would do it again as a matter of fact my son is soon to go to driving school and i am sure he wil call our house home and just go where ever he wants since he is single 21 and all ready been all over the US since he was 6 when we took him on the truck for a year and lived that way for awhile it was great t have the whole family but then he got to needing some kids to play with instead of all the adults around so they went home and i stayed out. I guess my wife and me aree to blame he has deisel in his veins and we put it there.

 

I'm really glad to read all your comments. I was wondering what the downside to living in the truck is; it seems to be having a home base, primarily? It's good to hear from those of you who found full-time truck dwelling "unsettling"; there are always things one might not realize and need to consider. I'm more of the mindset of kd5drx, Norcal, and Nevada Jim. I like to "go" and enjoy being in a different place. My family live all over the country, so no matter where my "home" has been, there is always someone I'm missing. I'd really like to hear more pro's/con's/things to consider - this board/forum is such a great resource. Thanks for all the info and advice.

 

I have never done it,but, I have thought it over alot in my younger days. It would save you alot,stay in your truck and when you want a few days off,get a nice motel for three day special,its all tax deductible,your house isn't"' you have free cable,internet and phone cheap,a laundry,a night club,a good reastaurant and above all people that are traveling just like you doing their business on the road. I love holiday inns,they have entertainment in bar and great food. I can't tell you everything,but if you can be sociable and not drink excessively or just drink coke in the bar you can meet and spend time with some nice business woman traveling. If you can get another driver interested it can be great for the both of you,double dates etc. I have in the past,although alot of years ago,had my best times in michigan city in,and los cruces n.m.,both holiday inns,and another chain in amarillo tx,,days inn. Its all in what you make of it. Relatives like the visit but,only if you want to visit,not because you didn't want to pay a motel bill.Get yourself a pet companion and you will have gotten more exercise walking the dog or cat,but could be a problem. Let us know what you do. I would get a pak mail address and a direct deposit bank,nationally known and save,save,save,who knows,you could buy that dream truck if you really tried. Staying in business is easy if you put alot down and have smaller payments,guys with big payments are going bankrupt in record amounts,in maine for sure.I personally know some that have went down.

 

This is exactly what I am doing. All my stuff is stored in my folks garage, and on my days off I just stay with them for a night or two and stay in a hotel for a night. It works for me for the time being and I'm saving a lot of money.

It doesn't make any sense to pay for an apartment or house when I'm only home 4 days a month and have no children. Yea I have a girlfriend but she thinks this is an awesome idea. I get to use all this extra money to save up for a house someday. She thinks it's a really responsible thing to do. I agree.

 

I've been living on the road for 6 years. Everything I own is in the truck. I have no wife/girlfriend, no kids, no parents, no family. I have no mortgage/rent, no car/insurance, no bills other than cell/internet/sat TV. I live debt free; all is paid in cash. For now, my whole life is moving that load down the road. Consequently, I've reaped the benefits of this dedication. I made nearly $57,000 last year-my best year so far. And I have some serious scratch saved in the bank. Last year, I ran from April '06 to January '07. This year I've been running since January. Now that I'm set-up with allocating my paycheck into savings, retirement account, and mutual funds, I'm planning to take about 5 mini vacations from June to December this year.