MSNBC: Retirees With Wanderlust Trade Housing for Travel

Today’s retirees have plenty of options when it comes to senior living, and it’s not just limited to moving into a traditional retirement community, writes MSNBC

Alternative lifestyles for “rambling retirees” can fulfill their desire to travel and explore—and, for some, help extend retirement savings.

“The RV (recreational vehicle) has replaced the rocking chair, and the whole notion of retirement has changed in the last 10 years,” says Ken Budd, executive editor of AARP magazine and author of “The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem.”

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There are no good statistics on just how many boomers are taking retirement on the road. But some indicators — steadily rising traffic at houseboat and recreational vehicle websites, and a growing number of retirement-age members on couchsurfing.com – confirm the trend.

Today’s retirees have limited budgets and long life expectancies. Living on the road for a year or five can be a way to spend less than hanging on to the big house or moving into a service-heavy retirement community.

…Estimates vary on how many retirees live in RVs year-round, but it’s probably north of 25,000, based on data from the Escapees RV Club and the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

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With housing costs for renters and homeowners averaging $16,557 (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), living in an RV is actually cheaper by at least $2,500 annually, says Arzaga. “Full-time RV travelers can also choose their state of residence, and eight states have no income tax.”

The MSNBC article explores trends of couch-surfing, houseboating, and living on the road in RVs. Read the full piece.

Written by Alyssa Gerace