While life on the road may seem like a dream for many, it is not for Garcia’s family.
Molly Garcia and Jaren Garcia with their three children chose freedom to live in Joshua, Texas. They decided to go full-time RV living. After selling their three bedroom, two-bathroom home and minimising their belongings, the Garcias embarked on full-time RV living in 2019.
After starting with a Coachman Chaparral, the family has now traveled to 25 states. They are now in their fifth RV, which is a 44-foot motorhome. Jaren Garcia, 30, said, “We’ve hacked the freedom code for us. Everybody has what freedom [means] for them, but I think that we were pretty happy with what we chose.”
Domestic travel has seen a rise since the pandemic. However, this is mainly through RV and camping travel to avoid crowds. Jaren was a salesman before he moved to full-time RV living.
The Garcias made this life-changing decision as a family to be together and have control over their schedules.
Molly, 29, explained, “We were trying to figure out how we were going to live our lives separately. I was at home with the children, then he was away from state. He would only come home for a few days out of the month and then it was for months at a time and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t really care for being at home by myself anymore. I’d rather be with you even if it’s in an RV.’”
That was the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime for the Garcias, with children Lillie (13), Jaxton (9), and Willow (5).
Although full-time RV living can be a temporary vacation, it is not permanent. Molly homeschools the three children and creates content for the family’s blog and social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
Jaren is the designated driver. Jaren has recently moved from sales to become an independent insurance adjuster. Jaren also owns other businesses, and recently flipped a 1950s home.
The children have happily adapted well to full-time RV living. “They love it. We asked them, we’re like, ‘Do you want to go live back in the house? Do you want to go to school?’ And they’re like, ‘No, no, we like this,’” Molly said.
The family’s expenses have also declined significantly. Before they began full-time RV living, the Garcias were spending approximately $3,000 per monthly. The family’s current living expenses have been reduced to around $1,000 per month, including food.
Molly shared, “When we first started, we stayed at an RV park for the entire month and it was $650 per month and then we paid electric and water, which was about $130, so we were close to $800 and then we would pay for our RV payment and then we didn’t have a truck payment then.”
The Garcias have customized every RV they own over the years to meet their individual needs. “You can buy a $5,000 RV or you can buy a $500,000 RV, it’s all dependent on the person,” Jaren said.
“It’s just like owning a home but you got to know, you could sell your home for a good amount and then buy your RV cash and then know, OK, my home is paid for. I’m good. So it’s all dependent on the person, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s cheaper because now your fuel costs have gone up, which will be a little more expensive.”
Most meals are made at home. The family decides what they want and what they need. It is necessary to constantly downsize when living full-time RV life.
“When you get into the RV life, if you bring a lot of weight into your RV, it’ll weigh it down. You’ll spend more money on gas, you might break things in your RV because there’s so much weight in there. So, actually going through everything, and, like, really going through everything, it’s a process,” Molly said.
The Garcias have the freedom to travel wherever they want, which allows them to create memorable experiences for their family. Their full-time RVC life has taken them to many national parks, museums and zoos.
The temptation to spend more is there, but the family tries its best to keep their expenses within budget.
According to Molly, “A lot of people can make it cheaper. You can boondock and still get a Thousand Trails membership [which offers campgrounds and RV parks for members] and stay for two weeks or more for free because you’ve spent a certain amount a year. You can stay with a friend or family, so there are ways you can move around to figure out how to save money.”
While full-time RV living may not suit everyone, it is something people can try and see whether it works for them.
Molly stated, “We don’t want to scare people away from this lifestyle because you could spend a lot of money, like way more than if you lived in a house. But the outcome of everything is you’re getting a lot more experiences and being able to travel and be on your own time.”
The Garcias are living their dream and believe others can too. Jaren added, “We just want people to know that you can do it if you put your mind to it, like the biggest roadblock that you’re gonna hit is the one that you make, so you can overcome it.”
Enjoy the Garcia’s full time RV living experience in the video below:
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