RVing doesn't have to mean giving up all the comforts of home, however, it is cheaper that way.

As some of you may recall, I lived in a camper van quite comfortabaly for years. In the process, I've encountered quite a few other people doing the same thing. The sense of freedom can be invigorating, but camping out isn't for everyone.

The question for most of us is which services would you find it hardest to live without. I think a lot depends on how much you value your freedom, and independence. Some of us might find it difficult to live without all the comforts of conventional suburban lifestyles, but for others it can be inspiring to discover how little is actually needed.

Trailer parks certainly have their advantages. You get to know everyone, and there's often a sense of commaradery with other "snowbirds" in such communities. That can be a mixed blessing. Depends a lot on what you like. My partner likes to gadabout with the neighbors. I'd rather read a book, or practice my music.

RVing comes in many diffent styles. You can buy a cargo van and throw a mattress in the back if you like keeping things simple, and flexible, or you can go the motorhome route - with many options in between.

A cargo van has the added advantage of allowing you to sleep in urban centers, unnoticed, when and if the occasion presents itself in your travels. This can be a distinct advantage in a pinch, or as a recurring theme. No-see-um mesh on the windows can keep most unwanted insects at bay, while allowing you to get a little air. A sheet can substitute for a curtain. Strung up on a wire behind the seats it affords considerable privacy. Of course going to bed earlier and keeping the lights off helps.

For flooring I take out the synthetic rubber, or plastic covering most vans cargo vans come with. Those things smell bad and breating the vapors from the probably doesn't do you any good. I replace that with a sheet of thin plywood, or veneer. I cover that with old, blue Aerolite mattresses, the kind sold as backpacking mattresses. They make nice cushioning. Then cover those with a throw rug. The layering effect helps insulate the floor. You'll spend a lot of time in that small space, so it investing a little in making it comfortable helps.

I keep the floor clean with a couple of smallwisk brooms. Two, because it makes it easier to find at least one of them when you need it. Sweeping rugs does mess up some rugs, but you they're easily, and cheaply replaced. I keep a couple of smaller place mats near the door and sit on these. They tend to catch most of the dirt you'll track in even if you're always careful to remove footwear at the door.

I prefer a sliding door in a van as opposed to the kind of doors that open up in most factory-built conversion vans. A sliding door enables you to lock the door while leaving it slightly ajar to get some air. It generally is much easier to fine tune just how much of the world you want to let in, and it's much faster to close.

It's amazing the things you'll see sitting inside a van with the door only slightly ajar. I've had countless people bang into me when they're trying to park. Sometimes I'm sitting in a parking lot heating up some lunch. I guess people see a parked van with no one in front and assume the owner is inside the stores, and what they don't see won't hurt them. Of course, loud bangs and crunching metal always seems louder when you're inside the vehicle being hit.

Once the vehicle is paid for along with insurance, fuel, and any maintenance, this can be one of the cheapest routes to incorporating a little travel, and adventure into your life. Basically, there's the cost of your food aside from throwing a few quarters in the local laundromat occasionally, there's little else.

Living without a refrigerator does require a little adjusting, but with a little imagination it can be done. You'll have less ability to preserve any leftovers so it helps if you can guage how much you'll want to eat for each meal. Some cold water in a jug in a cooler can help keep some things longer. The uneaten portion of a can of beans can be preserved over one night at least this way, even in warmer climates. Conversely, you can go the route of either a plug-in cooler, or if you want to get really fancy, a 3-way frige. I used to store bread under my sleeping bag to keep it cool. Bread can dry out prematurely inside a vehicle in warmer climates.

Whether you choose to travel, or sit still in a "mobile home", retirement doesn't have to cost a lot. Each approach has its distinct advantages, and often some combination of the two suits many people. Having lived in a "55 and up" trailer park for several years now, after about 10 years of mostly RVing, I can appreciate a little something about both.

Trailer parks allow me to get around on my bicycle a lot more than I might otherwise. The van and the cars sit idly in the driveway with even more vehicles stored at our winter home up north. But at my age I -and we men concerned about our prostate health - have to try to get sufficient exercise, and biking is one way that I like to do it.

Both trailer park retirement and RVing can be accomplished with modest income - whether you're short on income, or just want to save. The important thing in my view is to realize these additional services aren't necessities. You can live without them. In the process you might find yourself worrying a lot less, and enjoying the important things in life like family, friends, and ideas, a little more.

Life should be an adventure. Don't settle for less.