Leah Berenson
Leah Berenson
March 9, 2024 ·  5 min read

Family of 5 Opens Up About Living in an RV, Full-Time: “We’ve hacked the freedom code.”

‘This couple sold their three bedroom, two bathroom house, whittled down their belongings, and moved with their three children into a recreational vehicle.’

While sitting at their desks, bored and exhausted, most people have dreamt of packing up and traveling or starting a new life of excitement. As a society, we’ve recently shifted from prioritizing making an income and living out the “American Dream” into a society that embraces what it takes to have good mental health. In an effort to combat boredom and traditional living, one family made a huge decision back in 2019. They disrupted their average schedules and are now living out an incredible dream.  

Why They Chose Living in an RV

A family from Joshua, Texas, chose to sell their home, buy an RV, and travel together making lifelong memories. Molly and Jaren Garcia have three kids and together the family of 5 has been living out of their RV. They’ve been traveling around together following Jaren on his work ventures. At the time the decision was made, Jaren was working in sales and was away from home most of the time. There were times that Jaren would be gone for months and only return home for a few days at a time. Molly and her kids missed their dad and wanted to find a way they could all be together more.

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A post shared by Jaren & Molly | RV Living (@weplusthreee)

How They Afford to Live.

They sold their three-bedroom, 2 bathroom home, condensed their belongings, and hit the road to pursue a life in an RV. Since making the choice to sell their home and live on the road, they’ve visited 25 different states. Molly homeschools the kids and runs their family blog while Jaren is responsible for driving the family around. He has also switched jobs and is now an independent insurance adjuster. Between that income and some other side projects they’ve done such as flipping a house that was built in the 1950s, Jaren and Molly have found a way for their family to be together. 

More Cost Efficient?

The family estimates they are saving thousands each month by not having to pay a mortgage. The cost of staying in an RV park averages around 6-700 dollars a month. Although their utilities are a little high, they’re still saving so much money compared to the 3,000 dollar mortgage they were once responsible for paying. They’ve chosen to cook more meals at home and no longer have a truck payment to make. These days at around one third of the cost, they estimate their living expenses to be around 1,000 dollars per month. Molly notes that because RV’s can range in price, repairs are expensive and with the rising cost of gas, living in an RV could end up costing about the same as traditional living. RV’s can range anywhere from 5,000 dollars to upwards of 500,000 dollars depending on space and features. She also notes that because people take their belongings with them, it can cost more in fuel because the RV can be weighed down. However, she feels you can’t put a price on making memories and spending quality time with your family.

Read: This couple’s son didn’t want to put them in a nursing home. So he came up with a secret plan to surprise them with.

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A post shared by Jaren & Molly | RV Living (@weplusthreee)

Simplistic Living on the Road

To combat the issue of weighing down the RV, they’ve condensed down and gotten rid of many of their possessions. Due to the kids still growing, the family will likely face other necessary adjustments in the future. For now though, they are in a fifth wheel vehicle, with 44 feet of space. This is their fifth RV since making this exciting decision and they’ve found a happy medium between cost efficiency and enough space for their kids to grow. The family has been able to really assess the things that are important to them and what is actually required in order for a family of 5 to live together in harmony. Clutter in our homes can take over and seep into other areas of our lives making it difficult to navigate everyday living. Many religions and ways of life teach that physical possessions can cause disruption to our physical spaces, our minds, and our bodies. Downsizing has been a great way for the Garcia family to find freedom and a more simplistic way of life.

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A post shared by Jaren & Molly | RV Living (@weplusthreee)

Getting an Enriching Education

Molly and Jaren have three kids together, Lillie who is 13, Jaxton who is 9, and Willow who is 5. Their parents have asked many times if they miss their lives or want to go back to a traditional home and school. All three kids have said no and are in agreement that living in an RV is much better. Molly homeschools the kids but what makes their lives so enriched is the amazing adventures on which they get to embark every day. They visit national parks, museums, zoos, and libraries all over the country. Of the 25 states they’ve visited they have two favorite places so far, Utah and Montana at the National Parks. The Garcia’s now prioritize immersive experiences over traditional living.

The Garcia family has a simple message for those who’ve been inspired by their life choices. Much like everything in life, living in an RV comes with its own tribulations but they feel the outcome is well worth the troubles. They feel that most of the time people are their own biggest dilemmas and overcoming these dilemmas will make for a more blissful and peaceful life. The Garcia family, like many others in the last few years, have found a way of living that works for them and doesn’t necessarily keep on track with what it means to do things “traditionally”. After all, life is a grand adventure meant to be enjoyed with the people we love. 

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