The RV Resolutions That Actually Stick: What Experienced RVers Wish They’d Done In Year One

Every January, social media explodes with RV influencers posting their resolutions: “Travel more! Adventure awaits! Live your best life!”

Yeah, thanks. Super useful.

After 15 years of full-time RV dwelling and speaking to 1000’s of RVers by way of my podcast and neighborhood, I can inform you the resolutions that really matter don’t have anything to do with Instagram-worthy sunsets. They’re concerning the unglamorous stuff that separates RVers who thrive from those that promote their rig inside 18 months.

Here are the resolutions skilled RVers want they’d made in yr one, and why 2026 is perhaps the yr you really maintain them.

Resolution 1: I Will Check My Tire Pressure Every Single Month

I do know. Boring. But here is what no person tells you: tire failure is the primary reason behind RV breakdowns, and it is nearly at all times preventable.

Linda from Oregon instructed me she discovered this lesson the onerous manner on I-90 in Montana. “We were six months into RV life, having the time of our lives. Then a tire blew at 65 mph. The damage cascaded: destroyed the fender, took out the battery compartment, cracked the frame. $8,000 in repairs because I thought ‘it looks fine’ was good enough.”

The decision that sticks: Buy a top quality tire strain monitoring system (TPMS) and truly use it. Set a calendar reminder for the primary of each month. Check pressures when tires are chilly. Write down the numbers.

Is it thrilling? No. Will it prevent 1000’s of {dollars} and probably your life? Absolutely.

Resolution 2: I Will Track Every Dollar We Spend for Three Months

Most new RVers don’t know what their way of life really prices. They have a fantasy quantity of their heads (often manner too low) or they’re simply hoping it really works out.

Here’s the fact: Over the years, I’ve watched RVers have real-time revelations about their spending. The ones who tracked every part knew precisely the place their cash went. The ones who did not? They have been careworn, stunned, and typically ended up reducing their journeys brief and quitting RV Life fully.

Mark and Susan from Texas began out as full-timers in 2024. They shared their story with Jen and me over a campfire in Tennessee final summer time: “We thought we could do this on $3,000 a month. After actually tracking for 90 days, our real number was $4,800. That’s a huge difference. But knowing the truth meant we could make real decisions instead of just worrying constantly.”

The decision that sticks: Use an app, a spreadsheet, or perhaps a pocket book. Track each greenback for 3 months. Every campground payment, each tank of gasoline, each grocery run, each “quick stop” at Walmart that turns into $200.

After three months, you will know your precise burn charge. Then you may make knowledgeable choices about the place to chop, the place to splurge, and whether or not your RV way of life is sustainable.

Resolution 3: I Will Learn to Do Basic Maintenance Myself

You needn’t turn out to be an RV mechanic. But if you cannot test your individual fluids, winterize your individual rig, or troubleshoot fundamental electrical points, you are going to lay our a fortune and waste weeks of your life ready for restore appointments.

Jake, a retired engineer, instructed me: “I spent my whole career managing people who fixed things. I figured I’d just pay someone to handle RV maintenance. Big mistake. I once waited three weeks for a mobile tech to diagnose a problem I later learned I could have fixed with a $12 fuse and a YouTube video.”

The decision that sticks: Pick one upkeep activity monthly to be taught. January: the right way to use a multimeter to diagnose electrical points. February: fundamental plumbing troubleshooting. March: slide-out upkeep. By December, you will have a toolkit of expertise that make you assured as an alternative of helpless.

The RV Lifestyle Community is launching a upkeep expertise module in our 2026 Masterclass particularly for that reason. Because independence is not nearly the place you may journey, it is about not being stranded as a result of you do not know the right way to repair one thing easy.

Resolution 4: I Will Actually Use My RV (Not Just Own It)

This sounds apparent, however it’s the decision individuals break most frequently.

They purchase the RV with grand plans. Then life occurs. Work will get busy. The climate is not good. They’ll go “next month” when situations are best.

Here’s what I’ve discovered: there isn’t any good time. There’s solely now.

Carol from Michigan mentioned it greatest: “We owned our RV for two years before we really used it. We took a few weekend trips, sure. But we were waiting for retirement to do the ‘real’ traveling. Then my husband had a health scare. Nothing serious, thank God, but it was a wake-up call. We started taking one significant trip every quarter, no excuses. Those trips became our most precious memories.”

The decision that sticks: Block out 4 journeys proper now. Put them on the calendar. Make them non-negotiable. They do not need to be cross-country epics. A 3-day weekend at a state park 100 miles away counts. The level is: use the rig you spent all that cash on.

Resolution 5: I Will Find My People

RV life will be lonely for those who let it’s. Sure, you are transferring round, assembly new individuals. But these are often surface-level conversations on the campground. “Nice rig! Where you headed?”

Real neighborhood takes intention.

David and Marie from Colorado instructed me they spent their first yr feeling remoted. “We’d left our neighborhood, our friends, our routines. We thought the freedom would be enough. It wasn’t. We needed people who understood this lifestyle, who we could call when something went wrong or share a sunset with when something went right.”

The decision that sticks: Join an RV neighborhood (sure, I’m biased, however whether or not it is mine or one other one, simply do it). Attend a rally. Make plans to satisfy up with different RVers as an alternative of simply waving as you cross. Exchange telephone numbers, not simply Instagram handles.

The RV way of life is healthier with individuals who get it. Make 2026 the yr you cease touring alone, even if you’re with somebody.

The Resolution That Trumps All Others

Here’s the decision that makes all of the others attainable: I might be trustworthy about what’s working and what is not.

The greatest mistake new RVers make is pretending every part is wonderful when it is not. Their rig has issues, however they do not wish to admit they made a foul buy. Their finances is bleeding, however they do not wish to face it. They’re lonely however put up joyful images.

The RVers who final are those who get actual. They admit when one thing sucks. They ask for assist. They alter course as an alternative of white-knuckling by way of issues whereas pretending it is all an journey.

That’s the decision that really adjustments every part.

Make This Your Best RV Year Yet

Look, I’m not going to blow sunshine about how 2026 goes to be magical simply since you resolve to make it so. Resolutions fail as a result of they’re primarily based on fantasy as an alternative of actuality.

But these 5 resolutions? They’re primarily based on what really works. They’re what skilled RVers want somebody had instructed them earlier than they discovered the onerous manner.

If you need assist conserving these resolutions, our RV Lifestyle Masterclass launches January tenth. It’s particularly designed that can assist you construct the talents, information, and neighborhood that make these resolutions stick, not due to motivation, however due to programs.

You can be taught extra at RVCommunity.com.

Whether you be part of us or not, make 2026 the yr you skip the fantasy resolutions and decide to those that really matter. Your future self will thanks.