In February we started researching alternatives to try and get those monthly costs lower. While there are many options, some are less desirable than others. When we initially contacted the park we are currently in, M & M Mobile Villas in Mesa, we were told the monthly rate was $300. I responded by saying we wanted to reserve a spot for March. I then gave notice to Apache Palms in Tempe and they promptly rented out our spot for March. Then a few days later M & M contacted me "as a courtesy" to let us know that the rent would actually be $400/month for new RVs moving in in March. That is a crappy business practice! I was very frustrated by them not standing by their initial quote and I returned to the office at Apache Palms to inquire if we could stay, but they were full. As I could not find any other options we moved to M & M Mobile Villas, but in the search I found another Mobile Home Park, Seyenna Vistas nearby which rents their spaces ONLY on a yearly basis for $3000 ($250/month) and you have to pay for the year up front. They also run criminal background checks and have more amenities - including a fitness center and clubhouse. The problem was that they were full so we added our name to the wait list....
Today we got a call that a spot opened. We will only need the spot for 9 months of the year, but we leave mid-May and return mid-August (two partial months). In many monthly rental situations they charge for the full month even when you only use part of the month, so in this case we are paying approx $333/month for the nine months we are in the Phoenix area despite the partial months. Another benefit of a yearly spot is that we could have a small shed, which we may take advantage of. Having a yearly spot seems like less stress - we don't have to worry about where we will be from one month to the next or where we will be when we return from our cross-country trip. Finally, the kids may be able to make some friends and participate in community activities and there is a small playground.
I also want to mention that living in M & M has been eye-opening in a number of ways. It is a working class neighborhood. I have met people who are living in their RVs out of necessity, not by choice, due to their economic realities. I grew up in site-built sticks and bricks houses owned by my parents. I continue to count my blessings and appreciate the difficult situations so many Americans find themselves in. We are living outside of our bubble & meeting people from all walks of life. I was living in a hyper-reality in my McMansion in the master-planned community. Now, between riding the light rail to work and living in a working class neighborhood, I am seeing the city and the community from different angles. It's not something I want to keep from my kids. I think they need to understand the diversity of experiences that surround us and learn how to adapt and thrive in any environment.
Let's remember that half of all households in the US make less than $56,000 per year. "Median" means middle, so half of all households make over and half make less...here is a graphic from the Census Bureau showing the median household income by state...
[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]
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