Barbara Smith, 72, loves the outdoors. "I guess I got the bug when my husband and I moved from Cincinnati to Littleton in 1986," she says. "I started backpacking soon after. Colorado is such a beautiful state to explore."

Not long after moving to Littleton, Ms. Smith and her husband, Everett, bought their first motorized camper. Until Everett's death in 1991, they took numerous trips, looking for new places to explore. After his death, she continued to travel.

Even now, Ms. Smith's fascination with nature has never waned. "I have friends who have campers and we travel quite a bit," she notes. "Most recently, I met a group of friends in Arizona."

She added: "I've put a lot of miles on my camper, so last year I decided that if I was going to continue traveling, I would need a new one. Mine was worn out."

Without enough savings to buy a new one, Ms. Smith decided to get a reverse mortgage, secured by her 1,430-square-foot "patio" home, which has two beds and a bath. In December 2000, she obtained a reverse mortgage. Using $55,000 from the reverse mortgage proceeds, she traded in her old camper and bought a brand-new one, built to her specifications.

Ms. Smith is also receiving fixed monthly payments of $814 for the next eight years from the reverse mortgage. "My financial planner is investing that money, so that when the reverse mortgage runs out, my investment portfolio will hopefully have grown and I can use that money to live off," she explains.

By the way, Barbara recently took delivery of her new camper. "It has a hand-held shower, a toilet, and a stove, which I didn't have before" she says. "I can't wait to try it out."