This area of our website is for RVers…part time, full time, we don’t care. If you want to learn, share, teach, laugh and have fun, then you’ve come to the right place. Those are our goals for this site and we invite you to be a part of it.
Although we’ve had our Alpine Motor Coach for ten years and we have over 115,000 miles on it (all put on by us) we are new to the Full Time RVer’s crowd. Last Spring we put our house on the market and moved into our coach full time. I probably won’t feel like a true Full Timer until the house sells and we don’t have a base, but we’re almost there. We just hope the right person comes along and buys our house so we can get on with our dream of living like a nomad and going wherever and whenever we want.
We’ve made a lot of mistakes in our coaching history and sometimes learned things the hard way, but we’ve also learned a lot, had so much fun, and met such great people that we are ready to make it our lifestyle. Goodbye household responsibilities and hello truck stops!
Our intent is to have you ride along with us and learn from our experiences as we are traveling across the country. We also want to learn from you, so any time you have suggestions, ideas, or knowledge on a particular subject, we invite you to comment and contribute. We love the RVing community. We’ve got a lot to learn, but we also have a lot to share.
So enjoy the journey with us. Who knows, maybe we’ll meet along the way somewhere!
Welcome aboard.
I have a question about establishing a resident address as needed for SS, Medicare, licensing etc.
Hi Cindy
I’d be happy to answer your questions. We established our residence in Madison, South Dakota and got a street address through a company that caters to full time RVers called My Dakota Address. We have SD drivers licenses and our two cars and motor coach are licensed there. We also registered to vote there as well. We had to spend some time in South Dakota and show proof of our stay. Now all of our mail goes to our address there and the company forwards it to us wherever we are. There are similar companies in Texas, Montana, and other states as well. If you have a specific question, let me know and I’ll see if I can answer it.
Having a hard time finding out if any kind of a mail service or special needs for us to just keep,our,address in Tennessee
Hi June, If you are keeping your place in Tennessee, then you can certainly keep your address there but will have to arrange for someone to forward your mail to you while you are on the road. We sold our home so had no physical address to keep. That’s why we chose to go with My Dakota Address in Madison South Dakota. They cater to Full Time RVers. I receive an email on a daily basis telling me what mail I’ve received. I give them instructions on where to send it and how often. If it’s something really important, I’ll have them overnight it to me wherever I am. Otherwise we get our mail once a week.
Another option if you keep your address in Tennessee is to invest in a mailbox at a UPS store or other mail store. They will also often forward your mail to you upon instructions. That way you don’t have to have someone take in your mail at your home every time you are on the road. One less thing to worry about while leaving a house for a time.
There are other companies in other states that offer a similar mail service to what My Dakota Address does. You might want to investigate whether Tennessee has such a company. Try Googling RV mail services in Tennessee or something like that. I’ll take a look too and see if I find anything.
Good luck.
I’m a mobile vendor who will be transitioning out of a home onto the road permanently. I currenyly use a 1/2 ton truck and pull a 16′ trailer. I’m torn between a toy hauler vs a diesel pusher. Toy hauler means I can use my truck but am limited as to weight and size, pusher means I lose my truck but gain the ability to go larger. Size does come in to play, both too small to live comfortably and too large to pull into events, as does the cost of gas. Both have pros and cons-any insight?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the comment. From my perspective, if you get a diesel pusher you should be able to tow your truck so you wouldn’t “lose” it. If you have other toys you wish to take, then the toy hauler may make more sense. We have a diesel pusher and tow our four wheel drive Trail Blazer with ease. Hope that helps.
~cb
Hi Chris!
I can’t thank you enough for the wealth of information you provide!! My hubs and I hope to sell our 35 acres in N. AR and hit the road full time in a class A in the next few months. We planned to do this 15 yrs ago, did MAJOR research then at the last minute I decided I wasn’t done having my own garden. I am now done! We would appreciate any information and practical info on the newer coaches. We live 2 1/2 hrs from the nearest lg city and unlike the last time we did research (in FL) there are few dealers here. And I really need some practical advice about what is sane to think about taking kitchen-wise. I use a lot of 1zip bags for storage already, but that’s the only plastic I use. I have many mason jars, and lock-top glass jars. I think I know how to keep them in the cabinets, but what is the best way to keep them from rattling?? Plates and glasses as well??? Also if you could point me in the direction of info on starting a blog so the family can (virtually) join us would be wonderful!!!! Thank You!!
Hi Wendy,
I’d be glad to help the best I can. My husband always teases me that there are no rattles in our coach. If I hear one I’m up to fix it immediately!
When I packed my dishes on the coach I used a rubberized matting. You can buy rolls of it at Camping World. I’m sure you can get it elsewhere too. I cut circles to fit in between each plate (mine are glass). I put them between anything glass. My coffee mugs are also glass and I use plastic bags in between them so they don’t touch each other. The matting would work too. Sometimes I grab whatever is handy like a dish towel or wash cloth to stick in between things rattling and then fix it when we get to our destination. For the pots and pans I use hot pads to put in between them. They are a little thicker.
You can also use this matting on the counter to keep things from sliding around. We have some under our coffee pot. For things like the toaster and smaller items like cookie jars etc., I buy the silly putty like product and stick it on the bottom. That keeps things from moving around too.
I don’t have glass drinkwear on board except for a couple glasses we keep in the freezer for ice cold drinks. Again I use plastic bags in between them to keep them from touching. I don’t worry too much about the rest of the glasses. However, my friend has a product for organizing your cupboards. It works great for items in the refrigerator, cupboards, and any where you want things to be safe from moving around. I’ve just learned about it so haven’t tried it yet but she uses it throughout her coach. Unfortunately I don’t have the name of it right this minute but will post again when I find out the name and how you can get it.
I will also reply to your question about starting a blog. I want to get some material together so I can give you the proper advice. We can talk off line about that as well if you wish. I can help you get started.
The other question you asked was about the new rigs. There have been a lot of changes since we purchased ours. I would recommend test driving any of them and determining which you feel is the best driving one. Then figure out how much space you’ll need. Ours only has 3 slides and I know the newer ones have four. I wish we had a fourth one because it gives you that much more room, especially if you are traveling with animals. You will be less likely to trip over them if they are lying in the middle of the floor.
We wanted a king size bed so that had some impact on what style of rig we could buy. We also have a stacked washer/dryer which I’m not sure I would get again because it only takes small loads. I have friends that have bigger ones and that would be much better. It does take up space though, so you need to figure that in.
We never use our gas oven for cooking. Right now I use it to store bread and potatoes. We have a combination microwave and convection oven which works great for what we need. So think about what kind of cooking you’ll be doing. The oven takes up cupboard space if you’re not going to use it.
We have leather chairs but an upholstered couch. We have a dog and cat so I keep the couch covered with a blanket at all times. If I had it to do over again, I’d get a leather couch too. Especially because our cat still has his claws and likes to use upholstered furniture as a scratching post. We do carry a scratching post with us, but he looks for alternatives!
Another thing to think about is if you want a front door or mid door. Ours is a front door and we like it because it gives us more room in the middle section of the coach. You don’t have a stairway there. If you get four slides, the mid door may not be an option.
As far as having a garden, I see a lot of RVers bring their potted plants with them. They figure out a way to store them while they travel and then put them outside when they get to their destination. I carry a small cactus garden that I just put in the kitchen sink with a towel around it so it won’t slide. Other people put them in the shower but secure them so they won’t move around. People get very creative when they want to bring something along.
This will give you some things to think about. Again, when I get the name of the storage product, I will pass it along. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Good luck,
~cb
Thanks for the great advice! I already use the rubber matting around my current home so I’m on my way w/that. I know some of these questions are probably silly but… I have a handle (I think) on my cookware, but what about plates and glasses?? I have 12 of each. How many are reasonable to take for 2 people? We enjoy some entertaining, but not sure we want to carry the weight and take up that much space. We will not be storing anything so all decisions are final (yikes!!) I appreciate any food for thought you could give me about any of this!! Also is there a site that rates RVs or has individual reviews? Thanks! W
We have place settings for six. If we ever have more people over than that, they bring their own dishes and especially glasses. You’ll find in most parks where people know each other, they are very good about bringing their own chairs, drinks, and whatever else is needed.
You are right about the weight. It’s something to keep in mind. If you’re going to do bigger entertaining, there’s always paper plates and plastic cups and silverware. I don’t know of a site that rates RVs. Try Googling it and see what you can find. Maybe Consumer Reports does, I don’t know. When we bought ours, we went around to the different dealers and did our own comparing.
~cb
Thanks Chris! When we were going to do this 15 yrs ago we had many options for doing our own comparisons (we lived if FL and were near hundreds of dealers and home to some of the biggest rv shows in the country) However our physical situation has changed and the 2 nearest cities that have decent dealerships are 2 1/2 and 3 hrs away. So as much of our research as possible will have to be done online. There is a large show in Springfield in march, but we kinda like to know what to not even bother looking at if ya know what I mean.
I’d also like to pick ur brain about your experiences w/your cat. How many did you bring, how old were they when you began your new lifestyle, did you do any kind of acclimation process w/them. Were they used to having a leash/collar on and were they inside or out door cats before the change of lifestyle?? Thank you so very much for your insight and willingness to share!
Hi Wendy,
I just responded to a similar question on another thread about how to find out about the different RVs that are out there. I just Googled ‘Consumer Report for RVs’ and there was a list of several very informative sites that did a lot of comparing of the different rigs and gave some reviews. I think that would be a good place to start doing your research.
As far as traveling with our cat, we just have one and he’s 16 years old. We’ve taken him with us in the car whenever we take our dogs with us ever since he was 8 weeks old. So he’s used to traveling. We got our Coach when he was about 4 years old and he’s gone every mile with the coach. More than me even since my husband’s made a few trips without me. (This was before we were full timing). He is an indoor cat. We only let him out when we carry him with a halter on for security or when he’s on a leash. He travels very well. We have his cat box in the back bedroom and have it facing a corner so the dog can’t get into it but the cat can.
With any animals you take with you, be sure you take all of their paperwork concerning shots and medication, ear tags or any other information you may need to share with a vet along the way. We’ve met many vets across the country and it really helps if you can give them some history. When we started RVing we had two dogs and a cat. Now we just have one dog and our cat.
One thing we have to watch out for is to be sure the cat doesn’t get behind the slides. So we just stick pillows in where there’s a gap when the slides are in. Then he can’t get back there. We also have to be careful of the drawers under our beds. He’s managed to get in those a couple times without our noticing it. They jarred open while we were traveling and as most cats do, he notices any open drawer or door and takes a peak. So be sure to keep an eye on the cats especially when you first start. They will explore every nook and cranny. After all…they are cats!
~cb
Thank you for all your tips and info! I will definitely check out the links you suggested!
Hello all! At the whopping old age of 60, I plan on joining the full time RV crowd soon. I live outside of Olympia Washington and rents are very expensive. So I’m seriously considering purchasing something like a 30 ft 5th wheel or travel trailer to live in full time. I’m also looking for a park. I don’t have a way to move the trailer, but the lot I plan on purchasing from will deliver and set up. I’ll be buying used, not really knowing what to look for. I’m used to small spaces, so I don’t need a lot for me and the dog and 4 cats…yeah, long story there. I’d be grateful for any info anyone has. Thanks!
Hi Phyllis,
I must say, 4 cats and a dog are a lot of animals to travel with. The most we’ve ever had on board was two dogs and a cat. But I’m sure you’ll manage some how.
I don’t know if you are planning to stay in the Olympia area or not. I don’t know of any parks there but we stayed in one in Sumner, Washington that was very nice. It’s called River Park Estates RV Park. It is more for permanent RVers than transient ones. When we were there they had a 3 month minimum stay.
They have 2-car car ports with an attached shed and lots of room at each spot. Some of the spots have enclosed back yards. Their prices are reasonable as well. You can look them up at http://www.riverparkrv.com. Maybe someone else can make additional recommendations. Good luck.
I don’t plan on traveling. I plan on living full time in the RV if that’s possible. That is a really nice park you posted. I was hoping to stay on the outskirts of Olympia. Elma has a nice place too. I’m just not real familiar with Washington yet. Thank you for the info!
Well we have gotten into full time RVing by necessity because the state of N.C. decided they needed our homeplace to put in a bypass.Not having another place to put our log home we decided to hit the road so to speak. Wow this is a hard thing to do! From a home in the country to no home other than our 32ft. motorhome is a hard thing to get use to.Both mentally and physically.Has anybody out there had to go through this and can they give any advice to a couple first time rvers.
Hi Paul and Susan,
Wow, that would be quite a shock for anyone who hadn’t planned on being a full timer. Hopefully you can make the best of it and turn it into a wonderful adventure. It can be very fun for those with the right attitude.
I think one of the hardest things to get used to is that of not having a home somewhere. We felt kind of lost when we first started. But again, we were determined to see as much of the country as we could. We enjoy planning trips and look forward to seeing new things and meeting people. Other RVers that you meet along the way will have a great deal of advice for you so be sure to reach out to others.
Depending on your financial situation, I would suggest sitting down and figuring out where you want to go and what you’d like to see. You need to take into consideration the cost. Many parks offer discounts for longer durations so it’s actually cheaper to stay weeks or months at a time. Some parks do not offer discounts, so that’s something to check out. I don’t know if your rig is diesel or gas, but both have come down quite a bit in price so it’s a good time to be traveling.
As far as getting used to the physical limitations, my advice is to be sure you keep everything in it’s place. For me anyway, clutter makes the space feel even smaller. Seek out parks that have outdoor patio areas around your spot so you can have more usable room outside of your rig.
Many full timers prefer to stay in two spots during the year. North in the Summer and South in the Winter for the warmth. They’ll find a place in each area that offers the kinds of things that interest them and then just go back and forth between the two. Many of the parks are accustomed to that kind of customer…endearingly called “snowbirds”. Again, it’s all based on personal preference. We have some friends that started out traveling a lot but after a few years of that they started going back and forth between two spots.
I hope this gives you some things to contemplate. If you have more specific questions, I’d be happy to try to answer them. Hopefully others will chime in as well.
Good luck with your new lifestyle!
~cb
Went through a divorce and no longer desire a “house” home. I need to be mobile due to my work and unpredictable future. I have been modifying my 5ver to make it a permanent home and I love it. For a single man …..the best way to go.
Hi Lynn,
Sounds like things fell right into place for you after your divorce. Good for you and I’m happy for you. I’ve met many single people, not just men, throughout our travels who have lost their partner…either through death or divorce…and have found living full time in their RV works out great for them. With your need to travel for work, this sounds like the right solution.
Good luck and Happy New Year. Enjoy your new lifestyle!
~cb
Most people talk about the closeness of RV’ers and in a way, that concerns me. After working in a retail business most of my life I sold it and moved to a pretty isolated place to enjoy some peace and solitude. I have lived this life style for 15 years and like it. Now I need to downsize and I am contemplating either a 5th wheel rig or a cabin somewhere warmer. So my question is, Can a single person setup in places where it is not so crowded? I have not had neighbors for many years, so as I said, it concerns me.
Thank you.
Hi RD,
This is an interesting question. I’ll do my best to give it perspective.
I have always found that most RVers are respectful of the boundaries of other RVers in the parks. As usual you will find some exceptions. Not all parks are tight with only a few feet in between the rigs. It’s best to search on the internet and look for parks that have pictures and descriptions of the spots.
There are membership parks where you actually buy your own spot and can create your own space within the rules of the park. Such things like putting in a built-in BBQ, a patio roof, a small shed, or in some cases define your spot with landscaping. We stayed in one park in Sumner, Washington which was more geared for people who lived there rather than us transients. We had a car port for two cars attached to a shed and our own fenced-in back yard. They were extra wide and long spots so plenty of room in between each rig.
As far as not having neighbors, that might be kind of tough in a park, but you could buy some property and build your own RV site on it with full hook ups. I’ve seen that done as well. There are options out there, you just have to do some research.
Back to the question of the closeness of RVers, I’d say it’s up to you how much you want to be involved with others. It’s true that RVers are a friendly bunch and love to meet other people and have gatherings. But if you don’t want to participate or you just want to be by yourself, most of the ones I’ve met have been very understanding and will just leave you alone. It’s an accommodating bunch of people. That’s what makes them so special.
The value of living in an RV is you can keep moving until you find the right place. Good luck with your search for the right spot. Keep us posted on what you decide to do.
~cb
To RD……. About single RV ing…… Been single RVing long time(had family 25 years…glad I did that) then decided to travel but any companions kept canceling so I went alone and was fine and not afraid….in Calif now by family attending to medical issues but still live in RV and wanting more trips….(been across U.S. 14 times,Alaska 3 times, lots of Natl Parks and international travel too(not RV) and 6 cruises
Wow Donna,
Sounds like you’ve had some incredible trips and lots of experience Full Timing. Thanks for interacting on this site.
~cb
i will be a full timer next week, I have hear that Texas would be the best place for us to register. I hear the town of Livingston Tx has a (Headquartes) places for RVs to get help on what to do. Mail ect. Have you hear anything about this place?
Hey John,
Good question. If you are interested in making Texas your residence while you are full timing, I suggest you look into Escapees. They are located in Texas and you can establish residency through them. The last time I looked you had to stay in Tx 30 days before you could establish residency. There is no state income tax in TX and you can get your mail taken care of through Escapees. They also have a lot of discounts for various RV parks and stores.
Another state that offers such a service to RVers is South Dakota. SD does not have state income tax either. We chose My Dakota Address based in Madison, SD. When we did it, we were only required to spend one night in SD and it didn’t have to be in Madison. You show your RV park receipt proving you spent a night to the license bureau and get a driver’s license and license your vehicles including your tow car. It’s very reasonable in SD. I don’t know what the rates are in TX. There are other states that offer similar deals and I’m sure you would find them if you google something like Where do full time RVers establish residency.
These places will assign you a physical address which becomes your home address. In the case of My Dakota Address, they send an email every day with a list of all the mail you’ve received for that day. They will mail it to you wherever you tell them to. We chose to have mail sent to us once a week unless there is something pressing that needs attention right away. While traveling, they hold it until you tell them when and where to send it.
It’s a great service. Good luck with your new life style and thanks for asking the question.
~cb
Hi! My husband and I are new to FT RVing and are in our 3 rd month. I am just NOW visiting FT blogs to share and ask for info. We purchased a truck and 5 th wheel and started a blog for family and friends to follow along if they want to. The blog has helped me feel connected to everyone that we left behind. It is SO different than owning a home, ( which we did for 20 yrs. in NJ ), and like you, we know we have a lot to learn, but it was the right time to jump into this lifestyle, and we are enjoying it. We need to make a plan for this winter, after visiting family in WI for 3 months. We will establish residency in S. Dakota and figured we ‘d go south from there?… Or south west? All of it is new territory for us so any ideas would be welcome! And feel free to visit our little blog 🙂
Hi there and welcome to the website.
My biggest advice to you is go North in the summer and South in the winter. We tend to watch the weather pretty close. We just spent 3.5 months in TX and although we enjoyed the people, the weather was not fun. They tell me it was an unusual year, and I believe them. We had 35 inches of rain just in the month of May. Of course that was accompanies by thunder, lightening and tornadoes. They were in a drought when we got there and were suffering from flooding and having to let water out of the lakes by the time we left.
I also have a travel blog for family and friends to follow. It’s been fun to share some of our experiences with them. Helps you feel closer.
I hope you’ll continue to post here and share your experiences and knowledge so other RVers can learn.
~cb
In our three years of full time best tip we have from fellow traveller sis a app for our satellite. Very frustrating going back and forth between trees to get signal. The app I’d dish for my rv!!!!
Now if someone can helped me. I have chronic back pain that I must take hydro condone on a regular schedule to be able to live this wonderful full time life. I am required to return to Dallas for a refill prescription every month!!! There has to be another way?? Are the laws same in every state?
Thanks for any advice!! Sue
Hi Sue,
Welcome to the website. You’re asking a very good question. Doctors, dentists, and other medical issues are a challenge while full timing. Trying to keep all of your prescriptions up to date is problematic as well. I get my meds via mail so it’s relatively easy for me to redirect them to wherever we are receiving our mail. However, I know that hydrocodone is a necrotic-type drug and that is probably the issue. I don’t have the answer for you and am hoping others will chime in. Have you talked to your physician who prescribed the drug to see if he or she has any solutions for you? Can they transfer the prescription to another doctor in the state where you are?
We have also had trouble getting the medications for our pets. In many states it’s a requirement for a vet to examine the animal before they can prescribe which costs extra money. So we’ve had to work closely with our “home” vet to get things transferred around. However in your case, the nature of the medicine probably places many restrictions on how you can receive it. My best advice would be to do some research on Google for ideas and ask your doctor for solutions.
Can anyone else offer any suggestions for Sue?
~cb
Sue, Do you have to see your Dr. every month, or just get your RX? If just picking up your RX, try using Wal-Mart or Walgreens for the RX. They are linked all over the country and you should be able to get your RX where ever you want to be. Pick which one you want to use and talk to them about your situation and make sure you can pick it up in another location.
HI! with in the next year I am planning on going FT RV’ing in order to support my work and be able to travel. I am currently in the Navy in Mayport Florida but plan on getting out later this year and becoming a welder and traveling the country working on shutdowns. I was just wondering if you had any tips or suggestions as to what could be the best RV for me… I have my dog and my girlfriend as well. and I want them to both be comfortable. my current thoughts are on a 5th wheel toy hauler. Any input?
Hi Chris,
Sounds like a great plan and a great way to tour around and see different parts of the country without having to worry about a home to take care of.
As far as the best kind of rig, that’s very much a personal preference. There are a lot of things to consider before deciding. I will tell you that we have a 40′ motor coach and have no experience with any other type of rig. All I can offer are some things to consider.
You need to determine how much and what kind of stuff you want to take with you. How much living space vs storage space do you want/need? How big are the items you wish to take (for example bikes vs ATVs) and can they be carried on a rack attached to the 5th wheeler or are they big enough to need to be inside. Concerning the items you need to put in the toy hauler, do they require gas and will that smell permeate the living quarters?
As you can see, there are a lot of issues that come into play. I know there are many more than the ones I brought up. I suggest you Google 5th wheelers vs toy haulers and see what kinds of information you can discover that may help you make the decision.
Sorry I can’t be of more help. I just don’t have the experience or knowledge to give you a concrete answer. But like I said, it’s a personal choice based on what your needs are.
Good luck!
~cb
Hi, my husband Butch and I have been full timers since October 25, so we are really new. Loving it so far, but there is a lot to learn! We are in Columbus, tx right now in a Thousand Trails resort. When we made the reservation they told us about their annual pass deal and we are contemplating doing it, but wonder what other people think about it. They say we can buy 2 zones for 545 for a year. What do other people think? Help! Terrie
Hi Butch and Terrie,
Welcome to the world of Full Timing. Glad to hear you are enjoying it.
It sounds like Thousand Trails has changed since we joined it. There was only one option when we joined and that was a life time membership that you could not get out of unless you died and bequeathed it to a family member or sold it, and they did not help with the sale at all.
I’m hoping others will reply to this as we have not experienced the new way. We found their parks were older and did not accommodate our 40 foot rig very well. We also didn’t like the first come first serve practice. Even though they guarantee you a spot, it’s not a specific spot and you have to drive around and find your own. We like to know ahead of time we have a specific spot that will fit us. This is our personal preference. This may have changed too, I don’t know.
Many of the parks were nice enough and especially if you have a smaller rig. From our personal experience, it did not meet our needs.
Anyone else want to comment on the subject?
Good luck to you in your new adventure.
~cb
My husband and I are tired of living in Vegas and want our two young boys (6 & 8) to experience life to its fullest so we have an rv we picked out and are buying (it’s an old Winnebago brave that sat in a lawn for a few years with a for sale sign, we asked about it and guys selling it to us for almost nothing just so we will replace the battery and get it off his property) Anyways, we decided to go with an older, used rv and update it to what we need once we get mobile and discover what those needs really will be. My question, is there any updates we should do before pulling out? Should we buy a solor system before we know what our power usage needs will be or do we add a larger hot water tank right off the back? We are trying not to have to spend money to correct rash purchases in our excitement to leave as we are not on a fixed income nor do we have a huge savings. our jobs are very fluid so we’ve just been stacking our projected monthly living expenses.
Hi Melanie,
It’s good that you’re thinking things through and not jumping into upgrades. My suggestion would be to go on some short trips initially and try to monitor how you use water, power, propane, etc, to see whether you need to increase capacity. Try to determine how you believe you’ll be traveling. Will you be staying in RV parks with full hookups or do you envision yourselves dry camping more often? The answer to that question will impact your usage of power sources and water.
Also, with the purchase of an older vehicle, I suggest taking it out and testing all of the moving parts before taking off on a full-time basis. At least that’s what I would do. Make sure everything related to the mechanics of the house and chassis are in full working condition.
Good luck on your adventure. Let us know how you are doing and if you have any more questions.
~cb
Hi, We don’t RV yet, in 5 yrs. he said, I just can’t wait. We do not have a home to sell. We are looking for about a 31 to 35 in length. It’s going to be a older one of course, But my question is … We are going to be about 60. in age by then. Some people say too old! I don’t think so! I have read some blogs and not to many rv’ers say how old they were when they started, just the yrs. so I’m curious to find out. Thanks so to be!?
Hi Brenda,
There are no age limitations to RVing. Many people don’t start full-timing until they retire at age 62 or 65. It’s more about your mental and physical health and your ability to safely handle your rig than it is about age. We have friends that are still full-timing well into their 70’s. Age is just a number. If you are healthy and mentally sharp then age shouldn’t stop you.
Good luck,
~cb
Hi Brenda,
I am currently 62 and plan on full time rving in another 3 years so I will be 65. I feel young and I am looking so forward to doing this! Wish I could do it sooner but I am using my time to fully research everything so I will be ready to go! Best of luck to you!
Thank you. I appreciate you getting back to me. I feel the same way about age, it’s just a number. I hope you won’t get tired of me ? Another question if you don’t mind. What to look for in a rv, since you all have been full timers. I’m want to start making some notes. How do you food shop? I’m so use to grocery shopping for the whole week.
Thank you.
Hi Brenda,
I won’t get tired of you. Just hope I can help.
Choosing an RV is a very personal thing. Everyone has their own needs, so you need to start thinking about how you intend to use the RV. Will you be staying in places for weeks or months at a time? Or will you be traveling most of the time? Do you plan to stay in RV parks mostly or do you enjoy dry camping without any hook-ups? Will you be taking kids or animals with you? Those are just a few questions to get you started thinking about what you want to do.
Also, you’ll need to assess what kind of vehicle you want to drive. Do you already have a truck that can tow a fifth wheeler? Or would you have to purchase one in addition to the RV? Would you prefer a trailer that can be pulled behind a car? Or do you want to drive a larger rig and tow a car behind you? If you get a chance to rent some rigs ahead of purchasing one, that may help your decision. Each type of RV has its own advantages and disadvantages. Your decision on what type to buy depends on your desires and your personal situation.
As far as food shopping, it’s not too much different than the shopping you do today. You just need to be aware of your space limitations. Our rig has a full-size residential refrigerator, so we have ample freezer space as well as the refrigerator side. However, it is fully electric, so we either need to be plugged in, use the inverter, or have the generator going if we’re going to be stopped for any length of time. Many of the rigs have refrigerators that run on both electricity or propane. Never having owned a propane frig, I’m not sure what limitations that gives you in terms of space or freezer capacity. Some of them are pretty big so it may not be a problem. Something for you to investigate. We don’t do a lot of dry camping so the electric works for us.
When you shop for non-perishables, space is a key factor as well. We tend to buy our paper products at Costco and store them below. However, if your storage space below is not very roomy, you may need to buy in smaller quantities and shop more often.
Space is a critical factor when RVing. You have to keep in mind you take everything with you. So not only does space itself matter, but the weight as well.
Hope that helps.
~cb
Thank you for your info, It helps! In reading, a gentleman asked about residence?
He brought up TX, you told him about SD. I don’t understand that part.
And the mail. We really only get Bills …(utility’s, cable, Phone) auto insurance is paperless.
My Husband is retiring next month and wants to go full time RVing. WE have owned an RV for over 17 years na dhave enjoyed travel vacations, but have always returned home. I am skeptical of full time RVing so have a few questions I hope you can answer:
1. What do you do to keep from getting bored?
2. Do you travel alone or are the clubs to join?
3. Besides Workampers, what else can you do to earn an income?
any advce would be helpful, Thank you
Hi Helen,
You are asking some great questions. It is kind of scary to give up your home and be out on the road with no home base. In our case, we wanted to downsize anyway, so our plan was to sell the house, put our stuff in storage, travel for a few years and then settle down again. I guess that plan gave me some comfort knowing that we would settle somewhere again. With your 17 years of experience, you’re better prepared than a lot of full timers who retire, buy a rig and then take off. You’ll feel comfortable in your new situation because your rig is already part of your life.
To answer your questions:
1. We don’t get bored. We try to do different things and take advantage of wherever we are. We do a lot of exploring and visiting the local spots. We try to not just go to touristy kinds of places. Depending on how you decide to full time can impact that as well. Are you going to stay in one spot for months at a time or move around every few weeks? Have you determined what parts of the country you want to see, or are you going to play it by ear?
A lot of full timers spend most of their time visiting kids and grandkids who have moved away. They’ll split up their time between their family’s locations. I’ve known a lot of people that take hobbies with them. One friend completely outfitted his “basement” on his motorcoach with a woodshop so he could continue his woodworking on the road. A lot of women enjoy crafts like making jewelry, embroidering, knitting, crocheting, painting, scrapbooking, etc. We are both interested in photography so spend time viewing our surroundings through a lens. I’m a writer, so I do a lot of writing on the road.
Many RV parks have activities as well, and you can get involved as much or as little as you want. Those with pools often offer water aerobics; many have work- out facilities, craft courses, minature golf or are located near a real golf course. We’ve even stayed at a park that had a bowling alley.
Part of the luxury of full timing is making your own choices. If you want to be involved, there’s usually plenty to do. If you want to just sit down with a good book, the choice is yours. I think you’ll find most of your fellow RVers respect each other’s privacy and everyone is free to do what they wish. Almost all RV parks have internet so you can stay in touch with friends and family and tell them about your adventures. I’m not sure I’ve ever met an RVer that gets bored.
2. For the most part, we travel alone although on occasion we’ll travel with another couple to a particular spot. There are a few locations we frequent so we’ve gotten to know others who return every year. We’re from all over but go to this place during a specific time.
There are lots of RV clubs. Most of the manufacturers of RVs have organizations. For example, we have an Alpine Coach so belong to the Alpine Coach Association and also the Southern Cal Alpine group. These organizations have rallies periodically throughout the year, and people come from many locations to attend. That’s also nice because you share knowledge about the particular brand of vehicle and learn a lot from others’ experiences.
There are many other groups, Good Sams, Family Motor Coach Association, Escapees, just to name a few. Once you join them, you get emails concerning upcoming events plus other useful information. They’re a lot of fun, and it’s a great way to meet people and learn.
3. Workampers is an excellent way to make your way across the country. We’ve never done it, but have met many who have and enjoy it thoroughly. Amazon has a work kamper program where you work in one of their warehouses during the preholiday months and help with the large volume of products purchased. Many people go there every holiday season and make enough to fuel the rest of their travels for the year. Amazon pays for your park plus wages.
As I said, I’m a writer, and I write content and copy for clients all over the world. As long as I have my computer and an internet connection, I can work from anywhere. My husband is a photographer and can also work from anywhere. You can look into providing information products and sell them online. There are many kinds of work that allow you the freedom of doing it from anywhere. You can google working from home and see what you find. Be cautious, though; there are some scams out there.
I hope this has answered your questions and helped in some way. Maybe some others will join in and offer some suggestions as well.
Thanks for visiting our site. I’m sure others have the same kinds of questions.
Good luck and check in every once in a while and let us know how you’re doing.
~cb
Wow, Thank you Chris, will review this tonight with my husband.. I’m sure I will havemore questions..
You’re welcome. Hope this helps. I’d be happy to try and answer any other questions.
~cb
Hi Chris we are fixing up the house to max. the sell of our house then buy a 5th wheel so I’m getting as much info. as I can so we can go fulltime rving .my question is we notice the ads on internet for 5th wheel they say prices doesn’t include tax, government fees and document fees . what are the legal fees they can charge you ? any thoughts on this would be helpful THANKS
Hi David,
Sounds like you’re busy getting ready for your big adventure. I wish you the best.
As far as taxes and legal fees, I’m afraid I’m not an expert in either field. I would suggest talking with a tax accountant or attorney or perhaps the dealer where you’re looking at fifth wheelers may have some information he/she can share.
Sorry I can’t help. Good luck.
~cb
I’m not sure you understood what I meant taxes & legal fees I was referring to when you buying a 5th wheel what the dealers can legally charge a customer. They claim to charge government fee ?, as well as stander taxes such as state and document fees or handling fees what is legal & what is fair ???
I’ve been a rv tech for over 30yrs. I may have given you you’re walk thru on your Alpine. After 30yrs. of showing new owners how their coach work, best way to set up, ect. Now I’m a fulltimer!!. My last job was Maration of Ca. Got canned 4days before X-Mas ’07. So it’s been a decade….. I’ve gotten a 3/4 ton, crew cab ford long bed 7.3 diesel p/u, pulling a 38′ 5th wheel toyhauler….. Scares the shit out of me. LOL!!! Karma. I’m just hoping, after lots of driving practice, there will be some recent post I can help with. Site has the right stuff to aid the rv’er
Welcome to the full timers club! By now I’m sure you’re a pro. We bought our Alpine in Denver, so if you worked there, maybe you did give us the walk through. It’s been a few months now since you became a full timer. How are things going? Any advice to share now that you’re an “expert?”
Happy Trails!
cb
I have a permanent address but will be traveling full time in the RV for the next few years. My question is: How do I find doctors that can fill my needed prescriptions while I’m travelling?
Zelinda, The first thing you need to do is find out where your insurance will cover you. Some insurance companies cover multiple states while others are more restrictive. As far as getting prescriptions filled, go to the common stores like Walgreens or Walmart. They are good about transferring prescriptions. Sometimes, it depends on the medication itself whether or not it can be transferred across state lines. These stores are usually good about helping you work it out. Good luck.
~cb