Choices, What's Important To You

   We went to our last RV show this past weekend in Atlanta. I say last because I really don't think I can take one more. They say RVing is supposed to be relaxing, what they don't tell you is all the hassle you have to deal with to get to the relaxing part. The parking, the crowds and the salespeople you have to put up with.

    We at least narrowed our choice down to three that we really like, I mean I could live in any of these three when the time comes so if one is not available when we are ready hopefully another will be. Or we could be right back at square one. Who knows? Don't get me wrong, all of the RV's we've looked at have their good points and not so good points. I'm beginning to see the RV lifestyle is made up of trade offs. Bigger bedrooms mean more clothes storage which is important. But on the other hand large living rooms mean you can spread out more. After all that's where you will be spending most of your awake time, unless you are outside.

   Of course the kitchen has been discussed more than I want to admit here but I guess I should. Barb is all about needing more counter space, I keep asking why and she keeps trying to explain. I still don't see it. But since some strange woman at the show felt she needed to voice her opinion about OUR kitchen needs and why the ovens in these things are never big enough, (what does oven size have to do with counter space?) I guess I just give up, My dad told me always pick your battles. Kitchen counters don't seem that important to me.

    Now if you're talking cabinet space in the kitchen, well that's a whole other story. I don't want to be running out to the basement every time Barb wants to make chilli or stew to get the big pot that has to live in the basement because there is no room inside to keep it. So listen up here, cabinet space is or should be a high priority for storing pots and pans. Don't forget about the pantry. You don't want to go loading up the pantry with six months worth of can goods. Here's a FYI for you, The average weight of a can of lets say green beans or corn is 16oz. So for every four cans in your pantry you've added one pound. Weight in a RV can be a dangerous thing so shop accordingly. Just so you know keep heavy items (like can goods) low so your weight distribution is as good as possible.

    Another important choice I see is space and storage in the bathroom. First, let's talk about the shower. I do not want to spend my time in the shower banging my elbows in a too tiny shower stall. Now storage, every RV we have been in had a medicine cabinet large enough to handle the needed items like toothpaste, deodorant, medicine and other common bathroom cabinet items. Not true for other storage. You still need space for towels, wash cloth's, toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Now a lot of these things can find a home in the bedroom closet but now where do you keep your clothes. You can try under the bed but that's where you keep your winter clothes and a host of other things you need to have on hand.

    Now don't get me wrong, there is space in your RV. You just need to learn how to utilize it to best suit your lifestyle. Also don't forget you have a basement storage area underneath. Most basements are about 160 cu. ft. of storage and can hold a bunch of things. So keep that in mind.

    Anyway, we have narrowed our choices down to just a few and still have time to refine the list or change it completely by the time we are ready to get on the road. Just keep in mind you have a lot of choices in RV's and what kind of storage they have. I guess I'd say just think about how you live now and try to use that as a gauge or how you will live on the road.

Safe travels and I'll see you down the road.

Home, Home on the Road

Home is where you hang your Hat

They say home is where your heart is, or where you hang your hat. I guess both of those sayings can be true. But what about your DOMICILE? My what? Domicile.

 As per my trusty Merriam Webster,

( Place where an individual has a fixed and permanent home for legal purposes. The domicile of an individual or organization determines the proper jurisdiction and venue for legal process, including taxation.)

Fixed and permanent home for legal purposes, kind of has a pretty legal ring to. And for good reason. When you are fulltiming and are foot loose and fancy free to travel the country just about anyplace can be called home. But, hold your horses. You can run but you can't hide from Uncle Sam or the states that he has control over, which at last count was ALL OF THEM.

You must declare one state as your domicile. This is the state you will register your RV in, register your tow or towed vehicle in, buy insurance for said vehicles in, don't forget to renew your driver's license every 4 to 8 years. And a whole bunch of other things that we all have to do from time to time.

But wait! Not all states are the same. No siree. There are three states that seem to be a little better than all the rest. South Dakota, Texas, and Florida. I don't want to start a fight here, So what I mean by better is. These three states have no income tax, low registration fees for vehicles and RV's, lower insurance, depending on what part of the state you register,

Of course you will want to research each of these three states to see which one best fits your individual needs. One might have lower fees than the others, or longer times before you need to renew tags, or licenses. One might excuse you from jury duty while anther says you need to get here no matter what. All of this is discussed every day on the many different RV Forums that are out there. Just goggle Domicile Forums and sit back and prepare yourself for information overload. You can even buy a book that has all of the information laid out for you so all you need to do is pick which state you like.

Of course one thing that you don't find much discussion about is convenience. South Dakota, Texas and Florida are all pretty much the same when it comes to the things I've talked about already. The cost of doing business will be pretty much the same across these three states. Prices will differ a little here and there but I don't believe they play that much into the total picture. Let's say you spend most of your time traveling the south and southwest. Does it make much sense to drive all the way to South Dakota just to renew your driver's license? What I mean is, try to make the best decision that works for you. Barb and I have family in Ohio and Florida. Which means we will most likely make our domicile Florida not just because of the cost of different services that we will be needing but for the convenience of seeing family while there to do business. And its just a short run up I-75 to visit family in Ohio. I think we will be spending most of our time in the south and southwest so this seems like it will work best for us.

Most of this domicile stuff can be kind of confusing. There are plenty of things you as an individual must decide for yourself. Nobody can make these kinds of decisions for you. My best advice to you, and remember you get what you paid for. Take your time and weigh all the information and then make the best financial and convenient decision that works for you. Until next time.

Safe Travels and I'll see You down the Road.

It's gett'in real now

It's gett'in real now. Not that it wasn’t before but now it seems like its all starting to come together. For instance, I'm a member of Workamper News. An organization I think everybody thinking about becoming a fulltimer should join especially if you are going to be working on the road.

One of the many benefits of belonging to Workamper News is being able to make and post your Awesome Applicant Resume on line at Workamper.com. Barb and I don't plan on leaving until the end of the year but I had some time last week and decided to get started working on our resume.

After signing in the first part was pretty much fill in the blanks. Workamper really made it easy for anybody to place a resume out there. They asked for Preferred U.S. Work locations, Preferred Work Schedule, Preferred Salary & Benefits, Preferred Work Settings and Availability and Seasonal Preference. You can look at these headings and see fairly easily what they mean. The last one, Availability simply means when are you available to work. Well I put we are available to begin work after 01/01/2015. This is important to know. I found out each time you update or make a change to your resume that sends a note to every employer that uses Workamper News that there is a resume they might like to look at. I reviewed our resume and was felling pretty good about how it looked so I submitted it about 11:00am. By 3:00pm I had received 4 e-mails letting me know that our resume had been looked at by prospective employers.

Barb got home about 3:30pm and I was explaining what had happened today and that 4 employers had looked us up. As I was explaining this my phone rang, I didn't recognize the number it just said Texas. I thought there's NO WAY somebody was calling us already. Needless to say I almost fell out of my chair, here was somebody calling to offer us a job this summer. I explained our availability date was January, 2015. She said I'm sorry I didn't see that until just now.

Needless to say we exchanged information and I promised to stay in touch throughout the year. She gave me her name, number, e-mail, and website. To say the least we will at least be in touch with her. I guess what I'm trying to say is if working is going to be a part of your fulltime lifestyle Workamper News is definitely worth the cost to join.

Workamper News has a forum that is helpful. It seems the people on this forum has BEEN THERE, DONE THAT and can help with any type of question or problem you are having. I've not spoke to anybody at Workamper News but I have sent 2 e-mails to Jody Anderson Duquette who is the Designer/Editor and she has responded back to me within a days time both times.

There are all kinds of groups and clubs out there you can join to enhance your RV'ing life, but I have to say Worker News should be one of the first.

I have to say I don't get paid from Workamper News or receive any benefit from them. I'm just a very satisfied customer.

Safe Travels and I'll see ya down the road.

Get Busy

So its winter time here in North Georgia and everywhere else, even Florida is having a touch of the cold. It has been about two months since our last garage sale. I'm feeling a little lost right now. Seems like I should be purging a closet or some corner of the house right about now.

I'm not in full blown getting prepared to go full time RV'ing but I NEED to be doing something. There's still all kinds of things that need to be done. Repairs to the house seems to be at the top of the list. Now I'm not talking about anything major, just some small things like replace the storm door, paint a few rooms, you know things that will help sell the house. Of course Curb Appeal will have to wait till spring gets here.

I'm still researching different types of RV's we might want to buy. I need to start looking at used rigs and trucks. We still can't seem to find a floor plan we like. All I know at this time is a Casita camper is out of the question, that is if I want Barb with me, and yes she will be with me. If we can ever agree on what she is willing to live in and I can find one in our price range. That's a battle for another day.

But getting back to getting prepared, It's really tough to stay motivated when the temperature dips down into the low 30's. We've already given away all the stuff to the kids this past month so at least that's done. Still a lot of stuff to be thrown out. I have come across a few sites on Facebook that seem to be interesting. They are community yard/garage sales. You place a picture of the item you want to sell along with a price and short description on the wall and wait till somebody see's it and says I want to buy this or will you negotiate on the price. I've had a little luck with this type of selling so at least I'm back in the game of trying to lighten the load a little around here.

Another thing to think about (LIKE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT ALREADY). How will I make a living while on the road to who knows where? Of course we can park the rig someplace and work regular jobs, but that's not what Barb or I have in mind about this lifestyle. I also don't think MLM's are my cup of tea. I don't like having to convince 6 or 12 other people to sell and get 6 or 12 others to do the same. I'd rather not have to depend on others to earn my paycheck. Starting a business either on line or out of the rig has a few possibilities that I'm liking. At least you have some deductions at tax time if needed. We might possibly find ourself at a flea market or craft shows earning a living. Remember, this lifestyle is about change not becoming a millionaire. For most of us that ship has sailed long ago. Now, for me it's about enjoying the rest of my life seeing the sights and meeting others with the same goals as Barb and I have

I believe changing our lifestyle IS what this lifestyle is about. Living greener, leaving a smaller footprint on our planet, just becoming more frugal is what I'm looking for. Eating better and cheaper not only will lower our cost but hopefully will make us healthier in the long run. So I guess it's about time to get back to purging this house and selling a few things on line so we can get on the road soon.

Until later.

T.T.F.N.

P.S. If you happen to find yourself on ebay, take a look at some of my auctions. Better yet bid on some of them so We can get on the road as soon as possible.

What do fulltimers do?

[Ed Note: This piece is preserved not only for its timeless value, but also because we consider it the quintessential presentation on Full Time RVing ever offered in a classroom situation. Gaylord Mawell will always be remembered for his enthusiastic championing of the RV lifestyle; and for his literally "writing the book" on the essence of Full Tim RVing.]

What do fulltimers do? This depends on individual interests. Everyone does it differently. You can be completely structured (if this is Tuesday, this must be Phoenix) or completely loose (which direction shall we go today?) Fulltimers go to campgrounds or they boondock.. They visit relatives. They visit National parks, historical cities and "fun" cities, (Las Vegas or Anaheim). They join RV clubs, or take tours (e.g. Baja California). You make the choices, it's a free lifestyle.

The lifestyle is not for everyone, Everyone CAN fulltime, but not everyone is suited for it. If you decide to go fulltiming, do it while you are young enough to enjoy it.

Can you hack it as a full timer? It is a major life change. It is equivalent to a major life event such as marriage. It requires a great deal of thought to ensure this is a lifestyle which will be successful for you. Too many people fail to consider the characteristics which comprise the profile of full timers who really enjoy that status:

Dissatisfied: If you like your life the way it is, it's not likely that you'll find full-timing your bag.

Adventurous: Do you like maps? Do you like to go new places? Or do you tend to find comfort in a fixed routine?

Daring: Are you afraid to drive through New York City or Los Angeles? Do winding or steep mountain roads bother you? You can't be a wimp!

Curious-Active: You need to be curious about places and people, and be willing to do something to follow up on that curiosity. Full timing is perfectly suitable for persons with disabilities.

Patient: A very important ingredient for RVers. RV life will be full of glitches. It's not like being at home in a much more "controlled" environment.

Tolerant: Goes along with "patient", and is the quality of dealing with unexpected -- and sometimes even unwanted -- situations.

Gregarious: The quality of enjoying talking to new people. In cities, people walk by and never even look at each other. At an RV park, people RVers tend to strike up conversations with other RVers they've never met.

Practical: Can you do some basic fix-em-up things? You'll find you'll become a plumber, a mechanic, a carpenter, and whatever. The first thing you'll tend to pack is a substantial tool box.

Likes Spouse: Love is okay, but "like" is really important too... 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, you're within shouting distance -- even striking distance! You'd better get along.

Resources for Full Timers: Bill & Jan Moeller's book on Full Timing is a very detailed book, covering all the basics of RVing. The Instructor has also has a small book called "An Introduction to Full Timing". It's about an hour's worth of reading, intended to help persons consider whether full-timing is for them. Trailer Life, Motorhome, and Highways magazines are good sources. Talk to other full timers. If possible, attend a seminar with a panel of full timers.

What do you need to give up to become a full timer?

Fixed Place: Most of us are used to having an address. Where are you from? 123 Elm Street. But ask a full timer, and the response will be "which week". Call home and the first question will be, "Hi Mom -- Where are you?". You give up familiar places, familiar faces, and familiar things.

Routine: No more bridge with the familiar group on Wednesday night.

Boredom: If you enjoy it, forget RVing.

Chores: No more mowing the lawn. If there's grass, someone else mows it. Housekeeping? Sure, there's some. But you can vacuum the whole place in five minutes.

Some Expenses: They can change. There are options for living a rewarding RV life on almost any budget.

The benefits of being a fulltimer are many:

The most important is Freedom. There are fewer responsibilities and restraints.

New people and places. You will find these are additions to your life, not replacements, as you will also keep your family and old friends.

Excitement to replace boredom. If it doesn't, rethink this lifestyle. Many snowbirds with limited home lives "bloom" when confronted with the many opportunities at some of the larger RV parks, which can include, dancing, painting, carpentry, rock hounding, etc.

Travel equals education. There is nothing quite like being there to learn about geography, history, archaeology etc.

Security -- Crime rarely occurs in RV parks and campgrounds.


There are basic questions which must be answered before attempting this life change:

What to do with the house? If you feel you cannot give it up the options are to rent or lease it, or to let it stand vacant. You will still have the bills and problems, but if you change your mind, you can still get it back.

Where to "home base"? Even as fulltimers, you will need an address. You will need a driver's and vehicle license; and these require a state residence. Taxes: it will make a big difference in which state you choose to "live". You may need a physical address instead of a P.O.Box. There are potential problems when your rig is licensed in one state and you claim residency in another. And some states, Washington being a prime example, are beginning to crack down on this.

What about the kids? You will have to be able to leave your family, although in this day & age, many children no longer live close to home anyway. Now you can go visit them!

What to do with your "things"? We all have a lot of "stuff" we no longer use. Throw it out. You will need to take some things. and the rule for packing is:

If you haven't used it for a year, you don't need it

Each partner has a veto over what the other takes.

Don't pack your RV more than 3/4 full. You'll quickly collect new "stuff"

Give the rest to your kids, or have a garage sale.