CHAPTER TWO

Making the Move to Full Time

Leaving unnecessary things behind will make your trip more enjoyable.  There is one additional thing you might want to leave behind and that is your structured lifestyle. 

Getting Ready to Live on the Road

Preparing the mind:
Full Timing isn’t about living in an RV, it’s about a way of thinking and working.  You could live in an RV and have the traditional structured life that house bound people have.  The freedom the RV gives you only provides the mechanism; the other part is in your head.  The attitude and ability to live outside the structure is the real value of full timing.

Many people look to full timing for when they retire but for many younger people this life style is a great alternative.  But what about the kids?  They have to go to school.  How will we make money to live on?  What if someone gets sick?  Truly there are some unique problems to living on the road but they are not any worse than you encounter as a home bound family, just different.

Testing the waters:
If you do not currently own an RV, but living on the road sounds attractive, try renting an RV and traveling in it for a minimum of 3 or 4 weeks. This is a good experience in what it will be like, close quarters, close neighbors, pet management, bad weather, wall-to-wall spouse, vehicle operating costs and if you are lucky, you’ll have a breakdown for a true to life experience.  This will be expensive, but not as expensive as jumping feet first and then deciding you don’t like it after all. If you have friends or family members who own an RV, you may be tempted to borrow it, but if something happens to it while in your possession, that may be more “expensive” than having bought one to use for just this tryout.

Parting with stuff:
Definitely, one of the harder things about going full time is parting with stuff.  Collecting stuff is almost like an addiction for some, and parting with it is a highly emotional experience.  An easier way to deal with this is to first separate what is really important and what is not.  Unless Mom has a large basement with lots of room you will need to get a storage unit and move the few important things into it.  You can get a better rate if you negotiate a year or two contract.  People who have found life on the road good for them soon realize that those things that seemed important and have been in storage for a year or too are no longer so important.  This process does, however, make the weaning process easier.

You will need to be particularly understanding with your spouse and kids during this difficult time, parting with your things can be emotional work. Spousal disagreements will be common until it is over; what to sell, what to keep, what price to attach to your favorite chair. These can all create tension.  There will be items such as plants that can’t be stored that are going to be hard to part with.  Giving them to friends that you know will care for them will make this a little easier.

Plan on how to sell the things you are going to part with.  Some options are Internet ads, garage sales, consignment shops.  For smaller items selling on eBay can work quite well.  Another option is to donate items.  There are many organizations that will let you donate a car, washing machine, refrigerators and such, and this can provide significant tax deductions at tax time.

Parting with friends:
This is another difficult thing to do.  You also need to consider the emotional impact for the kids.  This can be reduced by providing email access for the family.  A small laptop computer and a cell phone can keep you in touch.

What about school?
The answer here is home schooling.  There are many resources on the net that provide lesson plans and such.  There are some federal requirements you must also meet.  More on this on our On-Line Page

What about health?
First of all dump bad habits. If you smoke, drink heavily, take drugs or overeat, it would be wise to break these habits now to preserve your quality of life for your time on the road. This will also help save on expenditures.

Medical:
Most HMOs are geared for people that live in one place.  Find out about US wide HMOs and insurance options.  RV lifestyle can be a healthy one.  Keeping active and eating right can save a lot on medical bills.  Avoiding routine is one of the great things about full timing but some routine is good, take a brisk walk every day, get out of bed at a reasonable time every day.

Get copies of your medical records.  If you have a debilitating medical problem consider registering with the medic Alert Foundation, P.O. Box 1009, Turlock, CA 95318.

Dealing with spouse overload:
Living in an RV means living in very tight quarters.  It is difficult to “get away” for a while.  Learn to immediately talk about it so problems don’t become compounded.  Have get-away days that you can spend on your own.  Plan your travel goals together.

RV breakdown:
RVs break.  It is a good idea to have road insurance.  Road insurance for RVs is not the same as road service for cars.  Check out the On-Line Page for links for cost effective insurance 

The cost of RV living:
When planning the costs of RV living you need to think in the short term and long term.  In planning your financial future, don’t forget there will come a day when you will no longer be able to get around easily, and you have to plan for that lifestyle, too.

The financial plan:

Know where your currently money goes. List your expenses:

•  Fixed costs: car payment, house payment, taxes, Insurance (health, life, vehicles), taxes (federal income, vehicle license, etc.)

• Chosen fixed costs: RV publications, club memberships.

• Variable monthly costs: groceries, dining out, entertainment, medical, dental, clothes, Gifts, fuel

Know where your money will go:

• RV related expenses: RV payment, Insurance, license, propane, fuel, maintenance, campground fees, storage warehouse, cell phone or pay phone fees, coin laundry, mail forwarding service.

• Other expenses: telephone, magazines, Internet, chocolate bars, etc.

List all debts:

• Lump sum dept that can be paid off: mortgage balance, RV loan, car loans, credit cards, business loans, co-signed loans, school loans, and anything else that you are on the line for.

Make another list of where the money will be coming from

List all assets

• Liquid: CDs, money market, savings, insurance policy cash value, IRAs, Keogh, vested pension, and any other lump sums you know you will have access to.

• Sellable: current snapshot value of stocks, bonds, collectables

• Resale value of hard assets: house, furniture, art, car, appliances, knickknacks, books, and anything else with a yard sale value.

Look for ways to reduce your costs:

• Camp site costs can be reduced by purchasing “second hand” campground memberships frequently available at a greatly reduced price

Make your financial life easier:

• Many banks are now offering automatic bill paying through their internet sites. While this doesn’t make living cheaper (unless you count not buying stamps or envelopes) it does make it a lot more convenient when on the road.  Setting up automatic e-payments also saves you from forgetting payments due to more interesting things going on in your life than bill paying.

• Everything on the card:  There are also advantages to putting everything on the credit card, assuming that is that you pay it off every month. 

  • Choosing the correct credit card can save you some money.  One thing to look for is access to ATMs when you are on the road.  Are they National? 

  • Ask your credit card company if they have a cash-back program. Some are from the first dollar spent, others have a graduated scale. Principal Financial offers the first dollar type of cash back program and the percentage (1.25%) stays level.  Bank of America and Discover have graduated scale where the percentage goes up as you spend more.

Choosing a home state

You will need to choose a state to call your home state.  You can only domicile in one state and where you choose will determine your costs for health insurance, car insurance, car registration, and taxes.

Consider the tax rate: 
Your personal needs and circumstances will dictate what type of tax state will serve you best.  Consider the following:

-         Florida, Texas, Nevada, and South Dakota have no state income tax.

-         Some states, like Florida, annually charge intangible tax on your stocks, mutual funds, etc. 

-         Some states charge personal property taxes annually.

-         Some states have a yearly excise tax charging several thousand dollars a year.

-         Montana, Oregon have no sales tax

-         Some states charge inheritance taxes on 50% of all jointly owned assets should one spouse die

Many RVers set their home as Livingston, Texas and summer in Oregon

Mail forwarding options

Of course one problem of living on the road is where to get your mail.  There will always be bills, and personal mail you need to receive.  You can deal with this manually by notifying the General Post office of the town you are visiting, or a smarter way is to use a mail forwarding company.

Mail forwarding companies will hold your mail and send it in one big envelope to your next destination.  You can have it sent to the post office under general delivery.  Carry a list of zip codes so you can determine where they should send your mail.  Not all post offices support general delivery but those that do will hold your mail for several days.  Alternately, you can have the forwarding company send to your campground, but verify with the campground first that this will be supported.  The mail forwarding company will need to have a be pre-paid advance for forwarding your mail.  Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) offers a free/low cost mail forwarding service, as does Escapees.  See our On-Line Page for some sources.  Medical prescriptions can also be filled via mail.

Check the RV magazines for forwarding services ads.  Choose one that offers a street address instead of a post office since many things cannot be send to post office boxes. (UPS)  There are good and bad services so ask other RVers how they like their service.

Get off all junk mail.  If your home mail is to be forwarded you can get off the junk mail list.  Send a post card to Mail Preference Services, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY, 11735-9008, requesting your name be removed (check this is still valid).

Message services are available for those who travel and don't take a cell phone with them. These services can keep you connected with family and friends regardless of where you're going. Check our On-Line Page for some of the companies offering a virtual answering machine for you.

Living on the Road

What is it that makes full timing good?  A lot of it is the structured life you are leaving behind.  When you go on the road you need to think about how much of that structure you are still carrying with you.  Remember freedom is in your mind.

Attitude:
It’s all well and good to say you need to think with freedom in mind but what if you have to make money.  Making money is like meeting friends, if you are open and see and listen to what is happening around you there will be opportunity to find what you are seeking.  The key to getting what you want is to take the extra step to putting yourself in the middle of what you want to do.

Must have goals:
Whether you are seeking funds or out to have fun it is important that you have goals.  Perhaps it is a list of places you want to go, things you want to see, or pursuit of a hobby.  Perhaps it is a goal of finding the best fishing holes in every state.  Drifting gets pretty boring after a while and is bad for your mental and emotional health.  Metal detecting can be fun, especially at beaches and sandy playgrounds.

How to meet people:
Take a stroll around the camp site, you can meet some great people on the way.  Be quick to smile and be the first to say hi.  Got some laundry to do, stay around the laundry room and chat with other guests.  Sit out at the pool, take a cooler with you to share a soda.  Camp sites will often post events and things to do.

Frequently, people will make life long friendships with other RVers met on the road, making arrangements to meet up with friends at various rallies and campgrounds across the country throughout the years.

Keep a log:
Everywhere you go collect information about people you meet.  Write down their names and maybe even take a picture (those little i-zone cameras would do the trick).  Next time you meet them on the road you will know them much better.  If you are on-line keep in touch with those you meet though email or newsgroups.

Finding your way around:
Campground managers usually know all the good places to shop or visit.  People walking around a camp site might know what’s around, just ask, you might find out about something neat, or you might just make a new friend. 

The Chamber of Commerce is a good place to visit.  The staff is usually friendly and willing to help out.  Keep a look out for the free publications you find in convenience stores, they can tell you a lot about things to do in the area.

There are a bunch of little devices that can help you figure out how to get from point A to point B.  One such device is the Global Positioning System (GPS).  Some of them get pretty complicated but usually operate on multiple levels so with very basic knowledge they can help you get around and as you learn more about it you can do more stuff.  If you have a laptop computer, a GPS can hook into it and provide a great deal more information.  By installing mapping software you can find Wal-marts, radio stations, services at exits, streets, and all kinds of stuff.  Some of them have voice capability so you can plug in where you want to go and instructions like “take the next right at the next street” will be spoken to you.  Check out “De Lorme” mapping products such as “Streets and Trips”.

Develop a hobby:
Having a hobby is good for the mind.  They are even better to share.  Hobbies can get you out and busy in good weather and keep you from going stir crazy in bad weather.

Some hobbies for when the weather is bad: 

-         Reading: campground book swaps can feed this habit/hobby

-         Mail order audio book rentals and some truck stops also have rental audio books

-         Computer games, or software.  Building webs or photo albums can be fun

-         Table games, Playing cards

-         Needle work of any kind, sewing, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, etc.

Hobbies for good weather:

-         Metal detecting: easy to stow and fun to use. Some metal detectors are made for use in water, others for dry land. Be sure to check the local laws governing metal detecting. Some jurisdictions will confiscate a detector, so you need to know in advance. Be considerate and leave no trace that you were there. Carry a grocery bag and take any trash with you that you find.

-         Digital photography – pictures can be processed on your laptop computer eliminating the wait for photo development.

-         Bicycling or mopeds or walking/hiking

-         Fishing or boating. It’s great to get out on the lake.  Check out Sea Eagles Boats  in our on-line section for a real fun hobby.

-         If you like gardening talk to the Camp owner and see if you can create a garden for them.  You might get to create something and get some free camping in exchange.

Transport & Transporting vehicles

Towing a toad:
Towing a car is not difficult but it will take a toll in additional gas costs and you will need to be extra cautious moving in and out of traffic.  If you are going to tow then you should have an electronic rear view mirror system.  This is a camera that is attached to the rear of the rig and a TV type monitor on your dash.  Personally, we think all RVs should have these systems regardless if you are towing a toad or not.  How much is a safe trip worth?

Plan on your toad getting real dirty.  You can get a Plexiglas shield that will protect it to some degree.  Do not consider covering it with a tarp.  The tarp will rub on the paint and damage the finish. 

Towing is accomplished though a variety of systems.  The most common being either a tow bar or a tow dolly.  The problem with a tow dolly is you have to find somewhere to put the dolly when it is not in use.  Tow bars can be difficult to line up but there are features to make this process easier such as the telescopic option.  You will need to do some research to find the best functionality vs. price for you.

Your tow vehicle will need to have lights and turn signals.  You can set up a system that is hard wired to your RV or there are some portable systems available.

Working on the road (flea markets, camp hosting, telecommuting, )

Unless you are independently wealthy you will need to create income while on the road.  Fortunately there are many opportunities to do just that.  You can also find opportunities to trade a little of your time for camping space.  On the road can also be a great opportunity for the entrepreneur.  There are plenty of rallies, flea markets and places to sell to the millions of shoppers.  You just need to find your niche and work it.

What jobs are out there?:
Most campgrounds need help keeping the grounds maintained, cleaning restrooms, working the office or RV store.  People are also needed to cook for camping events.  Some camps need people to man the entrance booth and others to walk the camp and provide security.  There are seasonal jobs such as selling Christmas trees and pumpkins.

How do I find a job?:
We highly recommend a subscription to WorKamper news.  This magazine is dedicated to the posting of jobs for full timers.  Workers on Wheels is another good place to find employment.  Visit our On-line page for this and other Internet resources for job postings including books and newsgroups on the subject.

You can start your own business:
If you are willing to invest a little money you can be quite successful selling an RV product following the RV rally circuit.  Booths tend to cost a few hundred bucks but if you have a good product to sell you can make significant dollars.  Finding just the right product is sometimes difficult but there are manufacturers that will pay RV product distributors for bringing in a new distributor to sell their product.  So go to a show and ask the vendors about distributor opportunities.

You don’t have to follow the rally circuit to sell product.  There are flea markets all over the country.  There are special areas where RVers tend to collect that might be more profitable.  It all depends on what you choose to sell.

What can I sell?:
Just look around, see what others are doing.  You are also not limited to flea markets.  You can make a deal with a local road side spot to set up a booth.  How many times have you seen vendors beside the road selling beef jerky, pretty rocks, or Indian jewelry?

But where can I find something to sell?:
There are lots of sources for product to sell.  You just need to look around.  There are lots of resources on the web to buy at wholesale.  Many have listings of overstock products that you can purchase at deep discounts by buying in quantity.  See our On-Line Page for listings…..

Look at your skills:
Perhaps you have a special talent making belts, making jewelry.  Maybe you have a gift for creating web sites.  Be sure to look at the cost for your time.  Can you make more money by just buying at wholesale and selling at retail?  The other question of course is: does that matter?  Are you enjoying your craft?  Is it worth making less money to do what you want to do?  Of course it is.

Vendor support:
People working RV shows need lots of stuff.  Perhaps you like to shop or do laundry?  Vendors at RV shows are stuck in their booths for weeks at a time and need someone to do these tasks for them.  Vendor work can be exhausting.  When they are off work for the day the last thing they want to do is laundry or go grocery shopping. 

Perhaps you are a good photographer.  One enterprising person we met made a good living taking pictures of vendors at their booths and creating little plastic viewer/key chains with the picture in it.  Easy vendor sales are Sodas, lunch runs, cigarettes, candy, ice cream.  You may need special permits for some shows to market to the vendors.  Figure out what they need and you can be the supplier. 

What else can I do to make money?:
You will always find the business at RV shows of selling lemonade, or honey roasted nuts.  A nut machine will run about $10,000 to buy but can provide a reasonable income.  Any time you are selling a food product however there may be local health laws that translate into paying additional monies for permits. 

Marketing, Advertising, and Shopping employment:
There are also jobs where you can get paid to find advertisers for publications,  price shopping for stores, and many others.  Check out publications like Woodall’s in our On-line page section.

Finding a job in town:
Perhaps you are pulling into a nice little town and want to stay around for a few months.  A visit to the Chamber of Commerce is a good source to find out about seasonal employment.  Pizza delivery is good for some reasonable short time income.

Telecommuting:
If you are good with a computer there are all kinds of opportunities to make additional cash.  If you are a good writer or photographer for instance you might want to check out the e-town Sunny Park for submissions of stories and pictures.  With wide spread Wi-Fi and satellite you can also do a wide variety of telecommuting jobs.  With Wi-Fi technology the world is about to change significantly in this area providing all kinds of opportunity.