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Like others, we do autopay for recurring amounts. Other payments, like the credit card that we use for everyday purchases, vary from month to month, so those are set up on an as-due schedule. We just schedule the payment date and amount.

Many years ago we had an interesting experience with an autopay. For some reason the mortgage company didn't have our homeowner's insurance properly recorded, so they took an extra penny out. Jo Ann caught it and called to find out what was up. It took a few days to get it straightened out, and then only when Jo Ann mentioned some three-letter groups (ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC). THAT got their attention. The mortgage company was content to drop their extra insurance and keep the penny. Jo Ann wasn't. They actually had to get the treasurer out of a meeting to authorize the return of the penny!

What do you think of this? I'm of the mindset that says if you aren't paying for the product you ARE the product.

We fill the tank just before we arrive at the campground, no matter whether we're staying for one night or a few months. The only exception is if the trip that day is quite short, like today.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is towing something behind the MH. Many people think that they can use a Class C just like a car, only to discover that before they leave the campsite to go grocery shopping they have to stow everything just like they would when getting ready to drive 250 miles. Then, when you get done with the shopping, you have to level and set up again. Consider towing something that you can use for the running around.

Another point to check, whether Class A or Class C, is check the difference between empty weight and gross weight of the rig. A full tank of fuel, full propane, and half a tank of fresh water can really eat into the available weight capacity.

I usually point or tell where the MH is and say that home is where we park it. I may then add that we grew up in Lincoln, NE, retired from SW MO, have church membership in WY, are domiciled in SD, and have a lot in NM. That usually starts a discussion of full-timing, and often the people we're talking to say that they would like to do that, or had thought about it.

Many years ago we signed up with Millenicom (anyone remember them?). At that time we were still working. I had a desktop computer and Jo Ann had a laptop. The deal was 20 GB/month. We put a small program on each computer to track our data use. We rarely went over the 20 GB. Fast forward to today. We're full-timers. Each of us has an iPhone and we have a hotspot, all with Verizon. The hotspot gives us 15 GB/month before it is throttled. The phones have 20 GB each of data use, but only if used on the phone. When tethered it is limited to 10 GB. Not sure how Verizon knows when that happens, but that's not my question.

Our data month begins on the 12th, and a few minutes ago we got texts from Verizon saying we've used 90% of the hotspot's high speed data. I think that's a new record.

Most of the time the throttling isn't a real issue, and when it is, we can just connect one of the iPhones, but it sure would be nice to have something that would give us more high speed data. Most of the campgrounds we visit do NOT have wifi, so using the park's isn't an option. Also, when doing banking or other business that requires some security we'd prefer not to use a public system.

Any suggestions?

Scott, if you could include your coach information in your signature it might help with questions like this one. Our coach, for example, has a HWH leveling system, but NO jacks. It uses the air bags for leveling. If we're just spending one night I just do the automatic leveling and let it go at that unless we're so far off that I need to get out some boards. When we're landed for several days or more, I put on the tire covers, dump the air, and then level. That means that the coach body is resting on one or more tires (which is why I put the tire covers on first). That makes for the lowest step.

Dumping the air, in our case, is just dumping what's in the bags. The tanks are still full. They will eventually go down, but I don't worry about that. That's normal. As you can imagine, the air rushes out at first, but as the pressure in the bags drops it slows down. Again, that's normal.

Looked them up, but no price information. That means that we can't afford it.

"We currently have a 2010 Honda Odyssey and know the maximum towing for this vehicle is only 3500lbs.  From the research that I've done so far I know I don't want to go over 3100LBS.  That total includes the unloaded weight of the trailer, passengers, fuel and anything else we bring." Passengers and fuel aren't part of the trailer's weight. They are part of the car's weight. Food, clothes, cooking utensils, propane, water, etc. are part of the trailer's weight if they are carried in the trailer.

You are better off looking at the GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) of any trailer you are considering first. If you want to keep your towing weight at or below 3100 pounds, then look for a trailer with a GVWR of less than 3100 pounds. A lot of sales people will point to the empty (dry) weight of the trailer and tell you that your vehicle can easily tow that weight. While that might be a true statement, it isn't all that helpful. About the only time a trailer is towed at that weight is when the initial buyer takes it home from the dealer, and the dealer hasn't added any water or filled the propane tanks.

After rereading your initial post, it sounds like you may be willing to do just what I said in the last sentence, with the possible exception of the water. If so, you may be able to operate with what you have for a while - until you get the urge to actually go travel.

We've had this motor home for six years now, and have been full-timing in it for five years. I still learn new things about it. If you haven't done so already, join your brand's owners forum. There are people there who have the exact same coach as you do, and they have already had the issue you are worrying about at the moment. They can tell you what to do, or at least what not to do.

I'd love to have a place near Corpus Christi, but so does everyone else. We were on the waiting list for Hondo, but got a lot at The Ranch first, so we took that. This will be our first winter there, although we were less than 100 miles away at Hobbs, NM from January to March this year.

We're kicking around the idea of attending. Lots of things have to line up first, but at this point it is getting serious consideration.

We've been full-timers for five years now and have never attended any sort of rally or RV gathering in that time. When we were still working and had the mpg we attended both a State rally and the national Heartland rally. We've been busy doing our own activities.

We've been full-timing in our 40' DP with no slides now for five years. We intend to put it up for sale later this year and "downsize" to a 34' Airstream TT, also with no slides. I say "downsize" as the actual living space in each is about the same. We know people who full-time in a 1973 (yes, 1973) Dodge Van conversion. Whatever you are comfortable in is the right size for you.

I'd suggest that you go to every dealer and show you can and spend some time in every RV you can, no matter the price or condition. Pretend to do all the daily activities, and it won't take you long to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Once you know what floor plans work you can start looking at rigs that have those plans. Yes, there will be minor differences between manufacturers, and those minor differences will guide you to the right one.

As you are looking at rigs, pay attention to how well they appear to be standing up. Remember that they typical RV only gets maybe 30-45 days of use per year, so as a full-timer you will be putting on 8-10 years of wear and tear each year. There is a reason why many fulltimers with towables have heavier coaches. Structure and quality are heavy. Before we bought our Foretravel we met a couple who had started fulltiming a year earlier. They bought a "popular" MH brand new. Less than a year later they traded it even-up for a 10-year-old Foretravel because they could see that their original choice wasn't going to stand up to full-time use. No, they never told us what that "popular" brand was.

If possible, go visit the factory of any brand you are considering. Even if you aren't going to buy a brand-new rig, seeing how they are put together will go a long way toward telling you what you might be comfortable with.

Yes, the campground floods regularly. One of the times we were there the hosts told about having to move several rigs to higher ground without the owners being present. Being an Escapees park, everyone present pitched in. They didn't tell us where the owners were (maybe enjoying a show), but there was little, if any, damage to the rigs.

Advance notice: Our 2015 Lincoln MKT with Blue Ox baseplate and InvisiBrake will be available this winter. Most people don't even think of Lincolns as toweds, but several models are towable. Even though this car is heavier than the 2012 Jeep Liberty it replaced, I don't notice any difference in towing. Where I notice the difference is in the gas mileage. The Lincoln beats the pants off of the Jeep in that regard, and it is much more comfortable, too. In June I had to drive our daughter from Hays, KS to the Denver airport and then get her a week later. I got over 30 mpg on both trips.

Bear in mind that those small generators can be stolen fairly easily. True, it doesn't happen all that often, but it does happen. It is probably impossible to completely secure one so that it can't be stolen, but it is possible to make it as hard as possible for a thief to take it.

Remember, too, that they can remain rather warm for some time after you shut them off. Giving them enough time to cool down after use before putting them away is a good idea.

As we prepared to hit the road, I thought that I wouldn't need all of the tools I'd collected over many years, so most of them either went to the kids or on the auction. AFTER that I joined our church builder's group where we had to have our own tools. I'm now buying new versions of what I sold for pennies on the dollar six years ago. Of course, I'm also buying tools I didn't have then because I need them now.

I have most of my tools in two large Rubbermaid wheeled tubs. The 4' level and a couple of other things don't fit into anything else, so they are tucked into safe spaces that can't take other things. We're in a MH now, but will be switching to a pickup and Airstream in the spring.

I'd suggest you start out with those tools you KNOW you will need and dispose of the rest. Should you find a need for something you don't have you can always buy one if you can't borrow it from a neighbor.  When I was a student I used to say that the first time I needed a book I'd go to the library. The second time I'd go to the bookstore. That's pretty much how I'm rebuilding my tool collection now.

Welcome to the forum.

You didn't say what year your Silverado is, and towing capabilities vary year by year. I'd suggest that you fill the truck's gas tank, put everything into the truck that you will have with you when towing, and get the truck weighed, each axle separately. Now you have some real numbers to work with.

Somewhere on the door or door frame will be a sticker with weights on it. Since I don't know your numbers, I'm going to just use a few as an example. Put in your own real numbers and you will have a real answer. Suppose your truck has a Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle of 5500 pounds, and your weighing shows that you have 4000 pounds already on the rear axle. That means that you can carry and additional 1500 pounds on that axle. Suppose your truck weighs 6000 pounds as you have it loaded, ready to tow, and it has a Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating of 13,000 pounds. That means that your trailer, fully loaded, can't weigh more than 7000 pounds.

Sales people will often point out the EMPTY (DRY) weight, when you ought to be more interested in the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (the maximum your trailer should weigh when loaded for travel). The other number you really need to pay attention to is the difference between GVWR and empty (dry) weight. That difference is what you can safely carry, and includes everything you put into and onto the trailer. Some companies include the weight of the battery(ies) and propane in the empty weight; others don't.

The exercise I outline above will help you figure out the weight of the trailer you can safely tow. Many people actually suggest that you not bump up against any of the weight limits, just to allow a safety margin. Others say that margin is already built in. Make your own choice.

Pay attention to tank sizes as well. Some rigs have pretty small tanks, as they are intended for mainly weekend use or to be used at parks with full hookups.

Spend a LOT of time in research and asking lots of questions. The sales person's job is to sell something to you, not to put you in the RIGHT rig.

Welcome to the forum and to the full-time life!

I'd suggest that you go to every RV dealer and show within a hundred miles or so and look at every single RV available - no matter the price or condition. You are looking for two things: floor plans that work and brands that have the quality you desire. Once you know that, you can begin to narrow your search. Remember that most likely you will have something towing something else. A motorhome, either Class A or Class C, can tow a fuel-efficient vehicle, an off-road Jeep, or whatever you want. A travel trailer or fifth wheel requires a truck of some sort to tow it, which will be your daily driver.

I'm in the group that favors buying used initially, as it probably won't take you very long to realize that you didn't pick the perfect rig to start with. (Very few people do, so don't feel bad.) When you go to trade you won't take as great a depreciation hit with something you bought used as you will with something you bought new.

Do pay attention to quality. Many rigs out there are intended for maybe 30 days of use per year. If you are full-timing, you will be spending 12 times (12 years worth) in it each year. We know some people who bought a new, popular brand MH and traded it even-up less than a year later for a 10-year-old Foretravel because they could see that the quality just wasn't there in their original choice.

One other thought: two-foot-itis strikes a large number of RV'ers each year. What is that? The idea that if the RV was only two feet longer it would be perfect.

We have a 40' DP mid-entry. Sometimes we are able to use a "shorter" site by backing up until the rear tires hit the bumper. That works if there isn't a tree right at the end of the pad. The location of the door will affect this, too. Some travel trailers have a front bedroom arrangement, so the main door is at the rear of the trailer. If you hang the tail end of the trailer behind the pad, guess where your door is?

Pay attention to the slope of the site, too. Right now we're on a site that has the rear tires on three 2 x 8 pads and the rear air bags extended all the way, while the front end is resting on the tires, so air bags are completely deflated. With a mid-entry that means that one small step stool outside is plenty. If we had a rear-entry rig we'd probably need two steps before we got to the factory steps.

Thanks. A 5'er is NOT in the cards for us. The order of events is to sell the Foretravel, move into temporary quarters (we're full-timers), trade the MKT for the pickup, then get the Airstream. Since Airstreams don't have much exterior storage, most of what is in the basement of the Foretravel will have to be in the bed of the truck. That's what I'm concerned about.

Next year we hope to turn our Foretravel MH and Lincoln MKT towed into a pickup and Airstream. Both will be purchased used. The target Airstream is an early 2000's 34' with a gross weight of 9800 pounds and about 1000 pounds on the tongue. The target truck will be 2013-15 diesel crew cab. We'll probably have about 1000 pounds of stuff in the bed of the truck, including the cover.

I've heard various opinions on the two trucks. Some say that there is little difference between the two, while others say there are huge differences. IS there much difference? Prices seem to be very similar for similar equipment and miles, so an F350 isn't any more expensive than a similar F250. I understand that both trucks have various possible weight ratings, but since I'm buying used I'll have to choose carefully. I believe that both trucks have 10,000 GVWR options since that weight keeps the trucks under 10,001 weight triggers in some States.

Thoughts?

Bill, you got off cheap. We spent just over $25,000 for an in-frame engine overhaul a few years ago. Yes, these over-the-road diesels are million-mile engines - for over-the-road use. Those drivers put 200,000 miles on in a year, so a million miles is only 5-6 years. Our Foretravel is 26 years old and still doesn't have 200,000 miles on it.

Low miles means that the vehicle has spent a lot of time just sitting. Seals, gaskets, etc. often dry out when the engine isn't running. Fixing those leaks can get expensive, and it certainly will be frustrating.

As for the argument of gas vs diesel, each has advantages and disadvantages. That's why there are all sorts of choices available. Each of us has to look at our own situation and try to buy what will best suit our needs, wants, and finances. We've met people who full-time in a 45-year-old van conversion (and are very happy with their choice) and people who have a 45' 4-slide MH that tows a huge trailer for all of their toys. They are happy campers, too. Neither one fits us, so we have something different, and we're also happy campers.

We recently stayed in a city park that had a monthly rate, but was an exception to everything we've seen so far. Usually government-run parks have a two-week limit. You might check that idea out.

We've found that commercial parks will have weekly and monthly rates, but may only have limited sites available for those. You might try looking for parks that aren't right by a popular tourist attraction.

Kind of depends on the floorplan of your rig. In our coach, the litter box in in the walk-through bathroom, right between the shower and the door to the bedroom. We use the Breeze system, so there is no smell. Urine goes through to a pad, and solid simply dries. We scoop it out and toss it in the toilet as needed. The pellets are changed each month. The food and water are also in the bathroom, but between the toilet and the sink.

We've frequently read that you should have one more litter box than cats, which means we should have two. We don't have a place for another one, and she knows where this one is. No problems after five years.