richfaa

SS and a 401K is becoming the retirement plan now days including the US Government.Healthcare is perhaps the biggest expense for retirees as we get older and many companies no longer offer it. We have friends that have been bankrupted by healthcare cost. We are a veteran but not retired military.Both wife and I are retired Federal Employees and in terms of pension and healthcare pretty much in the same category as RV our combined pensions and a small SS check allow us to live the life style of our choice within reason. Our Health care is the FEHB plan BC/BS and medicare which of course we paid into when still employed and carried over into retirement .We of course still pay for it.Without adequate health insurance we would not be able to live this lifestyle. I just had knee surgery and the bills are still coming in and are now over 6,000 $$. With my skills "Electronics" I could have chose one of many companies to work for we chose the US Government because of the pension and healthcare benefits.The pay was not that great in 1962. It was the right choice. Looking into the future and planning it not as easy as it sounds when you are 21 and fresh out of the military. I had good advise and the good sense to listen to it.

If you were born between 1943 and 1954 your full retirement age is 66. Most of us are before that but the retirement age has changed. We are retired Federal Employee but we did work enough out of the system to receive SS although reduced for double dipping.It pays enough to pay my Medicare premium and a couple tanks of diesel.

We use KOA a lot not exclusively but a lot. We checked the prices at the KOAs we have stayed at over the last two years and they average around 35 to 40 dollars with the presidents club. Pull through, full hookup, 50 amps . We think that is a reasonable price for the services we want. We have encountered KOA's that advertise "premium" sits for 65/70 $$. We don't need a premium site.

We will continue till we can't do it any longer.We have been on this "long timing" adventure since 2006. We are slowing down.This is the first summer since 2006 that we will not be doing a summer road trip as Helen and I both had medical problems that needed taken care of. We are both in good health but time takes its toll .

Well I am 81.What shall I do keep on Rv'ing or coil up and wait.

"I liked my job too but realized that it was just a job with no real lasting effect that couldn't be done by whoever replaced me. "We retired on a Friday and the next day the entire Air traffic control system did not miss a beat" I like that. One of my promises to myself was that whatever I did would have absolutely nothing to do with what I had done during my work career. I have driven a school bus, been a over the road charter driver, been a cast member at Disney World, traveled over this great country. What's next we have no idea.None of those things paid much but they are adventures of our choosing. "

Sort of same here at about the same age. We were with the Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Control on the technical side, Computers , etc. We had a challenging job were you never knew what challenge you may face that day.We were about to go through a complete change of Technology . Having been through that before when much younger I just thought, not again. We let the younger folks go to school and take up the challenge while maintaining the technology in place. It finally became time when we older folks and there were not many of us left had to make a choice and we chose to retire.We could have stayed on but we felt it was time.We had plenty of Government time for retirement. We were very fortunate to have a job that we liked to do.My retirement papers had been in my desk drawer completely filled out except for the date of retirement for a long time.Filled in the date gave it to our administrative assistant asked her to send it whenever these things went and retired Jan 3, 1999.No regrets. Wife also with the Federal Aviation Administration retired in 2006 and we have been on the road ever since.

Unless you have the ability to see into the future and know what is in store for you do what you want to do when you want to do it.We know folks who love to work like their job and have no plan to retire. We know folks who work their butt off in low paying jobs and can not afford to retire.Wife and I are both retired and we do what we choose to do. We both worked at WDW in Florida part time during our winter stay not because we had to but because we thought it would be a "experience"It was.We no longer work there but it added a lot of $$$ into our Rv'ing fund. I would be a greeter at Wall mart as it sounds "interesting" but I could not stand for that long. Target hires part time and wife may work there part time during the winter.She was cashier in food service at WDW. Home depot hires part time and if I can get a job that suits me I may work there during our winter stay..... Or we may do nothing. We have more choices as retirees than we did in our working life.

Many people do. Both of my grandfathers did .Said it was good for your health.I don't see why not but I never did. We camped with a person who did that every morning. We put eggs in many things why not Coffee.

A egg in the coffee is a good thing.

Campfire any kind of a pot, add water and coffee to your taste bring to boil separate grounds and have a good cup of camp coffee.

The various plans are easy to compare one can do it on line by visiting each plans website.It may take awhile and may be better than social media that may be biased in favor of the plan the respondent has. I think over the years we have had all of them including coach net. We found that all of the plans are nearly the same. We shop around every two years or so and will sign up for a plan as a new member for a year or two. We are now with allstate premium through AARP with the new member rate of 84.00 per year with a renewal rate of 94.00 per year. We have used most of them over the years and had good service from all of them.

I know absolutely nothing about painting anything . We were told by a shop that paints RV's in Goshen, Ind that they can not bake the paint on a RV like a Car/Truck as the temperature needed would melt the gel coat.??????

Yes you can but it is not cheap we have done it.

I did the same spray in bedliner on the lower front panel.We had little choice in color scheme from the manufacturer there were two schemes to choose from both were dark.The RV was manufactured as a normal production model then sent to a pint shop in Goshen ,Ind for the paint job.It was Maple city Collision... Herr Custom Paint they painted many different brands still do. I make it a point to check the full body paint on RV's at Rallies, etc they all chip.

Depends on the quality of the full body paint.Take a look at RV's in campground you stay at and look for chips in the paint particularly on the lower front panel of a 5th wheel.Dark colors soak up the heat. Yes they use automotive paint but the process is different than on a auto/truck/. We have a very pretty full body paint 2013 Montana Big sky. We had to have bedliner installed on the front panel to prevent chipping.We have seen chipping on all brands of RV's at every price level. Manufacturers have a habit of changing paint colors often and touch up is hard to find once they change. Two of the four colors on ours are no longer in use.Ours has a lot of black and grey that collects the heat and transfers it to the inside. We would not purchased another Full body paint no matter what the brand or price level.

Purchase what will serve your needs they all do pretty much the same thing. We would if purchasing now go with the dual units' We have a Kipor 3000 in the back of the truck. We have had it for 11 years. We do not use it much but it has never let us down. We run it for 1/2 hour every month and it starts every time .It runs our 15K A/C if needed.

Perhaps the term staying at a KOA is a bit misunderstood. We only stay at a KOA overnight when on the road to a destination we find them handy to interstates and in general we know what to expect .We reserve pull through, 50 amps , full hookups and that is exactly what we get. We stay at two KOA's and one Passport America back and forth to Florida every year. We do do find then overly expensive . We have stayed at a KOA or two on a Rally for a few days at a special rally rate. Unless we could find nothing else we would not stay a KOA for a long period of time. We prefer PA for that.

Perhaps the term staying at a KOA is a bit misunderstood. We only stay at a KOA overnight when on the road to a destination we find them handy to interstates and in general we know what to expect .We reserve pull through, 50 amps , full hookups and that is exactly what we get. We stay at two KOA's and one Passport America back and forth to Florida every year. We do not find then overly expensive . We have stayed at a KOA or two on a Rally for a few days at a special rally rate. Unless we could find nothing else we would not stay a KOA for a long period of time. We prefer PA for that.

Mor Ryde IS system.

We do not stay at Wall marts, Truck stops, etc our choice. We prefer KOA as they are usually close to a interstate. and can accommodate the rig. We stay at several a year in our travels usually for overnight stops only. We also use PA when they suite our needs. We have never paid 60,70,80 $$ for a KOA CG .We have not seen the add- ons mentioned here. At the end of a days travel we like to have dinner, shower ,kick back and relax. We always get 50 amps ,full hook ups, pull through When in travel we are off the road by 4 maybe 5PM. What ever your travel style it is right for you.

IMO it depends on were you are. In Florida for 6 months and exposed to the direct sun ours last about three seasons before they dry out./

Never....

They will react to a lot of things our will alarm when we spray bug spray.