Do it now or wait for later?

[Luis]

Happy New Years to all and hope this year is full of great getaways for all. 

My husband, our two fur babies and Winnie (that’s what we call our RV) have been able to enjoy some great trips in 2021. So much that it has made us think differently about the way we live. 

We both hold corporate jobs and work very hard day in day out. We feel blessed that we are able to live the life we do, but also feel like we are missing the best years of our lives waiting for retirement to come. We recently have started to consider the minimalistic life. Sell everything we owe, get some good remote jobs and just become full time RV’ers. 

Of course this step is not an easy one and have been researching the Pros and Cons about such a drastic life change. Life only gets faster and time tends to just pass by and even taking a weeks vacation now a days is just not enough to recharge the batteries when working demanding corporate jobs. 

Do we have any full time RV’ers in the group that can share their perspective and experience? 

Is this really possible? 

Is there any advice that you would give the group before considering to make this change? 

Is it worth it?

Lots to think about and would appreciate any insight from all of those that have already made this type of life decision.

Great Travels to all!!!!

[Kirk W]

First of all, welcome to the Escapee forums! The Escapees RV Club was founded by a group of people who were living in their RVs while working and traveling back in the late 70's. Slowly over the years it became mostly retired folks but today there is a shift back in the direction of the club's origin to more and more folks who are younger and travel as they work. Many of the members of this forum either are now or were once living full-time in their RVs and more than a few worked in some form as they traveled. My wife & I took an early retirement package at the age of 57, sold everything that we couldn't carry with us and lived in a motorhome for almost 12 years. We didn't do much paid work on the road but we spent most of our time as resident volunteers in federal, state, or county parks and wildlife refuges working a few days a week in return for our RV site and utilities in order to keep costs down and stretch the budget. There are others here who have done or are doing paid work in order to earn a living as they travel as well. I believe that you can find a great deal of support and advice about doing as you are considering so feel free to ask any questions or to offer thoughts in any of our forums. I suggest that you take some time to explore the Escapees RV Club website and post any thoughts that you then have. 

In addition, the Escapees a few years ago added a separated section to the club that is aimed at younger, still employed workers and at families who earn their living as they travel and that group has become the fastest growing part of our club. Check out the X-scapers website as well since it is aimed at the younger, still working folks who are part of our group. You will find a great deal of help available in both groups. 

[Steven@146]

Just a few thoughts, It's not an easy decision to make but using a pro's and con's list is a good place to start. What's on the list will probably be a little different for everyone. For some people age is a big factor in going full time partly because of medical coverage and the cost before eligible for medicare. The wife and I both worked for corporations, I in the computer industry and my wife at a hospital that was part of a corporation. I at age 63 and the wife at 59 and we have been full timing for almost 2 years, loving every minute of it. We do not work and are fully retired.

Financials play a big part in going full time, do people have enough money saved. It can cost the same or more full timing than a sticks and bricks, just depends on how much you spend.

Both people have to be on the same page and buy into the decision otherwise its not going to work. You have to like eachother because you are going to be spending a lot of time in a close space. You will replace the cost of a sticks and bricks with the cost of your rig and maintaining it.

For 2021 it cost us 10,000 in campground fees and electric. Our average cost per night for the year worked out to $ 27.41. Our tow vehicle is paid for but expenses were 7,000 for fuel and repairs. Our RV expense (loan, repairs and maintenance) was 10,000. We keep a small loan on our RV to help maintain our credit rating. You wouldn't believe it (you probably would) but having no bills or loans lowers your credit rating.

I have also read were people on a whim decided to go full time without much planning, it didn't work out for them. Also with the explosion in RV sales, set your expectations realistically, planning your stays at campgrounds is more of a necessity. Roaming the country and just pulling into any campground along the route probably will not be possible. Some reservations for big attraction national parks will need to be made months if not a year in advance. 

Next year at the end of May we have a big trip planned out west though the Dakota's, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and points back east. Take us about 3 months. Reservations are already made.

As far as our "stuff" some we gave to family, donated some and sold at garage sales. We did not store anything and all we have is contained in our 37 foot 5th wheel. We don't miss it. Some people keep some of their possessions in storage. I have read that these people wish that they had gotten rid of all their stuff.

We use our Escapee's membership and mail services and have our Texas residency. We have lived or domiciled in Texas for the last 20 some years.

  

Edited January 20, 2022 by Steven@146

[Lou Schneider]

Welcome to the Escapees Forums!  Like Kirk said, check out the Escapees' Xscapers subgroup for ideas.

http://www.xscapers.com

Can you pay off your RV before you start out?  The amount you can save versus continuing to make payments can be astonishing!  It's best to start out debt free, IMO.

I did something similar in 1990 and again in 2000, well before remote work was available.  The first time I found a clause in the union contract that said I could take up to 3 months off and have my job waiting for me when I returned.  It was originally intended as maternity leave but the qualifing conditions were eliminated when all of the sex specific language was taken out of the contract.  So I took two months off and toured Australia.

When that error was corrected in the next contract, I changed jobs and negotiated with my new employer for similar terms.  They were originally looking for someone to work half time without success.  I explained that the stresses of past jobs in that field made me burn out and quit.  We settled on 3/4 time, my working fulltime for three months followed by a month off when I would be available for an occasional telephone consultation.  Again, this was before remote work and widespread Internet access.

I worked there for 5 years, reducing my expenses by continuing to live in my RV in a local mobilehome park and banking the surplus. This only works if you're in an area with mild winter weather, RVs don't do well when temperatures are consistantly below freezing. When the company sold in 2000 the new owners didn't want to continue that arrangement so I quit and travelled fulltime for a year and a half until the money ran out.  Then I found another job, negotiated a similar package and worked until I retired in 2005 at age 55.

A divorce in 2011 wiped out most of my savings, so I returned to RV life and travelled for a year mostly on credit cards until I got my head back together.  Then I found another job in Los Angeles where the good weather meant I could live year round in my RV, found another monthly RV park, paid off the credit cards ASAP and retired debt free in 2016 at age 63.

Today I'm comfortably retired and the minimalistic lifestyle I developed over the years allows me to live and travel comfortably in my RV on Social Security with a nice nest egg in reserve.  A big factor in this was joining one of the Escapees Co-op Parks which provides a secure home base at minimal cost where I can come and go whenever I like. 

The main things I'd recommend is to minimize your living expenses before you set out and bank the rest to accumulate a nest egg for unexpected expenses.  Nothing lasts forever, vehicles break down, etc.  Have an exit plan - it would really suck to decide you want to return to a stick and brick life but can't afford to do it.

Start out debt free, in my case I used part of my savings to buy a used RV for cash instead of taking out a loan for a new one.  Actually, I've bought and sold several RVs over the years and the total cost is still substantially less than if I'd bought a new one when I started out.  These days groups like Bob Wells' Cheap RV Living website and YouTube channel and their annual Rubber Tramp Rendevous promote a similar, if more extreme philosophy.  I guess I was just a few decades ahead of the curve.

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Lou Schneider

[Luis]

1 hour ago, Lou Schneider said:

Welcome to the Escapees Forums!  Can you work remotely if you have Internet access?  It's fairly easy now with widespread cellular coverage available.  Another factor is health insurance - you'll have to replace an employer provided plan with individual coverage if you stop working.  Like Kirk said, check out the Escapees' Xscapers subgroup for ideas.

http://www.xscapers.com

Can you pay off your RV before you start out?  The amount you can save versus continuing to make payments can be astonishing!  It's best to start out debt free, IMO.

I did something similar in 1990 and again in 2000, well before remote work became widespread.  The first time I found a clause in the union contract that allowed taking up to 3 months off and having your job waiting when you returned.  It was originally intended as maternity leave but that part got deleted when all of the sex specific language was taken out of the contract.  So I took a month off and toured Australia.

When that was eliminated in the next contract, I changed jobs and negotiated with my new employer for additional time off beyond the normal 2 weeks annual paid vacation.  I explained that I tended to burn out and we settled on two weeks unpaid leave every 3 months.

I worked there for 5 years, reducing my expenses by continuing to live in my RV in a local mobilehome park. This only works if you're in an area with mild winter weather, RVs don't do well when temperatures are consistantly below freezing. When the company sold in 2000 the new owners didn't want to continue that arrangement so I quit and travelled for a year and a half until the money ran out.  Then I found another job, negotiated a similar package and worked until I retired at age 55 in 2005.

A divorce in 2011 wiped out most of my savings, so I returned to RV life, took a year to get my head together, then found another job in Los Angeles where I worked until I retired at age 63 in 2016.

Today I'm comfortably retired and the minimalistic lifestyle I developed over the years allows me to live and travel comfortably in my RV on my Social Security with a nice nest egg in reserve.  A big factor in this was joining one of the Escapees Co-op Parks which provides a secure home base at minimal cost.

The main things I'd recommend is to minimize your present living expenses before you set out and bank your savings to accumulate a nest egg for unexpected expenses.  Nothing lasts forever, vehicles break down, etc.  It would really suck if you decide you want to return to a stick and brick life but can't afford to do it.

Start out debt free, in my case I used part of my savings to buy a used RV for cash instead of taking out a loan for a new one.  Actually, I've  bought and sold several RVs over the years, and the total cost is still substantially less than if I'd bought a new one when I started out.  These days groups like Bob Wells' Rubber Tramp Rendevous and HOWA are advocating a similar, if more extreme version of this.  I guess I was just a few decades ahead of the curve.

 

Thank you for your insight. One of the Pros that we spoke about, was being able to do this now while we are healthy. We are definitely not rushing into it as we have given ourselves two years to eliminate our debt as well as all the other steps that we need to take towards a minimalist lifestyle. Thank you again as every bit helps. 

[Luis]

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

First of all, welcome to the Escapee forums! The Escapees RV Club was founded by a group of people who were living in their RVs while working and traveling back in the late 70's. Slowly over the years it became mostly retired folks but today there is a shift back in the direction of the club's origin to more and more folks who are younger and travel as they work. Many of the members of this forum either are now or were once living full-time in their RVs and more than a few worked in some form as they traveled. My wife & I took an early retirement package at the age of 57, sold everything that we couldn't carry with us and lived in a motorhome for almost 12 years. We didn't do much paid work on the road but we spent most of our time as resident volunteers in federal, state, or county parks and wildlife refuges working a few days a week in return for our RV site and utilities in order to keep costs down and stretch the budget. There are others here who have done or are doing paid work in order to earn a living as they travel as well. I believe that you can find a great deal of support and advice about doing as you are considering so feel free to ask any questions or to offer thoughts in any of our forums. I suggest that you take some time to explore the Escapees RV Club website and post any thoughts that you then have. 

In addition, the Escapees a few years ago added a separated section to the club that is aimed at younger, still employed workers and at families who earn their living as they travel and that group has become the fastest growing part of our club. Check out the X-scapers website as well since it is aimed at the younger, still working folks who are part of our group. You will find a great deal of help available in both groups. 

Thank you for the warm welcome, insight and resources. We are determined to make this happen so we want to make sure that we do it right. Thanks again.

[Steven@146]

There is a whole lot to think about going full time.

How do you want to live full timing, real cheap or not so cheap, or a mixture. We stay at a lot of state parks for up to two weeks, Escapee's parks for a month or so and we have a few private parks that we stay at for months at a time. Usually @ 475 - 525 per month full hook ups. We also have stayed at places that are at or near premier attractions like Disney or a major national park, they get real expensive.

Right now we are in Galveston at a KOA Holiday and it's $700/ month for full hook ups electric included with WiFi and cable TV. Jamaica Beach is about the same, Stella Mare RV park is a lot higher.

Banking, All our banking is done on-line, a little planning here, we maintain two separate banking/savings accounts. One account is at a major bank with locations all over the US and the other at a local Texas state bank. If one gets compromised, we still have the other. We check the transactions closely. Two different credit cards payable with on-line transfers from our banks. Credit cards are used for fuel and campground fees and such. We do have the capability to transfer money between our checking/savings accounts at the different banks. For cash we usually go to like a Walmart and pay for our purchases with our debit cards and get cash back.

In our travels we really like to eat out and sample the local fare. Here in Galveston, we like sea food so our dining out gets expensive, so we cut back on groceries. Bottom line for us we don't scrimp living full time.

[Luis]

3 minutes ago, Steven@146 said:

There is a whole lot to think about going full time.

How do you want to live full timing, real cheap or not so cheap, or a mixture. We stay at a lot of state parks for up to two weeks, Escapee's parks for a month or so and we have a few private parks that we stay at for months at a time. Usually @ 475 - 525 per month full hook ups. We also have stayed at places that are at or near premier attractions like Disney or a major national park, they get real expensive.

Right now we are in Galveston at a KOA Holiday and it's $700/ month for full hook ups electric included with WiFi and cable TV. Jamaica Beach is about the same, Stella Mare RV park is a lot higher.

Banking, All our banking is done on-line, a little planning here, we maintain two separate banking/savings accounts. One account is at a major bank with locations all over the US and the other at a local Texas state bank. If one gets compromised, we still have the other. We check the transactions closely. Two different credit cards payable with on-line transfers from our banks. Credit cards are used for fuel and campground fees and such. We do have the capability to transfer money between our checking/savings accounts at the different banks. For cash we usually go to like a Walmart and pay for our purchases with our debit cards and get cash back.

In our travels we really like to eat out and sample the local fare. Here in Galveston, we like sea food so our dining out gets expensive, so we cut back on groceries. Bottom line for us we don't scrimp living full time.

Thank you Steven for your insight. I love the way that you describe your decision making process as we have discussed the same. We want to enjoy ourselves, but also know that we are not in a 365 day vacation. I have a large list of illnesses in my family and we have always thought about doing this when we retire, but we are also afraid that we won’t get to do so if we just wait for our retirement. There is a lot to learn so I am grateful to all of you as the RV community seems to be so helpful, empathetic as well as giving. Already have experience this as we have an RV already. Thank you again.  

[Lou Schneider]

There are many ways to stretch your fulltiming budget. One way is to spend the winter months in the desert Southwest while the rest of the country is snowed in.  Places like Quartzite, actually most of Arizona south of the Mongollon Rim (I-10) have warm winter weather.  There are nice, inexpensive RV parks along the Colorado River and in Yuma if you want a more urban experience.  Or just chill out and boondock on BLM land for a while.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Lou Schneider

[Luis]

3 minutes ago, Lou Schneider said:

There are many ways to stretch your fulltiming budget.  You can spend the winter months in the desert Southwest.  Places like Quartzite, actually most of the areas in Arizona below the Mongollon Rim have warm winter weather while the rest of the country is snowed in.  There are nice, inexpensive RV parks along the Colorado River and especially in Yuma if you want a more urban lifestyle.  Or just chill out and boondock on BLM land along the Colorado River for a while.

I get excited about our journey getting there as I read the way that you describe our beautiful country. 

I want to try boondocking before our freedom date(This is what we are calling the date that we have set to embark on this new chapter of our lives), but I am concern about safety. I dislike having to say this, but being a minority as well as a member of the LGBTQ+ community it is something top of mind. I just hope that as we have been impressed by the sense of community in our trips, we are also about knowing that the community is accepting of diversity and inclusion practices. 

[Blues]

1 hour ago, Steven@146 said:

We keep a small loan on our RV to help maintain our credit rating. You wouldn't believe it (you probably would) but having no bills or loans lowers your credit rating.

If so, not by much.  Mr. Blues and I both have credit ratings over 800, which is more than high enough to get the best rates on car insurance and the like.  I've never borrowed money in my life, and Mr. Blues has borrowed only for a mortgage back when he owned a house, but not since then. 

To the OP:  You said you're still going to have jobs--presumably fulltime.  Even if they're remote, they're still fulltime, so I'm not sure how being a fulltime RVer will affect your ability to recharge your batteries.  You'll just be sitting some place different, and you'll have to be planning where you're going to sit next.

You don't have to move into an RV to get rid of all your stuff, and if you want a simpler lifestyle, owning and living in an RV is not the best way to get it.  If you want to travel and see the country, an RV is a good way to do that, but if you're still working for someone else, your opportunities to see and do things will obviously be constrained.  

My biggest suggestion would be to rely on about 1/10 of what you see in youtube videos advertising the lifestyle. 

[Lou Schneider]

Quote

I want to try boondocking before our freedom date(This is what we are calling the date that we have set to embark on this new chapter of our lives), but I am concern about safety. I dislike having to say this, but being a minority as well as a member of the LGBTQ+ community it is something top of mind. I just hope that as we have been impressed by the sense of community in our trips, we are also about knowing that the community is accepting of diversity and inclusion practices. 

Don't worry, RVing isn't just for straight white people.  Kay Peterson's philosophy was to cast the net wide, to make Escapees as inclusive as possible.  Take a look at Xscapers and the 30-something year old Escapees Stonewall BOF group, there are lots of folks out there.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Lou Schneider

[Lou Schneider]

19 minutes ago, Blues said:

If so, not by much.  Mr. Blues and I both have credit ratings over 800, which is more than high enough to get the best rates on car insurance and the like.  I've never borrowed money in my life, and Mr. Blues has borrowed only for a mortgage back when he owned a house, but not since then. 

Same here, I've been debt free almost all of my life and my credit rating is also 800+.  The key factor is responsible use of credit. I use credit cards judiciously, mainly for convenience and to take advantage of cash back rebates but I religiously pay them off before the due date every month.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Lou Schneider

[Kirk W]

22 minutes ago, Luis said:

I dislike having to say this, but being a minority as well as a member of the LGBTQ+ community it is something top of mind.

You have probably come to the most all inclusive RV club in existence, but even so you would not be the only one, no matter what your status happens to be in most parts of the RVing community. Most of us in this group just see people who like RV life and have little concern about what you choose to do in private and consider it to be nobody's business but yours. Our club has many special interest groups within the larger group and LGBTQ is one of them. There are some subgroups that you wouldn't fit into, but that is true for all of us because they are based on special interests but none of our club sponsored events exclude anyone. As long as we are tolerant of others and maintain courtesy to other members, you are welcome. I am an ardent supporter of the Escapees RV Club because I learned long ago that life is much more interesting if you have friends who think or live differently than yourself. Even though I have been a married man for many years, you would be most welcome at my campfire, along with a lot of other folks who think and live differently than you or I. 

While the Escapees are in my view the best of the best, I also believe that the majority of the RV community are courteous and kind to fellow RV folks even when different. 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Kirk W

[sandsys]

If I was still RVing you would be welcome in my camp and that of many others I know. Please, don't let that concern be your deciding factor.

As to selling your stuff, one of my favorite systems was the couple who put a box next to their door labeled something like "travel fund" then turned friends and neighbors loose to choose what they wanted and how much money they would put in the box. If two people wanted the same thing it was up to them to negotiate with each other. The "about to be full timer" couple refused to know who paid what so as to have no regrets. They made out well.

What we did was hire someone to run an estate sale. That was easy but we didn't make much.

Be aware you can join Escapees and start using their mail service long before you actually hit the road. The minimum recommendation is three months in hope of catching people you forgot. You simply have all your mail sent to your Escapees address then they forward it to you in batches as you request it and for which you pay.

We liked knowing we could spend a night anywhere so having a decent solar system was critical for us. We spent many nights in parking lots at Walmart, Cracker Barrel, RV service places, etc.

As to working remotely, the best place to learn about gear is: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com. Chris and Cherie have been full timers since 2008? and they make some of their money by testing/analyzing gear and sharing what they learn with the rest of us.

But, medical insurance is still the deciding factor for people not yet eligible for medicare so you should probably do that research first to get some idea of what's out there even though it changes every year. Recently Florida has offered the only truly nationwide insurance. Fortunately, Escapees has a mail service address in Florida if you decide to go that way.

When researching vehicle insurance be sure you are getting a full timers policy. You need liability insurance that used to come with your homeowners/renters insurance.

So much to learn.

Linda Sand

[Luis]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

You have probably come to the most all inclusive RV club in existence, but even so you would not be the only one, no matter what your status happens to be in most parts of the RVing community. Most of us in this group just see people who like RV life and have little concern about what you choose to do in private and consider it to be nobody's business but yours. Our club has many special interest groups within the larger group and LGBTQ is one of them. There are some subgroups that you wouldn't fit into, but that is true for all of us because they are based on special interests but none of our club sponsored events exclude anyone. As long as we are tolerant of others and maintain courtesy to other members, you are welcome. I am an ardent supporter of the Escapees RV Club because I learned long ago that life is much more interesting if you have friends who think or live differently than yourself. Even though I have been a married man for many years, you would be most welcome at my campfire, along with a lot of other folks who think and live differently than you or I. 

While the Escapees are in my view the best of the best, I also believe that the majority of the RV community are courteous and kind to fellow RV folks even when different. 

It just confirms the observations that me and my partner have had about the community. I agree the courtesy and just plain respect for one another is so important and something that we might see less and less in some areas. You all help us so much in making this decision one that we feel comfortable by sharing your expertise. Thanks again. 

[Luis]

2 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

Don't worry, RVing isn't just for straight white people.  Kay Peterson's philosophy was to cast the net wide, to make Escapees as inclusive as possible.  Take a look at Xscapers and the 30-something year old Escapees Stonewall BOF group, there are lots of folks out there.

LOL, I am sure is not. It is more about those that we encounter on the road as we are out an about. I read the history behind Kay’s vision and even the time that he was confronted by members of the group as well and loved his response to the group. Such great liberating way of thinking. 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Luis

[Luis]

2 hours ago, Blues said:

If so, not by much.  Mr. Blues and I both have credit ratings over 800, which is more than high enough to get the best rates on car insurance and the like.  I've never borrowed money in my life, and Mr. Blues has borrowed only for a mortgage back when he owned a house, but not since then. 

To the OP:  You said you're still going to have jobs--presumably fulltime.  Even if they're remote, they're still fulltime, so I'm not sure how being a fulltime RVer will affect your ability to recharge your batteries.  You'll just be sitting some place different, and you'll have to be planning where you're going to sit next.

You don't have to move into an RV to get rid of all your stuff, and if you want a simpler lifestyle, owning and living in an RV is not the best way to get it.  If you want to travel and see the country, an RV is a good way to do that, but if you're still working for someone else, your opportunities to see and do things will obviously be constrained.  

My biggest suggestion would be to rely on about 1/10 of what you see in youtube videos advertising the lifestyle. 

Thank you for your insight and honesty. 

[bruce t]

A few comments.

First simply remember that every problem has a solution. You just need to find that solution.

Second. Do it now. We traveled a lot. One day I woke up in hospital and our traveling life had ended. Don't wait until it's too late.

Third. Listen to all the advice but do it your way.

good luck.

[Blues]

4 hours ago, sandsys said:

But, medical insurance is still the deciding factor for people not yet eligible for medicare so you should probably do that research first to get some idea of what's out there even though it changes every year. Recently Florida has offered the only truly nationwide insurance.

The only truly nationwide insurance in one of the "Big Three" fulltimer-friendly states. 

But the OP said they were going to get "good remote jobs," which presumably means jobs with benefits (including health insurance) and not blogging or being a social media influencer.

That does make me wonder, however, about all the remote workers these days who are scattered hither and yon, and how their employer-supplied health insurance policies work for them.

[Luis]

1 hour ago, bruce t said:

A few comments.

First simply remember that every problem has a solution. You just need to find that solution.

Second. Do it now. We traveled a lot. One day I woke up in hospital and our traveling life had ended. Don't wait until it's too late.

Third. Listen to all the advice but do it your way.

good luck.

Thank you Bruce for the encouragement. I hope you are well and sorry to hear about your hospitalization. Blessed Be. 

[Luis]

4 hours ago, sandsys said:

If I was still RVing you would be welcome in my camp and that of many others I know. Please, don't let that concern be your deciding factor.

As to selling your stuff, one of my favorite systems was the couple who put a box next to their door labeled something like "travel fund" then turned friends and neighbors loose to choose what they wanted and how much money they would put in the box. If two people wanted the same thing it was up to them to negotiate with each other. The "about to be full timer" couple refused to know who paid what so as to have no regrets. They made out well.

What we did was hire someone to run an estate sale. That was easy but we didn't make much.

Be aware you can join Escapees and start using their mail service long before you actually hit the road. The minimum recommendation is three months in hope of catching people you forgot. You simply have all your mail sent to your Escapees address then they forward it to you in batches as you request it and for which you pay.

We liked knowing we could spend a night anywhere so having a decent solar system was critical for us. We spent many nights in parking lots at Walmart, Cracker Barrel, RV service places, etc.

As to working remotely, the best place to learn about gear is: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com. Chris and Cherie have been full timers since 2008? and they make some of their money by testing/analyzing gear and sharing what they learn with the rest of us.

But, medical insurance is still the deciding factor for people not yet eligible for medicare so you should probably do that research first to get some idea of what's out there even though it changes every year. Recently Florida has offered the only truly nationwide insurance. Fortunately, Escapees has a mail service address in Florida if you decide to go that way.

When researching vehicle insurance be sure you are getting a full timers policy. You need liability insurance that used to come with your homeowners/renters insurance.

So much to learn.

Linda Sand

Yes Linda. So much to learn. I love your Travel Fund idea. Thank you for the mail forwarding never saw it in that point of view. We do not have solar but we can see what it would take your natal on our Winnie. So much great advice. Thank you again. 

[Star Dreamer]

A couple of items, do not rely on a campgrounds wifi to get internet access if needed to do your work from remote. Most barely work if at all. You will want to check out various other connections and your stops my be limited by places that you can get good signals.

To get an idea of if you can survive with a small minimalist camper, try taping off and area in your living room the size of what you are looking at and then move all the items you want to keep into that area and see if it will work for you. 

Next rent a camper about the size you want for a couple of weeks and go somewhere local to see how it works. Being stuck in a small area due to bad weather for a few days can be an interesting experience! 

[sandsys]

14 hours ago, Star Dreamer said:

To get an idea of if you can survive with a small minimalist camper, try taping off and area in your living room the size of what you are looking at and then move all the items you want to keep into that area and see if it will work for you. 

We did that but it only told us half the story. It did not tell us what effect a low ceiling or a small black tank would have. We did learn we could live in that size area otherwise, though.

Linda

[Star Dreamer]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

We did that but it only told us half the story. It did not tell us what effect a low ceiling or a small black tank would have. We did learn we could live in that size area otherwise, though.

Linda

Yep, the small black tank would be hard to simulate!