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shannon62's avatar
shannon62
Explorer
May 22, 2021

beginner full-time

Hello all, we are retiring next year & are planning on full-timing in a class a motor home. We have been working on it now for 2 years, that i mean selling some things on ebay, craigs, & of course garage sales. Boy what a process, but anyway hope to see some of you full-timers out there some day. Also would like any info from the pro's on what we need to do to make the big switch go smoothly. Any info is appreciated. Happy travels & stay safe.
  • I would recommend joining the Escapees RV Club (if you haven't already) and start reading here:

    Escapees - Domicile

    Escapees also offers a good mail service, but there are others, too. In addition, there is an Escapees forum with a dedicated subforum for full-timing and lots of experienced folks to advise you.

    The RV-Dreams web site isn't very active any more, but there's lots of really useful information still available there:

    RV-Dreams - preparing for full-timing

    Rob
  • Have you decided on a landing spot when your done travelling? After selling down on possessions, you will have some items to store, where you do that can simplify things later if you already know roughly where.
    Domicile and mail forwarding, lots of threads in here on it, No state tax states are most popular, Texas, South Dakota, and Florida being common.
    Also look at escapees they offer many services as well as insight.
    Insurances, will you be on mediscare or private? If private, look at different states options, it could be an important determining factor on which state you establish as your domicile.
  • Pick which state you want to setup domicile check the options for mail forwarding service.
    Check on registration, DL's,insurance.
    Much easier to have this decided on before hand.
    We don't boondock very often so have not gone the solar panel way. We did camp off grid 10 weeks in Alaska and a 2000 watt gas generator was enough to keep us charged up. Other than that we may do an occasional night or two in a Forest Service campground.
    If you're 62 get yourself the Interagency Lifetime Senior Pass and a copy of Army Corps of Engineers Campground book.
    Senior pass good for half off at Corps run parks as well as discounts at FS and other National Parks.
    We also use free and cheap camping. Net. Most of these are small town or county parks some are very nice some just gravel lots.
    Sometimes we are surprised by how nice a $5-10 FHU can be.

    We volunteer 7-8 mos a year and travel the other months. We are on our 11th year full-time. Many don't last this long or they just zip to the same two spots one up North and one down South. Those that constantly move seem to get burned out after 2-4 years.
    We enjoy volunteering I am a retired carpenter and wife is a birder and budding naturalist. We seek volunteer positions where our talents can best be used and we stay in beautiful places.

    This are what we consider important for full-time traveling.