What to do first?

We found Wells Fargo ATMs readily as we traveled.

JC2 wrote:
For those that have essentially gone into fulltime mode and setup residency in a different state, what changes did you have to make to any existing wills/living trusts? :@

Updating a Will for a 'change of address' is not necessary ---Will remains valid.
Just make sure Attorney/Executer is notified of your new address for any future correspondence.

We did update our Wills ----just like to keep them current. But not legally necessary---unless specific property (house/land) is bequeathed in Will



As for question on Banks.

No Banking Institute is NATIONWIDE.
BUT cash via debit cards IS available Nationwide-----ATMs, cash back when shopping etc.
We still Banking Accounts via same one we used for years in CA.
Just change of address on checks, accounts, records but same CA Bank
Course we also are paperless....billing/statements etc. so which Brick/Mortar building isn't an issue

Unless you use a small local bank - I see no reason to switch your current banking plan.

We were Chase customers for many years before going full-time and have found it useful.

As an example - while we were recently in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas for work on my dentures in Mexico, we picked up a medicine for a friend in our Good Sam chapter (yes, we showed it to customs as we came back across the border - she assured us it would not be prohibited, and it wasn't.).

A couple weeks later we met up with them and gave her the medicine. While at the table to eat lunch, she gave me a check for the costs. I used the Chase app to take a picture of the check and deposited it in my checking account. Gave her back her check for her records. It was done in a minute.

Other banks have similar apps.

The only time we have to find a Chase branch is if we need a large amount of cash or to deposit a large check.

The 'go to' place for cash for us most of the time is Walmart. Buy something and get $100 or so cash back. Most large supermarket chains have the same policy.

We almost never us an ATM. Chase does charge us a fee if we get money at someone else's ATM. So we avoid those.

We know people who use credit unions - I have an account with Navy Federal - since 1972 - and I'm amazed at the number of places I now see Navy Federal Credit Union branches.

Get to know / use the smart phone app for your bank. You will likely find that you can do everything you need / want without ever going to a bank.

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Walmart - you might not be a Walmart shopper. You will be as a full-timer.

I love the regional stores we run across - if you are ever near Hartford CT - be sure to go to Stew Leonard's Supermarket. A wonderful experience.

However, there will be many times when you know what you want. You want to go into a store where you know where to find it, know it will be there, and get out.

Walmart fills that need. They have a few basic designs, carry almost exactly the same brands in the same location in the store. Everything from food to socks.

While in south Texas HEB supermarkets carry 70-100 feet of shelf space of Mexican/Hispanic food items. While in Connecticut - Stop & Shop supermarkets carried 30-40 different brands of pasta/ spaghetti sauce and 15-20 different brands of frankfurters at the fresh meat or deli counter.

Walmart carries the same stuff anywhere. Sometimes that is a good thing.

We used Sam's Club when we lived in a house - because we had space to store bulk purchases. We don't have that space now. We have a Costco card because it saved us a lot of money on hearing aids for the wife. But we don't buy very much there. Did replace the trailer batteries this year at Costco. Might buy truck tires there next year.

tinner12002 wrote:


A side ques to one of your comments, what bank is best for attaining money/cash throughout the US?

We find Bank of America and Chase to be the most prevalent but many people swear by credit unions, so I think there are multiple options.

tinner12002 wrote:

A side ques to one of your comments, what bank is best for attaining money/cash throughout the US?

We use our Key Bank and PenFed credit union debit cards at Walmart, grocery stores, etc., for cash back most of the time, and occasionally use one of the 50,000 plus no-fee ATM's that PenFed is associated with.

For those that have essentially gone into fulltime mode and setup residency in a different state, what changes did you have to make to any existing wills/living trusts? :@

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
Our priorities when we went full-time were:

1) Make sure health insurance is covered

2) Talk to doctors about traveling and their opinion of our health, medication needs, etc.

3) Determine where would be our domicile and how we would set it up with mail service (we were already Texas residents so moving our domicle/ residence to Escapees in Livingston was very easy)

4) We made no changes in banking other than changing our address after we changed our domicle and setup our mailing service address. We did make sure that everything was set to pay on-line. That we would not get bills from anyone in the mail or have to send checks to anyone.

5) We already belonged to a Good Sam Chapter - and had been using the Good Sam discount occasionally for a few years. Same with Passport America. We did join Escapees when we moved to their mail service. In the past year, we have decided that Thousand Trails works well for us - and now have a membership with them.

Frankly - the process of selling the house, selling all the junk we had accumulated over the years (or throwing most of it away) - was much more stressful than the paperwork.

On-line banking is wonderful. Do make sure you are comfortable, have a good computer - and practice doing it over a personal hot spot. Phone carrier issues were a challenge for us.

For junk mail - we did NOT submit a change of address to the post office. We informed all of our accounts and such of our new address through their web sites. Besides telling family our new address (many were surprised to get christmas cards in March) - we didn't care if other mail was returned, trashed or whatever.

A side ques to one of your comments, what bank is best for attaining money/cash throughout the US?

All good suggestions

Our priorities
*Go to paperless billing/banking
*Set up mail-forwarding service in domicile state. They can be very helpful with other services.
*Tell family/friends.......come get it NOW as for house stuff
*Donate items ASAP.....don't wait
*Outfit RV with KNOWN items needed, then GOT to keep items then THINK we need items (then go thru again and really evaluate YES/NO)
Have an Estate Sale----------everything sold in one day----GONE no hassles and MONIES in our pocket (didn't even have to lift a finger...just sat and watched)
*Change of addresses to everything one/companies/bank accounts-WILLS etc

1. Get house ready to sell.
2. Sort stuff: toss, sell, donate. (you will keep very little).
3. Have one garage sale then donate the rest. I would not put anything in storage. If you have photos, digitize them or give them to the people in the photos.
4. Put house up for sale.
5. Decide on domicile state and set up mail forwarding. Change addresses on all accounts. Most banks have banking apps. Stop junk mail (I made a form letter for catalogs and magazines. Clip the address label from the publication, tape it to the bottom of the letter asking them to remove you from their mailing list, or cancel magazine subscriptions.
6. Get registration, tags and insurance changed to new mail forwarding address.
7. Make sure your health insurance is good in all states, many are not.
8. Go through your stuff one more time before you load it into the RV. If you haven't used it in 6 months, discard or donate. What do you really need. We do this every 6 months now that we full time. If we buy something we have to get rid of something.
9. Get appropriate America the Beautiful national park pass. Passport America, KOA, Good Sam and FMCA discount cards are what we use.
We also got the RV Plus Charge Card from Pilot and Good Sam. Or you can get the Pilot Flying J Rewards Card.
10. Get an RV GPS if you don't have one already. We use the CoPilot RV app.
11. Get storage items for the RV at big box or dollar store. Organizers, bins, storage containers.
Load stuff and take off and enjoy!! 7 years and counting!

We set up mail service in the state where we wanted to establish our domicile. We then changed the address on everything. From that point forward all mail went to our new address and we order our mail when we want it sent also advising where we want it sent. Next we set up auto deposits and bill pay online thru our credit union. We then used the mail service to title and plate our vehicles for us and then made a personal visit a month later to get our drivers licenses and establish our residency. The mail services will also help you establish your residency by advising, supplying forms and answering any questions you may have. Many of their websites have information and forms that you can research.