Prepping to go Full Time

One item: Be debt free when you start to fulltime!!
We have never been real “responsible” with our money. We spent what we made. Too many toys. It is the best advice ever.
We bought a less expensive camper than we wanted, and a late model used truck rather than new, but we were debt free when we started. We are still debt free. That is not to say we don't have bills, but a no installment loans, no credit card debt.

We don't have much, but what we have, is paid for. This was the best advice we ever received and for once, I was smart enough to take it.

For us the decision to go with a MH was "what we wanted to drive once we reached our destination". We love trucks but did not want to have to drive one while parked.

But, I think for folks who work while on the road, the floorplans in most motorhomes isn't the best unless you can alter it to suit your needs, which is entirely and easily doable.

I noticed your California address. Before you buy a rig, change your residency to a state that won't tax you silly on the purchase. SD, TX or FL are the states people generally consider. Make sure you do the research on what it takes to get drivers license, voter registration and gun permit (if you need one) before you make a decision.

Your insurance on the vehicle should be full timer's insurance. The difference is that when you own a home and have insurance on that, it covers you when you are on the road as far as someone suing you for things like hitting a golf ball and having it hit another person or car or home. So it's not just insuring it going down the road. You'll buy your insurance based on where your residency is. Just make sure they have knowledge of full timers on the road and what they need. PM me and I'll tell you who we use in SD.

Join Escapees (SKP's) check our their forum and read, read, read, read, read.

trobertson wrote:
I am getting ready to make a change in life and go full time in 1-2 years. I am torn between a coach and a 5th wheel, but leaning towards a 5th wheel because I will be working while on the road and like the option of having a bigger desk area. But I have several questions:

1. Will I be able to maneuver a 5th wheel as well or better than a coach?

2. Does any one have or know of a check list on what to do to get ready to go full time?

3. What is the best insurance company in terms of rates, coverage and claims processing.

4. What is the best RV Road Side Assistance?

5. Is a 5th wheel Ok to take to Alaska or are the roads to bad?

And help with anything or everything else I am forgetting.

Thanks, Tom

I am on year two of Five of researching for a Fifth Wheel and going F/T.
I am receiving Rv E-mails, News letters, like RV 101 for one example. I frequent different forums, like this one to get new information. I joined a Fifth Owners group, like what was suggested above. I Plan on going to RV shows, and going to some Rv Rally’s, and joining Escapee forum also.
I have Note books full of different information from Fifth Wheels, Truck Campers, to Tow Vehicles. It's a lot of work but that's half the fun, is the planning and researching.
So you are not alone in the researching. Best of Luck,
Scott

I've had them all, 3 TC's, a MH, TT, and now my 5er.

We have 3 slides, one for the bed and 2 opposing 14'ers in the living/kitchen area. It almost looks like a ballroom in the middle. Ours is only 31 foot in total length. It's called a 29.5 model someone said they measure from the inside rear wall to the inside front wall go figure. I've had no problem putting any where I want it. Here at home I have 4 flags to back it between as I only have 3" clearance on each side to be able to open the slides. The main thing is to have good mirrors. I love being able to adjust them electrically.

I don't have any road side assistance. I will do my own work anyway and if I can't handle it there's always the plastic.

Alaska, went 2 years ago. A fiver is no problem. You'll need to study for the trip mainly for all the things you'll want to pack into seeing and doing. This site has a LOT of info. I bought a popup TC just for this one trip. It was damaged and I fixed it, we put 13,000 miles on the trip. 2 people in Alaska wanted to buy it. I also had a TT at the time. Now that I've been there, I would take the 5er. I would make sure I had good tires, a spare, one set of bearings and a grease seal. Not because of the roads but just because there's a lot of space between help.

These are my opinions and not that of the staff and management, but what do they know.

we went from looking at motor home's, and found that for our full timing needs there was just not enough living space for us, then we made the switch to looking at fifth wheels and found that a 35 to 40 foot would do for us, and in the end we got a fifth wheel toy hauler with 3 slides, now we are on a new quest, finding the right for us used medium duty truck, we are leaning towards a freight liner fl 60, DW thinks we could and should be able to finally make the move from stick and brick to the toy hauler by the end of the year, right now its in the shop being repaired because some one (me) needs to learn to wait till you think you have passed the point of no return before you crank it hard over into you spot in the camp ground, its a learning process, one we both are getting better at, now if I could only master the art of backing that 40 foot monster up better. as a few have said on here look at the rigs, Google the rigs till you cant stand to look at another, then look some more

X2 on kicking LOTS of tires and spending time sitting around in LOTS of units before you make up your mind. Take your time deciding, there's no rush on any kind of deal, no matter what the sales person says!! There are sellers than buyers out there.

Keep in mind, that when you ask about a specific brand, those people that own it will generally say how happy they are and its the "best" rig out there!! Who is going to admit that it's a lemon?!? :B:@ There may some who say it was a mistake and they got rid of it.

We have had Good Sam Roadside Assistance and it has saved our cookies 3 times and that has more than paid for the 8 years of premiums. Be cautious and suspicious about extend warranties, but that should be a totally different topic when you get closer to purchasing.

Good luck

Tom, take this with the spirit intended. These are questions you should be able to answer yourself and if you can't, you have alot of work to do.

It took us just over two years of note taking, listening, reading, researching, show shopping, and Saturday afternoons just kicking tires before we finally decided on our current 5'er (see sig)(we previously had a TT for 4 years). But after nearly 10 years our 5'er is still the perfect 5'er for us. FWIW: Subscribe to every RV magazine you can find; read, read, and read some more regarding the fulltime subject; spend time regularly reading all of the different RV forums; and be ready to discover regardless of how much effort you placed into doing your homework, you may not hit the nail on the head as to which RV is best for you on the first try. Be patient, thorough, and do your homework and you'll be able to answer most if not all of your own questions.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

I would also recommend joining Escapees. The have a lot of fulltimers, classes for new or would-be fulltimers and lots of good information.

Happykayakers is right on. Visit shows and look at many models. Surf this forum day after day, then ask questions one at a time.