Prepare to FT timeline? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

Prepare to FT timeline?

Froggi · RV-Dreams Family Member

The best I can offer is if you go to the start of my blog (link in sig), March 2006, you can follow along as I attempt to go full-time by August of that year. The deal fell through and in March 2007 I started over again....LOL!

Doncat · RV-Dreams Family Member

I am preparing also and agree, a checklist with timeline would be great. Maybe we can develop one, first I need to research the blogs and list everything I need to accomplish to go fulltime and then break the tasks into reasonable timelines. Better yet, someone on the forum may have it already and save me some work weirdface

smile ..... Doncat

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

I don't mean to be facetious, but in my best lighthearted tone, the time line is as long or short as you want to make it.

The basic steps are simple,

1. Dispose of all your possessions except for the few things that can fit in an RV.
2. Buy an RV.
3. Say good bye smile

We did it all in 2 days short of 6 months. aww

Fred

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Fred, are you saying I'm overthinking this???!! weirdface

If you are, it wouldn't be the first time I've been accused of that!! smile

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would never suggest that Cindy, to each his/her own. Whatever makes you comfortable.

Good luck and I hope I finally get to meet you down the road. Jo really enjoyed your afternoon together.

Fred

Doncat · RV-Dreams Family Member

Fred, that just sounds too easy. Nothing in my life has been that easy, are you sure?? biggrin

In case you missed it, that was my lighthearted tone. smile

Doncat

Guiler85 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I suggest that you go to this site: http://www.rv-dreams.com/preparation.html on the RV Dreams website. Howard & Linda have outlined lots of tips, suggestions, etc., on how to get started. Maybe you'll find some help there.

However you want to plan, just don't allow yourself to get caught up in the "paralysis by analysis" syndrome. Sometimes ya just gotta go!

Enjoy the ride. Maybe we'll see you down the road.

-- Edited by Guiler85 at 17:45, 2008-06-22

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Cindy,

Congrats on your upcoming transition.

I have to say that I tend to be like you.....I want to think everything through and know exactly what needs to happen as much in advance as possible. My hubby, on the other hand, is much more spontaneous than I am.

My hubby and I will begin fulltiming in one week. The idea of fulltiming started about three years ago. We are not retired, nor do we have the means to retire, so we needed to start planning this early for budget reasons. In addition to saving what I already had been, I took on a couple extra gigs (teaching a SAS programming and statistics class where I currently work and taking over the cleaning responsibilities at my then fiancee's business. Hubby also started saving more as well.

I guess the first place I would start is to work on a budget if needed. I used some of the budgets posted on the RV-dreams site and forum as a guide then I tweaked them to meet our needs. This will determine what type of rig you buy, etc....

I would immediately start unloading all of the stuff you do not plan on bringing with you NOW!!!! For me this has been the worst part of it and I highly recommend starting this is soon as possible!!!!

Those are the biggies.

About one month before I would start ordering your memberships, so far we have done the National Parks Pass, Sam's Club, and Passport America .

If I get time this week I will work on a checklist as it is pretty fresh in our minds right now (and we're working through it as we speak).. For the most part, I'm with Fred on this one even though I too like to analyze things to death (hey that's what I get paid to do....until June 3oth anyway biggrin

)

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks everybody for your excellent suggestions! I'm really trying to reach a resonable level of planning without trying to plan everything to death, which is more my natural tendancy. To feel comfortable, I know I need to have some structure to this transition process and I can do some things now (like getting rid of STUFF) which will help me feel like I'm making progress. I really appreciate all your feedback!

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sherri and Joes time line....

Buy a truck
Buy an RV too large for the truck
Sale Truck buy bigger one
Sale RV buy a bigger one...
Sale Truck buy a bigger one
Get house ready to sale
Store stuff in house
Plan yard/garage sale
put off garage sale
sell house
No time for garage sell
Throw all your stuff in big truck
Take to daughter's house (push it all off on her)
Now wait until you have one week to vacate and get rest of stuff out....Where??
Throw stuff in back of big truck (loose) and hope it blows out somewhere.
Hook up big RV to Big Truck and get out of town.

See how easy it is

Speedy and Speeds girl

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

Take advantage of the checklists and advice already available online in the forums. Identify the issues that worry you the most like address, mail forwarding, banking, insurance, will, safe deposit box, or whatever seems to be bugging you and work that list first. Most everything else is pretty staightforward.

Larry and Jacki

5OnTheRoad · RV-Dreams Community Member

We just decided to buy and RV and travel, work and live. We decided this 1 week ago and plan on leaving in 2 weeks.

So..........
Scramble and search everywhere for a cheap reliable RV. (still working on this)
Start selling belongings. (had yard sale this weekend, another one next weekend)
Start boxing things to go into storage
Find Storage
Finalize all utilities in town

Pack up RV if you find one. :)

Leave town

HAVE FUN

I'll let you know how it all works out for us. :)

rwarner22 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have been planning since Aug 2007. I agree with blijil, a list of issues is a great place to start. Add them to a list and start researching:

- Gas vs Diesel
- Class A or Fifth Wheel
- Be sure you want to do this (as sure as you can be)
- Budget (deciding to be debt free vs mortgage)
- What floor plan
- Downsizing
- Scanning photos
- Laptop and external hard drives for backup
- Picking a state of residency
- Volunteering and Workamping
- List the reasons why you are fulltiming, read it and see how it sounds
- How to stay connected with family and friends (blog/tripjournal)
- Online banking and other accounts
- Mail forwarding
- Satellite TV
- Satellite internet vs EDVO card
- Solar and dry camping
- RV clubs and memberships
- Which dealer to buy from
- Buying a used late model RV
- Visiting dealerships and RV shows
- RV factory tours
- RV bootcamps
- Give your friends and family a heads up so they also can get used to the idea.
- Picture yourself in a not so great campground in the cold and rain after 11 days asking each other: what have we gotten ourself into? (try to picture the tough times and see if you are ok with it).
- Post pictures online (or learn how)
- Look into part time work possibilities:
--part time consulting from your old job
--workamping
--volunteering
- check out campgrounds online in your price range
- follow 10 people who have a daily journal/blog to get a feel for what their experience is like
- find as many good rv forums as you can and join

Those are some of the items Pam and I are moving through in our RV fulltime wannabe journey. Many of the folks that have already responded on this reply I recognize and have been very helpful to us.

Good luck on your pursuit.

Randy and Pam
www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Dan and Gail · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have to agree with Blijil. Make a list of those essential items like insurance, banking, wills, mail forwarding, etc. and work on that list. My list evolved and changed as I worked on it.

We worked on a budget early on in our planning since everything else seemed to hinge on available income and expected expenses. I used Howard's budget and financial summaries as a starting point and modified them to suit our needs as we planned our budget. We are retired so our income is set with retirement income and social security, so the income part was pretty easy. We had many discussions about the amount of money allocated to various expense categories, but in discussing how we planned to live this fulltime lifestyle and what we each expected on a day to day basis, we were able to prepare a budget which we think is very doable and has money left over at the end of the month. We do plan to do some volunteering and workamping to lower camping fees. And we are currently parked in our daughter's backyard in Seattle, so we have no camping fees this month. Dan is building a playhouse for our granddaughter and doing some "handyman" work around their house, so they have insisted that we do not even have to pay for electricity. How great is that? smile

We did increase the deductible on our truck and motorhome insurance to lower the annual premium, but money is set aside for that if needed.

I can truly understand how this lifestyle may not be for everyone, but like Ellie, we have found it to be very freeing and liberating. We really enjoy discovering what's around the next corner.

And as has been suggested, follow some blogs of other fulltimers and ask questions on this forum.

Happy planning. Hope to see you on the road sometime.

marlowes · RV-Dreams Community Member

That is the funniest thing I have read yet. I know, funnny but true.

We will be starting our blog this weekend. We are getting everything in line to become FullTimers. We are not of retirement age, no retirement funds, no savings, some debt. We decided to sell the house. No extra money from that. Finance our first RV, sell everything and go. If we wait until everything was perfect to go, we would never go.

THE MARLOWES

blackoak99 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I LOVE your style, Speedhitch!!!! biggrin

-- Edited by blackoak99 on Friday 31st of July 2009 11:19:45 AM

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just thought we ought to mention that we have been fulltime for well over a year now and we still haven't take care of about a third of our list to get ready to fulltime. Well I guess they really weren't all that important. Maybe someday we will finish getting ready.

On the road in Alaska,

Larry and Jacki

2Markeys · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speedhitch...you are TOO FUNNY!! We are 100% on track with your first 5 steps!!

Mallo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Luvglass wrote:

I don't mean to be facetious, but in my best lighthearted tone, the time line is as long or short as you want to make it.

The basic steps are simple,

1. Dispose of all your possessions except for the few things that can fit in an RV.
2. Buy an RV.
3. Say good bye

We did it all in 2 days short of 6 months.

Fred

Now see I think Fred has it backwards.

1. Buy an RV
2. Dump your ... umm dispose of your possessions
3. Inform people when you'll see them next.

Mallo

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

Wouldn't have worked for us Mallo, we needed the money from the house to buy the trailer.

Good plan though.

nwlambear · RV-Dreams Family Member

so funny! I got such a kick out of this!!!

Readytogo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Too funny!!! I think we are on target with Speedhitch. We are on our 3rd truck and will have to get a larger truck before we hit the road. This is over the past 7 years but you would think we would learn by now. :) We have a couple of years before we can fulltime unless we can talk our son into homeschooling. I would be willing to live in our RV here just to get rid of the mortgage but can not find a place to set up the RV in the school district we are in. We both procrastinate, so I am sure we will be hauling our stuff somewhere the last minute.

-- Edited by Readytogo on Monday 3rd of August 2009 04:52:23 PM

pierreandcolleen · RV-Dreams Family Member

I hopped on this post not realizing I'd already responded over a year ago. Anyway, Speedy is right on so many levels.
We bought a small pretty truck w/o 4WD (used) and an old RV with no slideouts. We decided the RV was too small after 1st camping trip (where we had to have someone with a dually pull us out b/c it had rained for two weeks straight. Then we bought the RV we have now, bought a slightly bigger (and uncomfortable) truck w/ 4WD, before buying our current truck. This all happened within 1 or 2 years.

-Colleen

AnnDon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi All, Our situation is slightly different. Husband and I became disabled (not by choice). My career was flushed, had to cash in my 401K to cover basic expenses. Had mortgage insurance, but it only covered us for 24 months. So...
1. Sold as much as we could.
2. Bought an RV we could afford.
3. Fixed up RV as best we could (still in this stage).
4. Sell as much more stuff as we can (to buy/build trailer, etc.)
5. Still trying to sell house. If house doesn't sell, then we will abandon (no choice, can no longer afford to keep it).
6. Leave. Live and be free from as much stress as possible.

Sometimes things in life can not be planned, so you do the best you can and keep plodding forward. Giving up is easy, plodding forward is not always easy. But we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Luckily are son is grown, we have no responsiblities but each other. Within the past year or so, a lot of friends, family and other people we have known, have passed over, never being able to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Call it a mid-life crisis if you wish, but I don't want to sit around and wait to die, I want to see things again, or see things for the first time. Life is too short to wait around for the proper things to happen at the proper times. I use to have a life plan also, until I became disabled. Now I take one day at a time. I just want to get through the next few months as easy as possible.

-- Edited by AnnDon on Tuesday 4th of August 2009 09:29:42 AM

marlowes · RV-Dreams Community Member

My Husband and I are in our late 40's. In very good health. We both work full-time. We are in the process of getting an RV (unfortunately, we will have to finance an RV if we can get financing) we are working on establishing various different methods of making money. The house has lost $120,000 of value in 2.5 years. WE are going to start selling and distributing our belongs and just do it. We have friend in their late forties and early fifties that are getting ill or some have actually passed away. WE too, do not want to sit around and wait to die. It is time to throw caution to the wind and put our faith in God and "GO FOR IT"

This should be an interesting adventure.

WE are working on getting websites up and running. WE plan to have "Paradise Journey" website going soon. That will be our Journal of the trials and tribulations of preparing to go fulltime and then the adventures while full timing. For now, our website is www.fromadamon.com

Check it out and I will keep you all posted on the RV Website.

I am looking forward to getting many comments, advice, and just plain "Hello" from all the folks here.

Blessings to all.

janieD · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is a great thread. Lots of interesting views as all of our lives are different. We have our house sold and downsized our possesions but still have a ways to go here (It has been the most time consuming part). I loved Speedys take. Here's how our truck saga goes:

Husband decides he wants a big truck so decides 5th wheel is way to go.
Husband spends year researching the right truck and 5th wheel.
Husband can't make up his mind.
Dodge dealer goes out of business and finally makes husband offer he can't refuse.
Husband now has Dodge 3500 Diesel Duely pickup
Husband decides truck needs something to tow so finally orders 5th Wheel.
Husband decides truck needs more bells and whistles so adds new stereo, speakers, GPS, & back up camera
Husbands thinks it still needs more so right now is out adding tire monitoring system.

So the truck is getting primed for full-timing can't wait to see what happens when the 5th wheel comes. Now if I could just get his company to offer him an early retirement plan he can't refuse our checklist would be complete!

-- Edited by janieD on Friday 4th of September 2009 12:19:43 PM

TxYellowRose · RV-Dreams Family Member

I busted out laughing at Speedhitch's timeline! We had a popup and Tahoe. Traded popup for bumper pull. Traded Tahoe for Ford F350. Now we're gonna start looking at 5ers! biggrin

We've really been talking the last few days about moving towards full-timing/workamping/whatever. I have a notebook started already with different sections...so far:

5th Wheels
Rig Mods/Equipment Needed
Jobs/Working
Technology
Towing
Maintenance
Finances/Recordkeeping
Health Insurance bleh

Projects to Be Done Before Hittin' the Road

Under each are notes, lists, ideas, resources, etc.

5th Wheels - Manufacturers, models, things to look for, etc.
Rig Mods/Equipment Needed - Exciting stuff like black tank rinser and stuff
Jobs/Working - Work leads, companies, ideas, Web sites
Technology - Internet connectivity possibilities, satellite if we want television
Towing - Tips, information, safety, Web sites with diesel fuel/truck stops
Maintenance - The care and feeding of a 5th wheel
Finances/Recordkeeping - Budgeting, expenses, what do we DO with all the legal documents in our life????!?! bleh

Health Insurance - Not Medicare age, we will have to have coverage. Info on plans, costs, resources
Projects to Be Done Before Hittin' the Road - Scanning photos and documents, talking with accountant, setting up mail service, selling stuff, renewing/joining different associations, and so forth

Looks like we're tackling many of these simultaneously. Taking a first look at 5ers on Tuesday, spoke with an insurance broker today, put a couple of things on craigslist this morning, yada yada yada...

Anyway, it's a start on tackling things...oh yeah, I think I may have one of the items on craigslist sold! Whoohoo!

-- Edited by TxYellowRose on Sunday 8th of November 2009 05:13:31 PM

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

TxYellowRose wrote:

so far:

5th Wheels
Rig Mods/Equipment Needed
Jobs/Working
Technology
Towing
Maintenance
Finances/Recordkeeping
Health Insurance
Projects to Be Done Before Hittin' the Road

-- Edited by TxYellowRose on Sunday 8th of November 2009 05:13:31 PM

My Dad always said that after you made a decision to do something, throuw your hat in the air and be gone before it hits the ground.
I suggest you have no idea of what mods to a rig are needed until you are in the rig and have had time to adjust and recognize what you need to do.
Jobs are four letter words. There are opportunities out there for you if you flex.
Towing experience comes with experience. Lots of stories on this site to help you avoid some of the du-- thing we all did.
Maintenance of an RV is much different than that required for a S&B. I tend to fix what needs fixing, when it needs it. No need to fret over what, when, how, etc.
Finances/Record keeping is simple. Do it all an line. Buy a couple of thumb-drives of 4 or 8 gig capacity, scan everything you need and store separately. Make it a once a year effort to update each of them. Leave one with an attorney, or relative (etc) .
Health insurance is simple. Talk to your insurance agent.
Projects to be done? Remember the hat toss? Toss the hat and do the projects when you have time.

travelinmama · RV-Dreams Family Member

Last fall, we decided after we had spent two mo. straight living in our trailer, that we would give away as much as we could. We took out a land lease out in the woods here, and lived in our trailer for 6 mo. We came into an apt. for the winters because they can be brutal.

We have been in the apt a mo. and have not unpacked what we brought in. Which means we don't need it. So, when we move out in the spring again, we will deliver those items and more to a thrift shop. We are using some of our furniture from the trailer as well as our dishes.

We have decided to go full-time in about 18 mo. We plan to hit all the Nat'l parks, visit family, enjoy the view and take our time. We may land somewhere at the 6 mo. mark and find employment again. I will be an ordained Pastor then.

So, with all the length of that,

Take yourself and family out into your trailer, pack up your house, give away or sell items, don't stress - just enjoy the view as you go. Don't store much, if you didn't need it in the trailer you won't need it in a stick and brick.

Update on this Ultimate Adventure...
It didn't take long, only a few months to change our plans and well... We traded our 2 yo Cherokee travel trailer for a brand new 2010 Open Range, 4 season trailer. We have two cars that we are in the process of selling and a storage unit that we have a buyer for some of the furniture and give the rest away. We are going to join the WorkKampers and life as vagabonds. I will still complete school and have to find volunteer jobs in ministry to get it finished up. No big deal. We will leave our jobs, I have been there almost 5 years, dh about 2 yrs. It has been a difficult year there, finances and changes - not for the best are happening and the life boat is here. We know that the times are tough for JOBS but we have two we are going to, we will be heading south where our daughter and her family and my dad and his wife are. Life is fun isn't it? Walk on the water and trust with the faith you need to walk on it.

-- Edited by travelinmama on Monday 1st of March 2010 06:18:45 PM

Bubbaswench · RV-Dreams Community Member

Our situation is also different- We are in our mid 40s and I am permanently disabled due to a debilitating and chronic medical condition. My husband still works full time. We are planning to go full time as soon as our daughter graduates high school and starts college ( she is a sophomore and honor student). We will have some income from my disability, both have our health insurance covered, but my husband will work camp to supplement our income if my condition allows. My mother in law will most likely be coming with us. She is pretty young, and will have her own social security and medicare by then. Has any other couple had a relative with them while full timing? Did it work out? My mother in law and I get along well and she helps out now with the house cleaning, cooking etc. We also had to give up our home due to my disability so no big asset to sell. We have the truck and are looking at a 5th wheel bunk house.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Tammy,

Welcome to the RV Dreams forums. There are a number of the forum participants that are already living the RV life with a disability or health issue, and there are others that are also looking into the lifestyle as well.

While I can't answer your questions about living in an RV with extra relatives, there may be others that can. A lot of folks like the lifestyle enough that they wouldn't find an issue with extra relatives.

Good luck with your research and planning. Feel free to ask questions here about general RV'ing issues and when you narrow it down to specific brands and models of RV's, look for owner's associations for those brands and see if they have forums as well.

Terry

Bubbaswench · RV-Dreams Community Member

Terry, thank you.

Tammy
Sarasota, FL