Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
I need a little help (ok, I need more than a little help, but at this point I'm only asking for a little help)
I need to know a good solid mail forwarding/receiving service that provides an actual address that the gov't will accept in Texas...Is there such a place?
And I need to do this pretty fast since I need to head to CA in a couple of weeks.
www.escapees.com/ is the place to go for Texas mail forwarding. They have worked their way through the court system to make sure you get a valid mail and street address.
Escapees is soooo expensive. Joining, Mailbox services, it will cost over two hundred annually for the one service, ouch! Is that what all services cost to have a legal residence?
Would UPS or Mailbox work? for what I am looking for?
The cost of Escapees is on par with other similar services across the country. Yes, you can utilize some UPS Stores for this, but talk with the manager of the location to see if they really understand your mobile lifestyle and needs.
There are lots of advantages of going with a service that is dedicated to us RVers for domicile & mail services. Escapees in particular has done a lot of legal legwork to ensure that their address will be accepted for vehicle registrations, bank accounts, driver's licenses and more. And they have also worked with local authorities to get their members allowances for jury duty service. These are things that a mailbox service alone can't do, as it's not their mission.
Here's our article on domicile issues to be aware of, that might help put it in context (as well as provide links to the other similar services around the country): www.technomadia.com/domicile
We had a UPS store mailbox for a while and learned the hard way they were not a good place for mail forwarding. We were lucky we only had to go 60 miles out of our way to get our mail the first screw up, they sent it to our previous location. Turns out it was "hard" to change the forwarding address in their computer, so the manager did it herself. The manager was out, so they wrote it on a piece of paper for her to update the address and in the mean time, they forwarded our mail to the previous address. After that, if we did not talk to the manager directly, we did not have our mail forwarded. Also, between box rental and handling fees, the price added up, it was not that cheap. On top of that, the address was obviously a PMB and would not pass the legal test for a resident address.
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Bill Joyce, 40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com Full-timing since July 2003
What is the Florida registration & inspection requirements?
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Linda
5er: 2014 Dynamax Trilogy 3650RL (#311!) "Dagny" ~> bossed around by "Roth" the 2012 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW & may follow in MY Jeep Wrangler that I can not give up just yet
Florida has no inspections, aside from needing physical verification of your VIN #.
We fully documented our 'move' to Florida from South Dakota this time last year with all of the details, costs and paperwork we went through: www.technomadia.com/florida
5er: 2014 Dynamax Trilogy 3650RL (#311!) "Dagny" ~> bossed around by "Roth" the 2012 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW & may follow in MY Jeep Wrangler that I can not give up just yet
The big three, Fl, SD, TX all have excellent mail service with the ability to scan the envelopes so you can see daily what has arrived. They will also open and scan the contents to you email for a small fee.
We use Saint Brendan's Isle mail service out of Green Cove Springs, Florida for our service. They, like the other major players, have all the forms and instructions on line for changing your domicile, drivers license, voter regerstration, etc.
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Paul & Kathy
2014 Phaeton 42LH
"When the time comes to look back, make sure you will like what you see"
The problem has been solved for now. I found a friend to help me out. I will be using a service once the RV is purchased, I am heading out to CA to earn money to make the dream come true. I hope to be on the road in the next couple of years or less.
Remember Escapees isn't just a mail forwarding company. They also have RV parks, access to staying in co-op parks, host a yearly rally, publish a great magazine, etc.
Barb
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Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Well, we have decided to go to South Dakota. The biggest reason: my RN license, SD is the easiest to get endorsement and they are a compact state. When we know we won't need my nursing job, we can head to Texas- which will be many years from now. Everyone's help is appreciated, thank you.
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Linda
5er: 2014 Dynamax Trilogy 3650RL (#311!) "Dagny" ~> bossed around by "Roth" the 2012 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW & may follow in MY Jeep Wrangler that I can not give up just yet
I think when it comes right down to it ....its not going to matter what state you choose....your going to have to go there for your medical several times a year
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1998 ...Harney Renegade DP class A
rers1@mail.com
My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)
We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!
I think when it comes right down to it ....its not going to matter what state you choose....your going to have to go there for your medical several times a year
Why? We've been Fulltiming for 8 years. We see our internistI once a year, for pokes and prods, get prescriptions written for 90 days at a time with 4 refills because we use a mail order pharmacy. Our physician writes orders for any lab work he wants done during the year, we have it done at a lab wherever we are, he'll adjust meds if necessary and fax in a new Rx. If one of us needs immediate attention we use an urgent care facility.
Barb
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Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
I'm not sure if anyone can say with certainty where the best place to have as our residence/mailing address/ mailing service for the future. The situation in South Dakota has changed in the past few months.
All of us under 65 are in a really shaky boat for the next few years. Insurance rules are going to change.
I need to be really careful in saying that I don't say this with any political agenda or meaning. I am just saying that none of us under 65 knows what insurance or medical care will look like in the next few years. I wish I knew, but I don't. Medical and vehicle insurance availability and costs will change.
What I have experienced and known in the past is changing.
I have gambled the farm and hope it all works out. I had two choices: stay at home in status quo or jump over the edge and go RV'ing. By the way I kept our residency in Washington state, that could need to change tomorrow.
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Russ & Terri Ranger
Travel since July 2013
Home base: Buckeye,AZ
Wandering the USA & Canada in our Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40' PDT Motorhome
Travel so far: 49 States - International Travel -19 countries