Fulltiming - Part 9

The Joy of Fulltiming

If there's anything we've learned about fulltiming over the course of our series, it's that this lifestyle will offer you the freedom to travel where you want, when you want, and how you want. You will be able to come and go as you please, or stay as long as you want. You will have no fixed schedule, so you can travel frequently or spend extra time in places you like. You will avoid the normal packing and unpacking and loading and unloading of part-time RV travel. Fulltiming in a recreational vehicle can be perhaps the single best opportunity to travel throughout the United States today.

It certainly offers a less complicated way of life, providing more time to do the things you want to do. It has also been proven to be a more economic way to live. It will allow you to expand your experiences, broaden your knowledge base, and generate chances to meet many new friends. Your environment can change as regularly as you like. You could follow the seasons and avoid bad weather, or hit those hot tourist spots during the off-season, taking advantage of short lines and small crowds.

The problems often associated with fulltime RVing are not difficult to overcome. Take a look at these quick and easy solutions to the most common concerns:

• Working on the Road - a subscription to Workamper News or Workers on Wheels will produce plenty of job leads for even the most unskilled fulltimers.
• Communicating - buy a cell phone with a good roaming plan, join the Escapees Club and use their mail forwarding service, and open a Hotmail account to access email anywhere you go.
• Banking - use direct deposit, debit cards, ATM machines, Internet or telephone bill paying, and carry two credit cards.
• Vehicle maintenance - purchase a good extended service contract and drive an RV from an established company for reliable service.
• Medical needs - buy health and dental insurance, a prescription plan, and carry your personal medical information with you when you travel.
• Living arrangements - carry the Trailer Life Campground Directory, purchase a campground membership plan, and sprinkle in a liberal amount of free, but safe overnight camping spots.
• Residency - choose as a home base a state with no income tax and low registration and licensing fees.
• Insurance - shop around with the many companies offering fulltime plans for RVs and choose the best, most affordable plan for you.
• Laundry - carry lots of change.

Once overcome, these potential hurdles give way to an endless selection of fun fulltiming adventures.

Part 10 > What Fulltimers Do

Graphics courtesy of Retha's Camping Icon Collection.