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!!

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Post Info TOPIC: If you had one piece of advice...


RV-Dreams Family Member

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If you had one piece of advice...


...to give a future fulltimer, what would it be???


Best Regards!



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Paul D
2007 Winnebago Journey 39K, Cat C7
 AKA "R-SANITY III"
2003 Honda Element 4WD Toad
 AKA "JRNYZ-END"
www.rsanityrvtravels.blogspot.com


RV-Dreams Family Member

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DO IT NOW!!!!

There are no do overs.

Good luck,
Fred

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Fred Wishnie

Full time since Feb 06 in Carriage Cameo 35KS3 and Ford F350


“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.”


RV-Dreams Family Member

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DO IT NOW.

Part of the impetus to do this now, rather than wait "for the right time", or "until we can do it" or whatever the excuse, was that people I knew, or significant family members of people I knew, were becoming sick or terminally ill, or dying, or the like. One of my peers at work, our office's top salesperson, had her husband diagnosed with cancer (at age 50) in January, and he's gone now. When I announced my "retirement" she told me what a smart thing that was, as she and her husband had talked about all the things they wished they had done, but had not.

If you wait until you have "enough money" or "til the grandkids are grown" or whatever you think you have to wait for, it might be too late.

If you really want to, you'll find a way.

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Jo Wishnie

http://www.mytripjournal.com/wanderingwishnies

If you're not getting older...........you're dead!


RV-Dreams Family Member

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We would love to go now and just work on the road.    We ask our son all the time if he wants to be homeschooled and fulltime.  His answer is no.  He is in the 7th grade and does not want to leave his friends or quit sports.  I will not make him, but I do ask him periodically.  We have 6 years left before we can sell and get on the road.  I don't want to wish our life away, but I can't wait!!! 

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Dale & Bev



RV-Dreams Family Member

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Old Snipe wrote:



...to give a future fulltimer, what would it be???


Best Regards!




For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.-- Alfred D. Souza

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"HONEY" whats that noise ??? Ken and Cindy---- 08 MONACO CAMELOT 43'



RV-Dreams Family Member

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That's a very valid reason to wait. It's one thing to homeschool your kids right from the start. Then it is very natural for them. I can't imagine any 7th grade boy opting to leave his friends and sports to be homeschooled.

Personally, I feel it's good for any kids to be in school with peers and a "normal" life, with as much stability as possible. Living like a vagabond as a child growing up might impede their grounding. That said, there's no right or wrong to it. It's all about giving your kids good values, loving them, and then hoping for the best. (I have no kids of my own, but that doesn't stop me from having an opinion )

There's definitely value in learning your geography and history up close and personal. But they can always do that later, like we are now.

Good luck!

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Jo Wishnie

http://www.mytripjournal.com/wanderingwishnies

If you're not getting older...........you're dead!


RV-Dreams Family Member

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 Do it as soon as possible.  If possible pay off your bills, sell the house and invest the proceeds and then live off your retirement, IRA, social security, or part time work.  Keep your house proceeds as a nest egg for plan B, whatever that may be.


Larry


 



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Larry and Jacki-belle Linley with Taiga our minature dachsund - 2011 34 ft Montana towed by a 2014 Silverado Durmax Allison 4x4.



RV-Dreams Family Member

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I agree with many. Do It Now.

I had a person I repect greatly once tell me a little adage that has stuck with me ever since I heard it.

"I would rather have regrets for the things I have done than to have regrets for the things I didn't do".

You might just find out that you don't have many regrets!

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Full timing since 1/1/2005
American Tradition & Jeep Wrangler
www.howethsjournal.blogspot.com


RV-Dreams Community Member

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I agree with you dreamjosie.  Kids need to be in school with their friends.  I know there are different situations that may have families with young children on the road.  Like construction workers.  Families need to be together. 


But I consider Full Timing as something you do when you are retired.


FULLTIMING - IF YOU CAN DO IT - DO IT NOW!  We have about 2 years to wait until SS kicks in and 6 years to wait for Medicare. 



-- Edited by pasco1215 at 11:08, 2006-09-10

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HAPPY RVing! 2005 ALLEGRO BUS 40DS-DP 2003 SATURN VUE


RV-Dreams Community Member

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Here's a practical piece of advice that we wish we had known about.

Get whatever credit cards you think you'll need you're on the road before you give up your house.

We just applied for a rewards card but our mail forwarding address must have been a flag. They wanted a copy of a mortgage payment or utility bill for our address. Even though we have excellent credit and have a card with the company at our old address, we will not be able to get a new credit card.

It's really a loss, too, because we charge our fuel and could charge many other things and really benefit from the rewards card.

Oh well...perhaps this advice will help someone else. :)

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Margery Here4Now with husband, Paul, and Molly, our English Springer in our '05 Allegro Bay http://here4now.typepad.com/here4now/


RV-Dreams Family Member

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Do It Now  &  Wear Sunscreen....... 


Here4Now:  Thanks for that info good to have. 



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Life is full of Choices.......... Ours is 2007 Montana 3400RL, 2003 1 Ton DRW Dodge QCLB 4x2, 2004 Durango, 1991 Harley FLHTC in 10ft enclosed garage on wheels. Plus Bailey our Great Dane.


RV-Dreams Community Member

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My advice would be.....be grateful. 


If you can't fulltime right now....be grateful that you have the time to pay off bills and get all of your ducks in a row.


If you are fulltiming and can't travel due to jobs or elderly parents or other considerations.....be grateful that you are at least living in your dream RV and practicing.


If you are fulltiming and traveling ......... BE GRATEFUL!!


Everyone's situation is so very different but we all experience the same emotions. Joy, fear, terror, frustration, love and the capacity to be grateful.


Good luck to all.



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2004 Alpine Coach


RV-Dreams Family Member

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Learn to be content.  That's hard for us type "A" personalities that feel that we have to be productive every minute of the day.  We just seem to be driven to conquer.  We have to conquer the trip, we have to conquer the museam, we have to conquer the campsite, whatever.  We just got to "chill out", relax, and let the fulltime lifestyle unfold before us.  And Be Content.


Darrell



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Wandering America
2006 38' Cedar Creek Custom
2500 HD GMC Sierra Duramax Diesel


RV-Dreams Family Member

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Now we have only been fulltiming for a year, but my one piece of advice is to take an RV driving course.  Remember, this is all new territory.  Everything you do is going to be a new experience.  Take advantage of the "Real Experts".  Learning by trial and error can be embarassing, expensive, and dangerous.  Whether it be too small of tow vechicle to drive safely, dropping your trailer, or wearing the contents of your blackwater tank.  Somebody else always knows more than you do. 


Our driving school was so much more than just learning how to tow our 5th wheel.  We took Dick Reeds driving course and it was just wonderful.  We used our truck, and our 5th wheel.  It was all hands on for me and my husband.  There was no "blue and pink" jobs.  We learned how to hook up, unhook, shore connections, operating appliances, LP gas, converters, awnings and slides ( including maintenance ) and this was before we even got behind the wheel.  We learned about height and width restrictions, we measured our vechicle and 5th wheel.  Only then we were allowed behind the wheel.  We drove, we stopped, we panicked stopped, we drove fast, we drove sloooow, we backed in left side, we backed in right side, we learned how to use hand signals, we learned how to work as a team.  I walked away from this course with the knowledge to safely handle my rig.  I am confident that I can handle my rig safely and back my rig into just about any site that I need to.  My husband and I really enjoyed our course....but I still call it "bootcamp".   


I highly recommend a driving course, not to mention the benefit of insurance savings.



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Postal Pair
Living the Dream and Loving it

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RV-Dreams Family Member

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I absolutely agree ....take a driving course. We did the "Dick Reed" school and Big John was our instructor. Jim and I still quote his advice to each other. We have a 32' class A and Van toad. John did all the hook ups, yada yada advice and then had me get behind the wheel and within 10 minutes I was on interstate 10 in Riverside County CA driving through a construction zone!  I said !@$# ...if I can do this I can do anything. An hour later we were home safe and sound and I realized I really could do it! I now drive about 10% of the time because I'm the better navigator, but I can drive, hook up the car and lots of other stuff. It's a team effort!


Thanks Big John!......Joan



-- Edited by Joan On The Road at 20:51, 2006-09-17

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Someday Finally Came!... www.joanontheroad.com... 32' Rexhall Aerbus towing Mercury Villager Van since 2003
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