If you had one piece of advice... - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you had one piece of advice...

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

DO IT NOW!!!!

There are no do overs.

Good luck,
Fred

dreamjosie · RV-Dreams Family Member

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.

Readytogo · RV-Dreams Family Member

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!!!

ken and cindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

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

dreamjosie · RV-Dreams Family Member

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!

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

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

ahoweth · RV-Dreams Family Member

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!

pasco1215 · RV-Dreams Community Member

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

Here4Now · RV-Dreams Community Member

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. :)

Tom N Gina · RV-Dreams Family Member

Do It Now & Wear Sunscreen.......

Here4Now: Thanks for that info good to have.

shejake · RV-Dreams Community Member

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.

Darrell and Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

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

Postalpair · RV-Dreams Family Member

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.

Joan On The Road · RV-Dreams Family Member

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