New at Full-Time living - Looking for advice and tips

[Madathlon]

Okay Friends, we are moving out of our home and going full time in a new to us 1984 Chieftain 26 footer (Body Style RB)

There is a lot we do not know about going full time and any tips are welcomed.

Also there not a lot that we know about this RV except it has really low mileage (5434 Real Miles with 12 hours on the gen set. The first and last owner brought it and park it.)

Like I said we have lots of questions and are looking for tons of suggestions and tips.

Oh yes, we plan on hitting and staying on the Oregon Coast for the next school year. So places to check out and see will be welcome also.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

There are a LOT of ways to fulltime it.  Andy Baird's Eureka! website is a great place to go for some tips and stories, there are a ton of other places on the web to check out, and right here on our own forum are a lot of stories from members in the Travel section.

Have fun and good luck!  We love being fulltimers!

Kev

[Oz]

Because of the significant change in the economy over the last dozen years, as I predicted, many more people are finding themselves deciding to sell their homes or leave their rented properties to live full-time in a, as I call it, "Mobile Alternative Housing Option" (MOHA).  It's a whole different world with many adjustments, sacrifices, new territory to cover and... many benefits as well. 

There is much to be shared for advice and tips to get you started and guide you along your way. 

For thos technical questions about your RV...

Do a message search - Winegard

Do a message search - Tow, towing

Go to the Chevy board - Gas mileage is a "sticky"

If you do a message search on your questions, you'll likely find answers or at least a start.  If you have additional questions, please ask them on a relevent topic to the subject you're needing info on.  If you don't find anything, then ask on the board which fits your topic.

I've split your questions and posted them where they should go.  This will help others who may have the same questions in the future to find the answers easier instead of the info being buried in a general type discussion where they are very difficult to find.

The best to you and your family and you have all the support of everyone here, including some very experienced full timers.

How soon are going full time?  Is it a definite?

A really good idea would be to start a "Blog" in the Travels section too.  This is for on-going adventures and experineces (and for one-time travel trips).  It's a great place to ask questions too as you go along the way. I don't mess with whatever questions are asked there because they are all part of the experience and would be too silly to expect a blogging member to be posting each question all over the other boards.  Especially since the "casual" or weekenders typically ask many of the same questions anyway and those are on the other boards.  Still, a message search should be used before asking questions since we have such a great wealth of info here already.


I'm thinking of bringing back the Full-timer board since there are some common, very specific issues which pertaint to full-timers which we do have info on.  Feedback on that?

[Madathlon]

Yes it is a done deal on full timing. We want to do some traveling, but are also limited to school years for my youngest son. So most moving around will be in summer while we find places to winter over at.

Yes please bring back the full timers section, This would be nice to share experiences and idea for other full timers.

I had so many questions that I thought it be safe to place it in General topic. sorry for the error in that line of thoughts, I did write Winegard and they responded back with my unit is NO longer supported and that was the only answer I could get from them..

This is why I asked that here becuase I thought that maybe someone else is using the same older Winegard from 84 and if it worked or needs to be replaced.

[serenitygirl64]

been living in my little house on wheels for over 6 years... I can offer a little advice.  Don't store your food in upper cabinets in the summer.  Your cabinets get hotter near the roof and can cause premature spoiling or reduce shelf life of food and spices.  Even with a/c going.  I don't live in the same model but I will be happy to answer any queries you may have.

[pvoth1111]

Drilling a nice little pattern of small holes in in said cabinets will allow them to breath....heat rises and heat goes to cold.......lil holes in the bottom and holes higher up say on the sides makes a great difference.....  I also drilled holes through each compartment to allow air flow.....and if you don't latch the doors when parked and just let em "rest" upon the latches they will also breath much better....
I have chocolate up there and it don't melt...

[sasktrini]

Good tip.  I was even pondering making the dishes cupboard with slots in the bottom for drying over the sink, or stacking plates vertically and securely.  Maybe making the bottom of that cabinet out of a dishrack instead of wood.

[GONMAD]

Be prepared to divest yourself of clutter that you're used to having around. No room. Don't let your belongings own you. It;s surprising how much we are ingrained into thinking more is better.... it's often NOT! The more weight you have to carry directly results to poor mileage & performance. If you HAVE to carry a lot of "stuff" use an enclosed trailer to do this & free up room in the home. Also these closed conditions can lead to unpleasant odors from places you didn't even know existed! I use a Rainbow vacuum cleaner on my carpets & sometimes just to filter the air as that was it's original purpose anyway. It really made a difference. Storing emergency  food is  a good idea also & keep it low & away from heat as best you can. Store your weapons in a handy place but out of general sight. Things are going to get really strange around here soon & personal protection MIGHT be a GOOD idea anyway. Watch out for "opportunists" as they are right under your nose.  I use infrared security cameras as during the hot months as the windows are blocked by heat shields & seeing who's out there is a lot easier, NOT paranoid but I've read some horror stories from people not aware of this fact. They see you in an RV & they immediately think you have a lot of money on hand. I've been approached by some scammers & it's unnerving at best. Still all in all I will never live in a regular house again. This lifestyle is (for Me) the best yet! Good luck on your endeavors & Happy trails.   GONMAD

[serenitygirl64]

 Sounds like your adapting very well    Glad to hear it. 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Any specific questions, feel free to ask, since we've been fulltiming for years, made a lot of upgrades, and a lot was by trial and error.  Fortunately, a lot was by advice from the good folks here who had been there/done that, so it worked!

Composting toilets, solar power, battery banks, where to camp on the cheap (BLM lands and National Forests, etc.), LED lighting, etc.  We've been there/done that...and love it.  And have a pretty good life doing it.

Other things, like pet care, sight seeing, the whole nine yards.  Where the best place to be is depending on the season for the lowest overall cost.  We are getting pretty good at this over the years, and are still learning!  So ask questions, and give advice if you know a better way of doing things!

Kev

[pvoth1111]

What Kevin said!

[JessEm]

What Kevin said!

+2

[serenitygirl64]

I too have been full timing for years and I have been slow on upgrades and changes... I will keep you in mind and maybe save myself more errors than successes. 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I'll be here.  Sometimes I get so busy it takes me a while to respond.  But be patient, and eventually I will.

Kev

[moonlitcoyote]

Kevin, I'd like to know the best place you have found to spend the winter where the temps dont get too low and it's not too expensive?

[Oz]

Nicaragua

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Nicaragua?

Hmm, as long as the cartel does not discover you.

[M & J]

Camobago.

[Oz]

Stealth Bago....  Old, on going joke here.

[JessEm]

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Arizona for sure.  PERFECT daytime temps of around 70 degrees in the winter (at lower elevations), and the nights rarely get below 45 degrees.  Never have to run the generator, so the solar panels provide all of our power needs.

Kev

[DonD]

My place 4000ft has an avg. temp of 77.

Lowest I've ever seen was 14f. These lows only last for a day or 2. Mid-state or south is very nice. Highest was 109 for about an hour, the highs don't get crazy like down south and nights do cool nicely. We get about 6 days of over 100 yearly, most are 101-102.

77 right now and sunny!

We RV in the north all summer but have our next outing in the south. We'll be at Lost Dutchman SP in Nov (73f)and in Jan it's off to Buckskin SP near Parker (67f).

[DonD]

Heads up!

https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5204/text

[legomybago]

Heads up!

https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5204/text

Did not know their were so many differant ways to say/write "How your are going to pay to use YOUR public park and lands"..... N:(

We can pay for our National Parks over and over and over too....

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

I got a headache trying to decipher that