Best State to live if you work a dayjob, but live FT in a FGRV?

[whoot]

I'm in NJ, and want to go somewhere better for RV life (in a SD17 Casita). Preferably somewhere with nice weather and no tornadoes. No poisonous snakes, spiders, or scorpions would also be nice. I would have to get an IT job there. Maybe Utah, Nevada, or Arizona?

[Cathy P.]

Originally Posted by whoot

I'm in NJ, and want to go somewhere better for RV life (in a SD17 Casita). Preferably somewhere with nice weather and no tornadoes. No poisonous snakes, spiders, or scorpions would also be nice. I would have to get an IT job there. Maybe Utah, Nevada, or Arizona?

Utopia? I have not found that yet.

Define "nice" weather. No tornadoes is tough but you could go with less maybe. For AZ, unless you can travel to the southern part during the winter and northern part during the summer, tolerate the poisonous snakes, the spiders, scorpions, and the centipedes and lizards, it probably isn't a good fit. We lived there for 6 years. Love it and would love to do the north/south thing but the heat of summer is unbelievable and it is humid during the monsoons in the summer.

I guess the key here will be your ability to relocate with the weather.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

Utopia? I have not found that yet.

Define "nice" weather. No tornadoes is tough but you could go with less maybe. For AZ, unless you can travel to the southern part during the winter and northern part during the summer, tolerate the poisonous snakes, the spiders, scorpions, and the centipedes and lizards, it probably isn't a good fit. We lived there for 6 years. Love it and would love to do the north/south thing but the heat of summer is unbelievable and it is humid during the monsoons in the summer.

I guess the key here will be your ability to relocate with the weather.

If I get a job somewhere, I would have to stay within driving distance of it. I could tolerate critters if the electrical anti-bug devices work. I have one, but it doesn't seem to keep bugs away. I would basically be using my Casita as an immobile "apartment".

[The Minimalist]

Originally Posted by whoot

No poisonous snakes, spiders, or scorpions would also be nice.

Well, if the you don't mind weather in a slight vacuum, the moon maybe??

Those 3 states you mentioned have all of the above.......in spades. You don't notice them as they are hiding in the shade.

I think you want something in a moderate climate; not too hot, not too cold, say Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas....maybe the Carolina's. Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, the Triangle, has lots of research and medical facilities, as well as colleges and universities. Charlotte I understand is a hot spot for finance and banking. There should be lots of IT jobs in those areas.

And,lest I forget, lots of camping opportunities.

Good luck in your search.

[Cathy P.]

Well, if it were me and I had to stay in one place year round, which we have done but not in a molded fiberglass but a small Jayco 5th wheel for a 2 year stretch, SE Alabama might be worth a look. I wish we would not have left there.

Since you'll be in small quarters, the weather there is not terrible any month of the year or it wasn't for me. Originally from MI, now living in KS.

The bugs were not that bad. We did encounter one hurricane with some 70mph sustained winds but usually the RV park will have a community building that one can go to. I didn't see any snakes while there. Low cost of living which was a plus.

We were around Fort Rucker/Ozark/Dothan area.

Anymore the weather is so bizzare and unpredictable, I wouldn't count on anything.

We full-timed 2 years in an RV park in a 24' travel trailer, near Fayetteville, NC. The worst mosquitos I have seen anywhere, we had an ice storm that winter and, we encountered a worse hurricane there. My son lives there now so I get updates on the weather there.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by whoot

I'm in NJ, and want to go somewhere better for RV life (in a SD17 Casita). Preferably somewhere with nice weather and no tornadoes. No poisonous snakes, spiders, or scorpions would also be nice. I would have to get an IT job there. Maybe Utah, Nevada, or Arizona?

William, we made the move from Michigan 30yrs ago to Arizona and love it. The "criters" you mentioned are usually only seen outside the inner cities.....we live in the desert country and have only seen 3 snakes in 30 yrs. and only a couple scorpions.....no bites from either. The summers are tollerable and the outdoor activities are endless, as the topography lends to almost all the climate zones of the world within a couple hours drive. Come for a visit and live here for a lifetime.
Dave & Paula

[whoot]

Originally Posted by David B.

William, we made the move from Michigan 30yrs ago to Arizona and love it. The "criters" you mentioned are usually only seen outside the inner cities.....we live in the desert country and have only seen 3 snakes in 30 yrs. and only a couple scorpions.....no bites from either. The summers are tollerable and the outdoor activities are endless, as the topography lends to almost all the climate zones of the world within a couple hours drive. Come for a visit and live here for a lifetime.
Dave & Paula

I have been leaning towards Arizona, though I'm not sure why. Roughly where in AZ do you live? Is it close enough to a city to find employment?

[whoot]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

Well, if it were me and I had to stay in one place year round, which we have done but not in a molded fiberglass but a small Jayco 5th wheel for a 2 year stretch, SE Alabama might be worth a look. I wish we would not have left there.

Since you'll be in small quarters, the weather there is not terrible any month of the year or it wasn't for me. Originally from MI, now living in KS.

The bugs were not that bad. We did encounter one hurricane with some 70mph sustained winds but usually the RV park will have a community building that one can go to. I didn't see any snakes while there. Low cost of living which was a plus.

We were around Fort Rucker/Ozark/Dothan area.

Anymore the weather is so bizzare and unpredictable, I wouldn't count on anything.

We full-timed 2 years in an RV park in a 24' travel trailer, near Fayetteville, NC. The worst mosquitos I have seen anywhere, we had an ice storm that winter and, we encountered a worse hurricane there. My son lives there now so I get updates on the weather there.

I had not considered Alabama, I will do some research on it.

[David B.]

We live in Apache Junction, which is less than 50 miles ease of Phoenix. Many cities make up the Phoenix Metro area, but there are many other cities in Az in many different climet zones.
Dave & Paula

[Jon in AZ]

I'm not sure I'd describe AZ low desert summers as "tolerable" for someone living in a small, thinly insulated travel trailer. It is true: in AZ you can find a pleasant place to park a trailer any month of the year, but it requires mobility. Unfortunately, the two major cities, Phoenix and Tucson, both lie in the low desert, and cooler summer spots are not within reasonable daily commuting range. Now if you could find an IT job that would allow you to telecommute...

I do agree: the critters here aren't really as fearsome as their reputation might suggest. Common sense and some adaptation is all it takes to live with them. A rattlesnake, full and lethargic from a recent meal, crawled slowly under our Scamp shortly after we parked at Catalina State Park last year. No harm, no foul. We had merely disturbed its nap. Scorpions (not the more potent bark scorpions) are fairly regular visitors in our house. They are easy to spot and easier to kill. We trained our kids from a young age to be aware, and with their sharp eyes, they usually spy them first. We've had one sting in 8 years, and Benadryl and ice took care of it. Critter-wise, AZ is nothing like the hot, humid Southeast. Or the Mid-Atlantic, where I grew up.

[Cathy P.]

Originally Posted by David B.

William, we made the move from Michigan 30yrs ago to Arizona and love it. The "criters" you mentioned are usually only seen outside the inner cities.....we live in the desert country and have only seen 3 snakes in 30 yrs. and only a couple scorpions.....no bites from either. The summers are tollerable and the outdoor activities are endless, as the topography lends to almost all the climate zones of the world within a couple hours drive. Come for a visit and live here for a lifetime.
Dave & Paula

Are you full-timing in your Lil' Snoozy? If so, the A/C must be better than what we had in the Tucson area in our motorhome in the summer. Of course, if you can park in the shade, that helps some. We used to order ice cream from Schwan's because it would melt in the time it took to buy it, take it to the car and make a 10 minute drive home. We finally got a clue and took a cooler with us which helped some.

[stevebaz]

My best guess would be Salt Lake City Utah. The only hick-up would be the flat rate 5% income tax and Social Security is taxed. At least you should be able to find a job there. Tax break on property if your retirement age 66 and take in less than $30,000 a year.
http://tax.utah.gov/forms/pubs/pub-36.pdf

[Bob Miller]

S.S. is subject to state income tax in Utah, but there is an automatic $450 tax credit for those retirees 65 and over, resulting in no tax for most retirees. Here's a clip from fool.com that lists all those states that tax SS and how it's done.
Does Your State Tax Social Security Benefits? These Do -- The Motley Fool

Utah offers a retirement tax credit of up to $450 per person to those 65 or older, which retirees can use to offset taxes on any taxable Social Security benefits. In addition, those under 65 can get a 6% tax credit against tax paid on taxable Social Security benefits and other eligible retirement income.

[David B.]

Jon & Cathy, we don't mind the low desert heat, but it is not for everyone, and I did mention that Az has many climate zones in which an IT person could get employment. Payson, Prescott, Flagstaff and any place around Hannigan Meadows comes to mind.
Dave & Paula

[Wayne Collins]

Have heard stories from FT-ers in big rigs- who establish "permanent residence" in a state with no income tax, (Nevada?) and get a mail forwarding service or P.O. Box there, so they can migrate around the country with the changes of weather, but never stay in one place more than six months.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by David B.

Jon & Cathy, we don't mind the low desert heat, but it is not for everyone, and I did mention that Az has many climate zones in which an IT person could get employment. Payson, Prescott, Flagstaff and any place around Hannigan Meadows comes to mind.
Dave & Paula

It's just hard to find one place that works all year round. All the places you mention have a real winter. I lived in a travel trailer for 3 winters at 5300' elevation (similar to Payson or Prescott), but it was a well-insulated trailer with ducted heat and enclosed tanks. It would be a challenge in a Casita. Flagstaff (7000') and Hannagan Meadow (9000'), more so.

One place that might be worth investigating is Sierra Vista, south of Tucson. About 4500' with summertime highs in the low 90's and wintertime lows in the low-mid 30's. That could be doable in a FGRV. Sierra Vista is a good-sized town with a military base, a community college (Cochise), and a satellite campus of the University of Arizona, so there ought to be job opportunities in the IT field. Plenty of recreational opportunities in the SE part of the state, and Tucson is only a day trip away.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

Have heard stories from FT-ers in big rigs- who establish "permanent residence" in a state with no income tax, (Nevada?) and get a mail forwarding service or P.O. Box there, so they can migrate around the country with the changes of weather, but never stay in one place more than six months.

Without a money tree need to get tax money somewhere and, while no income tax sounds inviting there is always a catch somewhere.

But I live in the Golden state, perfect weather, 1000's of places to camp from seashore to snow country and lots of hi-tech opportunities.

My last years state income tax was...... wait..... $5.85. And that was just for unpaid sales tax on internet orders. I have SS retirement, a 401k, a corporate retirement plan and rental income.

[Cathy P.]

I guess what needs to be done is finding someone that has done long term in a Casita and determining what temperature range might be more apt to work. That might be the place to start. Also, what temperature range you are comfortable in. I would also choose one of those weather stations where you can put in 3 or 4 locations and watch the weather in areas while you look for job possibilities.

[Donna D.]

Want to travel and follow good weather? A 13,235-Mile Road Trip for 70-Degree Weather Every Day

[Carol and Mike]

Southern Arizona would be a good possibility. Sierra Vista/Ft Huachuca area is high desert with elevations 4-5000 feet. There are IT jobs both in and out of the government there as well. Close to Bisbee and Tombstone. The weather is more moderate in the summer. We liked it there and go back when we can to see friends.