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Old 07-09-2007, 11:01 PM   #1
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We will give it a try, this Fulltiming idea.

I am looking at retiring as a fulltimer. Some of the topics could be:

• State by State Cost of Living Comparisons
• On forwarding mail... and paying taxes
• Fulltimer’s bookeeping questions
• Ways to pay bills on the road?
• Getting ready to go full time...
• UPS deliveries?
• Telephone, Television and Internet services
• Choosing which state to register as your domicile

Your thoughts...
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Old 07-19-2007, 05:21 PM   #2
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How about a section for really nice but cheap monthly camping sites? In all areas of the country.

For when you find an area you want to hang around in for a while.
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Old 07-20-2007, 11:46 AM   #3
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Quote:
How about a section for really nice but cheap monthly camping sites? In all areas of the country.

For when you find an area you want to hang around in for a while.
Sounds good. If you have some insights start a thread here in Fulltiming.
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Old 08-16-2008, 10:16 PM   #4
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Is security ever an issue that needs some discussion. I am an older woman about to go full time, and I wonder if anyone's ever had any concerns about this matter. I've never pulled a travel trailer--only sailboats--so this is a big, new undertaking. I'm so excited about it.

New Member Carol
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Old 09-23-2008, 12:56 PM   #5
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Quote:
Is security ever an issue that needs some discussion. I am an older woman about to go full time, and I wonder if anyone's ever had any concerns about this matter. I've never pulled a travel trailer--only sailboats--so this is a big, new undertaking. I'm so excited about it.

New Member Carol
I would be interested in discussion on this subject as well.

New Member - Nancy B.
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Old 09-23-2008, 01:06 PM   #6
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Ways to pay bills on the road? ---> Have everything setup as auto pay. Also have your pension checks deposited automatically. Get a debit card so you don't have to carry large amounts of cash around.
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Old 09-23-2008, 01:51 PM   #7
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Ways to pay bills on the road? ---> Have everything setup as auto pay. Also have your pension checks deposited automatically. Get a debit card so you don't have to carry large amounts of cash around.

I've asked several full-timers about how they work their funds. Many have a checking account with a debit card attached that also receives a direct deposit of their retirement annuity. They keep this account pretty much spent out so loss of a debit card won't wipe them out.

Most also have a credit card and other bank checking/saving accounts with larger amounts.

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Old 09-23-2008, 03:50 PM   #8
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We plan to "full time it" for a few months, once we move out of Houston. Our plan is to save up a nest egg to live off for a few months, and use to eventually get us started in a new rent home where ever we end up. I also just got a couple of credit cards to keep as a safty net for emergency use, and to help build up my credit with. With any luck this will all work out and we will be eggin' it for a while in the NW!
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Old 09-23-2008, 10:03 PM   #9
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Mike, this forum always strikes me as strange, only cause Dh and I owned a Rv park and a large precentage of our guest were full timers and because it was an Rv park we tended to get the large motor coaches. So the first time I saw this forum I thought where do they store everything? I know being a new fiberglass owner I am having to learn to camp with less. I think a wonderful topic would be the storage issue as fulltimers tend to have to have things with them where for us, camping/rv-ing we can pack per trip. I am sure it would help soon to be's/wanta be's/ and somedayers prepare for their jump into the wonderful journey of fulltiming. Robin
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Old 06-23-2011, 06:38 PM   #10
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Talking New Fulltimer

I recently made the jump into fulltiming as a military retiree at 41 I had been traveling and living out of a rucksack and dufflebag all my life so this was luxury.
5 years working a corporate and then a government job pushed me into doing what I enjoy doing and that is travel.
Its easy once you make the decision!.
1. You can automate just about every account now days and do bills online.
2. direct deposit all retirement or payroll checks w/ a linking debit card.
3. Stop using your actual email address on mailings and opt out of them as much as possible, the junk mail will begin to thin to nothing before you leave.
4. Have a good cell phone service and don't skimp on your phone. (a good phone and service is invaluable, as well as the new pc phones)
5. stop worrying about everything else that you have no control over and enjoy the scenery, views, freedom!! thats what I have been working for all my life and now, Im off!!!..
Happy trails everyone!
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Old 06-24-2011, 02:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calud13 View Post
I recently made the jump into fulltiming as a military retiree at 41 I had been traveling and living out of a rucksack and dufflebag all my life so this was luxury.
5 years working a corporate and then a government job pushed me into doing what I enjoy doing and that is travel.
Its easy once you make the decision!.
1. You can automate just about every account now days and do bills online.
2. direct deposit all retirement or payroll checks w/ a linking debit card.
3. Stop using your actual email address on mailings and opt out of them as much as possible, the junk mail will begin to thin to nothing before you leave.
4. Have a good cell phone service and don't skimp on your phone. (a good phone and service is invaluable, as well as the new pc phones)
5. stop worrying about everything else that you have no control over and enjoy the scenery, views, freedom!! thats what I have been working for all my life and now, Im off!!!..
Happy trails everyone!
We semi-full time, 7-10 months a year. We have direct deposit and mostly use a our bank's issued credit card and pay it off each month. In some sense it's safer than a debit because no one can get your cash with a credit card but can with a debit. The only time we use the debit is to get cash, like at Walmart or a grocery store where they will give you cash against your debit. Since we're with Bank of America we usually get our cash from them.

I will say full timing is a great life for many.

Norm
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Old 06-24-2011, 02:45 PM   #12
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Full Time Packing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin G View Post
Mike, this forum always strikes me as strange, only cause Dh and I owned a Rv park and a large precentage of our guest were full timers and because it was an Rv park we tended to get the large motor coaches. So the first time I saw this forum I thought where do they store everything? I know being a new fiberglass owner I am having to learn to camp with less. I think a wonderful topic would be the storage issue as fulltimers tend to have to have things with them where for us, camping/rv-ing we can pack per trip. I am sure it would help soon to be's/wanta be's/ and somedayers prepare for their jump into the wonderful journey of fulltiming. Robin
We're really semi-full timers traveling for 7-10 months each year. We started in a motorhome but now do it in a Scamp 16. We are amazed how little we need to live quite happily.

We begin by considering how we can optimize our rig for travel and how we can minimize what we need. We typically always have empty space in most cabinets though we try to have a specific space for everything we do bring. That typically means nothing on the floor, like coolers and the like.

It is truly amazing how little one needs to live happily compared to all the stuff we have in our homes.

Norm
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Old 06-24-2011, 02:49 PM   #13
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Cash

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Originally Posted by Kevin K View Post
Ways to pay bills on the road? ---> Have everything setup as auto pay. Also have your pension checks deposited automatically. Get a debit card so you don't have to carry large amounts of cash around.
We never have more than $200 in cash. We find it very easy to replenish at our bank. We use Bank of America because they are every where, As well you can get cash at any Walmart when checking out as you can at most groceries or even CVS.

We typically only use our credit card to buy things, paying it off each month.

Norm
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Old 06-24-2011, 02:52 PM   #14
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Paying Bills on the Road

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin K View Post
Ways to pay bills on the road? ---> Have everything setup as auto pay. Also have your pension checks deposited automatically. Get a debit card so you don't have to carry large amounts of cash around.
All of our bills become are visible on our bank account. It is possible to do auto pay but we authorize each bill, giving the date it is to be paid. This way we are the gate keeper. It's really not much work, we get about 10 bills a month.

Norm
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Old 06-24-2011, 03:04 PM   #15
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Semi full timers?? LOL

7-10 months and now travel in a scamp 16! LOL.. well you are full timers in my eyes because you have mastered the art of simple living! hhaha..
you have a great point about the debit vs credit link for you money.. totally missed that, so I learned something today! (or was pleasantly reminded) Thank You!,.
And Like you, everything has to have a place, nothing on the floor in my CT-13.. I have been a minimalist all my life the only time aquiring things is was in my previous two marriages..(hence why Im single.. haha.. what was I thinking, if you like the white picket fence and stick house Im not your man!)
Hope to see ya on the road, checking out for Illinois then Pa to NJ then turning south...
Happy Trails!
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Old 04-02-2015, 03:54 AM   #16
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Good ole' Walmart as back up! Please everyone who uses Walmart to park, clean up after yourself. If YOU see trash laying around or bottles, pick them up! Bring gloves with u of course. We civilized people need to protect our right to park at Walmart....even if we have to clean up after the lazy slobs who go in there and make it look bad for ALL OF US!


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Old 04-02-2015, 05:21 AM   #17
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State by State Living Costs

We don't worry too much about state by state living costs. Our only concern is state income taxes and state sales taxes. We have presently list NH as our domicile state where we own a home. This allows us to buy expensive items without sales tax. Similarly it has no state income tax, further sheltering our income.

As to 'on the road' state living costs, we have begun to avoid CA, everything is more expensive there, particularly fuel. Emotionally we just find the state a little too crazy for us though we do like the northern portion. There are now towns in CA that have broken thru the 10% sales tax barrier.

Generally we find no issue with living costs in various states, we're hardly ever in one place enough to let it bother us. We are more likely to avoid areas because of traffic than any other reason.
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Old 04-02-2015, 05:26 AM   #18
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UPS Deliveries

Most campgrounds allow UPS deliveries.

We are Amazon Prime members. Prime results in fast, free deliveries, usually 2 days or less. Amazon ships typically by the post office or UPS. We have actually had the post office deliver to our campsite on a Sunday, apparently they have a contract with Amazon for Prime deliveries.

I can buy from prime small items where it's cheaper to get it from Amazon than to drive to the store.
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Old 04-02-2015, 05:32 AM   #19
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Telephone, Television and Internet

We have had Verizon for a number of years and it works most everywhere. It is expensive and I suspect there are less expensive solutions but it has worked for us. We probably could save in this area.

We both carry smart phones, again expensive but the phones have taken over so many functions in our lives. They are our cameras, internet, gps, clocks, weather info source.....

We had Sat TV for a 13 years and dropped it this year We find Internet entertainment to be better and cheaper, again thru Verizon.
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Old 04-02-2015, 06:34 AM   #20
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Norm, you wrote " We find Internet entertainment to be better and cheaper, again thru Verizon." Would you mind elaborating on that. It seems that streaming movies would eat through most data plans quickly and foul up the campground provided internet service. If there's a good set up via internet for entertainment on the road, I need to learn about it. I do not watch TV, but love Netflix.
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