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Embarking on a full-timing lifestyle begins with a whole lot of research. You can’t just sell your house, pack your stuff, and hit the road — not unless you’re planning to completely unplug from society in the process! Life is very different when you don’t have a set home base, and you have to plan accordingly.
I asked myself a lot of questions in those first couple of months. How would I get my mail? Which banks would have branches in every part of the country? Would my health insurance give me a hard time about seeing doctors in other states — and how would I find a good dentist in Arizona or Ohio? What kind of insurance would I need to protect my belongings? What would I do if my RV broke down in the middle of nowhere? And how in the heck was I going to have reliable internet access as I traveled?
As I always do when confronted with a challenge, I turned to the internet — and found quite a few sites dedicated to RV living. are hugely generous with information about hitting the road — they are more than happy to tell you which steps to take and what obstacles to avoid. But of course, most of them are either retired or earn their keep through “workamping” (swamping out toilets at an RV park in exchange for your campsite does not appeal to me), and none that I found ran a nomadic business — so there was a lot that I had to learn on my own.
The first issue to consider was in which state to declare domicile. When you own a home and live in a set location, you are automatically a resident of that state. But when you’re mobile, you can choose any state for your residency. You simply have to transfer all of your personal and business accounts — vehicle and voter registration, driver’s license, professional licenses — and permanent legal address to that state. The hard part is choosing the right state for your situation. Being the anal-retentive organizer that I am, I created a spreadsheet comparing each of the following factors — and found South Dakota (and then later on Texas after, I had to change domicile because of the weirdities of the Affordable Care Act) to be the most full-timer friendly states:
Armed with my trusty spreadsheet and this initial comparison, I was 99% sure that I wanted to domicile in Texas. But there were still a few more issues to consider…
Certainly the cost of vehicle registration is an important deciding factor when choosing your state of domicile as a full-time RVer. Now that you find yourself paying registration fees and taxes on an oversized motorhome, travel trailer, or fifth wheel — as well as the truck you use to tow it or the extra vehicle you pull behind you — the tags/taxes/title expenses can add up quickly. Again, Texas was one of the most affordable states in this regard.
But as a full-timer, you’ve also got other LOGISTICAL vehicle registration concerns to deal with that were never an issue when you lived in one place:
Once I chose a state, it was time to make everything legal — and for that, I had to obtain a permanent address. But a post office box wouldn’t cut it — I needed a “mail forwarding service” that would not only receive my letters and packages, but also send it on to me, wherever I was around the country. These companies are the greatest thing since sliced bread for full-timers! I chose a company called America’s Mailbox, based out of Livingstone. For about $10 a month plus postage, I am given a dedicated street address to call my own — this is not a PO box number, and can serve as my legal address for any and all business dealings.
The exceptionally friendly staff there in Livingston receives my mail each day — including delivery service shipments, registered mail needing a signature, and packages requiring special handling. They then (can you believe this?) clean out the third class junk mail and unwanted solicitations, and recycle the trash before forwarding the good stuff on to me! To top it all off, they take care of my vehicle registration renewal for me each year so I don’t have to worry about it — I love them.
The mail forwarding part is pretty simple. All I have to do is log into my web account, tell them when and where to send my mail, and it goes out as scheduled. I can have my mail forwarded daily, weekly, monthly, every second and fourth Tuesday, 41 times a year, whatever I want — and I can change that schedule online at any time, with only 24 hours notice. My mail can be sent to a different address each time, or set up as a recurring series of shipments to the same location (great when I’m settled in one spot for several months) — delivered to the RV park, a friend or family member’s house, or to the main post office in the next town I’ll hit. And I have the choice of shipping via parcel post, Priority, Express, any of the major shipping companies, or just the cheapest method available — fabulous!
Another important concern when you’re on the road is finding a convenient way to manage your money. Of course, I switched all of the paper statements for my accounts to e-statements that I can download at the start of each month. I have all of my monthly bills automatically charged to my credit card. And I signed up for online banking so I could check account activity and balances, transfer money, and issue payments through the computer.
While my existing bank could provide us with all of these services (for a fee), they had limited locations outside of the Eastern US, and the charges for using another bank to make deposits or withdrawals were ridiculous. So I decided to re-evaluate my choice of financial institution — and I am so glad that I did! I was eligible for an account with USAA, the government military bank. They actually have no physical branches anywhere — all of their banking is done online. But I discovered that the most convenient bank when you are traveling might just be a virtual one.
May I just say — holy crap, does USAA know how to take care of full-timers! It makes sense, considering that military personnel are often far from home and need to initiate bank transactions from all over the world. But I was still pleasantly surprised at the level of “virtual” service USAA offers. Of course, they provide all the standard online banking options — electronic bill-pay, downloadable statements, 24-hour access to your account activity, blah-de-blah-de-blah. But they also allowed me to open an Amex card to cover overdrafts (if I ever go over my balance, the amount is charged to the card — as long as I pay the bill in full, there is no interest). I can use any ATM from any bank in the country without worrying about the cost — USAA actually reimburses me the other bank’s “jerk-service-charge” at the end of the month. And every one of these services is completely FREE — no minimum balance, no fees, and check re-orders at no additional expense!
Best of all, I can make deposits directly through my computer, from any location, as long as I have an internet signal. I simply log into my USAA account online, enter the amount being deposited, scan the front and signed back of the check, and hit “submit” — the money is immediately deposited into my account, and I never even have to send in the check! Of course, if I didn’t have a scanner or internet access — or needed to deposit cash or a money order — USAA provides me with postage-free envelopes for mailing in deposits.
If you aren’t military, you may be able to find a bank that provides some of these services — but in all my researching, I did not find any other banks that offer this “online deposit” feature. The closest I came was a business-oriented check scanner that you have to buy from your bank — then they charge you a per-check fee for electronic deposits. I don’t know what the hang-up is — if USAA has the technology, surely some other banks should be able to offer the same service. One of the few instances when the government is actually ahead of private business!
Being able to keep in touch was a crucial concern — especially running a business on the road. I needed to have reliable cell-phone and internet access throughout the country. I doubted that there would be a signal at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and in the middle of the Rockies (there is actually a cell tower at the top of Pike’s Peak!) — but as long as I was near civilization, I expected to be connected.
My first step toward a wireless existence was to get rid of my DSL line at home, and switch to a mobile broadband card. This card plugs into a port on your computer and use any available cell phone signal to connect you to the internet. Connection speed is equivalent to DSL — except in remote roaming areas, where you might have dial-up speed. I found that Sprint had the best network coverage and price — about $60 a month per card.
A lot of people have asked why I didn’t hook up one of those satellite dishes to my trailer. I have two answers to that question. First, satellite dishes are ugly — and I didn’t want some stupid piece of equipment sticking out of the roof of our Airstream. (I had already removed the antenna I never used because it made me look like a TV broadcast truck). Second, even though a satellite dish would allow me an internet connection, I could only get a signal when I was within sight of the trailer. But I needed to be able to get online from anywhere — at home, in the car, while out on a day-trip, even when I traveled overseas. A satellite dish just wouldn’t work.
Of course, I was also asked why I don’t just rely on free Wi-Fi — bargain hunter that I am. Sure, nearly every private RV park offers internet service these days — and you can always find a coffee house with Wi-Fi, even in the smallest town. What people don’t realize is that these communal connections usually aren’t secure — hackers have been known to lurk around popular Wi-Fi spots, monitoring computer activity and waiting to steal people’s passwords and account information when they log into a sensitive site over an unsecure connection. So there!
Finally, there was the issue of phone service. I had ditched the land-line at my house years before, and been relying entirely on my cell phone. But those plans with limited monthly minutes weren’t working for me. I wanted to call my peeps regularly to update them on our travels — and I needed to be on the phone almost daily for my work. The last thing I intended to worry about was whether I were racking up overage charges.
So I switched to a “my faves” plan — which allows you to choose up to 5 people a month per phone as “favorites”. All of your calls to or from these people are free — regardless of what network they belong to our how long you talk. And you can switch faves each month. So I have unlimited calling to local friends, depending on which part of the country we’re in. Best of all, the plan is only $35 a month per phone (cheaper than our minute-based plan). Brilliant!
Of course, if someone introduces an affordable “unlimited-to-anyone-from-anywhere-no-roaming-no-long-distance” plan, we’re ready to sign up. But the unlimited plans I researched were either too expensive (more than twice what I pay now) or only available within very limited regional calling areas. However, it’s only a matter of time before the cell phone companies catch a clue — like they did with free long-distance and roaming. And maybe with the SmartPhone plans…
When you live in one place, you normally have homeowner’s insurance that covers your physical dwelling, its contents, and your personal liability when someone is on your property. But when you live on the road, the issue of protecting your assets becomes a wee bit more complicated. Again, lots of questions. Would my auto insurance cover the trailer too? Could I add a rider to insure all of my stuff, or did I need a separate umbrella policy? What if some fool walked through our campsite drunk, tripped, and bashed his head in — could I be held liable?
Of course, my auto insurance would take care of any issues with my truck. It also covered the Airstream, as long as it sat in my driveway and didn’t really go anywhere. But the minute I took my rolling home out on the road, filled with all of my worldly possessions — I needed separate coverage. Not surprisingly, considering the size of the population served, very few companies offer full-timer’s insurance. However, I was lucky — while my auto insurer wasn’t one of them, they did have a partnership with a company that provided very affordable policy options.
Basically, our full-timer’s insurance acts like mobile homeowner’s insurance:
It’s actually a pretty good arrangement — everything you need rolled up into one policy. And my combined auto and full-timer’s insurance costs me no more than my homeowner’s insurance did when I had a house — so I can’t complain about the price tag attached to peace of mind.
You have to love Federalism in the modern era. I mean, I’m all in favor of state’s rights, but the founding fathers had no idea what this concept was going to do to health insurance — the many hoops a person would have to jump through to transfer coverage from one state to another! I started my full-timing adventure in the D.C. metro area — apparently one of the most expensive health care markets in the country. When I switched my permanent address to Texas, my rates instantly dropped by about half — great! However, with the decrease in expenses came an increase in time and frustration, trying to get all the paperwork straightened out.
The first problem I ran into was the fact that Texas, being a sparsely populated state, offered a limited number of carriers. I talked to all kinds of full-timers who gave me tons of incredibly wrong information about the available health insurance policies — not sure what they are smoking in Texas, but I hope they save me some! It wasn’t until I spoke to an independent insurance agent in Texas — one that that specialized in working with full-timers — that I got the real scoop on our options. Another plug for local insurance agents!
I’ll also say something else about relying on other full-timers for health insurance advice. While these RVers mean well, and are more than happy to share stories about their own experiences (as am I!) — the information they will give you regarding health care costs and coverage is severely skewed. You have to remember that 99% of full-timers are retirees, and their healthcare needs are very different than a woman in her 30’s. I don’t have Medicare or a prescription drug benefit to fall back on — but neither do I take a zillion medications or have to deal with chronic disease, the way many 65+ RVers do. I go to the doctor basically once a year for a checkup, and am only buying insurance to protect myself against the possibility of coming down with leukemia or getting hit in the head with a tree. My point is, just make sure that you’re comparing apples to apples when talking health insurance — if the other guy doesn’t match your demographic, you might want to take what he says with a grain of salt.
My needs were pretty simple. I was willing to have a sort-of-high deductible if it kept my monthly costs low. I didn’t care about co-pays and was happy to take care of any medical expenses up to my deductible out of pocket (preferably at a somewhat discounted rate). But I also wanted to know that major illnesses and accidents would be covered without limit. And, I needed to be able to go to a doctor anywhere in the country or overseas without worrying about whether the bill would be paid — that was really the extent of my demands.
It turned out that the second most attractive option was offered through my existing insurance carrier, Golden Rule — a PPO plan that allowed me to see any doctor at full-price, but had negotiated rates with providers in their network. Best of all, I only had to fill out one sheet of paper to make the switch. The most attractive option — a full-timer friendly “any-doctor-anywhere-super-low-rates-plus-a-couple-of-basic-visits-a-year” policy — was with another company and would require extensive paperwork to set up. So I went with the quick-fix (which still offers better coverage for less money than my previous plan) — and I’ll consider shifting to the other carrier down the road.
If you’re like most Americans, you probably have AAA as your roadside assistance club. I did too, for years — ever since high school. Although I rarely used their service, it was great to have that peace of mind — knowing that if you popped a tire or ran out of gas or your car just died on you, you didn’t have to worry. Not long before my first trip in the Airstream, I visited the local AAA office — intending to switch my plan from basic automobile coverage to RV assistance. I need not remind you that I am an organizer — so of course, I showed up with a list of questions and possible scenarios, expecting that AAA would have a solution for every bullet point on my notepad. Wow — was I mistaken! It turns out that this is not the best option for RVers.
Even though their RV plan was ridiculously overpriced, I discovered that “free” coverage pretty much stopped at the back bumper of your tow vehicle. Sure, AAA is more than happy to take care of your RV when it breaks down — for a fee. The list of additional charges for servicing a travel trailer was staggering. And, because there are fewer repair shops for RVs than for cars, the towing fees alone could break you. They might have to haul your rig several hundred miles to find a “AAA-approved” shop — and guess who pays for all that mileage?
I quickly jumped back onto the internet and asked several Airstreamers who they recommended for roadside assistance. The one name that kept coming up over and over again was Coach-Net — an assistance club provided through the Escapees travel club (you must be a member to sign on). I spoke to a representative over the phone, explained our situation, and was immediately convinced that they could take care of me. I signed up that day, called to cancel our AAA — and have never looked back.
I became even more certain that I had made the right decision during my first trip across the country. After a long day of driving on hot summer asphalt, I blew a tire in the middle of nowhere in South Dakota. I called Coach-Net, told the lovely customer service representative which mile marker I was parked by, and she went to work. She pulled me up on her map, and discovered that the closest shop which could change an RV tire (not a job for the faint at heart) was in Sioux Falls — about 50 miles away.
Now unlike AAA, Coach-Net doesn’t limit their services to a network of “approved” shops (I guess, unlike AAA, they are less concerned about getting a kickback on additional repairs, and more focused on keeping their members on the road — boo-yah!) Coach-Net simply found the most convenient certified RV repair place — and then paid them to take care of my problem. In this instance, the replacement tire, the mileage, and the mount/dismount, would have cost me over $600 out of pocket. Coach-Net paid for everything except the actual cost of the tire — a big old $89 — which, to be fair, was my responsibility anyway. Had I used AAA, I would have paid at least 3/4 of that fee myself.
The other thing I love about Coach-Net is that they run a 24-hour phone-assistance line, staffed by RV experts. If I ever have a general question about how something mechanical works in my trailer, aren’t sure how a system is set up, or need help solving a specific problem — I am handed to a tech support guy who knows Airstreams inside and out. When my electrical panel started clicking over and over again as I drove through Orlando, Coach-Net’s customer service rep got on the phone with me, had me do a couple of troubleshooting tests, and identified the problem as a faulty relay. He then made an appointment for me at an RV shop in the next town, even going so far as to call ahead so they would know what to expect when I pulled in. Would AAA ever do that for you? Not hardly!
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