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Old 06-28-2016, 08:28 PM   #1
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Post Newbies with a lot of questions

Greetings,
Not sure where this post goes so let ne know if I need to move it. We want to give up our apartment and go full time in a motorhome. We have a lot of questions and will list them below and wait for answers as they come in.
  1. Class A or C, we think an A would feel more like a home
  2. Diesel or gas, diesel maintenance costs scare us
  3. We live in Texas and are leaning toward keeping it as our domicile. We like our church family and doctors and want to keep them
  4. Do we need a stellar credit report for financing
  5. We have a 2014 Kia Soul auto trans, tow it on a dolly or rent a car as needed
  6. Can a UPS Store be used a s a legal address for registration, insurance, Medicare
  7. Our net income is $37K, is that enough to fulltime
We appreciate any insight and advice you could offer

Chris, Brenda & Patches
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Old 06-28-2016, 08:37 PM   #2
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1. We got our first A in 1998 and haven't looked back.
2. Yes they can get expensive. Our first engine repair with this rig was almost your yearly budget.
3. That could take up a whole column! We're in WA, have already paid the sales/use tax on the MH and cars, no income tax and low yearly license fees. Coming in from out of state would be costly though as you have to pay the sales/use tax on RV's even if you owned them for years. Check with Escapees, they're headquartered there and can answer most or all of the domicile questions.
4. That depends on what you buy, how much you finance, how much down etc. Ours were in the 820's when we bought the present rig and even then we had troubles due to our ages
5. I don't think the Kia automatics are towable four down so either of your choices might work. Some people have reported having trouble finding a place to rent from that was easy to get to or would deliver.
6. Don't know about that, I know that some mail forwarding services can be used in some states.
7. People do it for less and some for more
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Old 06-28-2016, 08:47 PM   #3
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It really depends on what you want in life. The smaller you go the more of a minimalist you have to be. Think that through. As he said, people do it for less. I'd go to an A gas in the 30-35 ft range as a starter. Cheaper and simpler with enough room to live for a week in the rain without killing each other. Keep the Kia as you will want a towed. Moving the MH for a quart of milk is a PITA. A used dolly will be worth what you paid if you decide later to sell. After a year or so if you really want something bigger and heavier and understand things better then look at a dp. It will then seem like a palace. Look into Escapees if you want to stay a Tx resident.
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Old 06-29-2016, 05:46 AM   #4
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With the amount of income you have I would strongly suggest you avoid financing if at all possible.
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Old 06-29-2016, 01:20 PM   #5
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We're full timing in a 31' class A gasser.
You need to be best friends with your wife in a small mh.
Gas mh will mosts like be cheaper to buy and maintain.
We are doing full time on a little bit more than your $37k, but our mh and Jeep are paid for.
We have a home base at SL's with a pad,power,water and sewer and spend half the year traveling. If you have to rent a space or campground all year your $37k is going to get a little slim. If you boondocks a lot it will help.
It's all in what you want to do but above all have a great adventure and drive safe.
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Old 06-30-2016, 04:46 AM   #6
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My answers to your questions are below in red.
  1. Class A or C, we think an A would feel more like a home
    I recommend a Class A. IMO, a Class C is too small and does not have enough cargo carrying capacity for full-time use.
  2. Diesel or gas, diesel maintenance costs scare us
    Although diesels are more expensive, they are more durable and usually have more cargo carrying capacity. That being said, we full-timed for 9 years in a gasser.
  3. We live in Texas and are leaning toward keeping it as our domicile. We like our church family and doctors and want to keep them
    Texas is a good place to domicile. As has been suggested, check out Escapees.
  4. Do we need a stellar credit report for financing
    You do not need a perfect credit rating to finance, but do take out your loan before you move out of your apartment. Although you can get financing later, it is easier when you have a fixed residence. After you go full-time, notify your bank of a change of address, and everything should be fine.
  5. We have a 2014 Kia Soul auto trans, tow it on a dolly or rent a car as needed
    Look in your owners manual for a section called "Recreational Towing." Also, Motorhome Magazine publishes an annual dinghy towing guide. Look for it on their website.
  6. Can a UPS Store be used a s a legal address for registration, insurance, Medicare
    Probably not. Escapees address can definitely be used, so check them out.
  7. Our net income is $37K, is that enough to fulltime
    Some do it on less, some need more.

We appreciate any insight and advice you could offer

Chris, Brenda & Patches
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Old 06-30-2016, 09:48 AM   #7
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For what it's worth my all in budget is ~40k per year. That is after federal income taxes (think take home pay).
I am single, FL domicile, no debt, plan on 6-8000 miles per year.
Can you do it on ~37? with financing??? You can do anything if you really want to I suppose.
You really need to look at why you're doing it. It sounds like the OP likes their current location (church, doctors, etc) so they will not be travelling much (my interpretation).
Put a budget together, do some research, ask more questions. It's a great community. People are willing to help where they can.
Let us know what you decide.
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Old 06-30-2016, 01:56 PM   #8
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Hi Chris & Brenda! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

We're not fulltimers yet so I'll let others answer your questions!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!
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Old 06-30-2016, 03:14 PM   #9
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You can full time on whatever amount. We full time on much less but don't have a payment on the RV. We settled for older that we could pay cash for. We have a class c and pull a toad.
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Old 06-30-2016, 04:35 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2peasinapod View Post
Our net income is $37K, is that enough to fulltime
How much you spend depends on where you are and what you deem necessities. There's another thread somewhere here with a similar question and one reply was that it takes a minimum of $50,000 a year to full time. I currently do it on half of what you have, so you should be able to manage on $37,000 if you budget properly.
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Old 06-30-2016, 07:33 PM   #11
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PAZ (above post) gave you the answers).

You can do it on your projected $37,000. There are many ways to cut costs. Only you know what your current lifestyle cost you. You will have pluses and minuses in full-timing vs. living in an apartment. Some things will remain the same. It evens out.

Your big thing is the RV. Look for a suitable used one and have it checked over thoroughly by someone competent. Plan on a contingency fund for future repairs. I'd recommend a Class A for the storage but again, you know how much you'll need. Many full-timers get by very well on the minimal and a smaller RV.

To get you started and since you live in Texas, check this consignment place to get an idea on floorplans and what you can purchase on your budget:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/classa/...motorhomes.php

Good luck!
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Old 07-05-2016, 07:37 PM   #12
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[*]Class A or C.
personal preference, you can get a big C in a diesel, so it's not that relevant.
[*]Diesel or gas, diesel maintenance costs scare us.
Personal preference I think they equal out for maintenance. Diesel cost more but service is less frequent, major repairs can be costly.
[*]We live in Texas and are leaning toward keeping it as our domicile. We like our church family and doctors and want to keep them.
Sounds like you may want to live in an Rv in your hometown. I think Texas has a book on fulltime rving, seems to be one of the ideal states to domicile.
[*]Do we need a stellar credit report for financing.
I think anyone can get financed if you shop around, rate may be higher.
[*]We have a 2014 Kia Soul auto trans, tow it on a dolly or rent a car as needed.
Personal preference, I still haven't figured this one out.we have two bikes that I like to carry.
[*]Can a UPS Store be used a s a legal address for registration, insurance, Medicare.
I doubt UPS will work, Google the topic, this has been an aggravating topic for us in our state.
[*]Our net income is $37K, is that enough to fulltime.
I agree we can do what we want if we want it bad enough. I think I have read lots of families with less doing it. Just come up with a good budget and stick to it, include maintenance.

We are fulltime while we finish our last few years of work. I have no desire to go back to a stick/brick and look forward to pulling out to travel. I came up with a very tight budget of 25k a year to travel on, it included a travel plan, clothes, souvineers, maintenance of toad, new tires, etc, anything I could think of, very extensive and to the penny. I also looked at what we would make at Amazon for one season and it was a wash, meaning we wouldn't have to touch or retirement of a year. There are plenty of opportunities to earn income or work camping. The choice to fulltime is as personal as the options. Find what works, be happy with your decisions and have no regrets, regardless. You can always trade down the road to something else. Enjoy the adventure and the destination!
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Old 07-05-2016, 09:56 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by LookAtUSNow View Post

I came up with a very tight budget of 25k a year to travel on, it included a travel plan, clothes, souvineers, maintenance of toad, new tires, etc, anything I could think of, very extensive and to the penny.
You can save even more by crossing off souvenirs. They'll just add more weight to the RV. RVers have a motto - bring something in and something needs to go out.
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Old 07-06-2016, 07:31 AM   #14
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With a budget of $37K I'd suggest making a plan of being debt free when you hit the road. Make a budget showing your monthly bills like cell phone, healthcare, insurance etc.. Then estimate travel expenses, fuel, campgrounds, maint. costs, food & entertainment. If you don't purchase an extended service plan, then you'll need to set aside a few hundred a month for emergency repairs. Because no matter what you buy it WILL need repairs of some kind. Hopefully nothing major. After purchasing a used diesel pusher we've full timed for 6yrs. and our spending has averaged $35Kyr., but we have a pretty good cushion, and an ESP. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to talk you out of doing what you want to do, just make sure you're prepared. As for us I wouldn't change a thing.
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