New Member - Going Full-Time

[BdM]

Hi everybody, just joined, planning on buying a Class C in the next 18 months. Going to give up my apartment and become a full time nomad. How do you handle mail, taxes, license, registration, insurance, home address, etc? As for medical, I get Medicare and also have access to the VA Health System as a partially disabled veteran. Thanks in advance for advice.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Get out there and kick some tires!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[twogypsies]

Welcome! It's an awesome lifestyle. My advice is to use Google and read all you can about full-timing. There are many ways to do it and costs can vary greatly. Here's a good place to get started:

https://www.escapees.com/establishin...ile-for-rvers/

https://www.rv-dreams.com/fulltimingbudgets.html

[saddlesore]

I suggest the Escapees as well.. not only for the mail service but the Home State Domicile choices....
You might want to consider a larger RV than what is normally found with a class C..
Some if not most class A's allow you to have larger showers and a washer & dryer.. also larger fresh/black/gray & fuel tanks

[pm sent]

[JFXG]

Hi, Bdm…. WELCOME!![emoji122][emoji122][emoji322][emoji322]
You’ve chosen the right place for good information based on a lot of experience.
I also suggest the Escapees Club for info and assistance. Texas is one of the three states RVers find most attractive for domicile, and the Escapees know Texas like no one else. They will also be helpful with info on Florida and So Dakota (the other two), and with general helpful data, too.
Use your time to read this and other forums, and look through the RVTrader listings and other for sale sources to get a sense of what’s out there for what money.
You’ve got some time to narrow down your choices, so enjoy the research, and DO NOT hesitate to ask! That’s why the forum is here!

[momdoc]

Welcome to the forum and the world of FT RV living. There is a ton of information out there on full time living. You might want to rent a similar Class C to the one you are thinking about and see if it works for you. From personal experience we started out "most timing" in a Class C and found after a year that it was too small for us and we upgraded to a Class A and have been in it for the last 3 years (full time) and love the extra living space and the much larger storage ability.

We have used St.Brandan's Isle in Green Cove Springs FL for our mail, driver's lic, voter reg and such. WE have used them for the last 6 years or so with no problems. Plus registering our vehicles in Fl is VERY cheap. This year we paid less than $100 for both the rig and toad.

We also use medicare and an AARP supplement (United health) and have used it all over the country for the last 4 years or so.


You are joining a good group of friends here with good information to share. Read the various threads here and ask questions as they come up or add information if you can.

Good luck with the search and enjoy the adventure!

[FLJOE]

As you continue your research on buying an RV, look into information about what State you want to have as your domicile. There are a ton of things to consider when deciding this, tax liability, insurance costs, healthcare costs, registration fees, just to name a few. The State you pick could make the difference between paying about $50 per year for your RV registration or $2,000 per year for it.

As far as using VA Healthcare. I just began using it along with my Medicare and supplimental insurance. I am assigned a "home" clinic down here where we winter in Florida so I have visits with my primary care provider here. Obviously while traveling the U.S.A. there are VA clinics all over if you need one.

[hamm2018]

For the VA medical, I get registered at each clinic I need to visit. You need to do this.
Also, I tell them I am a "Traveling Vet", not a snowbird. Believe me, it does make a difference, it has for me. The ones I have dealt with understand that I am traveling across country and not going from one spot just to another spot, then return to the first area.
Getting registered at each clinic is required so they can get access to your medical records. Then doing this, you can also get prescriptions refilled there.

[astrnmrtom]

We switched as many accounts as possible to paperless, and use our Daughter's address as our home address and domicile. Our home state doesn't have an income tax - yet - and tabs and insurance aren't too bad. She forwards the few things that still come via USPS such as our registration tabs. We have Medicare, and both have our drug plans that have Walmart as a participant, so we can get our medication where ever we go. Had the Dr prescribe 90 day amounts which also helps. So far, our check-ups have been via Tele-Med consultations. It's been a year and a half and it's all worked out great. It's taken a little waiting and calling around to find a dentist that will be able to fit us in for a cleaning, but that's only been a minor inconvenience. It's all worked out very well.

[Stajones]

I would x2 the comments on Escapees - we’ve been with them for seven years - TX address - and have had ZERO issues. As you will find out, there are SO MANY opinions and options. Do your due diligence and consider all avenues as they relate to your personal circumstances.

[FLJOE]

Originally Posted by hamm2018

For the VA medical, I get registered at each clinic I need to visit. You need to do this.
Also, I tell them I am a "Traveling Vet", not a snowbird. Believe me, it does make a difference, it has for me. The ones I have dealt with understand that I am traveling across country and not going from one spot just to another spot, then return to the first area.
Getting registered at each clinic is required so they can get access to your medical records. Then doing this, you can also get prescriptions refilled there.

I'm at pretty new to VAhealthcare. It was my understanding that no one can actually pick up scripts in person and that they all have to be mailed from the VA to your home.

[hamm2018]

Originally Posted by FLJOE

I'm at pretty new to VAhealthcare. It was my understanding that no one can actually pick up scripts in person and that they all have to be mailed from the VA to your home.

For me it depends on the prescription. My regular diabetics maintenance meds, are mail order and Wal-Mart. But I also have a couple of prescriptions I MUST carry 24 hrs./day. Once I take it, I just go to the nearest VA and get it refilled.

[pbwhitney]

Besides the forums and Escapees, you should Google books on full time RV living. You'll find quite a few written by people who are full timing and sharing what they've learned. They explain about the 3 states that people usually use for their domicile - South Dakota, Florida, Texas - these states don't have a state income tax, and there are companies there, mail forwarding services, that you use for your domicile address. These companies will help you get your insurance set up too. South Dakota requires you to only stay overnight in their state one night to list it as your home state. I've read 2 books on FT RV living and have just gotten a third. One of the books I have is Motorhome and RV Retirement Living by Jerry Minchey. You can find quite a few. You'll also find that the size of the RV is very much a personal preference. I'm going to be full timing in a 1999 Roadtrek 190 Popular - a Class B. While a Class A or C would be really nice and spacious, I can park my Class B in a regular sized parking space, and I get better gas mileage. I plan to travel more the first couple of years, so maybe a Class A would make more sense when I'm staying in one spot longer. I've owned Class B's for about 12 years and have traveled around the country, mostly to dog shows, in them, so I know what I'll be dealing with. Renting a Class C so you can try it out is a good idea. Good luck and have fun!

[Barbaraok]

Read the blogs of people who full-time on any forum (especially Escapees) to get an idea of all of the different ways to full-time. In addition, people will often post on out-of-the way places that really impressed them. Most has a link to their blog in their signature lines.