avan
Sioux Falls, SD & Livingston,TX
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Joined: 11/02/2002
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Start our 12th yr of FTing in 3 days. Would also recommend the air card. Park WiFi is just too undependable both in availability and, when available, reliability. We have had AT&T for the past 2.5 yrs and have had 2 nights when we didn't have service - once about 20 miles from the nearest highway in North Dakota and the other in a rather remote mountain campsite in Virginia. Otherwise, we've had available service throughout the lower 48. I do not use any amplifier or add'l antenna and we do use the air card in a router so we both can be on our laptops at the same time.
Would also recommend a sat. TV. We are not camping purists. We are merely living our life in an RV tramping back and forth across the country. We enjoy TV and too many cgs do not have cable, have little over the air antenna coverage or do have cable but with 5 whole channels. I did not have a dish put on the roof of this rig since often, with our prior rig, I could not use it due to trees. So I carry a portable with 50' of cable. Can set up in well less than 10 minutes and have always been able to find a spot where I can pull a signal. Even in cgs that have a good CATV system, I put out the dish - too lazy to learn new the new channel assignments of their cable system and unwilling to put up with a slow scrolling TV guide.
We also subscribe to Netflix - 3 discs out at a time. If we're in a cg for a wk or more, I'll change our address online and have discs sent. Mail time for Netflix is unbelievably dependable. As our time grows short or if we're going to have short stays, I change the address back to our mail fwd address and we get our discs the next time we send for mail.
I personally would not burden my family with my mail forwarding. I want to pay for my postage and not be a burden of any kind. A comm'l mail forwarder is a business and my mail is handled as such and not as a hobby or favor. If my kids want to go on a vacation, I don't want them worrying about my mail and if I want my mail, I don't want to hear that my mail forwarder is on vacation or has a kid's soccer tournament etc. If my mail is mishandled (haven't had that), I want to be able to complain vigorously without concern that maybe I should be careful because, after all, they're doing me a favor. Also, I don't want my mail sitting in a pile on the dining room table for my little grandkids to play with or for my kid's guests to see. I don't have anything that private in my mail but nonetheless, it's not anyone's business.
Additionally, I use my mail forwarding service to provide me with a permanent address in a state that is favorable to me as a FTer. I want an address (domicile) in a state that does not tax income, inheritance or charge a boat load of sales tax when I buy a new rig or an excessive amount for registration fees. Using a kid for mail forwarding doesn't, in and of itself, keep me from establishing a domicile elsewhere but usually when you 'buy' that domicile address, mail forwarding comes with it.
Insurance - since you will no longer have a homeowner's policy you will lose some liability coverage - like if visitor falls out of your patio chair or slips on your floor. So you do want an insurer that understands FTing and can issue you a FTer endorsement (which will replace some of that liab. coverage). Ours alternates yearly, based on pricing, between Progressive, Foremost and National Interstate. The companies (though not necessarily any independent agents) do understand FTing. If you have significant assets to protect (and your liability coverage is being reduced in the absence of HO coverage) you might also consider buying an Umbrella Liability policy - very inexpensive.
Your other insurance - health. Your sig indicates that you may have service related health insurance and if so, my comments may not be applicable - I'm not familiar with it. If not, be aware that health ins. underwriters have only round holes available to them and as a soon to be, in their opinion, homeless vagrant you will be a square peg. So I wouldn't go telling my health insurer that I'm a full time traveler with no permanent location. They often don't like that. There's really no reason for the subject to come up other than the insured wanting to ask the insurer if they're covered and in doing so talking too much about what they're about to do. So, if there is an issue of some sort and you do talk with your insurer, just tell them you're going on a long vacation of some months - not that you're gone from your state as a permanent resident forever or at least years. This way you can run your 'vacations' together as well as your visits to other friends and relatives in other states and you just haven't been 'home' in awhile.
Click for more pics of our FT home, our snowbird digs and our summer trips
The puller - International 4700LP (530E) - Wiers Towmaster; Trailer-Saver Air Hitch
The pusher - 40' Travel Supreme Fifth
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StanleyandIris
Louisiana
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Joined: 06/17/2007
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Did I see passports on the list? It's a big continent.
Iris
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hitchup
Fulltiming in Mount Airy.
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Joined: 02/17/2005
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roster2 wrote:Have we missed anything? Is there something we are overlooking? This seems to be to easy, everything falling into place I and the DW can't help but think we are overlooking something.
It's not much different than moving to a new town or state for your job. But I always feel when the time is right to FT everything falls into place. So if you've read any of the books then you've probably got it covered.
2009 DRV Mobile Suite 38TKSB3....our custom home
2008 Ford F450 Lariat CC 4x4......his office
Working Fulltimers since 3/2005
"Shoot for the Moon! Even if you miss it, you will land among the Stars."
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lawnboy1
Palmyra,Pa
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Joined: 12/27/2007
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we are not full time but we snow-bird to south Texas every winter for 5-6 months.we use Verizon air card and have internet as we travel, while driving.
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roster2
Enid, Ok
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Joined: 01/07/2007
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Thank you all so much for your input and advise. I will try to answer your questions as best I can. I have a satellite TV system. I bought a Winegard Carryout system at CW, they had the best price in this area. It is connected to Direct TV, again from experience with Dish Net. We have cell phones for years and ditched the land lines years ago. As for insurance, I have a small policy to cover my Stuff while in storage, and have a street address to refer to, so my carrier will cover me while I full-time. He also added the liabilty clause someone mentioned so that is covered. I am still thinking about dropping them though, and going with Good Sam or CW insurance. I am going to check out prices next week. Any input good or bad on this subject wiuld be helpful. My son who lives in Newport News, Va told both me AT&T and Verizon are good, his newspaper uses both and coverage seems to be about the same. It will probably come down to convience-we don't have a Verizon store here, but covered up with AT&T. Again, thanks for the advise. See you down the road
2008 Sabre by Palimino, Model 28RBFWS
2009 GMC 2500HD CC Duramax/Allison 6 spd 3:73/1 gears
Bob-USAF (Ret) Barbara-Retired DeCA
No pets, just two beautiful granddaughters
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MrsSoCalToolGuy
Fountain Valley Ca.
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Joined: 06/06/2005
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co_farmer wrote:roster2 wrote:Ok, the house is sold, money put into a CD for future use if needed, furniture and other household items in storage, read all the books and have set up a home base here in Oklahoma, ready to start full timimg-or are we? Have we missed anything? Is there something we are overlooking? This seems to be to easy, everything falling into place I and the DW can't help but think we are overlooking something. Our son and his family live here in town, and we are using their address for our home address, They have agreed to forward mail (They will always know where we are). We have our prescriptions on a mail pharmacy thru our insurance carrier with auto refills sent every ninety days. Pensions are on direct deposit, and the few bills we have are on a bill-pay thru our credit union. The one thing left to do is find a wireless internet provider and get a new computer. Probably do that next week and are leaning toward AT&T as our provider. Verizon is our second choice-Any feedback here would be appreciated. Those of you who are experienced in full-timing please let me if we left anything out. Thank you in advance.
Not a full timer, but your post confuses me a bit. Why do you think you need a wireless internet provider? Most RV parks we have stayed at have WIFI internet service free with a password obtained at check-in time. That is all you need if you get a computer that is WIFI capable.
For email, use Yahoo or (shudder) Gmail. Many others available.
Paul
Sorry but I would have to disagree with you about relying on campgrounds for wireless. Maybe that works if your on vacation, but we've been full time rv'ers for over 18 months and love our Verizon Air card wireless service and would not be without it. Too many places we've stayed were totally unreliable in their service.
Barb
2001 Chev. 3500 CC Duallie, D/A, 20.5 Pullrite Super 5th, Roll n Lock, StarBoards, Firestone Air Bags, TTT Mirrors, BrakeSmart.
2004 HitchHiker Discover America 33 1/2 CKQG, Disc Brakes, Mor/Ryde IS
Garmin Nuvi 350
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pawatt
Brainerd MN / Mission TX
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Joined: 01/19/2005
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Verizon or Sprint are my choices for internet. Last I checked AT&T didn't have high speed connections. We have the Sprint Air Card & can get INTERNET nearly anywhere in the US. I hear that Verizon is even better in the Western USA.
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Samarai
Spring/Grapeland Tx
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Joined: 11/20/2005
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One point I would make about an aircard is that you might want to consider getting one that has the connection for an external antenna. Also check out the CTR350 Cradlepoint router with a Wilson external antenna. This gives you the ability to use more than one computer at a time and it also gives you WiFi for your notebook if you want to use it outside while at your camping location. Also, even though you don't have many Verizon stores locally, I would consider buying your equipment from www.3Gstore.com. Not only will you probably get a good price, but their support is fantastic (ask for Alex for pre-sale and post sale support). Knowledgeable and rapid telephone support for any questions on the road is priceless.
Bill/L'l Lulu & Mago Chan
Travel'n Texans/Home Base: Grapeland
Chevy Express Van/Casita SD/Whites V3 MD
USAF/Army Retired
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actsholy
San Dimas Ca
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Joined: 04/03/2005
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Have verizon but you only get 5 gig
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2Fliers
Roanoke
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Joined: 11/20/2008
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I have the Verizon Aircard and AT&T phones. In central and SW VA, there have been a couple of places where I have signal with Verizon, and no AT&T service. My current contract is up in February, and I will be switching phones over to VZ.
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