I am in charge of expenses for the full time RV vacation across the USA and I have observed a couple of things about just how much money we've been spending.
At times we have been doing pretty good with saving money on this RV trip and sometimes we are wasting a lot of money.
I think 7 good ways for all of us to save cash are as follows:
1. Cook dinner much more at your home (inside the RV) rather than get your meals at expensive restaurants
Restaurants are costly and this can also add up when you’re RVing full time.
2. Buy snack foods at the grocery store rather than at truck stops
This will save you almost 50%!
3. Pack lunch and bring water bottles!
Drinking water may cost $3.50 for just a small bottle! Yikes that's ridiculous.
If you do buy big containers of water in the supermarket and fill up the water bottles that's better.
4. Go to the galleries and museums early
Do this so you maximize your admission fee and maximize your time there (this particular one is actually Mom’s idea). We need to make the most of the visit to the attraction that's why get up early and make the most efficient use of your money. The trip to Henry Ford Museum cost more than $145!
5. Buy gasoline at discount prices
We just found diesel for only $3.93 per gallon (best deal ever)!
6. Make use of the cruise control , it helps conserve fuel!
Dad says that when you stay at a consistent speed it helps you to save fuel. Our RVing vehicle only takes diesel and this costs almost $4 per gallon.
7. Reduce buying souvenirs
At Niagara Falls we didn’t purchase any kind of souvenirs but we did get key chain holders and cases as well as completely free Maid of the Mist raincoats.
Other ways to save money while RVing full time is if you're going to National Parks on your own trip, make sure to get an annual pass. You will save a lot of money in entry charges over the course of the year.
If you would like to learn more about how to go RVing, click here to learn more about how you can go RVing full time.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Bent RV Trailer Hitch and other Full Time RVing Tales of Woe
Sometimes while you are staying in an RV full time, things break down.
And also at times, important stuffs break in the middle of nowhere.
Yesterday, I bent each of our RV trailer hitch rails wanting to back to a tight spot at our RV car park. I was attempting to loosen the RV hitch from a “tow” position into the “maneuver” position and the darn thing bent in the bed of our truck.
The RV trailer hitch is a important piece of equipment that are used to pull the 5th wheel RV. If perhaps it is broken, you aren’t proceeding anywhere soon.
If the rails are bent (even slightly), you just cannot take a chance on it and attempt traveling by using it.
Must it be stated that if you're RVing full time across the country along with a wife and 2 kids, you don’t like the fifth wheel RV to fall off of the back of the pick up truck?
We have a Reese Sliding Hitch, and as expected, all of us do not recommend you get that equipment…
We all do recommend the Husky RV Sliding Hitch instead.
Unlike the Reese Sliding Hitch, the Husky RV Hitch has more support with RV hitch rails because they are basically screwed on to the frame of the pickup truck. Also, since it is so secure, you’re less likely to bend one.
The Reese rails are bolted to the bed of the truck.
I’m no technical RVing guru, but it does not appear like a great thing when you are carrying six tons.
As soon as we purchased our truck, we got the hitch as an add-on at the car dealership (another place we don’t really recommend - but also will remain unidentified) and these people gaveus all the less expensive hitch.
Just what are the chances for a car dealership doing that?
$537.99 along with a scenic ride into the Wisconsin country side after that, we'd the RV hitch rails repaired out in Wisconsin at Mound View RV in Belmont, Wisconsin.
Thankfully that RV dealerships in the Midwest are almost as common as cornfields.
So if you’re deciding on RVing full time, consider for the things failing and plan for everything not going just exactly as you intended it - despite that you planned it as carefully as you could.
Things usually go badly, even more so if you are 100 % full time RVing novices exactly like us.
But just get up again, find out how to deal with your issues and get it done. Even if it costs you a little cash to get it done right, you should not conserve money or cut corners if you are carrying a six ton RV behemoth.
If you would like to learn more about how to go RVing, click here to learn more about how you can go RVing full time.
And also at times, important stuffs break in the middle of nowhere.
Yesterday, I bent each of our RV trailer hitch rails wanting to back to a tight spot at our RV car park. I was attempting to loosen the RV hitch from a “tow” position into the “maneuver” position and the darn thing bent in the bed of our truck.
The RV trailer hitch is a important piece of equipment that are used to pull the 5th wheel RV. If perhaps it is broken, you aren’t proceeding anywhere soon.
If the rails are bent (even slightly), you just cannot take a chance on it and attempt traveling by using it.
Must it be stated that if you're RVing full time across the country along with a wife and 2 kids, you don’t like the fifth wheel RV to fall off of the back of the pick up truck?
We have a Reese Sliding Hitch, and as expected, all of us do not recommend you get that equipment…
We all do recommend the Husky RV Sliding Hitch instead.
Unlike the Reese Sliding Hitch, the Husky RV Hitch has more support with RV hitch rails because they are basically screwed on to the frame of the pickup truck. Also, since it is so secure, you’re less likely to bend one.
The Reese rails are bolted to the bed of the truck.
I’m no technical RVing guru, but it does not appear like a great thing when you are carrying six tons.
As soon as we purchased our truck, we got the hitch as an add-on at the car dealership (another place we don’t really recommend - but also will remain unidentified) and these people gaveus all the less expensive hitch.
Just what are the chances for a car dealership doing that?
$537.99 along with a scenic ride into the Wisconsin country side after that, we'd the RV hitch rails repaired out in Wisconsin at Mound View RV in Belmont, Wisconsin.
Thankfully that RV dealerships in the Midwest are almost as common as cornfields.
So if you’re deciding on RVing full time, consider for the things failing and plan for everything not going just exactly as you intended it - despite that you planned it as carefully as you could.
Things usually go badly, even more so if you are 100 % full time RVing novices exactly like us.
But just get up again, find out how to deal with your issues and get it done. Even if it costs you a little cash to get it done right, you should not conserve money or cut corners if you are carrying a six ton RV behemoth.
If you would like to learn more about how to go RVing, click here to learn more about how you can go RVing full time.
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Best Purpose to RV Full Time
When we finally started to RV full time it had been a bit hard.
It had been not easy to get used to the small living quarters, the toilet smaller than a telephone booth, long drives on unexciting interstates, determining just how the cable television operates at each camping area, oh-so much fun black water drainings, really chatty “RV” neighbours, missing relatives and buddies back at home….
Yet even with all thatafter the first few days, we started to discover how well RVing suit our standards of living, how relaxed it is and just how the little place actually enhances your life and exactly how liberating the trip really is.
However by far, the best part of residing in an RV full time is definitely the absolute and utter freedom from “the scheduled life”.
If you have children, you know what I am talking about.
It is the continuous running to baseball practice, lacrosse practice, swimming lessons, chess club, drum lessons, various family activities, countless birthday celebrations, play dates and just about every other activity that occupies majority of of a typical suburban family’s daily routine schedule.
It’s stressful…(I didn’t even accomplish a majority of it in our own family)!
Although all those activities are great and are fun to do, when you’re RVing, you're completely free from that daily activities and you are also able to live life “unscheduled”.
When you are RVing full time, you go where you want to go and what ever pace that pleases you. Not that we do not create a schedule, since we do.
In reality, you must have RV park reservations along with 2 kids in the heart of the summer season. Mainly because RV parks fill up quickly and you have to reserve in advance or you will be shut out.
Sure, there are hundreds of RV blog writers that talk about how living in an RV you're your own boss, there is no reliance on hotels, airport terminals, restaurant reservations and becoming “at one” with the great outdoors.
Do not be misled by any of that. The best reason of all is freedom from the scheduled life.
Freedom and “location independence” is exactly what driven each of us to build lives that will assist a full time RV lifestyle for one year…or longer than that. After I read The 4-Hour Workweek three years ago, it became all over for myself. I believed I had to make it happen. And article author Tim Ferris does not have kids so he never actually brought up this kind of independence and freedom.
But for me There is no other freedom that tops it. I guess at some point in our odyssey I’ll miss all of that scheduling, all of the parties, all the activities but for the time being I am not. It’s a fabulous break and also for me its the #1 objective to consider RVing full time.
If you would like to learn more about how to full time RV, click here to learn more about how you can go RVing full time.
It had been not easy to get used to the small living quarters, the toilet smaller than a telephone booth, long drives on unexciting interstates, determining just how the cable television operates at each camping area, oh-so much fun black water drainings, really chatty “RV” neighbours, missing relatives and buddies back at home….
Yet even with all thatafter the first few days, we started to discover how well RVing suit our standards of living, how relaxed it is and just how the little place actually enhances your life and exactly how liberating the trip really is.
However by far, the best part of residing in an RV full time is definitely the absolute and utter freedom from “the scheduled life”.
If you have children, you know what I am talking about.
It is the continuous running to baseball practice, lacrosse practice, swimming lessons, chess club, drum lessons, various family activities, countless birthday celebrations, play dates and just about every other activity that occupies majority of of a typical suburban family’s daily routine schedule.
It’s stressful…(I didn’t even accomplish a majority of it in our own family)!
Although all those activities are great and are fun to do, when you’re RVing, you're completely free from that daily activities and you are also able to live life “unscheduled”.
When you are RVing full time, you go where you want to go and what ever pace that pleases you. Not that we do not create a schedule, since we do.
In reality, you must have RV park reservations along with 2 kids in the heart of the summer season. Mainly because RV parks fill up quickly and you have to reserve in advance or you will be shut out.
Sure, there are hundreds of RV blog writers that talk about how living in an RV you're your own boss, there is no reliance on hotels, airport terminals, restaurant reservations and becoming “at one” with the great outdoors.
Do not be misled by any of that. The best reason of all is freedom from the scheduled life.
Freedom and “location independence” is exactly what driven each of us to build lives that will assist a full time RV lifestyle for one year…or longer than that. After I read The 4-Hour Workweek three years ago, it became all over for myself. I believed I had to make it happen. And article author Tim Ferris does not have kids so he never actually brought up this kind of independence and freedom.
But for me There is no other freedom that tops it. I guess at some point in our odyssey I’ll miss all of that scheduling, all of the parties, all the activities but for the time being I am not. It’s a fabulous break and also for me its the #1 objective to consider RVing full time.
If you would like to learn more about how to full time RV, click here to learn more about how you can go RVing full time.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Methods to Hook Up a motorhome When RVing Full Time, Part Two
What we really needed if RVing full time is a check list that outlined each of the methods you must do when you setup your Motorhome in the Rv campsite.
Everyone goes online and we weren't able to find a great Motorhome setup guidelines just about anywhere. So we made a thirteen step checklist to help you setup your own Motor home when you go to a camping area. We will feature steps 7-13 in this posting.
7. Connect the Electric
* Withdraw the electrical cord from your electrical hole. If ever the electric cord won't reach you must have 30-Amp RV Extension Cable as a back up. It really stinks to park your RV and the cord is not going to reach the electric outlet!
* Next, open up the electric package, guantee that the actual circuit breaker switch is in the off position then hook up the electrical power cord.
* Lastly, turn the circuit breaker change to the on position.
8. Slide Out the Slideouts
* It is simple! Simply press the switches in each room per slideout and the slideout should go out.
9. Let Mom Inside!
* Open up the entrance door for her and allow her to go into the RV. She'll be thrilled!
10. Hook Up the Water
* Take out the water hose and then screw it in to the water input valve of the RV.
* Position the water levers in the "on" or "town water" position.
* After that activate the water from your RV campsite.
11. Hook Up the Sewer
* Connect your RV Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fittings towards the gray water tank output drain. And then affix to the campsite sewer drain.
12. Roll out the Awning ( if required)
* Click the awning switch till the awning is all the way out. Then pick up one side of the awning then pull it down around 6 in. lower than the opposite side of the awning*.
* Tighten up the screws on the awning pole till its already tight. Then tighten up the awning screws on the opposite side so each side are secure.
*We all recommend you accomplish this to make sure that whenever it rains, the rainwater will drain off the awning and so not at all gather on the awning itself. It stops rain water from breaking the awning!
13. Place Down the RV Patio area Pad
* To help keep dirt and pests and stuff put of the RV, place down a big rug, artificial turf or exactly what we recommend would be the RV Patio Mat such as the one we've got. It folds and is nice to perform whittling on too.
* Put this on to the ground right on the outside of the RV and spread it out in-front of the RV doorstep.
14. Put Up the Antenna
* Go into the RV and crank up the TV antennae so that you can sit back and watch Phineas and Ferb while doing RVing full time!
15. Become Well organized
* Organize and set aside any item which fell off shelves and drawers when you were RVing.
* Pick-up your unclean outfits on your bed room floor and then place them in the hamper (in our full time RV the hamper is underneath the bathroom sink through a awesome secret trap door).If you do this without having to be requested, Dad and mom would be very happy!
Oh yeah, another thing: when you are full time RVing, don't be reluctant to ask for help when you are in the RV park. RV folks are really welcoming and will happy to assist you - so ask them for assistance.
And that's how you will set up the RV at the campsite when RVing full time cross-country!
To learn more about RVing Full Time, click here to get more information on how to RV full time.
Everyone goes online and we weren't able to find a great Motorhome setup guidelines just about anywhere. So we made a thirteen step checklist to help you setup your own Motor home when you go to a camping area. We will feature steps 7-13 in this posting.
7. Connect the Electric
* Withdraw the electrical cord from your electrical hole. If ever the electric cord won't reach you must have 30-Amp RV Extension Cable as a back up. It really stinks to park your RV and the cord is not going to reach the electric outlet!
* Next, open up the electric package, guantee that the actual circuit breaker switch is in the off position then hook up the electrical power cord.
* Lastly, turn the circuit breaker change to the on position.
8. Slide Out the Slideouts
* It is simple! Simply press the switches in each room per slideout and the slideout should go out.
9. Let Mom Inside!
* Open up the entrance door for her and allow her to go into the RV. She'll be thrilled!
10. Hook Up the Water
* Take out the water hose and then screw it in to the water input valve of the RV.
* Position the water levers in the "on" or "town water" position.
* After that activate the water from your RV campsite.
11. Hook Up the Sewer
* Connect your RV Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fittings towards the gray water tank output drain. And then affix to the campsite sewer drain.
12. Roll out the Awning ( if required)
* Click the awning switch till the awning is all the way out. Then pick up one side of the awning then pull it down around 6 in. lower than the opposite side of the awning*.
* Tighten up the screws on the awning pole till its already tight. Then tighten up the awning screws on the opposite side so each side are secure.
*We all recommend you accomplish this to make sure that whenever it rains, the rainwater will drain off the awning and so not at all gather on the awning itself. It stops rain water from breaking the awning!
13. Place Down the RV Patio area Pad
* To help keep dirt and pests and stuff put of the RV, place down a big rug, artificial turf or exactly what we recommend would be the RV Patio Mat such as the one we've got. It folds and is nice to perform whittling on too.
* Put this on to the ground right on the outside of the RV and spread it out in-front of the RV doorstep.
14. Put Up the Antenna
* Go into the RV and crank up the TV antennae so that you can sit back and watch Phineas and Ferb while doing RVing full time!
15. Become Well organized
* Organize and set aside any item which fell off shelves and drawers when you were RVing.
* Pick-up your unclean outfits on your bed room floor and then place them in the hamper (in our full time RV the hamper is underneath the bathroom sink through a awesome secret trap door).If you do this without having to be requested, Dad and mom would be very happy!
Oh yeah, another thing: when you are full time RVing, don't be reluctant to ask for help when you are in the RV park. RV folks are really welcoming and will happy to assist you - so ask them for assistance.
And that's how you will set up the RV at the campsite when RVing full time cross-country!
To learn more about RVing Full Time, click here to get more information on how to RV full time.
Information on how to Hook Up A Motorhome When RVing Full Time, Part 1
One of the things that we seriously desired when RVing fulltime is some sort of check-list that stated the basic steps you need to do whenever you setup your Recreational vehicle at the Motorhome campground.
We all went on the web and we couldn't find a very good Recreational vehicle setup check-list anywhere. Therefore we created a 13 step check-list to assist you to setup your own Mobile home when you arrive at a campsite. We'll cover steps 1-7 on this page.
1. Park the Rv
* This might seem to be kind of self evident, but you need to park the Motorhome so that the electricity, drinking water and sewer hookups are on the same side as their particular hookups.
2. Level the Mobile home
* Walk inside the Recreational vehicle and take out your level and consequently measure how level the Rv is actually. In the event that the Mobile home is level then proceed to step three.
* If it's not level, then simply get some good 2x10 lumber cut to about 12 inches in length and set them right behind the wheels on the side of the Motorhome that is lower than the other.
* Next back up the Motorhome so that it lands on the boards. It helps to have a spotter near the tires accompanied by a radio.
* As required, increase and adjust the 2x10s so that the Recreational vehicle is level.
3. Chock the Motor home Tires
* Set something ahead of and at the rear of the Mobile home wheels that will prevent your fifth wheel from moving. We highly recommend the plastic chocks since they perform so effectively.
* Blocks of lumber or stones work as well, however , you definitely don't want to be worried about the Motorhome moving so get hold of some really good chocks because they do not cost much.
4. Place Down the Forward Stabilizers
* First, release the stabilizer supports on your stabilizers.
* Then place extra 2x10 pieces immediately under the stabilizers and extend the stabilizers midway.
* After that tug and drop the Mobile home stabilizer feet above the 2x10 blocks, restore the pins then touch the extend switch until the Motorhome starts to elevate off the back of the pickup hitch a little bit.
* Watch for a sliver of sunshine between the Recreational vehicle hitch and the Mobile home itself. After that tighten the stabilizer supports and make certain things are steady and secure.
5. Place Down the Back Stabilizers
* Just like the front stabilizers, set down the back stabilizers until eventually they practically get to the ground. Place extra 2x10s beneath the feet and after that totally extend the stabilizers.
* The more 2x10s you have beneath the rear stabilizers, the more stable and less rocky the Recreational vehicle is going to be. Generally I put it seven or eight of these beneath the feet so it will be extremely tight. If you do this along with the stabilizer supports, the Motorhome will be as rock solid as home.
* When the feet are completely lowered, firm up your stabilizer supports until the complete stabilizer structure remains safe and secure.
6. Detach your truck from the Mobile home
* You need to see daylight between your hitch on the pickup truck as well as the hitch plate on your fifth wheel Recreational vehicle, after that pull out hitch pin.
* Should the pin gets jammed, shift the truck into Neutral. This process lessens the pressure on the hitch pin so you can discharge it much more easily.
* When the pin is released, disconnect your electrical power line along with the emergency braking system stop.
In our next blog post, we'll complete the step by step list, so watch out for that next.
To learn more about RVing Full Time, click here to get more information on how to RV full time.
We all went on the web and we couldn't find a very good Recreational vehicle setup check-list anywhere. Therefore we created a 13 step check-list to assist you to setup your own Mobile home when you arrive at a campsite. We'll cover steps 1-7 on this page.
1. Park the Rv
* This might seem to be kind of self evident, but you need to park the Motorhome so that the electricity, drinking water and sewer hookups are on the same side as their particular hookups.
2. Level the Mobile home
* Walk inside the Recreational vehicle and take out your level and consequently measure how level the Rv is actually. In the event that the Mobile home is level then proceed to step three.
* If it's not level, then simply get some good 2x10 lumber cut to about 12 inches in length and set them right behind the wheels on the side of the Motorhome that is lower than the other.
* Next back up the Motorhome so that it lands on the boards. It helps to have a spotter near the tires accompanied by a radio.
* As required, increase and adjust the 2x10s so that the Recreational vehicle is level.
3. Chock the Motor home Tires
* Set something ahead of and at the rear of the Mobile home wheels that will prevent your fifth wheel from moving. We highly recommend the plastic chocks since they perform so effectively.
* Blocks of lumber or stones work as well, however , you definitely don't want to be worried about the Motorhome moving so get hold of some really good chocks because they do not cost much.
4. Place Down the Forward Stabilizers
* First, release the stabilizer supports on your stabilizers.
* Then place extra 2x10 pieces immediately under the stabilizers and extend the stabilizers midway.
* After that tug and drop the Mobile home stabilizer feet above the 2x10 blocks, restore the pins then touch the extend switch until the Motorhome starts to elevate off the back of the pickup hitch a little bit.
* Watch for a sliver of sunshine between the Recreational vehicle hitch and the Mobile home itself. After that tighten the stabilizer supports and make certain things are steady and secure.
5. Place Down the Back Stabilizers
* Just like the front stabilizers, set down the back stabilizers until eventually they practically get to the ground. Place extra 2x10s beneath the feet and after that totally extend the stabilizers.
* The more 2x10s you have beneath the rear stabilizers, the more stable and less rocky the Recreational vehicle is going to be. Generally I put it seven or eight of these beneath the feet so it will be extremely tight. If you do this along with the stabilizer supports, the Motorhome will be as rock solid as home.
* When the feet are completely lowered, firm up your stabilizer supports until the complete stabilizer structure remains safe and secure.
6. Detach your truck from the Mobile home
* You need to see daylight between your hitch on the pickup truck as well as the hitch plate on your fifth wheel Recreational vehicle, after that pull out hitch pin.
* Should the pin gets jammed, shift the truck into Neutral. This process lessens the pressure on the hitch pin so you can discharge it much more easily.
* When the pin is released, disconnect your electrical power line along with the emergency braking system stop.
In our next blog post, we'll complete the step by step list, so watch out for that next.
To learn more about RVing Full Time, click here to get more information on how to RV full time.
Monday, June 27, 2011
How to RV Full-time
So what's full-time RVing about?
For that first few days, living in an RV full time is exciting, new and amazing. You’re moving around on the wide open road, experiencing completely new locations, escaping the trappings of the ordinary world, it’s 100 % excellent…
Just after, you then begin thinking: "Just how are we possibly going to reside in a location under 200 sq ft, along with two children, a pair of adults with full time careers and also see one or two sights along the way?"
It may look kind of evident, however with fulltime RVing, a lot of things change. Some other adjustments people thinking about RVing full-time may not think about may include:
• Washing laundry:
In the event that you’re looking at getting a motorhome with a washer clothes dryer hookup, don’t make the effort, they are an utter waste of cash. Should you decide to go down that path, your laundry washing will require triple the length of time it will if you got an rv without one.
The fact is that the majority Mobile home parks have washer/dryers on site and though it is expensive to do it, the machines are generally larger and can fit in much more clothing.
The great part regarding doing laundry is the fact getting away from the Motorhome for an 60 minutes or more is really a welcome change and unexpectedly relaxing. And in case you've got a fifth wheel, grab your notebook and just go look for a laundromat.
• Shopping for Food:
In every single community, there is a brand new food shopping adventure awaiting you. Each and every grocery store will have a totally different configuration and if you’re a man that refuses to ask for guidance (present company omitted naturally), you’ll quite possibly be roaming aimlessly down and up aisle after aisle looking for the wife's feminine products.
Back home, you might write out your grocery store list by aisle in order to save time, however, when RVing full time, anticipate additional time prompting the store personnel where nearly everything on your shopping list is. Be sure you take a pen to write down aisle numbers.
• Internet Connectivity:
In the event that you’re living in an rv fulltime and still need to work, the chances are very good that you’ll require a stable internet connection not only to keep in touch with relatives and buddies but your work assignments too.
So when you’re setting up your journey, ensure that the Motorhome campsite offers sound Internet connectivity. Don’t simply consent to “yeah of course we have it” as a possible response. Get tough, probe them for megabytes and download data transfer rates.
Just in case, always have your wireless cards to provide a back up to be safe. I advocate getting one from at least 2 service providers, to be safe.
• Work time:
In the event you or even your wife or husband (or both) have full time jobs when RVing fulltime, do yourself a huge favor and simply arrange work time the day before, in order that you each get the time required in order to get your business done. Generally the best times to undertake your business will definitely be at nighttime or in the early morning to make sure at least the bare minimum gets done.
This kind of routine is also a smart use of time to enable you to discover the sights, see close friends and really relish your time RVing during the day time. It’s not so nice on the sleep deprivation end of things however. Hey, there has to be some type of price to pay for all this location independence, correct?
Nevertheless, there are many components of living in a motorhome full-time you'll want to examine before you make the decision to do it. Even so, if in spite of these small-scale concerns, you're still serious about going for it, the concept of RVing fulltime may well be a great notion to think about for you and your family members.
To learn more about RVing full time, visit our blog on how to RV full time.
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