O RV Park, O RV park,
Your football fans have pulled out.
O RV Park, O RV park,
Your football fans have pulled out.
For four whole months you raised your rates,
Now season's gone and you have space.
O RV Park, O RV park,
Your football fans have pulled out.
O RV Park, O RV park,
You are our winter haven;
O RV Park, O RV park,
You are our winter haven.
Though sometimes frozen nights await,
It's better than a northern state!
O RV Park, O RV park,
You are our winter haven!
O RV Park, O RV park,
We wish your pool was heated.
O RV Park, O RV park,
We wish your pool was heated.
We think it would improve our stay,
Because the beach is far away.
O RV Park, O RV park,
We wish your pool was heated!
Not every day is going to be bright and sunny when you're living in the RV. Having gone through a fair share of storms ourselves, here's a few tips that can hopefully help you out so you aren't finding things to be too awful.
First thing's first: Preparation is the key. With some things like tornadoes, you're not going to have this luxury. However with floods and hurricanes, you will. Take stock of the environment around you. If you're in a heavily wooded area, the risk is higher that a tree will fall and take out your rig, which sadly happened to at least one couple we met near the time of writing this. If it's more open, the only debris you might meet are the things left out by the neighbors, which may not be so bad. However, follow the paths and get an idea of where the storm is going to go. If the brunt is going to hit you head on, you may want to pack it up and leave. Remember that your house is on wheels, so you have that ability. Just be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to account for heavy traffic and potentially higher fuel prices.
You've now decided to stay, whether by your choice or not. The next step is easy: Act like you're going to boondock for a few days. Fill the fresh tank, have a good amount of propane (and diesel/gas if you have an on-board generator), and charge the extra batteries. The extra weight from the fresh tank should help to stabilize your rig a little bit, albeit not as much as a house. During one storm with our tiny Jayco, we ended up using picnic tables to keep it from rocking too much. Should you lose power, remember that your refrigerator and hot water heater should be able to run with propane. Just remember that any heater, whether for water or climate, is going to be the big drain on your fuel, so use it sparingly. It also goes without saying, but make sure to retract your awning. That's usually the first to go if it's extended.
Everything's passed, and the aftermath now begins. Hopefully you remembered that the grocery stores won't have any perishable product for a while, and even the Waffle House is going to close. As for fuel, one thing we noticed is that, if you have a diesel vehicle and were able to procure a fleet card, the truck stops aren't going to see too much of a difference in demand, so use that to your advantage and bypass the long lines for the auto pumps that extend to the highway. If you tow as opposed to using a motor home, you might be able to work with some of the local charities that are trying to deliver supplies.
Your Internal Compass might bring you to a spot that won't have the best weather, but if it does, a little bit of preparation will help you get through the storm.
If you're a full-time RVer, you may notice that your laundry bill becomes quite exorbitant, even in some of the more "economical" places. Never fear, there's a fix for that.
One of our newer gadgets that has certainly helped us is a portable washing machine. At first, we weren't really able to use it because of the size of our 2009 Jay Flight trailer, as we weren't even able to store it very well. Fast forward to the new rig, and it's finally having some use. We still don't have a dedicated space for it, as it's not meant to be used outdoors, and the only place with a relatively usable water and drain source is our bathroom sink and shower respectively. Still, through a winter of no full laundry services and the nearest laundromat about half an hour away, it's served us well.
If you've never seen these portable washing machines, they're fairly easy to use. One side will have a "wash" cycle, while the other will have a "spin" cycle. Usually you'll hook up a water hose from a faucet to the machine, and then there's a drain pipe that runs out. The actual load capacities do run on the smaller side, so you'll need to do several loads with possibly a couple rounds worth of spins. Also remember that it is illegal in many jurisdictions (and not a good idea in the first place with all the detergent chemicals) to dump grey water onto the ground, so make sure you're letting it out in the tub or shower and emptying your grey tank properly. Once you have your clothes washed, either use a line to dry if it's permitted (most private campgrounds don't allow this), a rack in your rig, or take it to a service at a much lower cost. Just make sure if you do use a laundromat, they don't have an issue with you only drying, as there was one where we were in South Dakota that insisted you do both there for profit reasons.
With our laundry system, we've been trying to figure out ways to improve the situation. We've thought about potentially building a platform for the machine so the drain pipe can sit above the lip of the shower and we don't have to pick up the machine to drain the water. It shouldn't be that difficult; perhaps something akin to when we built stairs for the old rig. Some of the newer, larger RVs will come with laundry hookups or even washer/dryer combos themselves. Without hookups or access, that isn't really an option, but you can always put it on the wish list for the next one. We're still beholden to using larger machines for most of the bedding, so we're always on the lookout for the best deals, which are starting to become few and far between.
So don't let the laundry get in the way of your Internal Compass. Grab a portable washing machine and continue to enjoy life on the road!
Even when you live on the road, both of the "sure things" in life still exist, with one of them being taxes. More specifically, the income type.
We've discussed previously some tax advantages that exist when you establish domicile in an income-tax-free state. As of the time this is written, the states without a state income tax are Alaska, Washington, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, South Dakota, Florida, and Tennessee. Although New Hampshire does not charge tax on earned income, it does with unearned income (i.e. dividends and interest). The state where you establish domicile is going to cover bank interest, stock dividends, and capital gains, with each being a nice tidy supplement. But maybe you're wanting to work on the road, whether it's at the place you're staying, or somewhere in town. In addition to the federal rates, you may end up with another bill on your hands, so be ready for additional paperwork if you work in a state that wasn't listed.
Regardless of what state you're in, it's important to understand, and is a good idea to ask during the interview process, how you are being paid if you're workamping for salary. Are you receiving a W-2 as an employee, or are you receiving (or at least SHOULD be receiving) a 1099 as a self-employed contractor? This makes a big difference, because if it's the latter, you're going to be responsible for paying the entirety of Social Security and Medicare taxes, which is above 15%. If you receive a W-2, these are typically deducted as a "payroll tax" (look for FICA on the pay stub), of which the employer and employee both pay half, so if you're self-employed, you can deduct half from the adjusted gross income. An important note about these taxes is that they are due not only on April 15th, but also every quarter. You'll want to get familiar with Schedule C, Schedule SE, and the 1040-ES for estimated payments, but be careful not to get too "cheeky" with the deductions, because they might not be business related. If you've overpaid throughout the previous year, you can hold some or all of the refund as a prepayment for next year, which will help to offset these costs for at least part of the first quarter.
While we're on the subject of "every quarter", it's actually a good idea to reconcile your income generated at the end of each quarter: March 31st, May 31st, August 31st, and December 31st. Those middle two dates are intentional. Remember that 15 days after each of the aforementioned, taxes are due. When you're a full-time RVer, you're going to find that your rate of income could wildly change throughout the year. If this wild change puts you at a point where you're going to have to pay penalties, having these reconciliations will help you. You are able to reduce penalties based on an extrapolated income you would have made if what you did for the given period remained the same throughout the year. To figure this out, multiply quarter 1 by 4, quarter 2 by 2.4, and quarter 3 by 1.5 (now you see why those two weird dates are a month early).
As a quick disclaimer: The information provided may or may not be accurate as of the time you read this, so it's best to consult with a tax professional before making any sort of financial decisions. They'll make sure you're doing well when you Follow your Internal Compass.
For some people who personally know at least one of us, full-time RVing would be the last thing you'd expect us to do. This is something we've seen when talking with other couples as well: One wants to sit at home with the IT job and just do gaming, while the other wants to live in the RV. But how would you ever consider actually going on the road with a life like that?
The most important mindset to have about full-time RVing is that it's all about wanting to travel and see the country. We've always had this in mind, and is ironically why we first started going together all those many years ago. She likes to road-trip but hates being behind the wheel, while he likes to drive on road trips. It only seems natural to want to head out into the vastness of the good ol' USA. Full-time RVing doesn't have to be seen as your traditional camping trip anymore, although you can certainly make it that if you want it to be. You could be a hobby gamer and live in an RV these days if you really wanted to, as well as telecommute your job, have all the basic comforts that a traditional house or apartment would have, and the only thing that really changes is what you see outside your window every now and then.
For us wanting to do the whole full-time RV thing, it's actually been years in the making. Although we both grew up not too far from each other and still have connections to those areas, we weren't necessarily the happiest with our region; we simply tolerated it. In fact, we almost started the adventure five years before we actually did. It's a bit of an interesting story, where his job was considering the possibility of everyone working remotely. Unfortunately, the high-ups believed that people working remotely wouldn't actually do their jobs, so the idea was nixed. If it had panned out, we'd have already been on the road, probably testing out some of the latest technologies of the day, but alas, we'll never know. Fast forward a few years, and the disillusion with the region, coupled with the settling of certain affairs, reached a point where the opportunity to escape presented itself, so we took it.
So the next time one of the Internal Compasses wants to take you on the road, don't rule it out because someone is a home-body. There's something for everyone out here.
As you spend a bit of time living on the road, you begin to figure out what does and doesn't work. Along the way, we've picked up a few things that should help us.
First thing where we've found some great use is with milk crates. Before going into this one, a little disclaimer is necessary: The bottling companies own the milk crates that you see in grocery stores, so don't be going out and stealing those. There are places where you can buy them, and at a fairly reasonable price for what they do. You might be used to seeing four 1-gallon jugs in those square milk crates, but did you notice it can perfectly fit both a 20 and a 30 pound propane tank? If you don't want to spend the time ratcheting them down (although we recommend you do), the solid base of the milk crate prevents easy tipping, while you safely transport the tanks from your local filling station. They also make for great braces if you need to hold something up.
One of the biggest things we've figured out during some of our trips is that you can't necessarily trust the quality of the water where you happen to be staying, even if you're using the RV and marine filters. We've seen moldy hoses, even our entire piping system going orange from iron deposits. Sadly, one of the regular expenses that is therefore difficult to avoid is drinking water. We've tried the packs of bottles for a while, but that doesn't quite work out well, especially when taking trash into account, so we've found a pump that can be put on top of the dispenser bottles you see in offices, and that has given us the ability to use drinking water. Refills are also easily available across the country, and if there's a decent source, we could always bring the jugs with us.
If you're like us, you probably find yourself staying at a number of state parks. Campgrounds built by the Corps of Engineers are still on the bucket list as of the time of writing this, but they typically have one thing in common: Lack of sewer hookup. If you're only staying for a couple of days, this isn't so bad, but any longer and you'll need to dump. When you have a larger rig, packing it all up to hit the dump station isn't practical. Enter into the picture: A 42-gallon waste tank. We found one where we can hook this to the back of our truck, fill it up, and take it to the dump station. Even if you happen to have a typical sedan or a golf cart, so long as you have a tow hookup, it should work as well. You'll need to make sure you're able to tow at least 500 pounds, as a gallon of water weighs a little over 8 pounds, and it isn't exactly all that fun walking one of these full of your black tank up a hill, even when it's on wheels.
So as we Follow our Internal Compass, we're still finding ways to make our lives more efficient and versatile. Who knows what we'll find next...
Come, they told me, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum:
The black tank to empty, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum.
Out towards the valve to pull, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
But found the hose was full, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum,
rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum;
Hooking is the test, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
To the new drum...
Spurting out it came, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
I'll never be the same, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum.
I pulled the valve and vent, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
And in the drum it went, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum,
rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum...
Filling to the top, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
Mess will come.
Driving to the dump, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
And I just hit a bump, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum.
The drum, it got a flat, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
So I'll need to fix that, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum,
rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum...
Emptied out the stuff, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum;
Down to one....
Where did we go for trip 15? Nowhere!
Instead, a new trip has been "started" because the 2009 Jayco Jay Flight has been sold. It served well as a home for a couple of years, and was a good way to get our feet wet with living full-time in the RV. Not to mention, with the truck we were able to find, it was just about all we could pull, and was questionable even at that. Unfortunately for various reasons, it was not going to be able to suit us any longer, and so it's time to make like William DeVries and change to a different heart.
Enter heart number two for Freedom Rolling, a 2013 Keystone Cougar 318SAB. It's a good thing that we picked up a new soul able to take on a Fifth Wheel, because this one IS a Fifth Wheel. It's nearly 35 feet in total length with three slideouts, yet still accessible should we need to stay in a truck stop. We're up to 50 amp plugs now, so we say goodbye to the under-powered generator. There were a few modifications made before purchasing, such as a table-and-chair dinette group along with some larger recliners that make packing up a little more awkward, but we will certainly have a chance to make this our own.
So keep reading as we Follow Our Internal Compass in our new heart to many new places across this country.
Whether or not you're in the market, all full-time RVers have, at one point or another, started looking at other models, and have asked themselves that proverbial question: What do I actually want in a rig? Here at Freedom Rolling, we're no exception.
The first thing we consider is the year and size. Those big honkers may be all nice and fancy, but if you're going to be spending time in publicly owned parks or some open spot in the middle of nowhere, you're going to want a rig on the smaller side. A maximum of 40 feet is what the parks usually advertise, but about 30 feet or less is a good target. Even in the private sector, the smaller the rig, the easier of a time you'll have getting into almost any site, especially if a power pole is right next to it. While we're on size, weight is a very important factor. You need to be able to safely move the RV. Give yourself a couple thousand pounds of leeway for what your truck is rated, otherwise you may find yourself with suspension issues. The year of the vehicle can also be important, especially if you want to stay at private parks. Most have a "10-year rule" for RVs, where if your rig is more than 10 years old, they don't want you there unless you obtain special permission. Newer is not always better, though, as there was a period from 2020 to 2022 where rigs were very cheaply made in order to satisfy a demand, and some of those are already falling apart as of the time the article is written.
Enough about the outside; most of us who "window shop" want what's on the inside. Definitely start with counter space in the kitchen, because you'll likely have a slow cooker there almost every day. Can you fit that? Once that's done, consider the dining area. Is a desk important for you, or can you live with clogging up your dinner table with electronics and other activities? Going between the two, can you live with something akin to Jon Taffer's famous "butt funnel", or do you need a slide to give yourself some more room? Go room by room, and figure out what you want. Do you want a traditional bed, or is a bunk OK? How tall do you want the shower to be? Do you want a fireplace, or can you live with regular HVAC? How about how your refrigerator and water heater run? How do you get from place to place inside the rig? How much power and propane is all of this going to take, too?
Every single thing has its importance, and it's up to each of us to balance what we want, and what we're able to do in terms of both desire and cost. Sometimes, you're only able to find a truck that can pull a minimal amount, so you need a tiny rig. That's OK when you're starting out, because it's more manageable, and you can actually experience everything you want without being overwhelmed. Once you understand the joys of being out here full-time, then you can branch out and start to check off more of your wants. Nothing will be absolutely 100% perfect, there's always things that change as you go along.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, be on the lookout for different things in a RV that may work for you.
So you've arrived at your workamping gig for the next six months, possibly after traveling a thousand miles or more. Your ideal first step after setting up is one you may not like, but is necessary.
One of the most important expectations that they don't tell you in the job description, whether you're a camp host, store clerk, or something where you are in the public eye, is that you are an ambassador for the area you're staying. In order to provide the best experience for those who visit, especially in a bit of a "tourist trap", you need to know the area around you like it was the back of your hand. Take a drive around and know where everything is. Who offers what? Even if it's something that you sell where you are, always have a plan B ready. They might have to go somewhere else once, but they'll likely return once your place has restocked.
It's not just the private organizations you need to know, but also some of the public regulations. If you have a golf cart, are you going to be able to drive it around? Where are overflow visitors able to park and not park? Maybe you have some lakes or rivers near you; what are the fishing regulations in that area? Ages for licenses, license costs, and available stock are the most common questions, along with keep limits. You've probably planned this location months in advance, so you can always do a little research before you arrive. It might be a good alternative to constantly asking the question, "Are we there yet?"
If you're in a tourist trap, it's not just the local area you need to know, but the region as a whole. More often than not, someone is going to ask you how to get somewhere, and if you're in a remote area, it could even be a couple of states away. This is where being a full-time RVer is actually an advantage. You're already going to know how to get around, including truck routes. You may have even taken a trip where they want to go previously. Bank on that knowledge. And if you don't know it, it's a good idea to learn, because you'll probably use it for your next trip.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, enhance it with the knowledge of what is around you when you reach your destination.
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