Just Getting Started

JTenterprises · Sep 8, 2021

We are a couple in our 60s, and I've found myself doing what I said I'd never do: hang on for retirement, so we're ready for something new. We are open to any ideas about getting started (we have 2 vehicles but no camper or motorhome. We'd like to hear from others, mostly about how you got started. We live in Florida, and, if we can help it, we'll never spend another sweaty summer here or anywhere else that is brutally hot. We both despise cold too, so our best bet is to snowbird it. I'm looking forward to hearing from others about how they got started, and, kind of a step-by-step process on how to make this happen.

RvDreams · Sep 8, 2021

Welcome JTenterprises to the CRVL forums! Start looking for what you want to travel in or with. Start saving and downsizing while you wait. You can't take it all with you

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

JDelete · Sep 8, 2021

As has been mentioned, start downsizing. It is amazing how much useless stuff one can gather and collect over a lifetime. At first it might be difficult to emotionally let go of stuff but once you get into a new mindset, it is liberating. Except for a few pieces of furniture which I will sell on a yard sale at some point, I now have all my possessions down to what can fit in my 4Runner (and still have room to sleep in it) and a 5 * 8 Uhaul trailer. My goal is to reduce that even more. If I had to do so, I could pack up and leave any time and put the one trailer load in storage someplace.

Start taking some exploratory trips for a week or so to see just what you need and what you don't. My first trip out for three weeks I soon realized I brought along a lot of stuff I never used and didn't need—it just got in the way. There were a few things I realized I should have brought but those items were much less than the stuff I should have not taken along.

Food—forget about having the well stocked kitchen with every cooking item known to humanity. Yes, we like to eat well but there are ways to do that with very few kitchen utensils. You can start figuring this out at home by pretending you are out camping—think in terms of least amount of pots and pans, dishwashing, etc. I found I do just fine with one 3 quart pot, one small frying pan, a coffee mug, and a regular cup I use for oatmeal. A fork and a spoon completes the setup.

Instead of frying eggs all the time, hard boiled eggs work just as well for me. A dozen hardboiled eggs in my small fridge is 5 or 6 days worth of egg eating. No muss, no fuss, no dishes to wash.

The key is exploratory trips to refine your system so it works for you. Then when you head out for good, you will have worked the bugs out of your system.

jacqueg · Sep 8, 2021

JTenterprises said:
We are a couple in our 60s, and I've found myself doing what I said I'd never do: hang on for retirement, so we're ready for something new. We are open to any ideas about getting started (we have 2 vehicles but no camper or motorhome. We'd like to hear from others, mostly about how you got started. We live in Florida, and, if we can help it, we'll never spend another sweaty summer here or anywhere else that is brutally hot. We both despise cold too, so our best bet is to snowbird it. I'm looking forward to hearing from others about how they got started, and, kind of a step-by-step process on how to make this happen.

Start camping right now, with the vehicle you have and the stuff you have. You'll find out very quickly whether camping is for you, and more specifically, what kind of camping you really like. Plenty of YouTube vids out there for camping newbies.

If camping isn't for you - and if it isn't, it just isn't - there are other ways to meet your goal of living in moderate temps year-round. One is to find two RV resorts, one in an area where you'd live to live in the summer, and one for winter living. You can buy/rent a lot in each, then travel between them.

MrsBackRoads · Sep 8, 2021

JanaBanana has some good advice. Watch videos, and gather basic camping gear. You probably have some of what you need in your house. Bedding, kitchen stuff, maybe a camp chair in your garage? Ice chest?? Once you see what you have you can “practice “ without spending a ton of cash. Go camping!! Because one thing I have learned while I roam around small towns is being a nomad is full time CAMPING! This is NOT a bad thing, don’t get me wrong. I say this because what I decide to tote around with me may not be what you decide to carry in your rig. The only way to learn what “gear” you consider essential is to go out and practice. Have fun doing that. It’s all about the memories.

GypsyJan · Sep 8, 2021

Welcome, Fellow Floridians:

I, too, am hanging on til retirement and also plan to be a snow bird, but will remain east of the Mississippi, hoping to be around the Great Lakes and Canada during summers and back in Florida for winters.

Use your weekends for exploring within FL/GA/AL and vacations for longer road trips. This will let you figure out what works best for you. I tweak my rig every time I camp. I shamelessly steal ideas as I travel and from online sources. Why reinvent the wheel, LOL.