Wanna be van dweller

[vanella]

Hello, I'm preparing to embark on a new journey (60th birthday present to myself). I'm currently in Toronto, Ontario and plan to make my way down to Arizona in Nov/Dec '16 in an empty cargo van. I plan to customize the van (in time) and I'll need LOTS of stuff: solar, electrical, insulation etc. etc. Since it'll be cold in T.O., I'm hopping to do some of that work in Arizona. I'm wondering if I should buy anything (like generator, solar panels) in Canada before I leave.

Thank you so much for wonder and useful information.

 

[jimindenver]

Solar is much less expensive in the US, batteries too I believe.

 

[Almost There]

Welcome to the forum first off!!

As a fellow Cdn and resident of the Near North Ontario it's a special welcome....

And the answer to your question - Hell NO!

Buy only what you absolutely cannot get on the road without. There's not a single thing that you need to have in a van that is not at least 40% less expensive (f not cheaper) once you cross the border.

If there is stuff that you need right now, do some cross border window shopping aka Amazon.com as compared to Amazon.ca and check your pricing or do a Home Depot window shopping at your local store and compare prices on Home Depot. com.

You could always do a weekend camping trip across the border (Gananoque is great for this) and pick up parcels at the Kinekpoint receiver on Wellesley Island for $5.00 a parcel. After 48 hours in the US you each have a duty free allowance of $800.00.

If you decide to go this route, PM me and I'll give you specific pointers on how to safely and easily do your border crossings.

 

[cyndi]

Isn't everything but health care less expensive in the US?

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard Vanella !
I would very much prefer working on anything where it is warm opposed to COLD !!!!!!

 

[SUV_RVing]

Sounds like a great plan! Where in Arizona will you be?

 

[Almost There]

Isn't everything but health care less expensive in the US?

Haha, IMO even health care is more expensive here! You either pay for it up front with doctors' bills and health insurance or you do like we do and pay for it in our humongous tax burden and in the pitiful care one encounters when you do need care!! Don't be getting me started on that high horse of mine about the state of our  health care system here....

I know, off topic but Cyndi started it...blame her.....

 

[vanella]

Sounds like a great plan! Where in Arizona will you be?

Hi, I'm not quite sure where I'll end up. I'm totally new to this. I like the idea of  the rv gathering in Quartzsite in Jan. Beyond that, I think I would like to ease in by staying at campgrounds first, work on the van and then ..... travel, visit places.

Do you have any suggestions?

Ella

 

[cyndi]

Ella, I'll place money on your finding yourself in Quartzsite and then deciding to stay with the tribe, in Southern AZand SW until the weather turns warm and they begin to head North and for higher altitudes. Even then you may want to stay with the parts of the tribe that travel loosely together. At least for awhile!

 

[rvpopeye]

Cyndi
I'm not taking that bet !

 

[Almost There]

Me neither!!

Once people get to know us it's hard to drive away from us all.....