Four Years Ago Today, We Decided to Go Full Time

I'd like to bring the new readers up to date and the followers a reminder how far we've come in our four years of deciding to go full time in a little box on wheels. To look back on the very first blog about the why.

It started with another fulltimer that was showing us his rig and putting water in the tanks, preparing to get some maintenance done and overall showing of his 5th wheel. I had come to conclusion Jim would never go fulltime and didn't think much about it. As we were walking away, he said that sounds like a good idea. I stopped and just stared at him, already the excitement was starting. We told no one for several months. We decided at the time that 2012 would be our target date.

First, we hit all the RV shows around the area. Second, we went to everything we could find on the internet about RV's and the types and what they cost and a budget that would be close to ours. Third, we started to get rid of our "stuff". In about a year we had figured out the difference between 5th wheel, MH, and trailer, and a good idea on which one we wanted.

The Second year, we had a car crash and totalled our Lexus. That was a turning point on getting a small truck to get use to it. We didn't do much the whole year except sell more stuff. It's easy to get rid of things you never use. Things that are pretty much out of sight like in an attic or the storage shed. There were boxes we've never opened since we got out of the military so that was the first to go.

The third year, we got the GMC 3500 dually. It was almost to the very day of our anniversary of deciding fulltime. Jim found a really good deal on the used truck that had very few miles on it. We jumped at the chance of getting it. This year was a turning point for us. It's 2008 and in June we went to the RV-Dreams.com rally in Branson, MO. With the help of Linda & Howard Payne, which I had been following their blog since middle of 2006, we learned we didn't have to wait till 2012. Now to step up the pace. Sell more and get the condo ready to sell. We were elated that it could be sooner then planned.

This is now the fourth year. We put our condo up for sale in April, sold it in September. We moved to an apartment across the street so we would have a place to transition and sell more stuff while we're still working. We ordered our 5er and it was due TODAY, exactly four years from the time we decided to take the plunge. The RV is going to be late, they can't get some parts from the manufacturing companies. It's all worked out to the very day we thought about planning our new adventure so we KNOW it's to be. We'll get to see the kids a lot more and see friends that are located all over the USA.

We've sold or have given stuff away. We still have more to toss, but most of that we need for working. I'll be quitting when we get the RV and Jim will quit work in January/February. We're looking forward to an RV-Dreams get together in Rockport, TX for all of March then over to South Carolina for another RV-Dreams rally.

For those thinking of going fulltime, the internet will be the tool for you. Check every forum, clubs, like Escapees and Good Sams which we became members of three years ago. Go to every RV dealership you can find. We also went to Hershey, PA for their big RV showing which helped in knowing what to get. We talked to full timers and met several RV'ers coming through our area.

It won't be long you'll be able to follow the transition from the apartment to the RV. It's now year four and we're ready to go.

Working days to quit work 20 (or less)
This countdown is only for WORKING days.