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Travel Resources > Full Timing
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Guest Author: Kimberly & Jerry Peterson
Do you have to live in your RV all year long to be a full timer? Are you still considered a full-timer if you only spend several months in your RV and the rest of your time in your other  home? Could you also live in a tent and still be a full-timer? How about if you live in a home or RV provided by the campground, are you still a full-timer? What truly defines you as a full-timer?
During conversations with others in the many different RV parks and campgrounds that we visit, this topic has come up several times and with each person we get a different response. Some believe they are full-timers when under other definitions they are actually “Snowbirds”. They have a house in the eastern part of the States but travel south or west to stay in their RV in the winter months, some drive their rigs back and forth, others leave them at their winter locations all year-round. Are they full-timers or just Snowbirds?
We believe we are full-timers because our RV is our only home, we live in it year-round. But does that mean when we took the job in Minnesota and had to live in the residence provided that we were no longer full-timers? Some people say that for that time we were not full-timers, is that true?
Full-timing is not a new lifestyle…in fact it dates back many years. The difference was years ago this lifestyle had many other names for it and many people did not want to be associated with these types. This lifestyle was not deemed in a good light and most terms that were used were used in a derogatory way. Gypsies, was a term used when referring to travelers in general which was inaccurately used according to many of the online dictionaries. When the word is capitalized it is defined as, “a member of a traditionally itinerant people who originated in northern India and now live chiefly in south and southwest Asia, Europe, and North America”. When the word is used in lowercase it is defined as, “a person that has a traditionally ascribed freedom or inclination to move from place to place.”
 Vagabonds was also a term used and is characterized by traveling, lacking a fixed home, abode, or residence. Vagabonds is not one of the worse terms used as defining this lifestyle, other words such as being called homeless, bums, tramps, rogues or hobos had been used for many years describing a person living this way. The terms are really getting friendlier ever since the “Baby Boomers” have headed out into this lifestyle and living on the road. Also, there are many younger folks, as we are that are not waiting for retirement and instead head out on the road and find work along the way to supplement their travels.
The opportunities are endless but there is still a long road to change societies thinking about this lifestyle. Being without a physical address as a full-timer still creates some difficult moments. Certain companies will not continue processing your request unless they have a physical address but in all actuality your physical address is Everywhere, USA which is not always acceptable.
We believe that anyone, who travels extensively in a vehicle, whether it is a RV, a car, a truck, or a van carrying all of your belongings then you are a full-timer. To us it really doesn’t matter what you call us…because this is our lifestyle choice and we are having the time of our lives enjoying every part of this journey.
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