RV Resources

One of the best parts of traveling full-time is being able to get out in nature in all kinds of different environments. We love to hike and use All Trails to help us find suitable trails nearby. The free version does most of what  you need but they do have a pro version with more bells and whistles. It's available on iOS and Android.

When you're not stationary, it can be hard to keep up with your favorite bands. Using Bands in Town, you can look ahead to see what acts will be playing areas you are visiting. Connect your profile to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more to get personalized alerts. They also have free iOS and Android apps. You just go in and update your profile to your new town to get alerts for that area.

If you want to see the Northern Lights, this app will alert you to when conditions are favorable for you to see them in your current location. We used this while traveling to, around, and from Alaska. Sometimes you can catch them from the northern part of the lower 48 as well. It has a free version and is available on iOS and Android.

Whether you do or don't have insurance, GoodRX can help you save money by showing you the best prices for your prescription in your area. As an RVer, you can change the search area to wherever you happen to be. Using it cut my prescription prices from about $500 down to $70 for a three month supply. It's free and you can use it via the website or the app (iPhone & Android.)

As an RV traveler, getting packages can be challenging. It can't just show up when it shows up because you might have moved on! But the free 2-day shipping included in an Amazon Prime membership makes it much easier! Especially if there are Amazon lockers in the area. We support local businesses when we can, but there are certain things we need to have shipped in like RV parts and unusual cooking ingredients. Get a 30-day free trial with our affiliate link.

When we first hit the road, we didn't see the sense in a Costco membership. I mean, what are you going to do with bulk items in an RV? But then while in Vegas, we realized that propane was $1+ less per gallon at Costco. And the fuel was much cheaper too.

So we broke down and got a membership. Costco also came in hand when we stocked up on supplies on the way to Alaska and Mexico. Plus, the prices at the Costco in Alaska weren't much different than in the lower 48.

To be honest, it expired while we were in Mexico and we haven't yet renewed it mainly because we've been close enough to civilization that we don't need to stock up and far enough that we haven't been near very many Costcos. But we are likely to rejoin when it makes sense. If you can share a membership with someone else, even better.

Keeping track of retail loyalty cards is a pain in the butt! Especially if you travel full-time. I've been using Card Star for years, and it still works, but hasn't been updated in a long time. If you like the idea of keeping all of your loyalty cards in an app on your phone, there are many alternatives out there.

Whether you have insurance or not, you're probably overpaying for lab tests. Not only can you save money using Grassroots Labs, but they have testing labs all over. Perfect for RV life! For example, we had some testing done in Fairbanks, Alaska. My doctor was also able to order the tests she wanted and then I could have them performed wherever it was convenient for me. It really is a great service.

The Open Signal app has coverage maps for the major mobile service providers in the U.S. and many other countries. We use it to check ahead to see what the signal might be like where we're about to camp. You can also use it to see what the coverage is like along the route you're driving. 

If you want to tow a vehicle with your motorhome, this site is the easiest way to look up what you need to do to make that happen. Just select the information about your vehicle from a few drop down menus and you'll find out if your vehicle can be towed 4 down, 2 up, or only all 4 up.

We use Todoist to manage tasks we need to take care of in the RV, in our personal lives, and for work. It's like a todo list on steroids. The free version is all many people need. Todoist has apps for Android, iPhone, MacOS, and Windows. If you're curious how we use it to keep track of RV maintenance, we wrote a whole post about that.

If you travel into Mexico or the French speaking parts of Canada, you'll have a much easier time of it if you at least understand some basics of the language. Duolingo makes learning easy! Spend a few minutes a day on it and you'll have some basics in no time. Duolingo has free Android and iPhone apps or you can use the website. There's a paid version if you'd like more advanced features.

When we hit the road, we signed up for Coach Net for roadside assistance. And boy were we glad we had it! When our RV broke down on New Year's Eve and had to be flat towed, it was fully covered by Coach Net. That tow would have cost us $1000+. 

Progressive allows for some additional coverage if your RV is also your full-time residence. This is who we use for our insurance. Your needs might be different but if you are living in your RV full-time, you should definitely check to see what your insurance company's policies are regarding that.

When you live in an RV and travel full-time, you still need a regular place to get mail. If you don't use the address of friends or family members, a mail forwarding company can handle that for you. Americas Mailbox not only handles our mail but also takes care of our vehicle registrations. If you're considering a South Dakota domicile, check out Americas Mailbox. Tell them box #7380 sent you. 

Get brighter lighting and use less power by replacing all of your lightbulbs with LEDs. We got all of ours from M4 LED. Protip: if you're not sure which color light you will like best, order one of each that you're considering and test them out before putting in your big order. What looks best in your RV might be different that what you think.

We're not retired or independently wealthy. We work from the road. So we need a good internet connection. Often we will scope out a spot before we commit to staying there. You can connect to wifi and test its speed or use the app on your phone and test the data speed over 4G. No one wants to get all settled in a campsite and then find out that you can barely get a text message. You can run a Speed Test from their website or the iOS or Android app. It's free.

The last thing you want to do in your RV is store a bunch of paper receipts. Scanbot is an app that lets you scan documents to a pdf and then store them in the location of your choice. For example, mine go to Dropbox (see below.) It's great for taxes and business needs. Oh, and you can fax from it! The free version does everything I need but there are paid versions with more features. Available for iOS and Android.

If you want to be paperless, you'll need a safe place to store your files. I've been using Dropbox for years. I use it for personal documents, photo back-up, and for sharing with clients. It connects with many different services and you can upload any kind of file to it.