Have you been considering RV insurance for your motorhome or recreational vehicle? Or, if you already have insurance for your RV, do you know if you are really protected properly?

My Dutchmen travel trailer is insured with State Farm.  Which brand name insurance company you choose makes little difference.  But there are a few things you need to think about if you are seeking RV coverage as a full time RVer.

The fact of the matter is, all major auto insurance companies that insure your car or pickup truck will also sell you a policy to cover your motorhome, travel trailer, or fifth wheel trailer.  But what exactly are you getting when you call your friendly neighborhood insurance agent and ask to have your RV added onto your list of vehicles? 

Full time RVers have many advantages over the house-bound population.  Not only do they get to travel and enjoy new vistas, meet interesting people, and relish new experiences, they can also choose exactly where they want to declare home!

However, our country’s legal system was established around the premise that people are stationary in their places of residence. 

Next to your social security number and drivers license, the most required piece of information that all levels of authority and government officials want is your physical address.

Enter the full time RVer.  All you want is the freedom to go your own way, as financially prudent as possible. Of course, stretching your income is also important.  With today’s hard economic times, getting the biggest bang for your buck is mandatory. 

To that end, it’s only common sense that you would try to find a state that has its taxation system set up to your advantage.

What a deal... after looking at motorhomes for months, you finally found just the one you want!  It was owned by an elderly couple that bought it new in 1995.  After traveling around the country for a year or so their health started to slip.  They parked it under the carport where it has barely turned a wheel for almost 5 years.  Now they need to get rid of it so they can move into a small apartment.

Because it was semi-protected from direct sunlight, the interior is still in pretty good shape.  The exterior has been waxed occasionally and overall, the condition of this rig looks pretty good.  With complete maintenance records, and after a half hour drive around town you make the deal.  Giving the couple a hefty check, you are now the proud owner of a very low mileage motorhome.

Now all that’s left is that 5-hour drive back home -- straight down the freeway.  About 2 hours out, you experience an explosive blowout on a rear tire.  Fortunately you were able to keep it under control as you pulled over, but now you’ve got a problem. 

This time next year, there will be a whole lot of useless TVs out there that will no longer be receiving an analog signal. 

As you've probably heard by now, the whole country is switching from analog to digital TV signals by February 17, 2009 -- as mandated by the U.S. Government.

What does this mean for RVers?   What about the TVs in RV travel trailers and motorhomes?  How can you tell if a TV is analog or digital anyway?

We like to watch movies on the TV in our RV. There’s only one problem, I don’t care to watch the same movies over and over again.  Once is enough.  And I see no point in paying $20 to buy a DVD movie. 

Fortunately, there are some unique options for RVers who like to watch movies, documentaries, TV episodes, music videos, and more -- whether you're a fulltimer or a weekend traveler.

What's a staycation, you ask?

According to the Urban Dictionary, a staycation is...

A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer. A vacation spent close to home.

So, how does this apply to RVers?

Well, if the winter cover is still on your RV -- and your summer plans went down the drain the moment gas headed over the $4 a gallon mark -- then you're probably wondering if there's any point in getting the RV ready for summer use this year. The good news is... with a little imagination, you can still make plenty of use of your favorite summer pastime: RVing!

Yep, there's no time like the present to turn your RV summer vacation into a staycation.

In fact, aside from the high price of gas, there are plenty of reasons to stay close to home and consider alternative travel plans.

Here are some fun ideas for your next RV staycation...

Buying a used motorhome can be a bit scarier than the risks that come with buying a used travel trailer.  With a motorhome, you're also talking a much larger bite into your budget. Which is why it's even more important that you know exactly what you're getting when you're looking for a used motorhome to buy. 

With some 10-year-old motorhomes commanding upwards of $50,000 (or even more), being very selective is to your benefit.