Issue 1555
Welcome to another edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and living tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, tips on our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
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Page Contents
Today’s thought
“Never, ever, let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do. Prove the cynics wrong. Pity them for they have no imagination. The sky’s the limit. Your sky. Your limit. Now. Let’s dance.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Plant A Flower Day! (Does a cactus count?)
On this day in history: 1912 – The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) is founded in the United States.
Tip of the Day
Tax Corner: A follow-up to “Keeping track of income and expenses for a business”
By Neil Seidler, CPA, CMA
Dear Neil,
I scan all of my invoices and receipts and keep them on my computer. I destroy all of the paper copies in order to save space and not have a box of papers in my RV. As well, I only use one bank account for all of my personal and business income and expenses. I think that the saving in bank fees makes this worthwhile. Your comments?
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new 2021 Flagstaff 524EWS Fifth Wheel. As he reports, “I like this floor plan a lot. It’s easily towable and short enough that you won’t be too concerned about getting into a lot of places larger fifth wheels might not fit into.” See how this fifth wheel compares to others Tony has reviewed in the past.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the Venture Sonic Lite SL160VBH? If you missed it, you can read it here.
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Is this your RV?
If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific Standard time today, March 12, 2021. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV here (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.
Last week one reader claimed their $25 Amazon gift card: Herb B. from Livingston, Texas.
We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.
A creative way to get a free long-term RV site
Need a place to “settle in” for a little while but don’t have the cash to pay high rates at RV parks? One enterprising RVer explains his methodology for developing leads for places to stay in his RV. Learn how.
Yesterday’s featured article: Two examples of horrible RV hookups
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- California to roll out mandatory motorhome emissions testing
- RV shipments set to soar, hit all-time record. Good or bad news?
- RV jacks won’t retract? Try this
- Campground Crowding: Demand pricing is more common than we thought
Reader poll
On average, how often do you check your personal email?
You’ve got mail! Tell us here.
Quick Tip
Insect infestations
Just like your home, your RV is a prime candidate for a new insect nest (bugs like RVing, too). Once the bugs are in they’re hard to get out, so be proactive! Treat the spot your RV is stored on with ground pesticides recommended by your local home and garden center. This is especially important right around where the RV touches the ground in any way. When parking at a campsite look around for signs of bugs like anthills. I always carry a can of spray with me so if I see this, I can treat the area before exposing my expensive coach to an invading army.
The same rules for avoiding infestation at home apply here. Cleanliness is key: Clean the inside of the coach, especially the kitchen, the floor and under the cabinets. The smell will attract the bugs. If you end up with bugs in the RV, go after them right away. Your local home and garden center or a professional exterminator can help. Remember, the longer they’re in there, the harder it will be to eliminate them and the more damage they can do!
Chris Dougherty, Certified RV Technician, posted this tip while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
The fact that the item description literally says “SAVES RELATIONSHIPS” says it all… See for yourself.
Website of the day
13 California road trips you should take at least once
Reader’s Digest leads you on 13 trips through California that you should take at least once in your lifetime. It sure is a beautiful state!
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Overnight RV parking. Directory of more than 14,000 locations where you can stay for free or nearly free with your RV. Modest membership fee.
• Boondockers Welcome. Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees. Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
Trivia
Yesterday’s fun fact told you a little-known secret about Hawaii, but if you really want to explore an island, head to Japan. Japan consists of over 6,800 islands. That should keep you busy for a while…
Block window glare with movable sunshades
[Caveat: Check state laws before using these while driving.]
Kate Doherty writes, “The automatic shades in motorhomes are great for front-facing glare, but sometimes quartering slivers of bright sunlight affect vision comfort for both driver and passenger. We found these sunshades more effective, especially on the middle of our Jeep front windshield, to reduce glare without impeding vision as the sun visors don’t extend far enough. Because they are so flexible, they fit well in curved windshields.” Read more or order some here
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“My 10-year-old black lab, Sophie, gets comfortable with the armrest.” —Michael Morris
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Saturday RV Travel newsletter.
Announcement
RVelectricity: Ask the Expert with Will Russell from SmartPlug
Join Mike Sokol on Tuesday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (5 p.m. Pacific) for his next Ask the Expert live stream interview with Will Russell from SmartPlug. You’ll be able to text your questions about RV shore power connectors in real time, and Will will do his best to answer them. Sign up for a YouTube reminder here.
Leave here with a laugh
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the latest Sunday News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Social media and special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
This website utilizes some advertising services. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2021 by RVtravel.com
Regarding the small removable sun shades: I recently saw an ad for these promoting them as the latest and greatest RVing accessory. They’re not “the latest” — we’ve had 4 of these for at least 10 years, and perhaps closer to 15. But they’re great.
How do we Join Mike Sokol on Tuesday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (5 p.m. Pacific) ???
Sorry, Mike. That sentence was removed inadvertently when the section was moved in the newsletter. Here’s what it said: Make sure to sign up for a YouTube reminder here: https://youtu.be/ecGqgpgajdE Thank you for asking. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Laugh of the day is a hoot. LOL
👍 👍
I even went back and looked at yesterday’s newsletter. Didn’t see the Fun Fact there. What is the fun fact about Hawaii?
Was actually the Trivia ‘fact’.
Bring back some fruit! If you’re leaving Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines, the airline will let you travel with a box of up to 10 pounds of pineapples or papaya for free. No baggage fees for fruit!
Hi, Kaeleen. It is in yesterday’s newsletter, in the Trivia section. It says Hawaiian Airlines allows passengers to bring back up to 10 lbs. of fruit from Hawaii with no fee. Have a great day. 🙂 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I never met a lab I didn’t like. Sophie is beautiful!
I LOVE the joke of the day!
Thanks for the reminder of plant flowers day. We need to replant some bulbs that got overlooked when we had our garage rebuilt. Yup. Tulips are coming up and fast.
If you do keep a box of shred some places are offering free shred days or if all else fails UPS stores for a fee will shred your documents. Our township is finally having a shred day. Can’t wait. On box number two. Looking at a third. Ouch.
Because we full time, I carry a shredder with us. It worked out well last Christmas. I held back some shredding, used it for packing and shipping Christmas presents to my Dad, he then turned around and put it in his recycle box.
Recommended poll. What do you think about a poll asking if readers want the “thumbs up, thumbs down” feature reinstated on comments? (only because I really liked the feature that is no longer available).
👍
Live free, ride free
Stay safe, Joe
To add to that would be nice to get email notice if someone replied to your comment.
That option IS available. Just click the bell symbol next to the “post” button.
Thanks for the info. I never noticed that symbol, or at least didn’t pay attention to it.
I have missed the thumbs up/down option, but thinking it over some people cannot handle truth and will thumbs down something they don’t like while hiding behind a keyboard. If you feel a comment is inappropriate it can be reported and the administrators can make a decision about it.
I’ve got it. 👎
I too liked that. The problem I recall is if there were 5 thumbs up and you put a thumb down, all it did was reduce the thumbs up to 4 so it wasn’t a true indicator.
I totally agree with Impavid’s statement! My suggestion to Chuck was to have 2 columns, one for thumbs up & one for thumbs down! Easy peasy!
Snoopy
I do agree with you David. We heard that Chuck’s view was that you don’t have a “thumbs up or down” around the campfire, and I understand, but the ease of supporting a good comment, thought or the way a person responded is so natural on a web based newsletter like this. I simply liked the ease of supporting a person is all. (I will stop bringing it up after this though)
Thumbs up!
I can put as many as I want. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Not that difficult to add your own 👍 or 👎 . You’re right Impavid, it wasn’t a true indicator. My suggestion for Chuck is leave it be; he made a good decision to eliminate it.
Nothing stopping you for adding a “comment thumb.”
👎 – is my vote… oh, unless I vote like the ancient Romans and do 👍 because:
Thumbs down, signified “swords down,” which meant the losing gladiator was worth more to them alive and was to be spared to fight another day.
I’ve got it. 👍
Thumbs up!
Actually, today is National “Plant” a Flower Day. March 21st is National Flower Day. More than a subtle difference. The former involves planting flower seeds or plants, whereas the latter involves giving or receiving fresh cut flowers. Check out this link from FTD for a more detailed discussion:
https://www.ftd.com/blog/celebrate/celebrate-national-flower-day
Lets be picky!
Well it is either $1 for flower seeds or $25 for a bouquet of flowers.
I use the sunshades on the back windows of my toad to reduce the amount of sun into the vehicle.
On insects, when in the South, be sure to have screening over hot water heater exhaust and vents for the frig. Mud dabber wasps love to enter into any opening and build nests.
It seems like one of their favorite spots is on the blower fan of my A/Cs, you know it immediately upon starting the A/C because of the vibration caused by the imbalance. I had one nest on each A/C last year. That squirrel cage fan doesn’t like anything on it.