Issue 2135
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Page Contents
Today’s thought
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” —Thomas Watson, president of IBM, 1943
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Doughnut Day!
On this day in history: 1835 – P. T. Barnum and his circus start their first tour of the United States.
Tip of the Day
Do you really know what’s in your RV? Take inventory!
By Nanci Dixon
As we pack up to leave in our RV, I am taking photos of stuff in our house in case we ever need it for insurance purposes. I was struck by the fact that I haven’t done the same in our RV. We have collected a lot (too much) over the past eight years of full-timing. What if something terrible happens and I don’t remember or have records of things for insurance? It is time to take RV inventory!
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
My RV’s water pump runs constantly for no apparent reason. How do I fix it?
Dear Dave,
OK, Dave, I’m stumped! Despite having continual strong water pressure using my fresh water tank, my RV’s water pump refuses to shut off. I’ve searched high and low for any leaks and cannot locate any, inside or underneath the unit. I did use the water pump recently while connected to city water. Perhaps this has disrupted the pump’s control valve? If so, how do I fix it? Thanks. —Karl, 2019 Gulfstream BT Cruiser 5230B
In the RV shop with Dustin
Using an RV Winegard Air 360+ and Gateway Router
If you have the Winegard Air 360+, this article is for you! The Winegard Air 360+ is omnidirectional, which means no more aiming or cranking to find the best signal for over-the-air channels.
You also have the option of adding the Gateway upgrade, which gives your RV WiFi and 4G LTE capabilities.
Video of the day
Campfire Colors: How to make a rainbow campfire with household products
By Cheri Sicard
The video below will show you some fun and affordable ways to add some excitement to your next campfire with campfire colors.
That’s right, this will show you how to make a rainbow campfire. Or even one that focuses on just a single color or a couple of colors, say, that of your favorite sports team.
Obnoxious outdoor movie projectors and big screens coming to a campground near you!
By Nanci Dixon
Outdoor movie projectors are becoming more and more popular. As campground hosts, we are seeing more and more people setting up huge screens with projectors and playing movies well into the night. This usually involves a number of friends and family. What use is an outside movie night without a large gathering? So much for quiet hours and sitting around the ol’ campfire… Continue reading.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- KOA’s new king-sized campsite perks include a “fire experience”
- Military campgrounds more accessible, changed rules (update coming Sunday)
- What I recommend you use to wash and wax your RV
- Don’t trust the RV presale testing; dealer does nothing
Reader poll
Do one or more of your pets sleep in bed with you at night?
New Facebook Group: All About RVing. Discuss anything and everything related to RVing. Editors, writers and moderators from RVtravel.com will respond to questions and provide expert answers based on their vast and varied experience.
Quick Tip
Add longevity to your vent lids
One clever RVer sprayed his roof vent lids with automotive clear coat. He did it so that dirt and dust wouldn’t stick to the vents, but found that it added nearly a decade of longevity to the lids. You can get it in a spray can, like this from Amazon.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We use one of these and we gotta say, we love it! You’ll use it much more than you think. Trust us.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Save $$ on fresh fruits and veggies—Pick your own!
- RV Review: 2022 Jayco Jay Flight SLX 8 212QB
- Ask Dave: How to tell a house and chassis battery apart
- Featured article: RVSuperbag: A cozy solution for making those tricky RV beds
- Recipe: Couscous Salad
Website of the day
The 20 Best State Fairs Around the U.S.
Get your Ferris-wheel-ridin’, corn-dog-eatin’ self ready to have some fun! This list ranks the top 20 state fairs around the country.
Recipe of the Day
Cheesy Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes
by Heather Isom from Santa Maria, CA
We really loved these simple cheesy herb-roasted potatoes. It’s a delicious side dish that would be fantastic with roasted chicken or a steak. The combination of herbs pair well together. The cheese on top is a yummy final touch.
Trivia
In January 1835, the United States became the only major nation in modern history to pay off completely its national debt. It was accomplished by the sale of public lands in the West. That year, 1835, was the only year America had no debt.
*A single blink of a Formula One racer’s eyes may be closed for ___ feet in competition. Wow! That’s crazy! Find the answer and learn more in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Missy. They want to relax just like us. They enjoy the ‘reset’ too.” —Bart McGlinsey
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
These socks don’t stink!
If you don’t believe us when we say these compression socks really work, look at the overwhelmingly positive reviews and maybe you’ll change your mind. These socks provide instant relief to your arches and heels and work to increase blood and oxygen circulation, which helps reduce lactic acid buildup and aids muscle recovery in ankles and feet. Click here to learn more.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Funny reading all the arm chair financial advisors.
My own comment was mostly related to the more than 2 dozen countries switching to the Chinese Yuan from the US dollar for trade deals in the past year and going forward. I can’t find a single actual economist that thinks it’s a good thing for America to lose our international reserve currency status to the Chinese. Makes one wonder about who’s pitching for our side? Balls, strikes, walks and hits matter in this game too. Is Pete Rose on our team? Follow the money….., all the way to Delaware.
Didn’t see state fair dates, planning summer trip
The funny would’ve fit my late wife with her chihuahua.
Painting the vent lid may be a problem depending on what’s it’s made of. If it’s polyethylene, the paint won’t adhere properly and begin to peel. Try painting a milk bottle or gas can. The paint will peel right off since the solvents do not react with the material
Polypropylene is more forgiving but it needs to be prepped properly. Cleaned, scuffed and cleaned again. Multiple light coats of paint must be used.
My thoughts as well. Plus, cars have dust and dirt stuck to them all the time, so why would it not still “stick” on a painted vent lid???
Best thing for a vent lid is to buy a quality vent lid cover. Protects the lid and adds a layer of protection from hail, falling branches, etc.
In response to today’s trivia… A lot of people don’t realize this, but a debt-free United States is a bad idea. The U.S. debt is defined in Treasury Bills (T-bills) and Savings Bonds. They are a safe way for citizens and in fact much of the world, to temporarily park money. It is a big reason so many foreign transactions happen in U.S. dollars rather than any other country’s currency. The term is Reserve Currency. It gives the U.S. a much stronger control over the world’s economy. The U.S. dollar was not the world’s Reserve Currency in 1835.
This is different from saying unlimited debt would be good. At some point the debt will make the U.S. dollar less safe and short term investments would shift somewhere else.
While the level of U.S. debt is driven by our elected politicians, the above statements are not political and are taught in virtually every introductory economics course.
Sadly, we’ve allowed politicians to keep piling on the debt with no regard for the fact that we now owe 31 trillion dollars. That’s trillion, as in 12 zeroes following the first comma. Their reaction? Argue about and keep piling on the debt. Honestly, who would let any of these people manage their household budgets? Yet, we keep re-electing them.
Not to mention that printing more money only adds to increased inflation. That’s why a $0.15 hamburger is now $1.00.
I would like to just find a dollar hamburger
And remember who is ” teaching ” the classes in economics and saying debt is good . The current misdirection coming out of Washington D C is what is causing the failure of goods and services being in a sad condition and raging inflation.
Totally agree.
Me too.
Yep
I would agree with your statement if you would replace the word “current” with the word “constant”
Baloney
Yes, baloney prices are also up 27% in the last 3 years.
The only thing exempt from bad policies appears to be more bad policies.
It’s correct that reasonable debt appropriately done, can be good. For example, borrowing for infrastructure now to avoid cost increases to do it later (takes analysis).
The rule of thumb is that sovereign debt, up to 77% of GDP, is considered as OK…or at least at low risk of not being paid back. The U.S. crossed that threshold years ago and is now at over 130% debt to GDP. We owe much more than our economy can produce in a year.
Eventually the interest on the national debt will consume such a large portion of the budget we will collapse like Greece. But…as some in politics continually say…”Amazon can pay for it!!!” 😉
The bigger question; will the U.S. Dollar still be the World’s Reserve currency in 2035? I don’t really care that it was not, in 1835. I care that over 2 dozen nations, including some countries in the Western Hemisphere, like Brazil are doing there trade deals using the Chinese yuan and have agreed to make the Yuan its reserve currency going forward. Janet Yellen is the Alec Baldwin of financial target practice and the American people are all down range for this mathematical fodder. With our debt greater than GDP, our dollar is so weak that China is seizing on this opportunity to make the Yuan the world’s reserve currency. My question is, then what, if the US dollar is no longer the reserve currency for the world? What happens next?
Treasury bills are a safe bet paying between 5% and 6 % currently so I can agree with you on benefits of backing our dollar through T bills.
Money can be viewed as a comodity. Its worth can be measured by how much more money can it produce if I have to pay “X” dollars to “rent” it for “Y” years. In other words, any good business knows you borrow money in order to make more money. For example, to expand production output. You do not borrow money to pay routine ongoing expenses such as payroll, rent, etc. (Or at least if you spend borrowed money on regular expenses, it can become a measure of just how badly the company is being managed and how soon it will be bankrupt).
Unfortunately, we as a nation are spending our borrowed money on regular ongoing expenses in addition to infrastructure, etc. as legitimate “investments”. Like it or not, it is obvious to everyone else in the world that we cannot continue down this path without facing the dire consequences of unsustainability, not the least of which is our grand-children growing up to hate us for spending all of their money in addition to our own.
As to the funny. He just might “leave” on his own.