Eco RVs - Converting Your Travel Trailer to Solar Power

By Sophia Rodriguez

Do you want to know how to go about converting your travel trailer to solar power? In today's economy and with the state of the planet, eco RVs are becoming more and more popular.

While many of today's travel trailers, camper vans and motorhomes can include such luxuries as air conditioning, television with 100 channels and microwaves, they do tend to use lots of electric power to run all these fun features.

Solar panels to the rescue! Solar panels for your RV can feed your hungry motorhome with free energy channeled from the sun and converted into super clean and quiet energy, regardless of where you are.

Although many modern RVs are equipped with a generator to run the appliances when boondock camping away from the grid, you don`t always want to hear a loud generator, especially when trying to hear different bird calls or the sound of the creek rushing by in the great outdoors. Never mind the price of gas to run the generator...

There are many solar RV kits on the market today that will supplement your power with clean energy, or you can choose to build your own if you are the do it yourself type. Recreational vehicle solar panels are usually mounted on the roof of the motorhome to collect the most sun energy.

The panel will normally be mounted on the roof or truck bed, and many companies sell a RV Solar Electric Kit that can make the installation of the panels easier. Some kits are specially designed for your brand of RV and you can also buy tiltable brackets that you can angle towards the sun when you are parked.

Of course, you will need to analyze how much power you will need and how often you will need it in order to determine how many solar panels you will need. Your RV solar panels will supplement your power as you travel and keep your batteries charged up and ready to go when you need them.

There are many online calculators that allow you to simply type in your needs and the calculator will let you know how much power you require. Whether you need to warm up supper in the microwave, recharge your cell phone, run your computer or recharge batteries, your solar panels will get the job done.

While it is unrealistic to think that solar panels will run an air conditioner, a hot water tank and a microwave all at the same time, RV solar panels will definitely make life more pleasant when you are camping in the wilderness and wish to enjoy the great outdoors in peace while still enjoying the comforts of home.

If you want to find out about the cheapest way to equip your rv with solar power, find out how to make your own solar panels. This video explains everything. You can have your cake and eat it too. Eliminate your hydro bills in 2011 and contribute to the greening of planet earth! Click here to find out more:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Eco-RVs---Converting-Your-Travel-Trailer-to-Solar-P...

How To Find Cheap Campsites

By Sophia Rodriguez

If you are wondering where to find the most relaxing cheap campsites, come along for a tour while we explore the answer to that question.

Camping is an amazing antidote to cure the stresses of everyday life or the stress accumulated from a particularly stressful period in your life.

Do you need to heal or do you simply need an escape?
Relaxing is a subjective thing. For one person, relaxing could mean in the middle of nowhere in a gorgeous natural setting, all alone in nature, free to think and reorganize one's life.

For another person, relaxing could mean in an organized free or cheap campground with the company of other like minded individuals gathering for a fire at night. Whichever style you prefer or if you would like to combine both camping settings in your adventure, that would probably be ideal for most people.

Luckily, there are many resources for people wanting cheap or free campsites in the USA and Canada, one example is that you can camp overnight for free at most Walmarts across the USA and Canada. Before telling you how to find these cheap or free campsites, I must warn you!

These are not fully serviced lots nor are there any hookups, services or entertainment. This is basic camping. This is no frills. Are you ready for this? Do you think you could enjoy roughing it from the comfort of your small RV or camper van?

Since most rvs and camper vans have electric generators, solar power, water, shower, hot water tanks and toilet facilities, you will not have to rough it all that much...you can still run your laptop and have lights and whatever small appliances you like.

Many people have found that a full time camping lifestyle is ideal to relax and just enjoy life. Are you itching to go camping along Canadian and American highways to have a great adventure and discover this beautiful and majestic country of ours.

Camping is an awesome way to escape the stress of daily life and to live for cheap...as long as you are very organized. Discover new people and places. It you long to go camping long term...for a month, two or more at a time, you can experience a truly fulfilling and adventurous life unlike the life lived when working 9-5 and cooped up in a house the rest of the time.

Be one with nature, encourage your best self to shine by taking a sabbatical from your stressful life and just go camping. Unplug your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever.

K Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure. Cheap Travel Lifestyle Information If you would like to read more about cheap camping, check out my blog: Cheap Camping Blog Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_Rodriguez

The Best Foods To Pack For A Long Camping Trip

If you are going camping and are looking for the best foods to pack for a long camping trip, read on...

Although this question seems straight forward, there are many possible answers to what are the best foods for a long camping trip. The answer will depend on many factors.

Are you backpacking, car camping or traveling in a camper van or RV? Do you eat meat or are you vegetarian? Will you eat just about anything as long as it tastes good or do you like to eat mostly healthy foods with a few treats in between?

Since I am a vegetarian who likes to eat healthy foods, my answers will reflect this way of eating. I will discuss the best foods for a long backpacking trip as well as foods you can bring on a long trip across country in a camper van or RV.

The Best Foods For A Long Backpacking Trip For a long backpacking trip, you will need food that gives you lots of energy and that keeps well. If you know what types of plants are edible close to your campsite, all the better since you will be getting fresh food that will spice up your camping trip.

Here are some examples of what you could take with you:
1) dried fruit such as cherries, pineapple, mango and apple 2) banana or plantain chips 3) a variety of protein bars such as Vega, Luna or Clif 4) trail mix 5) soy nuts 6) a variety of nuts 7) granola and dried soy mylk 8) foil packed meals such as Indian food that can be warmed in hot water 9) quick cooking pasta and vacuum packed flavored tofu with seasoning 10) tofu jerky

The Best Foods For A Long RV or Camper Van Trip Depending on how much space you have and your preferences will dictate how many or how few of the following items you can bring.

The idea is to inspire you to make a list of possible meals based on the items you bring so here we go...

Non -perishable Items
1) Flour,sugar & baking powder (to make biscuits, pancakes,pizza dough, bannock,etc...) 2) Granola or other dried cereals 3) Peanut butter and /or almond butter 4) Powdered milk 5) Dried pasta 6) Quick cooking rice 7) Spices, condiments and flavorings 8) Canned soups and chili 9) Canned beans 10) Canned pasta sauce & gravy 11) Trail mix, nuts, seeds & dried fruit 12) Popcorn and marshmallows 13) Cooking and salad oil 14) Airtight packed silken tofu 15) Syrup or honey Perishable foods 1) Eggs 2) Cheese 3) Veggie meats 4) Breads 5) Dairy or soy milk 6) Fruits & vegetables

Do you long to take off on a long camping trip. Live the adventure and discover a joyful way of life.

So, right now, turn off your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever. Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure.
Cheap Travel Lifestyle Information http://www.cheapcampinglifestyle.info

Van Camping 101

from: http://campingstove.all4campings.com/your-guide-to-van-camping/

Why van camping?
It certainly doesn’t give you the luxury of life in an RV, but then you don’t have the discomfort of sleeping in a tent, either. It’s cheap compared to an RV, and you can go places they cannot. That’s why we spent more than 25 nights sleeping in our conversion van last year.

Van Camping 101
You need a system of organization to keep your space inside the van livable. We noticed after our first long trip that we had brought many things we never used. We learned to be more efficient after that. We also learned how to keep the space open, by using plastic storage tubs. Not only do they stack well, but if you need more room at night, you can put them on the roof, because they’re rainproof with the lids snapped on.

You have to make your van into something that’s useable for you, especially if it’s going to be your residence for days or weeks at a time. This meant, for my wife and I, having space to move around. Removing the two middle seats gave us enough space for dressing or cooking. A bench-seat in back folds out into a comfortable bed, so we were all set for van camping.

Van camping can be cold, as it was for us in the deserts of Arizona last winter. We ran the van and cranked up the heater once in a while, but only for brief periods. Carbon monoxide poisoning is just too possible, so don’t leave the car running while you are sleeping.

Cooking a meal heats up the van, and our propane camp stove burned very clean. When it was cold, it was time to cook dinner, breakfast, or coffee. Cooking inside heats up a van, but again, because of carbon monoxide, don’t sleep with a burner going. Sometimes, though, a quick warm-up is all you need before you crawl under the blankets for the night.

What’s the secret to heating a conversion van when camping? Giving up was our solution. Just enjoy meal time warm-ups, but unless you have electric power, I don’t know of a safe way to heat a van all night. Heat yourselves instead. Use warm clothing, and bring more blankets than you think you’ll need. Fill a thermos bottle full of hot coffee each night, so it will be waiting in the morning. You warm the van making it, and warm up yourselves drinking it for breakfast.

Van Camping Advantages
Van camping obviously is cheaper than RV camping. Initial cost is a lot less if you buy used, as we did. The cost of driving a van is substantialy less – we averaged 18 miles per gallon on our last cross-country trip. An average recreational vehicle is lucky to get half of that, and will be very expensive to maintain.

A van is much more comfortable than tent camping. Also, if you do backpack, you’ll likely drive some kind of car to wherever you go. Use a van, and you can come inside if it starts to rain. When backpacking a long way from home, you can save on motels on the drive to and from the trailhead.

One great thing about vans is that you can park anywhere. We’ve napped in parking lots, and nobody was the wiser, thanks to the inconspicuousness of a van. We got the best spot at a free campground in Florida, on a bank overlooking Lake Talquin, because our van was small enough to fit there, unlike the RVs.

You can drive anywhere. With our conversion van, camping wherever we were when it got dark was no problem. We also went down desert trails that no RV could handle. That flexibility and freedom is what we liked most about van camping.

To read more about van camping and to find camp stoves and other camping gear, go here:
http://campingstove.all4campings.com/your-guide-to-van-camping/

Photo credit: http://www.hecktictravels.com/irish-photo-potpourri

The Ups & Downs of Full Time RV Living

from: http://www.cheapest-places-to-retire.com/rv-living-fulltime

RV living fulltime is a relatively new concept that is taking many by storm.

While some retirees find this sort of living inconvenient and unpleasant, many others are finding that living full time in an RV has many advantages. It lowers costs and enables one to travel at will. Living full time in an RV has its advantages and disadvantages.

A person that is considering living full time in a motor home should weigh ups the pros and cons and see if this lifestyle is one that he or she would enjoy.

The Advantages of RV Fulltime Living

Many retirees have a limited pension. fulltime RV living enables one to save a considerable amount of money. While travel expenses are quite high, many other expenses are much lower than average.

It has been estimated that a couple living full time in an RV could live comfortably on a bit over $40,000 a year. A couple that really wants to save money could get by on only half this amount.

Full-time RV living enables one to travel at whim. One could travel to Mexico for low cost medical care and then travel back to a United States campground that is set up with electricity, plumbing and other amenities.

A retiree living in an RV would be able to stay in the Northern United States over the summer and then move south for the winter.

The Disadvantages of RV Living Fulltime

RV living has its inconveniences. While many campgrounds provide sewer, water and electrical hook-ups, one will still need to install a holding tank and hot water heater.

Clothes will need to be washed at a Laundromat or by hand. One will need to install either a generator or solar paneling in order to get electricity; the latter option is usually best as generators can be quite noisy and expensive.

Many retirees enjoy living in a community. Selling the home and moving into an RV is a wrench.

Friends and family will be left behind and while one can make new friends among other retirees at campgrounds, this takes time and it is not the same as being around the same friends all the time.

Conveniences such as limitless hot water and air conditioning are often out of the question. Appliances such as dishwashers, dish dryers and microwaves cannot be installed in an RV, so one will need to do without them.

A person that has medical problems may find that RV living fulltime does take its toll, especially if one stays in out of the way campgrounds. RV living fulltime is a lifestyle that is appealing to retirees who are relatively fit and in good shape.

RV Living And Making Money Online

from: http://cheap-rv-living.com/making-an-income-on-the-road/jobs-for-rvers-making...

Oh the dollar signs that flash in front of your eyes when you hear “make money online.” If it were only that easy.

This post has nothing to do with “get rich quick” schemes, but has everything to do with familiarizing you with all of the opportunities out there you might not know exist.

The basic three we are most familiar with are: selling products online, selling your skills online and sales blogs (or variations of this) where no product passes through your hands.

As this post grows, it will be very long and you will see many, many links to great sites to get familiarized with…so keep checking back! When we were starting out, we sure wish there was a site with all of these in one place…enjoy and have fun…

SELLING PRODUCTS ONLINE
Though there are other selling sites, the main ones we are referring to are Ebay and Amazon. Perhaps, like we do, you like to browse thrift stores for books, movies, antiques, designer clothing at a deep discount. When you find that “gem” you purchase it and list it on one of these sites. It does take time to learn to do it well, but there are plenty of resources out there to teach you the basics and you can start generating income rather quickly, if you know what items truly sell.

A bigger example of this would be someone who knows cars. Sites like Ebay Motors have tons of vehicle auctions – if you get one at a bargain, you can clean it up and sell it at a nice profit (this also holds true for rvs and other motorized items). The bottom line is you need to invest little and make a profit.

If you know all about rare books, antiques, vehicles, etc. you are miles ahead of the game and will do well with a little training on how to sell on these platforms mentioned above.

SELLING YOUR SKILLS ONLINE

Are you an excellent photographer? Do you make crafts or are you artistic? Are you good with computers or are you great with grammar and editing? There are so many opportunities/sites these days to sell your skills in the online world. Just keep in mind, though completely possible, getting the training on how to get your items noticed will take time.

You will need to research how to pick the right keywords and learn basic SEO (search engine optimization) tricks. It is the least fun part of the learning curve, but if you want to be found in the big online world, you will need to put aside time to train on how the internet works these days…and how buyers can find you

(hint: they won’t if you turn up on page 20 of a Google search). Many of these sites have forums that are there to guide you along the way.

BLOGGING – SALES BLOGS AND SIMILAR SITES

When we first started rving two years ago, we started a fun blog to keep our family posted on our daily lives. It was only late in 2010 when we discovered you can also have blogs geared to selling. Often referred to as affiliate marketing, the concept is you advertise company’s products on your blog, and if the customer buys a product you listed by clicking through to their site, you get a commission from that sale. It takes a long time to learn, but is a lot of fun.

The Freedom of Van Living

By Penny Espinoza

Last year was a pivotal time in my life. It was the year I finally set myself free: free of clutter, free of worry, free of the four walls that had contained and trapped me, and free of conforming to the life everyone thinks I should live.

I was tired, and we were restless, my husband had lost his job, and…initially we had thought “Oh no! What are we gonna do?! How will we pay for all of our ‘stuff’?!” We worried and stressed.

In the end, we decided not to pay for any of the stuff we'd been working endlessly to house. Instead, we sold it all and decided not to sign another lease with our landlord. The timing was right, since the house had been inherited by another owner. We’d grown fond of our landlords, though one had passed; spinning our future down an uncertain path. It was time to move on.

For months before my husband’s lay-off, I had felt compelled to start selling on eBay. Just about everything I hadn't used or worn in awhile went up for auction. The more I sold, the more I wanted to sell! And so I sold to my heart's content: anything and everything.

By the time we were jobless, I knew I wanted to sell it all. More importantly, I knew I wanted to travel and see God’s beautiful creations; see different places, meet new people, smell a new scent in the air.

I had been trying for nearly four years to track down the owner of an abandoned Classic Volkswagen Westfalia Camper Van that was parked in someone’s backyard, just down the street from my Mother-in-law's.

At last, there was a For Rent sign posted in the yard where the van was parked behind the house. I called the number, and spoke with an English gentleman; he turned out to be the owner of the van. I told him I wasn't calling about the house, I just wanted to buy the van in the backyard. He laughed, but quickly named his price.

Somehow, my reality was coming to me. I wanted to travel cross-country in that very van. After some doing and much selling, we gladly sacrificed two ‘younger’ Germans (a 740 i L and 325 i C), for the sweet pleasure of acquiring one ‘older’…much less inhibited German.

It was like my freedom had been delivered right to my door the day our classic Westy came home via a flat- bed wrecker. Even though our van would start and run, we didn't want to take any chances on damaging her further; not knowing what had been left to go bad.

It was like the best Christmas ever, ten times over. I was beyond excited to know she was actually ours. I had fallen in love with our van. To me, she was our ticket out of the rat-race. My mind was alive with dreams and my heart with hope. I felt like a kid once again.

The first day we had her (though it was no easy task) we washed and scrubbed her, sweeping out the cobwebs, giving our classic Westfalia a new look. From that day on, we called her Peniki (a nickname our family had given us—a mixing of mine and my husband’s name).

To us, she was part of the family that had consisted of me, my husband, my two adult kids, our little girl, and Blanca…our K-9 kid. I knew Peniki was our way to living ‘off the grid’, as a family.

Of course, we were met with doubt and criticism from our family and friends. Fortunately, we didn't care what they thought about our grand plan. They hadn't been the prisoners of our bills and a lack of steady income. We stepped out in faith with the Lord.

Somehow, I just knew it was what we must do, against all odds and acceptance. It was exciting to think of living our lives out there…in our van, waking up to see a different sunrise, somewhere down the road, self-sufficient and not so reliant on shore power. Never could one feel so free.

I come from the philosophy that nothing worth having in life is ever easy. I can look back over the last year and realize…this life we chose has certainly not been easy.

Was it worth it?
I can undoubtedly say “Yes! It was so worth seeing the sunset in the Florida Keys, the Grand National Forests, waking-up to a lovely sunrise over the ocean or tucked into the Grandfather pines of our nation’s protected land.

Yes! It was completely worth sifting my toes into new sand; the likes of which I’d never-before known, and seeing the smiling face of our little girl…waddling in her toddler way…down to the beach, or nodding-off in a hammock with her Daddy…by the water’s edge.” I wouldn't change it for any size ‘house of four walls’, or a line of the most luxurious automobiles; not for all the tea in China!

What we lived…what we experienced was worth more than money can buy. It was priceless! As I believe, the best things in life are free. God’s land is there for the viewing and enjoying… the caring for and coveting. We choose one or the other; conforming…or not. I’ll choose ‘not’ any day. It is a ‘free’ country, so they say. Shouldn't life be the same?

My answer goes without saying. God Bless…and “I’ll see you down the road.”

Food Items We Carry on Van:
Dairy:
Powdered Milk Mix for Baby, Butter in Tub or Sticks (if Ice Box is chilled), Eggs, Cheese (small pkg if Ice Box is chilled). Misc Items: mayo (small jar), Bread, Hot Dogs (if Ice Box is chilled), Ranch in non-refrigerated single-serve cups, mustard, ketchup (in packets or small container), honey.

Necessities: Water (Gallon Drinking Water, 7 Gallons in Van Sink Holding Tank), Ice in Ice Box (16 lbs lasts about 2 days…at best)

Dry Goods:
Peanut Butter & Saltine Crackers, Trail Mix, Ramen Noodles or Cup o’ Noodle, Rice, Instant Pancake Mix (just add water), small container syrup, Instant Oatmeal, Instant Mash Potatoes, Cooking Oil, Olive Oil, Flour & Sugar (small supply of each), Dry Pasta, Dry Legumes (beans), Jar Sauces (small supply), can tomato sauce, coffee…coffee…coffee (and decaf too), tea (loose or bags), various spices such as curry powder, garlic powder, sea salt/pepper, Italian seasoning, chili powder, all-purpose seasoning.

Fruit & Veggies:
Dry Potatoes, Bag of Apples, Onions (1 or 2), dry Carrots, Avocado, Canned Veggies (we limit b/c of weight), a few Pears, 1 or 2 Tomatoes (if Ice Box is chilled), Grapes, frozen peas & carrots (if Ice box is chilled).

Canned Meat, Poultry, Fish: small can chili, Vienna Sausages, Spam, potted meat, sardines, smoked oysters, smoked scallops, tuna fish, chicken in can, etc.

Other Necessities:
Kitchen:
Camp stove, Extra cans of propane, Paper Towels, Foil or plastic wrap, 2-3 small cooking pans, Bowls, Plates, Flatware, Kitchen tool caddy, 2 Thermoses, Small Igloo Water Cooler w/ Spigot (for extra ice and cold water), Small collapsible cooler, Various glues/hooks/clips, Portable 110 cooler/warmer, Trash bags, Reusable shopping bags, Several small lighters and 1 or 2 big ones,

Bathroom:
Solar shower, Coleman port-a-potti, Shower/Potty tent, Toilet paper, Bath/shower supplies, Wet wipes, Tooth brush/tooth paste, 4 to 5 towels, Washcloths, Extra blankets/pillowcases/sheets, Female stuff, Sunscreens & bug sprays or wipes, After sun aloe gel, Lotions (because I like to have soft skin),

Clothes: Clothes according to season (I ALWAYS pack too much), Spare off- season clothing, Rain parka & boots, Small collapsible back-pack,

Family: Drive away room tent, Bikes, Baby stroller/trailer, Fold-up camp chairs, Various chargers for phones/laptop/cameras, Small electric heater, A few books, Playpen for baby, Air-up floaties for baby, Life Jacket/swimsuit for baby, A few small toys for Baby, Portable high- chair for baby, Blow up ducky tub for baby, Blow up baby pool,

Electrical/Entertainment: Flash lights, Battery powered lantern, Extra batteries, Small solar panel (working on an upgrade), Two extra on-board batteries (1 deep cycle charged while driving & 1 regular battery for solar charging), 400 Watt power inverter, smaller power inverter for charging directly while driving, Three socket 110 connector on deep cycle battery, 110 clip-on fan, Small light for night viewing of maps or compass, Slim line CD player/clock radio, CD/DVD’s in pocket-book holder, Portable AC/DC DVD Player,

Tools/Van: Various tools, Extra parts & fuel line for van, Spare tire (of course), Various road maps, Compass, Emergency tin (matches, candles, knife, mini-light, etc), First-aid kit, Lock box, Free or Cheap

Read more about Penny's lifestyle and Camp Spots for Self-sustaining Family on their blog, Travels in a VW Hippie Van : http://cheapgreenrvliving.com/Family_IN_VW_Bushttp://mswrite1968.wordpress.com/