How To Manage Every Day Logistics From The Road

How Do I Get Mail and Packages?

As soon as you decide you want to travel long-term or do an extended trip, start transferring as much of your mail to online access or opt for paperless statements. This includes things like bank statements, credit card statements, cell phone bills, insurance papers, and healthcare papers. Most documents can be handled online with no paper mail (and many companies will actually encourage you to go paperless).

If you aren’t able to go paperless or still need to receive physical mail and packages, the easiest option is to use a mail forwarding service. There are a few different mail forwarding companies for long-term RVers, but we prefer Escapees RV Club. We’ve used their mail service for the past three years and never had any issues. They offer different levels of service depending on your specific needs, and they also scan your mail so you can see a digital copy and decide if you want it shipped. A few other popular mail forwarding services are Americas Mailbox and St. Brendan's Isle.

Bonus Tip: We were surprised to learn that not all campgrounds and RV parks allow you to receive personal packages. And if they do, some may charge a fee to pick them up. Be sure and contact the campground ahead of time and ask about their mail and package delivery policies. Here are a few other tips we’ve learned along the way:

• Local Amazon lockers are great for Amazon packages and usually very easy to find.
• FedEx delivers to Walgreens.
• You can redirect a UPS package to one of their stores.
• You can use general delivery at a local post office to receive USPS mail and packages. *Each post office has different rules, so be sure and check online for specific directions.

How Do I Make Basic Appointments?

Finding reliable places for things like haircuts and beauty treatments is actually one of the more challenging things to do on the road. Before you get to your location, do some online searching and read through reviews on Yelp or Google. You can usually get a good idea of quality from people’s comments. We also like to ask fellow RVers for recommendations. Joining an online community, such a RVillage or various Facebook groups, will provide great recommendations and is a nice way to connect with local RVers. If you’re still unsure about a place, try booking an appointment for a basic service, such as a shampoo or simple manicure, and see if you like it. Keep notes in your phone in case you ever visit the area again.

How Do I Handle Medical Needs?

Things like medical appointments and prescriptions are a few other basic needs you’ll need to consider while on the road. Before we decided to travel long-term, we had the same doctor, dentist and optometrist for 17 years—they were almost as hard to leave as our friends and family! How we’ve managed medical needs from our RV has evolved over the years. The first year, we planned our travels so we could go back to our community for our yearly appointments. This works great if you have the flexibility to plan your route around your appointments, but that isn’t the case for everyone. Especially if you’re on the opposite side of the country!

After that first year, we ultimately decided to find in-network doctors in another part of the country. That way we could have more flexibility for planning our trips. We also took advantage of telehealth visits. If it’s not an emergency, many doctors and specialists will offer video or FaceTime appointments. This is a great option for basic appointments or refilling prescriptions. Most prescriptions can be ordered by mail in 60- or 90-day supplies, and many chain pharmacies will allow you to walk-in and get a refill, even if you’re outside your home state.

Bonus Tip: If your doctor offers it, be sure and sign up for their digital portals. This way you can access things like lab results and medication information directly from your computer. This is also helpful in case you have an emergency and need to access relevant information quickly.

Our last piece of advice is to not let the logistics of daily life deter you from starting your RV journey. Thanks to advances in technology, things like getting mail and making doctor’s appointments are now easier than ever. If traveling the country in an RV is your dream, there are solutions to make sure you can get everything you need for an amazing adventure.