Escapees March/April 2016

Different V iewpoints

Follow Rene Agredano’s and Jim Nelson’s life adventures at LiveWorkDream.com .

“Our business and full-timing lifestyle thrives with the club’s resources in our toolbox.”

Rene, Jim and their dog, Wyatt. Photo by Rene Agredano #103274.

“Joining Escapees made so much sense after hearing that a self-employed ful l-timing friend was already making great use of the club’s resources.”

Live and Work Anywhere—It’s Easy with Escapees! The fusion of Escapees and Xscapers memberships is a powerful tool for self-employed full-timers. We’ve been Escapees since 2009, but until now, we rarely met other members who related to the challenges of

like having our business mail or packages sent to an unfamiliar park, especially when we’re working on quick-turn projects. That’s when it pays to utilize the mail service that Escapees provides. Knowledgeable, trained staff sign for our packag- es, stow them securely and prepare them for shipping

at a moment’s notice, anytime we ask. Everyone at Escapees is so patient with us when we call to inquire about important envelopes and packages we’re expecting.

making a living in today’s economy while on the road. Thankfully, things are changing and, based on the number of cool new Xscapers we’re meeting, it’s fantastic that we’re not alone anymore. Yet Xscapers membership offers so much more than camaraderie, such as access to the Escapees support network.

3. Living and working in multiple states is less complicated. The longer you work and travel, the more you’ll encounter opportunities to earn money in multiple states. Whether you enjoy work-camping in different states, selling your

Our business and full-timing lifestyle thrives with the club’s resources in our toolbox, and here are the top three ways we make the most of them: 1. Our “real” address establishes customer trust. When we hit the road, we took a long sabbatical from work. We kept a low profile by borrowing a relative’s PO box and having simple business cards with only our e-mail and travel blog URL. Over the next two years, we developed a new microenterprise and our customers and vendor relationships expanded accord- ingly. Soon they were asking us for an address where we could receive things like product samples, returns and, the best part— checks! That’s when we knew that if we wanted to make real money as a legitimate business, then we had to act like one. Joining Escapees made so much sense after hearing that a self-employed full-timing friend was already making great use of the club’s resources. We became Escapees #103274 and estab- lished ourselves as Texans with legitimate business headquarters in Polk County. Now the world can see our address proudly displayed on any of our Websites or marketing materials and feel 100 percent confident in knowing how to reach us. 2. Our “virtual assistant” with Escapees mail service. If you’ve ever observed how most RV parks receive tenant mail, you know their procedures aren’t exactly fool-proof. We don’t

wares at festivals or managing an Internet business, govern- ment agencies in all those places want to know the details. As a bonus, if you’re too young to collect Medicare, then you’re also forced to deal with health insurance that covers you across state lines. With so many tricky situations to navigate, we breathe a sigh of relief knowing we have an assortment of legal, financial and insurance experts endorsed by Escapees, like the law firm of Loring & Associates, RVer Insurance Exchange and CoachNet Roadside Assistance. We’ve used them all and can confidently endorse them, too. A full-time RVer’s life should be a free-spirited existence, but business can sometimes turn burdensome when you’re earning a living from your RV. Don’t make it any harder than it needs to be. When you have a question or concern about issues such as domicile, vehicle registration, health insurance, as a few examples, e-mail clubbusiness@escapees.com or call Escapees headquarters at 888-757-2582 to connect with the right person who can help. Rene Agredano #103274

Rene Agredano and JimNelson have lived andworked on the road since 2007. They chronicle their business and life adventures at LiveWorkDream.com .

www.escapees.com | March/April 2016 | ESCAPEES . 61