How to Make Money While Enjoying Life from Your RV
Many people dream of traveling the country in an RV with a here today, gone tomorrow lifestyle. But the burden and fear of financial ramifications often hold them back. While you can live cost-effectively in an RV, the freedom of the open road still comes with many expenses. Luckily, there are ways you can earn money and enjoy the adventure of an RV lifestyle.
Money: You can’t live without it
Fuel, campsite fees, food–It all adds up. It’s no wonder so many RVers look for ways to earn an income while on the road. Even for those that have tried every way to downsize their lifestyle, expenses still come up. In fact, the “freedom taxes” of living life on the road continue to increase as the availability of affordable houses increases.
While this may seem ironic. It’s reality. Luckily, there are ways to make money on the road.
How to earn money while RVing
When it comes to generating income on the road, some ways are obvious and others that might surprise you. Some take skill and training, others are pretty easy to pick up.
As you look for employment, you will find that there are basically two types of employment–things that have to be done from a specific place and things that can be done from any location. Some jobs have to be completed from a specific location, namely, where the employer is located.
So, browse through the list, and see what appeals to you and fits the lifestyle you want.
Jobs that are location-specific
1. Embrace your musical talent
It goes without saying that musicians spend a lot of time on the road. If you are talented enough, you can plan your travel around gigs that you have scheduled throughout the country. Staying in your RV will cut the cost of lodging and meals, so you will have more free time to enjoy life on the road.
2. Offer your skilled services to others
Do you have the skills and knowledge to repair things? As you travel, you are bound to run into other RVers that can use a skilled mechanic or handy person. Of course, you need to know what you are doing as well as all the tools you need. It’s important to keep in mind that the paychecks won’t be regular, but they can certainly supplement other forms of income.
3. Become a campground host or worker
One popular job for RVers is working at a campground. Being a campground host is easy and often relaxing. Some positions even pay a salary, others just provide you with a place to park your RV. However the work is usually easy, and a great way to lower your living expenses.
4. Commodify your expertise and speaking skills
If you are good at public speaking, you can look for libraries, schools, societies, and organizations that are looking for speakers on various topics. If that is something you are interested in, do a little research online, find organizations that would like to hire someone with your knowledge, and start planning your trip.
Some common topics subjects that people are interested in learning about include:
- Nature
- Living Rent-Free
- Tiny Home Advice
- Survival Skills
- Art & Photography
- Low-Impact Living
- Homesteading
5. Stay open-minded and check the local job boards
Some campgrounds have a bulletin board with local jobs. Take a quick look when you arrive, and see if any of the postings match your skills set. Most will be short term, so check them out, stay until they are done, then hit the road again.
6. Consider seasonal work
Seasonal employment is another option. Summer help isn’t just for kids out of school. Theme parks, water parks, restaurants, stores, fruit stands need help in the summer. Sso see what is in the want ads and spend a few months padding your bank account. Most of these jobs are low stress, and even fun. And after they’re over, you can enjoy more work-free travel.
7. Photography and RVing go hand-in-hand
So many RVers skip taking pictures to share. This is often a shame since RV life brings about so many wonderful photo opportunities. What other lifestyles will take you to so many beautiful vistas, after all?
If you have a talent, you might be able to sell your photographs. You will need to buy the equipment and learn how to use it, then find a market, such as selling prints online or submitting your photos to stock photo websites.
Jobs that are anchor-free
While not an exhaustive list, the above jobs need to be completed from specific locations. However, there are many jobs that allow you to roam where you will, and work from wherever you happen to be spending the night.Rent Your Home While You’re Away
1. Is your house payment keeping you from launching into full-time RV life?
Think about renting out your place. You can put your things into storage, then rent your place for enough to cover your mortgage. You can even have a real estate management company take care of the renting and repairs, so all you have to do is enjoy the monthly check deposited into your account.
Without a monthly mortgage, your financial needs drop significantly. So, you will have more time for other things, like enjoying your travels, but you might still need additional income.
2. Write, right?
Writers can pretty much work from everywhere. Fiction, non-fiction, travel, history are all possibilities. You can also write for the web. Websites need content and blogs. It can be harder to find companies and individuals to write for, but they are out there if you look.
3. Dive into the digital world
Do you have experience writing software? This type of job can work perfectly with someone with a mobile lifestyle. Some RVers have even learned how to write code before venturing out onto the road and have found that the two work well together.
Designing and building websites is something else that you can do on the road. You just need to know how to work with websites and access to the internet. Most campgrounds can provide access to the internet, and as you travel during the day, it isn’t hard to find restaurants and coffee shops that allow you to log in as well. And don’t forget about libraries.
4. Teach online
Online teaching and tutoring is another good choice for RVers. Tired of the classroom or looking for something with fewer working hours each day? Then teaching part time and tutoring can work well with your RVer schedule. Again, you will need access to the internet, but that is rarely a problem throughout the country.
5. Ask your current employer if you can work from home
Many companies are allowing their workers to work from home, so it doesn’t matter if your home is bricks and mortar or fiberglass. If your current job offers this option, you can start working remotely, while not losing any of your salary or benefits.
6. Manage someone else’s money
Bookkeeping and accounting jobs are done mostly on computers now. Plus, clients can just as easily email you their files whether you live a few miles away or a few thousand. You can stay in touch on the phone and through email. So, if you are strong with numbers and have the needed training, enjoy work as you travel the country.
Remember to maintain your work ethic on the road
While working on the road and enjoying the freedom that your RV affords you, you have to remember that a job is still a job. You have regular tasks and deadlines that you must meet. Communication with your clients and/or co-workers is more important, and you must stay in contact.
Stay positive and focused on your goals
You also might have to take jobs that you don’t particularly like. Just remember, as you are completing tasks that are tedious, repetitive, boring, or un-fun, each hour you put in will be buying you hours and hours of traveling and exploring.
Let the road be your guide and the money will come
Not everyone is cut out to work on the road. But if you are one of the lucky (or determined to be one), cut your ties to the standard 9-to-5 job and the commute from the ‘burbs. Then load up your RV and hit the road.
Life is as much about the journey as it is the destination. So, don’t be afraid to set sail. You could begin picking up jobs that can be performed on the road. The view from your office will constantly be changing, and you can bet you won’t get bored by the variety of jobs that you can land.
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