Wanted to introduce myself to the group. My name is Steve and my wife is Diane. We are currently part timers and just bought our second rig a 27 foot 5th wheel. This group interested me because I am looking at cutting the corporate ties and escaping, at least for a while, to the open road.

I am very intrigued by the idea of working on the road. I have been in technology sales most of my career but am very handy man oriented and an accomplished woodworker.

I am looking for any and all ideas on how to make money on the road.

Please let me know if there is a better way of communicating to this group. Thanks

Welcome to the group Steve and Diane! Also, congrats on realizing the corportate stranglehold does not have to be one of a stationary status!!

There are a lot of different ways to accomplish your goal. I think that everyone here has a slightly different twist to their escape. Mine was rather simple, once I figured out  that it was even possible. The liquidation of "stuff" was the most intense part of the ordeal, and ended up being the most rewarding. Not rewarding in the monetary sense, but rather in the freedom aspect!!

I would start with reaching out to the people you know now - business associates. Find out from them what servcies they could use that you can do remotely. You will then build up a good list of skills that you can apply.

Best of luck -

 

kev 

Hi Steve -

Welcome to the gang.  Glad to have ya.  I would say of all those on this site, no two are making a living the same way.  Follow what you love.......

You mentioned that you are a skilled woodworker.  If it is something you really love and would like to make your living at, it is very possible.  I am a jewelry maker and my boyfriend and I have been able to support ourselves selling our creations at art and craft shows across the country. There are lots of aveunues to choose from in this regard. It is just a matter of gathering info and finding what works for you.  

Also - if you haven't heard of Workamper, you may wanna check it out.  We have met many travelers who have been a part of the program and love it.  The RV park scene could use a few more "handy men".  Take a peek at http://www.workamper.com/

Good luck to you!

Michelle 

Thanks for the input.   This is one adventure I have been looking forward to for a long time.

Hi Steve,

My wife and I have spent the last 4 years going from town to town and simply getting temp jobs at temp agencies to pay for our expenses.  It works out very well for us.  But do not have to worry about payments on our rig.  We paid for ours outright when we started out.

  Our lifestyle isn't for everyone.  Because there are times when we do not know where our next meal is coming from.  But, it has been exciting and wonderful.

Liam

My biggest concern is leaving my career for a length of time(1 0r 2 Years) and then trying to get back into the job market.  I am probably over analyzing this but i am currently 51 and have not been unemployed since I was 16.

 

The saying goes "You only live once" but it seems I have been programmed to feel that I have to have a job.

 

We pick up the rig in 4 weeks and it is also paid for so once we sell our house which we put on the market today we don't really have any expenses except for what will be generated on the road and health ins.  

 

I have done some checking on health ins. and it looks like I can get coverage for my wife and I for $204 a month.  This is high deductable but we are both in good shape so I don't really see a large risk.

 

I still would like to hear from other folks on how they support themselves on the road.

 

Thanks

Hi Steve,

From doing this for 4 years and talking to lots of others in the course of things, I'd have to say that the most popular ways of making money in this lifestyle seem to be (in no particular order): workamping, festival/fair/craft show vendor, handyman, construction worker, writer, and internet based businesses. Which is by no means an exhaustive list of the ways in which you can make money on the road, these are just the ones that seem to be most popular.

As for getting back into the job market, Liam did have a little bit of difficulty finding a job in his field (computers) when we decided to stay here in Oceanside for a while, having been out of the industry for several years, but keep in mind that he had a number of other factors working against him in this: he has no degree (and most computer jobs "require" one), he is 43 with a history of switching employers every couple of years (at least), we are in Southern California (which is positively swarming with techie-type people), and we are in a slow economy. And yet, with all of that working against him, he found a good job in his field within 5 months of starting his search. Yes, that can seem like a long time when money is tight, but we survived on my relatively low-paying clerical job in one of the most expensive states in the country while he was looking.

I guess what I'm saying is, if you want to do this, DO IT! Yes, it can be scary, but don't let that stop you from having fun. Even when we are flat broke, we still prefer this lifestyle to the stickhouse-corporate-9-to-5 thing by far. And we are getting ready to head out and be broke all over again.

Kylie