How to make money while traveling in an RV, that is the question that a lot of RVers are asking. Living the mobile lifestyle is fun, but we can’t forget about the important stuffs like making money and paying the bills. So that begs the question, how can you make money while RVing? There are actually many opportunities.
How To Make Money Full Time Rving in 29 Ways?
1. Workamping
This means providing your skills and time in exchange for payment, a camping spot or something else. The nature of workamping means it’s seasonal, lasting a few months or weeks and you can move on.
You could for instance, work in the Arizona desert, private resorts, ranches or national parks. The jobs listed below can fall under workamping.
While workamping offers plenty of opportunities, you have to realize that they’re meant to augment your income, not be your primary source. But you do get extra benefits such as free camping or lodging, meals, Wi-Fi, laundry and so on.
Don’t forget to do the math. Before accepting a job check if the working hours is appropriate for the work you’re going to do.
Here are the top workamping jobs you can get.
2. Camp Hosts
Here you’ll work as campground manager at national and state parks. Your duties include fee collecting, keeping the campground clean, check in campers and just make sure everything is all right. Camp hosting lasts at least 4 weeks, with others are seasonal in nature.
3. Concessions
National parks have concession and gift stands and they often require people to man those places. Wages are paid hourly and you get free camping spots. This is also a part time job that usually lasts a few weeks.
4. Tour Guides
A lot of ranches require tour guides for hikes, horseback riding and other activities. Some ranches hire full time tour guides but others only need them part time, which should suit RVers just fine. Whether it is seasonal or just a few weeks you’re going to find employment here.
5. NASCAR Assistants
NASCAR often needs assistants for the weekend events to help with the crowd. Tasks range from parking lot related work, taking tickets and a lot more. The activities will vary and so does the pay rate.
6. RV Park Assistants
At RV park peak season there is increased demand for assistants for a variety of tasks. This includes work as a cleaner, maintenance, office work and so on.
7. Activity Directors
As an activity director in an RV park, your job description includes managing activities for campers and organizing events. Activity directors are hired on a seasonal basis not just by parks but also resorts.
8. Cooks
If you can cook you’ll be in demand in RV resorts, ranches and national park restaurants. Apart from cooks, these establishments also need dishwashers, restaurant hosts and wait staff.
9. Youth Educators
If you’re a teacher or have experience teaching, you can be a youth educator. You’ll not only make some money but also help youngsters via several youth programs.
10. Historical Actors
Not all workamping needs to be dreary. You can dress up as a historical figure and serve as a tour guide. There are few ways more exciting to make money than touring historical sites and having fun along the way.
11. Gardeners
Do you love tending gardens, have experience in botany or landscaping? Then you’ll want to try your hand at gardening. There’s particularly high demand at large RV resorts with gardens, and they often hire gardeners on a seasonal basis.
12. Craftspeople
Are you skilled in coppersmithing, pottery making or making furniture? Can you drive a buggy, work as an animal caretaker, weave, b a silversmith or blacksmith? If you answer yes to any of that then you’ll be in demand at old town tourist attractions.
13. Become a Caretaker and House-Sit
House sitting and caretaking provide you with another opportunity to make money. It’s often a short term and seasonal job, but if you’re good it could open the doors for other work. There are several caretaking jobs available and you can find them online.
You can also take part in interim inn keeping. What you do is take over the responsibilities of bed and breakfast managers when they have to go on vacation, attend a meeting or just not available.
Most of the ones who get hired are those with managerial skills, but requirements can vary from inn to inn. Just like caretaking you can find openings in online publications and websites.
14. Work Remotely
The Internet has made it possible for people to work part time or full time at home or living in an RV. You can be freelance, self employed or work full time for an employee. You work online and you get paid online so it’s convenient.
Among the many web based jobs you can get are:
- Consulting
- RV repair assistance
- Virtual assisting
- Photography
- Medical billing
- Accounting
- Bookkeeping
- Transcribing
- Graphics design
- Customer support
- Personal coaching
- Videography
- Trade financial securities
- Financial analysis
- App design
- Web design
- Programming
- Law consulting
These are just some of the jobs available online. If you’re into video content creation you can create a YouTube channel and make money from the ads. You could write a blog or an e-book. You could take part in affiliate marketing programs and earn passive income.
If you start a business online you can use the RV to advertise yourself. Advertise your website, product or service on the sides so people will see it. This is an affordable and effective way to market yourself.
All you need is time and a steady Internet connection and you’ll be ready to work. Just like a regular job you still have to meet deadlines, but you can work without leaving your RV.
15. Sell Used Products Online
With eBay and other sites it’s easy to sell items online. Being on an RV allows you to visit garage sales, thrift and regular stores. There you can purchase inventory for your online shop and sell them.
Buy and sell isn’t a new concept but it works very well for home or RV based work. You can sell all kinds of stuff or concentrate on a niche it’s up to you. Just make sure you learn as much as you can about the product so you can answer customer questions.
The biggest advantage is the RV itself. You can take a trip across stores in the state you’re in and find the best deals for each item you want to buy and sell.
16. Sell Your Knowledge
What is your area of expertise? Are you good at writing? Maybe you can write product reviews, a blog or web content. Are you good at Photoshop and graphics? Can you design apps or websites?
Can you speak a foreign language? How about playing an instrument? You put these skills to use online or by teaching in adult education classes. You can find these in community colleges, recreational centers, libraries, senior and community centers.
If you’re going to work full time from your RV, make it a point to plan your itinerary.
- List the towns or cities that you’ll be passing for the upcoming months.
- Look for recreation centers or adult classes in those towns.
- Take note of the schedules.
- Get in touch with those groups. Let them know about your expertise and check if there’s a job opening.
- Most of these groups publish a catalog of upcoming workshops and activities. The lead time is usually several months so you have time to plan for it. This also means more time to get students in your class.
17. Sell Art or Crafts
If you’re good at sculpting, painting, carving, knitting or any type of crafts, you can sell your work on the web. There are a lot of websites that allow you to set up shop online and sell your stuff.
Being in an RV means you can showcase your work in fairs, art galleries, art shows etc. You’re always on the road so you can keep track of any art shows along the way. There is also no shortage of art show lists online so you won’t miss out.
18. Temp Work
A lot of temp work is available in cities, especially in the administrative and clerical areas. A variety of labor jobs are almost always available, and you can also check out temp agencies for openings.
Temp openings are not limited to small companies. Even the large ones also have openings for their stores. You can visit their website for more information where you’ll see available jobs and what they’re looking for. A lot of these jobs are seasonal in nature so keep track of that.
19. Haul Freight
You can use your RV to haul freight and cargo where it needs to be sent. Most people think of this as something limited to trucking, but you can use your RV to achieve the same goal.
20. Work for Amazon CamperForce
The Amazon CamperForce runs during Amazon’s peak season, from the fall to the 23rd of December. At CamperForce you’ll get a free campsite, salary, overtime pay and other perks. Your job includes stowing, receiving and packing. Positions open during the summer so you should apply early.
21. Sell RV Related Accessories and Products
You can make money by selling products fellow RVers will use. You can paint the sides to advertise what you’re selling. The next time you’re in an RV park use the opportunity to sell some items that will help other RVers while allowing you to profit. Here are some of the items that you can sell.
- RV Solar Charging System: a lot of RVers don’t want to rely on power companies, so for those who want to live an independent lifestyle, a solar charging system is just right for them. A solar charger uses the energy of the sun to generate power, allowing the Rver to do away with generators.
- RV Internet: a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is a necessity for RVers who make their living working online. With a mobile WI-Fi RVers can camp anywhere and not lose their Internet connection.
- Insect Repellent: an insect repellent is necessary for campers to keep pests at bay. In fact you should have one as well in your RV.
- Batteries, Candles, Flashlights: these are indispensable for RVs as they’re needed at night when doing repairs or there is need for illumination.
There are many other items you can sell such as device chargers, weather radio, folding ladders, jacks, tires, tankless air compressors and cookware. You don’t need to sell of these as you can concentrate on just a few.
You could just focus on portable cookware, cast iron pots, blenders and coffee makers. Or you can sell electronic devices, GPS, solar chargers and more. These are just examples of the many items you can sell from your RV.
22. Offer Services
The Internet makes it possible to offer different types of services online. Options include business consulting, law, contract nursing, language teaching and so on. This again comes down to your skills and what services you can offer.
23. Trade Stocks
Do you like to buy and sell shares of stock? Do you dabble in forex or maybe even bitcoin? If so you can now buy and sell financial securities online. All you need is a steady Internet connection.
Now you just need to open an account with a stock broker and start trading. Needless to say you need to be familiar with technical analysis before buying and selling stocks.
24. Online Tutoring
You can tutor foreign students how to speak English or another language. Or maybe you can teach Java, C, or another computer language. With video chat you can reach out to anyone and teach them virtually anything.
25. Transcription
This is an ideal option if you’re a fast typist and good at listening. A reliable Internet connection is necessary as you’ll be uploading and downloading files.
26. Summer Camp Gigs
If you need part time work during the summer then you should look for jobs at summer camps or resorts. You can work as a tour director or camp counselor, plus there are listings for other job openings online.
27. Be a Courier
Since you’re traveling from place to place, why not use this opportunity to profit as a courier. With an RV you’ll be able to take on different types of cargo.
28. Blog about Your Travels
Write a blog about your journeys. Write reviews of the restaurants you eat at, lodges you stay in, parks you visit and so on. It won’t happen overnight but if you’re good at what you do then you’ll be able to attract ads on your blog.
You may also attract sponsors who’ll ask you to review their sites. You can even do video travel guide on YouTube as well.
29. Photography
Have you been taking shots of the gorgeous sites and attractions you’ve been visiting? Well if you’re good at it you can sell those photos and make a profit. So you’re not only storing memories but making money too.
9 Tips And Suggestions
Ready to take it to the road? But before you do it’s best to prepare. Here are some tips and suggestions.
1. Plan Ahead
If you’re going to make a living in an RV, you need to plan ahead. Take note of your skills, abilities, and the type of work you want to do. Plan how you can make them come true and if necessary, take a class.
Say you want to make a living by selling art. Before trekking out on your RV, take up art classes to hone your skills. The more prepared you are, the more likely you’ll succeed.
2. Start Early
Do not live on your RV until you’ve got a business or job you can run from it, or at least a passive income source. Making the transition from house living to living in an RV isn’t easy. If you’re going to start a business at the same time it’s going to take its toll.
If you’ve got a business idea, get onto it today. If possible start your business six months or a year before you decide to live in an RV. Whether it is applying for a job, learning a new skill or starting a company, do it as early as possible.
3. Talk to Other Working RVers
One of the best ways to learn how to make money full time RVing is to talk to those that have already done it. Learn from their experience and what they did to live the lifestyle thy want. You can check out a lot of these RVers on the web where you can learn from their experience.
4. Make a List of Your Skills and Strengths
What is it that you’re good at? What is your specialty? List your skill set and take note of the job or business opportunities they present. If there’s a specific skill set you want to learn, work on them now. Think of how your skills can benefit people while helping you earn a living.
If you’ve got weaknesses, work on those too. Take your time and focus on your skills, strengths and abilities that will help you achieve your goal.
5. Travel Slowly and Work “Normal” Jobs
If you take your time while on the road, you can find work in farms, restaurants, hotels, construction projects, stores etc. A lot of temporary jobs are available so it’s just a matter of choosing one that fits your skills.
6. Time of the Season
Some jobs are in demand depending on the season, so keep that in mind. Carnivals, theme parks and camps need extra workers at certain times of the year. Retail stores are at their busiest during the holidays, so no matter what the season is there should be an opening somewhere.
7. Use Your Specialty
Do you have a degree in nursing or other medical degree? A lot of medical facilities are short in manpower so it won’t be that difficult to find a job. As a nursing specialist you’ll be able to find work across the different states.
8. Keep Track of Your Expenses
This is something you do at home, and you should keep it up when you’re on the road. Keep a ledger, a spreadsheet or an app updated. This helps you determine if you’re making enough money or need to do more work.
9. Things to Do Before Living in an RV
The worst thing that you can do is pack your bags in an RV without having any source of income. Don’t quit your day job yet until you’ve got things figured out. You can only live an independent life if you’ve got the means as pointed out earlier.
Here is a rundown of the things you need to consider and answer before hauling your stuff.
- How much money do you have? If you’ve got a passive source of income, is it enough so you only need to work part time? If not, you’ll need a full time job. There are many opportunities especially online.
- Working online means a steady Internet connection is necessary. You need to install a system on your RV computer as you can’t rely on free Wi-Fi hotspots alone.
- How many days can you get by without a job? A lot of part time jobs are seasonal.
- You need a PayPal account to go along with your bank account. This is the preferred payment method by online shoppers.
- Make sure your bank account has several ATMs or branches so you can withdraw money anytime.
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