Working while on the road?


pezar

New Member
Hi everybody, I've posted here and there but a little about me and my plans. I am 35 and get $927/mo in Social Security survivor's benefits, as the adult disabled child (I have Aspergers, a form of autism) of a retired pensioner. I also make a little money repairing computers, which is my trade (I am A+ Certified, which means that I'm certified to work on computers). I have lived in the same city all my life, but want to see more than what I'm used to. I am thinking of buying a used motorhome (older, like 1980s, but still low miles and well maintained) and hitting the road. I wanted to stay at different campgrounds and RV parks and repair the laptops of other full time RVers, such as construction workers and older people and snowbirds and such. I plan to get a diesel home, and the Social Security would take care of all my expenses...except fuel. I would repair computers basically for fuel money, IOW. I plan to have some savings for that, but would still need to practice my trade for fuel money. I want to know, do you think this is feasible at all? I love to drive and travel, and I have the small government income, but would need to repair computers to feed the motorhome. Is it even possible with so many places forbidding older coaches, and so many full timers quitting?
 

Triple E

Senior Member
Re: Working while on the road?

Hey you will not know until you try it. You are young enough to start over if needed. You have a dream, follow it. JMHO. ;) :approve:

:8ball:
 

akjimny

Senior Member
Re: Working while on the road?

I'm not sure how you would advertise your services to other campers. When the Boss Lady and I travel it's usually in the campground around 1700, make dinner, read or watch a little TV if there is reception/cable, get to bed about 2200 and up and hit the road around 0700 the next day. We haven't spent more than one night in any campground while traveling. This will change when we go down to the river to fish, but I don't expect wi-fi there, anyway.
Maybe you could work a deal with the campground to pass out a flyer or business card when you're on the road, but ??? Best wishes and good luck with it. Let us know how it works out.
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Re: Working while on the road?

I have to be honest, and after ten years on the road, I have really serious doubts, but as the first response stated, there is only one way to find out for sure. My advice would be to suggest that you start by doing a lot of study about RVs to be sure that you get a good one. Then have a back-up plan just in case things don't go well.

You are young enough to recover and to take another approach if this doesn't work, so I'd say, go for it.
 

Joan74

New Member
Re: Working while on the road?

i am new too...but,if it were me i would make sure you have at least 6 months worth of "gas" money saved before trying ..this way if it bombs you can get home..or if its slow you have a lil cushion.
Good Luck ;)
 
RE: Working while on the road?

For advertising computer services, local Craigslist listings are your friend. It's a good way to get started, but you'll need to shift to a different advertising media to snag more stable work. You may want to consider work camping and look into that before heading out. You could put in 20 hours at a campground in exchange for your site and still have time to build your business.

Another suggestion, I might rethink the motor home idea. If you're thinking about a Class A or Class C, you really need to have more cash to maintain one of those, they're expensive to get worked on and it's not like you can pull in to the corner gas station for service. And some parks don't like older looking RV's. The only vintage campers you can get away with at nicer parks are Airstreams and not all of those.

If I were single, I'd probably look at starting with a nice pull behind. Maybe one slide, keep the weight down so it can be towed with a 1/2 ton truck. A model with a big enough living space you can set aside part of it for a work space. A toy hauler would be ideal, you can use the back for a workshop, but not many of those are in the 1/2 ton weight range and they cost more. Tow behinds (aka Travel Trailers) are a lot less expensive than a motor home. If you get one that's really clean, seals and canopy in good shape, you can keep them clean and nice looking enough for most parks. Most of them are also 30 amp, which gives you a lot more flexibility about where you camp.

That way you have the truck for work, it gets decent gas mileage when you're not towing and doesn't cost a fortune to maintain. And you can do a lot of shopping and probably score a pretty good deal.
 
Top