We're getting closer to setting out on the road as fulltimers. I've picked out a 5th wheel model (Cameo 36FWS) and am shopping for a used Ford F350 with towing package or a F450 to pull it. We're planning to earn a living on the road through part time and/or temporary work. I have an engineering & architectural background & my wife is a nurse. We're not close to retirement age so we'll have to earn our way. We hope to work ~ 4 months of the year & have ~ 8 months off.
I guess its last-minute jitters or stagefright, but I'm suddenly nervous about the uncertainty of the financial aspect. I'm wondering how many RV-Dreamers are earning a living on the road like we're planning. I sure would like to hear about your experience.
Thanks for any input.
Jack Mayer said
08:04 AM May 24, 2009
It depends on what you mean by a "living"....Do you mean enough to cover your expenses? Or do you mean a full-blown career, with plenty of money to fund investment accounts and other items?
We have met a number of nurses that work on the road doing temporary assignments in hospitals. To my knowledge these are generally 2-6 month contracts. It will depend on your wifes specialty how much she can make and how easy the jobs are to get, but in general nurses seem to find all the work they want.
If your work is computer based and can be done remotely then there is no reason you could not continue it, if you find the right companies to do work for.
Froggi said
09:59 AM May 24, 2009
You can do it...there are agencies that will place travel nurses and there are also contractors for folks in engineering/construction (not sure how your skills would fit, but I suspect you could adapt to the needs). Contracting would mean finding the position that fits one of you best (area & money) then hoping the other could find something as well. Good luck!
Judy said
10:47 AM May 24, 2009
We have met several traveling couples that do this. One was in Santa Fe, and we met them while they were looking at a new rig at a dealers there. Another one we met was in Tucson. I met her and was talking to her at the laundry room at the rv park. She just had a contract for the winter months there. southwestjudy
pierreandcolleen said
04:26 PM May 25, 2009
Hi Bob,
My husband's ex was a traveling nurse and she did pretty well financially, I think they even covered living expenses - but that was awhile ago. I'm not familiar enough with engineering/architecture. Do you have experience with designing/modifying 'green' homes? I think this is a growing area.
-Colleen
DonF888 said
09:00 PM May 25, 2009
DreamerBob wrote:
We're planning to earn a living on the road through part time and/or temporary work. I have an engineering & architectural background & my wife is a nurse.
Thanks for any input.
Traveling nurses seem to have easy time working either of the local registry or hooking up with a national-level placement outfit. My niece did that for 5 years, until they decided to settle down to have kids; traveled west to AZ, east to RI and NC, near home in MI & OH, then settled (on a new, perm-job) & bought stick house in SC, near Goose Creek -- large yard, in the country, room for us to park, etc.
-- Edited by DonF888 on Monday 25th of May 2009 09:11:48 PM
Speedhitch said
02:03 PM May 27, 2009
Like Jack said....what kind of living are you speaking of. Sherri and I are Workamping and we make enough for me to go fishing on my days off and she can buy birthday presents for our g-kids...other than that we just make it day to day...enjoying Gods beauty viewed from our front porch.
DreamerBob said
02:34 PM May 28, 2009
We plan to earn our entire living expenses by working a portion of the year. The length of the work portion will of course vary with our hourly wage. I've used what I've learned from this great website [THANKS HOWARD & LINDA!] and my own planning to estimate our monthly expenses. I think that we will need to work at least 4 or 5 months to cover the annual expenses which will leave us with ~7 or 8 months off to enjoy traveling the country (slowly). Our desire to fulltime is very much like Howard & Linda's - except that we need to earn our way. I think that we're OK with our longer term needs with what we've put aside for retirement. I think of our plan as a form of semi-retirement.
I guess its last-minute jitters or stagefright, but I'm suddenly nervous about the uncertainty of the financial aspect. I'm wondering how many RV-Dreamers are earning a living on the road like we're planning. I sure would like to hear about your experience.
Thanks for any input.
southwestjudy
My husband's ex was a traveling nurse and she did pretty well financially, I think they even covered living expenses - but that was awhile ago. I'm not familiar enough with engineering/architecture. Do you have experience with designing/modifying 'green' homes? I think this is a growing area.
-Colleen
-- Edited by DonF888 on Monday 25th of May 2009 09:11:48 PM
We plan to earn our entire living expenses by working a portion of the year. The length of the work portion will of course vary with our hourly wage. I've used what I've learned from this great website [THANKS HOWARD & LINDA!] and my own planning to estimate our monthly expenses. I think that we will need to work at least 4 or 5 months to cover the annual expenses which will leave us with ~7 or 8 months off to enjoy traveling the country (slowly). Our desire to fulltime is very much like Howard & Linda's - except that we need to earn our way. I think that we're OK with our longer term needs with what we've put aside for retirement. I think of our plan as a form of semi-retirement.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Bob