This is the “Go / No Go” element of becoming a Full Time RV Digital Nomad. Can you do it? Can you come up with a way to earn enough money to live on The Road? Unless you're on a trust fund, earning residuals from that best selling novel, or hit those magic six numbers, you'll either figure it out, or you'll stay home.

If you watch Digital Nomads on YouTube, the things people do for a living can sometimes feel unrealistic. It seems like almost everyone is a Photographer and somehow makes a living doing it... That's great if you happen to be a professional photographer, but the likelihood of a novice selling snaps from their cell pone and making money online is pretty slim. A surprising number of people claim to make a living trading collectibles or as a mobile cosmologist, and there’s even someone out there who claims to earn an income making paper dolls... no, really... “paper dolls”, that you have to print for yourself... Yeah...

Additionally, there's a seemingly endless supply of videos that will spend 13 minutes and 29 seconds repeating the same mantra of Fiver, Working Nomads, UpWorks, Voices, or other “Freelancer” websites. These are useful, but tend to be overcrowded, and almost all of the offerings are geared toward someone with a highly specialized job skill. -If you're already a graphic designer, software developer, accountant, or some other type of Professional or Tech-Guru, you don't need someone to tell you to just take your highly-skilled, professional job on The Road. - It’s not Rocket Science. (Unless, of course… it is…)

Don't get us wrong. If you are a specialty-skilled professional, “Good on ya!”. Go do that! But what about the rest of us? What are you supposed to do if you've had a career in the service industry, worked blue-collar gigs, or been in retail all your life? Most of us have just always “had a job”. Go to a building, clock in, work 8 hours, clock out, go home. How do you translate that to a mobile or Full Time Nomad income?

A good portion of what you find on the internet about Remote Work can be misleading, if not an outright waste of time. Here’s the reality about the things you hear over and over on YouTube, and some practical ideas for the rest of us:

We'll hit the brakes right away on Mystery Shopper jobs or anything that pays with gift cards. You can also forget about any site that asks for a sign up fee, or requires you to purchase something up front in order to make your millions. Likewise, shy away from Amway or anything resembling multi level marketing. People exist that make a smattering of money from these things, but if you’re not already one of them… No... Just No.

The first option that many people consider (from those “Make $5000 a week from home” videos) are Human Intelligence Tasks (H.I.T.s). You've got things like Mechanical Turk, Click Worker, as well as loads of Survey Sites and Review or Testing companies (User Testing, Analysia, Appen, etc.), and while these outfits will actually pay you, the pay is either very low and/or the work is extremely sporadic. You can do it, but the time invested vs. income earned often works out to a few dollars an hour when (and only when) the work is available. Additionally, you won't “qualify” for all of the tests or tasks they offer. Even if you can make a few pennies (literally, pennies) on these, it's not a very efficient use of your time. This is not the best path to becoming a Digital Nomad.

So, be a transcriber!! Sure! (“Break out the fine china honey! I've got the answer!”) Again, these are legit opportunities, but most pay around $1 per audio minute transcribed, and while that's not bad on the surface, don't assume that you'll have regular work every day. - Likewise with all of those “Virtual Assistant” sites you've seen so much of. A few people manage to get Part Time hours with these, but most don’t.

In reality, with all of the options above, you'll be lucky to get a few gigs a week. It is possible to make money doing these things, and the longer you do them the more pay and jobs you will get, but don't bank on making a Remote Income with H.I.T.s, surveys, reviews, user testing, transcribing, etc. These gigs will most likely earn you a little extra money per month, at best.

So what about selling things online, like with Drop Shipping, Amazon FBA, or Affiliate Marketing? Or maybe you could do something that generates advertising revenue like being a Blogger, YouTube or Instagram “famous”, and earning money from Ad Sense or click-throughs? - These are actually nomad-friendly options that could very well represent a portion of your income. There are people that make a living at this, but for every one of them there are thousands who make less than a few dollars a month. - Yes, you are currently reading a Blog on a website that earns money from Amazon Affiliate Marketing, but it isn't our primary source of income. - The Key is Patience. - Assume that any type of online business you start will take years to develop. It’s absolutely worth doing, but be prepared to put in the time.

Thinking of starting a remote business? Not bad... Your head's in the right place, but what type of business to start? If you're already A Professional, the answer is right in front of you. If you plan on Consulting or Writing, do you have the skills and knowledge to consistently consult or write about a certain topic? Could you manufacture something? Sure, but it would need to be something very small (Full Time RV) if not digital that you would need to develop a way to ship, sell in person, or a website to download from. Perhaps you should start an Etsy store or buy and sell on Ebay? - This is a realistic option if you love doing it and you’re good at it. If not, however, consider if Drop Shipping or Amazon FBA would accomplish the same thing without all the overhead.

Social Media Managing is another popular idea that falls into a few of the categories that we've already mentioned. You'd be starting a business, selling your skills, and doing a lot of writing, photo work, and marketing. The actual scope of work may not be exactly what you expect, but if you are young, cool, and fashion savvy this is definitely worth exploring. Just be realistic about the income and how steady the work will be. (And be sure to click the Affiliate Link to the right. >>>)

Okay, what if I use Craigslist Gigs, a site like Takl, or even a local Temp Service to do actual casual labor in whatever town I'm in at the moment? Yes! Now we're getting somewhere. Again, I wouldn't bet the farm (or the Bus) on this as a healthy and consistent money maker, but it is a realistic way to supplement your income.

So what is the answer?

First and foremost: Budget! (See the Budget Blog. No, really, if you haven't done it yet, go and read our Blog on Budgeting... It's important.) The cheaper you can live on The Road, the less money and time you need to spend for this lifestyle to be a reality.

Find “a job” you can do from The Road: - The easiest thing, honestly, is to try to find a remote or telecommuting position with an existing company. It will likely be data entry, or customer service, and will likely be posted as “Part-Time”, but can represent a large portion (or occasionally all) of your income. Check Craigslist (and sites like Indeed.com, if you don't mind being spammed until your eyeballs bleed) for remote positions. -Note: many openings advertised as “remote” or “work from home” actually aren't... You'll need to bring along a bag full of patience, but it might just be worth it.

Take a serious look at your current skill set: - Maybe you're not “A Professional”, but maybe there are elements of that type of work you could do. Maybe you can learn, or certify to do something applicable in relatively short order (Medical Billing for example). Investing in a little training might move you closer to becoming a Digital Nomad.

Ask around: - Tell your friends and coworkers that you're trying to come up with a way to earn “extra money” working from home, and see what they say. You never know who may know someone that knows someone that might have an option for you. - Say “earn extra money” so they don’t get sidetracked on the “Why the hell do you want to live in a bus?” conversation. ;)

Making Money Online (website, YouTube, Instagram…): - Yes, you Can make money this way. Starting your own website through an online provider, Squrespace, for example =), is relatively easy and inexpensive. You can then use that site to do Affiliate Marketing, Dropshipping, AdSense, etc.

If you haven't already stumbled upon Sarah at Wholesale Ted, she has a ton of info on each of these options (and many more). Each option is very clearly described and often comes with step by step instructions. Forget the “Make $1000 a day...” videos and check out Wholesale Ted.

Additionally, you can use Print on Demand sites like TeeSpring or Merch by Amazon to create and sell items online. You'll need a little graphic design, marketing, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) skill, but it isn't difficult to get started. You can also build a YouTube Channel, but you'll need to shoot, edit, and post a LOT of video, get 1000 Subscribers, and reach 4000 hours of view time before you can monetize your channel (make any money from ads). Likewise for Instagram or other social media options. You need to post interesting content (click bait) and get lots of followers before you become “An Influencer”, but it is possible.

Again, don't count on any of these to make a Full Time Remote Living at first, but if you enjoy the work and can drive traffic to your site/posts/store, it can consistently make a few bucks for you, and will only grow with time and effort. - Patience is the Key.

Consider jobs that require travel: - While most Travel gigs fall under the “Professional” category, there are those that are more entry-level, or can be done with minimal training. The Hospitality field has a surprising number of low-skill jobs that require travel. Events such as concerts, conventions, trade shows, etc. have gigs such as set up/tear down, organization/logistics, as well as manning booths, giving presentations, and even transportation. There are even companies that specifically hire people to do these shows (trade-show-advisor.com). There are also Agricultural jobs, including Agri-Tourism as well as harvesting/processing.

You might even consider being a Carney, working or selling from a booth at Fairs and Festivals. This could even be a business you start for yourself, if you can haul a trailer or sell items that don't require a lot of space. There are thousands of State and County Fairs all across the country every year, and items sourced and bought in bulk can fetch a decent return at these venues. - Granted, these jobs will limit your freedom to travel wherever and whenever you want, but compared to the 9-5???

Seasonal Work and Camp Hosting: - Sites like workampingjobs.com, camphost.org, and happyvagabonds.com list Camp Hosting jobs and other Nomad positions. The pay isn't always great, but often includes a camp site (usually with hookups) in exchange for a few hours or duties per day. Certain Seasonal jobs, often in Agriculture, also offer camp sites as partial payment.

Outfits like FedEx, Amazon, and UPS regularly ramp up at the same time every year, then lay people off like clockwork. Many factories and warehouses do the same. They often hire through temp services, but it can be a regular paycheck for a few months. You'll need to do your own research on these, but it is a viable option. Again, you may find that you're hitting the same areas year after year, but if you live cheap enough (Budget) you may actually only “work” 8-10 months a year, leaving the rest to wander as you see fit.

The Gig-Economy: - Things like Uber and Lyft are plausible income streams, but often have specific vehicle or residence requirements that might make them difficult to work with a Nomadic Lifestyle. By all means, you should check them out. There are scenarios where these might work for you (if you spend several months in the same area, for example). We looked into some sort of “national registry” for Lyft/Uber, and as yet, they don't have one, but Postmates, and Door Dash, will let you deliver in any city they serve once you’re signed up with them. Drivers typically make $8-$15/Hr., according to the reviews. - Pay very close attention to these types of jobs in general, as it is the fastest growing sector of our economy, and there are seemingly new “gig” type jobs every day. Do your due diligence. Explore your options, and think outside the box.

Job Hopping: - Many Full Time Nomads simply apply for an entry-level job (retail, fast food, warehouse, etc.) wherever they happen to be, and work a regular shift at that job until they decide to move on. This likely will require a bit of “fibbing” in the interview, and on your resume, but it can keep you in groceries until you break camp.

Selling or Busking from The Road: - The people who used to follow The Grateful Dead kept themselves in food (and weed) by selling stuff in the parking lot at the shows. They called it “Shakedown Street”, and you could literally buy anything from handmade jewelry and charms to beer purchased at the local convenience store (then sold to passers by for a 200% markup). Theoretically, one could come up with a product that was light weight and easy to transport (t-shirts, sunglasses, banners and flags), that could be set up and sold on the side of The Road. The market would be better if you focused on areas of heavy tourism, events, or concerts, but it could be done almost anywhere. It's up to you to get a grip on the local laws regarding such things, but we've all seen it. Postcards? Cafts? Trinkets?

Busking falls into this category as well. I, myself, am a retired musician, and though I personally haven't really tried playing in the street and passing the hat 'round, I know many who have… with varying degrees of success.

Buy or Start a Business: - This model could certainly be applied to an online business, but we are thinking brick and mortar here. If you have a little capital to invest (and/or can get a small business loan) consider buying a small store, service company, or mini-storage. It would need to be something that you could manage remotely and hire other people to operate, but remember, you don't have to make as much profit for yourself if you're living on The Road. Nor does it have to represent your entire Full Time Nomad Income.

You'd likely make regular trips back to handle inventory and staffing issues, but with a little creative thinking, and someone local who would help you out in times of need, as well as a “hands off” management style, this could be the thing that lets you go (not so) Digital Nomad.

If it's a startup, you'd have to put in the hours getting it off the ground, but could then segue into less and less demand for your personal presence. There are also existing companies for sale with as little as a few thousand down that could potentially run themselves. Obviously this may be out of reach for many, but you've got nothing to lose doing the research.

In the end, “Diversify”: - Most Digital Nomads earn a living in pieces, a little here and a little there. You earn a few bucks from a website and a YouTube Channel. Do a part-time remote job, and maybe a little user testing while you camp host in Florida. You call up a temp service in Galveston, work a few weeks there, then off to Montana for the Sugar Beet Harvest. Sell Pumpkins in Portland and then man a Christmas Tree Lot in Sacramento. Then it's off to Phoenix for the winter and some Door-Dashing. You work a few trade shows in the Spring, a county fair or two, and then it all starts over. -Hopefully you can find a simpler solution, or different combinations, but even with no “Professional” skills you can make a living on The Road (on a budget) .

Most Importantly: - Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you have to have a single income source that earns $5k - $10k per month or that your Road Income has to be the same as your current income. -It doesn’t. (Do your Road Budget.) There’s no shame in minimum wage, and it might just be enough! Your path may lie somewhere between making a living as a Digital Nomad and earning a Full Time RV income piece-by-piece.

Additionally, you need to get beyond the concept that your Job somehow defines who you are. - It Doesn’t. - Who cares if you sweep floors or pack boxes? A job is simply something you do to Enable you to do what you Want to do. - In the end, The Freedom of The Road is what matters.

-Skoolie Supply

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