Full time RVing with a tech job

Can your husband teach? There are online IT programs out there. I used to teach online Criminal Justice Courses for a School out of Colorado. I worked for them for five years and never once met my boss in person and never once even went to the campus. All you need is an Internet connection.

sweetpeas_dad wrote:
I, too, work in IT and can work remotely if I choose. However, my job requires quite a bit of travel. My new position will require me to be based out of Houston. I hope I don't hijack the thread, but are there folks that work a normal job and live in RV parks short term while they learn about the area? I haven't relocated for a job in 13 years and the uprooting the family is a bit daunting. While I could certainly afford an apartment, I thought it would be more interesting in the shorter term to live in a RV park. I'll be required to work-from-home after hours, but I plan to drive in to work each day. Is it safe to leave the RV in the park during daytime hours? Is security a concern? My apologies if this hijacks the thread. What should I be searching for on the forum? Thanks for helping a newbie!

The majority of working locals are single in most of the locations we've stayed in. We just arrived Mon in MN. Montana on one side is a Respiratory Therapist (traveling nurse), the Cls C on the other is an IT guy who is from the area.

We've stayed in all kinds of RVParks and CG's. Some gated, some in the city, some in the boonies. We've left for long weekends, a week's vacation and never had any problems with Security. We even leave our 2 cats and they watch over the 5er while we're away.

This has been a very helpful thread and I appreciate the responses and perspectives given. I am looking to relocate to the Houston area for a new Tech Job. I, too, work in IT and can work remotely if I choose. However, my job requires quite a bit of travel. My new position will require me to be based out of Houston. I hope I don't hijack the thread, but are there folks that work a normal job and live in RV parks short term while they learn about the area? I haven't relocated for a job in 13 years and the uprooting the family is a bit daunting. While I could certainly afford an apartment, I thought it would be more interesting in the shorter term to live in a RV park. I'll be required to work-from-home after hours, but I plan to drive in to work each day. Is it safe to leave the RV in the park during daytime hours? Is security a concern? My apologies if this hijacks the thread. What should I be searching for on the forum? Thanks for helping a newbie!

Just to reiterate, there are definitely jobs out there and it can be done. I will admit working in the RV is a little more challenging than working in my purpose built office in our old house. However as I type this from under the awning listening to the birds chirp I'm reminded that there are always trade offs and in my particular case I feel much better about my current situation.

An additionally plus to my current situation, if by chance my "remote" job goes away suddenly as IT and Sales jobs can do I'm not tied to a particular job market. I'm now much more flexible for relocation if needed for a job and less likely to have to sell my house. I'm fairly comfortable living in my RV no matter what my situation.

Were we stay for the winter in AZ there are a couple of guys, in their 40's, that do their sales on the internet. Pretty successful and have plenty of time for leisure.

Although I do not full time, I do spend time on the road and I own my own business. One of my requirements was to be able to telecommute into the office at any time, at any place, in order to solve problem situations. In those early days, internet access was somewhat limited, so 9 years ago, I purchased a mobile satellite internet system that allowed for 24/7 access to my office. Today, I have found that I can achieve great connectivity by using a MiFi, so I have dropped the satellite internet.

Presently, I am also a partner in a software development company. Most of our staff telecommutes in one way or another. While I don't have anyone working from their RV, I have development and support staff located in five different states, all telecommuting, and all in daily contact through VOIP solutions.

Bottom line, I think that what the OP wants to do is very workable and is highly accepted in today's business climate.

MrsStephenson wrote:
...snip... The only problem is that my husband is currently working as a systems admin and would need a job similar to it he can take on the road. I was thinking something like a IT support position where he can telecommute but I have searched job boards and don't see anything like that out there...

After 30 years in IT, my take is it will mostly be based on wage (hour and benefits.) The higher the wage the less remote a person can work, due to the need for face to face interaction that some jobs require. Truthfully, technical people are a dime a dozen, to be technical and have the social skills that higher IT jobs require, well that is not so easy to hire and retain that talent causing the wage to go up. If it wasn't the case then all of IT would be outsourced overseas.

If you're trying to pay down debt fast, and be a mobile ($$$) fulltimer in a nice size rig where there is enough room to work and live for two people, then those two concepts could be contradictory.

Yes, what I wrote is harsh and may cause the thread to be deleted, but your DH may not be able to find a job posting for his skills because they require social interaction with the non IT clients. If he does find a totally remote job for his title, make sure it is not a one time deal causing you to jump ship from a good paying corporate job to one that will only last 6-9 months. Afterwards being forced into taking a lower level IT position to maintain the new lifestyle choice.

Boys and girls...if this degenerates into an argument or any more personal attacks, I will close, if not delete the whole thread.......

lbrjet wrote:
Tough to get a telecommuting job as a new hire. Only possible solution is to work on contract. I worked remote the last 10 years, prior to retiring last year, but had been with the company for 10 years prior to that.

Not entirely true. Most IT support jobs for national companies are remote now days. Everyone we hire works remotely. I could care less where my folks work so long as they do their job and working from an RV doesn't interfere with the customers.

I am still wayne_tw wrote:
RVing is not cheap. If you think you can find a tech job that you can take on the road while your travel the country in a RV and live cheaply, you are fooling yourself and the whole scheme is a recipe for disaster.

While you may indeed have too expensive living arrangements that need to be scaled back, if you are trying to get out of debt, the Dave Ramsey approach seems to have worked for millions.

LOL, we are doing exactly what you say can't be done. Sold our house and paid off a bunch of debt. I work in IT and now work remotely in our RV and are saving tons of $$ over owning and living in a house. Our monthly expenses in the RV are way less than living in the house. Obviously everyone's circumstances are different but it's working for us.

I essentially just need a reliable Internet connection and a phone line. I work in the Managed Outsourcing side of IT and am on the phone with customers and writing contracts all day.