Kicking around the Idea of full timing but I need help.....

[anw7405]

So we have thought about full timing multiple times but have never really landed on it because of $$$$. I have read about and watched people make this decision but they are usually some kind of internet worker or freelancer. So here is my question. Is there any families out there doing something different and making enough money? Right now I make a little over 80k / year and I would love to find something that pays the same or more to be comfortable full timing. I understand I wouldn't need as much but we spend most of our income on food because we try to eat healthy and have a family of 6. So any ideas on how to make decent money out there. I'm a pretty handy guy that usually does everything DIY. Thanks in advance.

[anw7405]

All this is great information. Thank you.

[DutchmenSport]

I think for the "working from home" folks, many either plan it far ahead of time or stumble into it. A lot depends on your current age, family size and demands, and long term available income.

There are some younger folks with families that hit the road and live the nomadic life style. Usually, those are by careful design. Home schooling the kids, and dad has steady employment, either "at home" or an occupation that requires him to travel so he takes his home with him (literally).

Some others have stumbled into work from home opportunities because of their long-standing companies they've been associated with all their lives. (My company is an example of changing attitudes toward working from home. I work in information technology). More and more we are doing work form home, which affords opportunity to travel more and work while on the road. But these opportunities are usually long waiting and long deserved and not given to everyone who isn't disciplined enough to even make it into the office on time in the morning or makes every excuse in the book to miss a day at work.

Next is your age. If you are a bit older, kids gone, and have some kind of supplimental steady income, a lot of folks can get away with "work camping" or work as a "camp host" and move from campground to campground. Camp Hosts usually don't get a salary, but in exchange for their services, get a free campsite. "Work camping" would be landing a position in a campground where you get paid something (but usually a penance salary) to help supplement you. Done right, folks can be very successful.

Some folks work full time jobs in a stick and brick location, and just 'camp' at various places around the job site so they have a bed room to return to at night.

If you have school age kids, you really need to plan for their education. This is not an easy task and it takes a strong willed, strong disciplined husband and wife to enforce and make it work.

There are lots and lots of people out there, doing it, and are quite successful. But I don't think too many of them simply said, "Today we jump into the RV and never look back." It's a slower progression, and deliberate life style choices that eventually lead in that direction.

[fitznj]

I had a friend who lives on a boat - so essentially a floating full-time lifestyle. He worked in IT as a remote support specialist and probably made a similar income to what you state. He was a full time employee, so his health-care costs were covered, also life/disability insurance and 401K;

from personal experience, Health- care insurance will be > $2,000 per month. Your decision if you have Ins or not but one relatively minor accident can wipe out any savings and assets. 1 20 min helicopter ride to a trauma unit will cost you $15,000....

[anw7405]

good points.

I think with my background and work experience, I could land just about any type of job that doesn't require certain letters behind your name. Thank you guys for all the help so far.

[kerrlakeRoo]

anw7405 wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
While not trying to be too obtrusive I will ask; What type of work are you earning $80k a year in Ok? Can you take that job mobile? Or is it solidly fixed to a specific location?



Good luck

healthcare management that is locked in at specific location.
We mainly eat non GMO foods and one of our kids needs gluten free. So yes we are on a pretty set diet.
We already home school.
Health insurance is tied to current job. I know we need it but we never use it.

Ok so some of the grocery bill is forced to stay high, Health ins needs to be job provided or added income to self provide. Especially if you aren't done with growing your family.

Medical management job background/ radiology specialization, search some, there are organizations that provide services for low income on a mobile basis, as well as for native groups. Finding one that will fit your needs will be a challenge, but it may be possible.
Does your background lend itself to those type positions?

[Big_Katuna]

I would suggest looking very carefully into healthcare costs if you aren’t working for someone. It could cost thousands per month.

I asked about age to determine if you are young enough to retrain for something like nursing or some other skill that is mobile.

[anw7405]

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
While not trying to be too obtrusive I will ask; What type of work are you earning $80k a year in Ok? Can you take that job mobile? Or is it solidly fixed to a specific location?

Many folks get by comfortably on that, or on much less. Half that for food because you want "healthy", is that healthy all from a farmers market, or buying all gluten free breads and packaged foods? There are a lot of ways of generating a large grocery bill, but there are a lot of ways of trimming them too, but if you are set on a strict regimen, you are locked in to something you may not be able to modify.

With kids, how do you plan to approach schooling?

Also with a family, is your health insurance tied to a specific job, or are you on the open market?

As other have said, I suggest you research all these things on www.escapees.com as well as some internal research on what personal choices are not easy to take mobile, that you are or are not willing to modify or change.

Good luck

healthcare management that is locked in at specific location.
We mainly eat non GMO foods and one of our kids needs gluten free. So yes we are on a pretty set diet.
We already home school.
Health insurance is tied to current job. I know we need it but we never use it.

[anw7405]

newman fulltimer wrote:
My suggestion go to you tube type in rv fulltiming and get with couples on there i can recomend a few if you pm me

I think I have watched most of these on youtube. Most are bloggers or some other computer based work. Not really my line of work although I'm not opposed to working from the computer.

[kerrlakeRoo]

anw7405 wrote:
I'm not sure why age matters but I'm 36.

because a large percentage of fulltimers are on medicare.

[kerrlakeRoo]

While not trying to be too obtrusive I will ask; What type of work are you earning $80k a year in Ok? Can you take that job mobile? Or is it solidly fixed to a specific location?

Many folks get by comfortably on that, or on much less. Half that for food because you want "healthy", is that healthy all from a farmers market, or buying all gluten free breads and packaged foods? There are a lot of ways of generating a large grocery bill, but there are a lot of ways of trimming them too, but if you are set on a strict regimen, you are locked in to something you may not be able to modify.

With kids, how do you plan to approach schooling?

Also with a family, is your health insurance tied to a specific job, or are you on the open market?

As other have said, I suggest you research all these things on www.escapees.com as well as some internal research on what personal choices are not easy to take mobile, that you are or are not willing to modify or change.

Good luck

[anw7405]

I'm not sure why age matters but I'm 36.

[newman_fulltime]

My suggestion go to you tube type in rv fulltiming and get with couples on there i can recomend a few if you pm me

[anw7405]

Healthcare management for the past 10 years with a background of Radiology. I grew up farming so I do know what hard work is vs cushy desk jobs. I can do either or somewhere in between as long as it pays good. I have also moved 17 times in the last 18 years so purging and moving is something that is not foreign to us.

[Big_Katuna]

You don’t state your age but nursing comes to mind. Seasonal places like Maine, etc have huge population increases in the summer months and hospitals hire seasonal help.

They often have RV spaces and pay well.

Google traveling nurses.

[TechWriter]

anw7405 wrote:
I never said I didn't want to be employed full time. I want to work full time but move around. Just looking for ideas. There are so many different ways to make money, I'm just looking for one that fits my family.

What do you do now?