Can you believe it’s been nearly five months since we bought our RV?
We haven’t regretted the decision for a moment. Being able to travel and work at the same time has been an incredible experience.
We’ve been living in the RV almost full-time, only returning home for about six or seven days to host visitors. We’ve decided to take things further: starting in February 2016 we’ll be full-time on the road. We’ll sell our house in Colorado and put our belongings in storage.
I’m thrilled about this choice and confident the coming year — however long we keep it up — will be an amazing chapter.
Many readers have asked what it’s like to work full-time while traveling. In short: it’s been a lot of fun.
We’ve visited many parts of the United States in recent months and already have exciting plans for 2016. There are challenges to working on the road, but none that would make me give up RV living.
Wi‑Fi and cellular service can be unreliable.
The biggest downside of RV life is not knowing whether you’ll have internet or cell service. That uncertainty is the main complication of working while traveling.
There have been times I wanted to throw my laptop and phone out the window when we went days without a usable connection. Sometimes the signal is excellent; other times it feels like I’m on Mars trying to find a bar.
For example, this post took several days to upload because I had only a few hours of service in a four-day stretch.
That said, it’s not always that bad. Right now we’ve hit a patch of weak Wi‑Fi because we’ve been moving quickly and stopping at remote campgrounds. When we travel more slowly and spend longer stays in well-connected places, reliable internet becomes easier to find.
For mobile internet I use a Verizon MiFi Jetpack, which helps in many locations.
Affiliate income makes RV life more manageable.
Because connectivity can be inconsistent, I’ve focused more on somewhat passive income streams like affiliate marketing. Having income that isn’t tied to constant online activity reduces pressure when the signal drops.
I’m on track to earn a substantial monthly income from affiliate programs, which gives me confidence and flexibility while living on the road.
Working ahead is essential.
Most of my posts for the upcoming months are already written. For timely life updates I write closer to publication, but planning and creating content in advance has been a lifesaver.
When the connection disappears, I’m far less stressed because there aren’t many urgent tasks awaiting me. I also schedule social posts in advance — for example, I use Tailwind to manage Pinterest pins — which keeps traffic coming even when I’m offline.
I love traveling and working on the road.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed working from the RV and don’t anticipate changing course anytime soon. Traveling this way has let me see new places, meet new people, spend more time with my partner and our dogs, and experience a different pace of life.
It’s not a vacation all the time, but it often feels that way.
Are you interested in combining travel and work on the road? Why or why not?
