Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

January 6, 2021 by Julie Chickery Leave a Comment

Top 9 Legit Ways to Make Money Online

Life is a wonderful journey, and you need to be prepared for different phases in life. You could be living in a house this month and traveling full-time the following month. One thing that can ease that transition is a viable source of income from the road.

This changing dynamic in the workforce is truly helpful for those who want to travel full-time or on an extended basis. Because you’ll still have expenses whether you are wanting to travel in an RV and pay for campgrounds, or are staying in AirBnB’s or hotels, you’ll always need some money to fulfill your wanderlust. 

After the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, many companies had to change the traditional way of doing business. It was a wake-up call that things can change; the good thing is that most people were able to continue working, just online instead of in the office.

But what will you do if after the pandemic, your company discontinues remote work? Hopefully this article will help give you some ideas to transfer your skills and experience to something new. Below is a breakdown of reliable ways to make money online: 

1. Translation Services

Can you read and write in a second language? You can use those skills to earn money. Translation is well suited to remote work and it is very flexible. Often, rather than working traditional hours, you make money per assignment. It is dependent on the speed of delivery; the faster you clear, the faster and more money you will earn. Numerous online platforms can help deliver services such as Upwork and Freelancer. After delivery, you can quickly get paid via Paypal. 

2. Graphic Design & Illustration 

Graphic design is a fabulous way to make money while traveling full-time. If you have the skills and a good internet connection, you can do this work anywhere.

Are you a fan of crafting creative designs? It is an excellent opportunity to create graphics for different companies. Graphic design is a craft where professionals create visual content to communicate messages. This can be anything from small projects like logos or presentation templates to website and application interface design. You can start small and use freelancing platforms to create a portfolio. Once you’ve established a body of work, you can start sourcing for clients and dictating your rate of payment. If funds are tight when you are starting out, you can use free tools like Gimp and Canva. After you have steady income, you can upgrade and use the paid ones such as Photoshop. 

3. Video Editing

If you enjoy editing, you can earn from that skill. You can start building your portfolio with your own travels. As you visit amazing sites, spare some time to take great videos and upload them to a YouTube channel like ours. You can eventually earn an income stream from that while building a portfolio to display your work. Then you can use that opportunity to work for others and earn more money. In fact, many large YouTube channels outsource their work.

4. Online Courses and Teaching

The best way to share what you know is by creating pre-recorded online lessons that will help others learn something new. You can create a course about anything you are an expert on including baking, budgeting, or photography. Sean & I combined our passion for personal finance and full-time travel in our course, Full-Time RV Finance.

Teaching English online is another way that many full-time travelers earn an income.

If you are looking for regular pay related to online teaching, you can teach English to students who are based in China and are between the ages of 4-12 through a company called VIPKid. All classes are held one-on-one and conducted online through their portal (very similar to Skype or Facetime). To apply, all you need is a Bachelor’s degree and some experience teaching or tutoring kids (even Sunday School is relevant).

5. Drop Shipping Ecommerce Business

Drop shipping helps business people who want to operate their business but are scared of huge inventory costs. Drop shipping helps to sell products without having any inventory. It is a great business strategy to make sales; the disadvantage is that you will need upfront starting fees. When done the right way, you will be sure of decent pay. To get started, use an online store like Shopify and get products from Oberlo and AliExpress. Learn more from Shopify’s Ultimate Guide to Drop Shipping.

6. Blogging

Blogging is a great way to earn an income. You can write about something you love, and after gaining more followers, you will make more money. There are several different ways to earn an income through blogging. If you don’t have a blog, you can write for someone else’s. Many companies hired bloggers to write articles for them. If you want to earn money from your own blog, one of the easiest ways is through commissions earned by recommending products you use and trust. Those commissions are also known as affiliate income. Once you have regular traffic to your site, you can also earn money by selling advertising on your site.

Learn more in this FREE online course to help you get started blogging.

7. Become a Social Media Influencer

Many full-time travelers earn money through Instagram and TikTok by recommending products and services they trust.

Did you know you can earn money as an Instagram or TikTok influencer? First you’ll need to build an audience, but it doesn’t have to be huge. Many companies are looking to work with micro influencers that can recommend their products or services. The key to being successful is to also be selective. Only work with companies that you trust and purchase from yourself.

My friend Lauren has written a book sharing her tips for growing your audience: How to Grow To 10K Followers, Become An Influencer, And Start Monetizing Your Account.

8. SEO Services for Small Businesses

One thing that every small business website needs (including bloggers) is help optimizing their sites for search engines. This helps them rank higher on Google, get more website visits, and earn more money. You can learn about SEO techniques online and then offer your services to other online businesses and bloggers. In fact, if you have a blog yourself, it is a great way to market your services and showcase your results. You can offer services from freelance platforms, networking, or cold pitching to new business owners. 

9. Traditional Remote Positions

As previously mentioned, many employers have embrace remote employees. FlexJobs, is a great site for those seeking remote work (also known as telecommuting) positions. Sean used it in his job search after retiring from the Air Force. Don’t worry if you currently have a job that doesn’t seem to lend itself to remote work. Sean worked in a hospital laboratory. Most people would think that can’t be done remotely, but he was able to take the skills and experience he had and find a quality control position that could be performed over the computer.

Other Ideas to Support Full-Time Travel

If you are looking for additional ideas for funding your full-time travel adventures, see this article where I discuss travel and seasonal jobs.

The possibilities are endless. If you can dream it, you can do it!

Filed Under: Full-Time Finance Tagged With: earn money on the road, funding full-time travel, remote work, telework

November 22, 2020 by Julie Chickery Leave a Comment

How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?

One question we get asked quite often is, “How much do campgrounds cost?” This answer depends on several different factors. In this article, we’ll discuss the main considerations of campground pricing and provide several different examples of campground fees. We’ll break up the costs by pubic campgrounds and private campgrounds with the least we’ve paid to the highest.

Enjoy the video or read the article below to learn how much campgrounds cost.

Campground Terminology

First, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page for terminology. 

Hook-Ups: Full, Partial or None

Full Hook-Ups

Full hook-ups campsites have water, power and sewer connections right at your site. Typically the electricity at full hook-up sites includes two options: 50 amp or 30 amp. The great thing about full hook-up campsites is that you can enjoy all the features of your RV without having to worry about managing your batteries or water holding tanks. I like to call our fifth wheel a rolling condo and full hook-up sites are really what allow it to be a home away from home.

Note: Most campgrounds that offer full hook-up sites will also have other amenities such as cabe, wifi, swimming pools, and even scheduled activities. However, these are not always included in the nightly fee. Be sure to check for additional costs before booking your stay.

Partial Hook-Ups

This is exactly what it sounds like, partial, meaning you will be giving up something and it typically sewer. Most partial hook-up campsites offer only water and electricity. Also the electricity may only be 30 amp. Be sure to read the campsite description to know what you are getting. We have stayed at a campground that only had 30 amp electricity, no water or sewer. Many campgrounds that don’t offer water or sewer at your site will have a bath house and dump station that are free for campground guests to use, but don’t assume they will be there. Always check first.

We find partial hook-up campsites most often in publicly owned campgrounds like national or state parks. In our experience most of the publicly owned campgrounds are partial hook-ups. When we come across one with full hook-ups we enjoy it as a rare find.

No Hook-Ups

These are also referred to as primitive or dry camping sites and they have no hook-ups at all. I’m not talking about boondocking here because to me boondocking implies no campground at all. Many National Forest campgrounds offer dry camping sites.

Public Campgrounds

This category of campgrounds includes national parks, national forests, Corps of Engineers, state parks, and even city or county parks. Below I’ve picked a range of some of our favorites beginning with the least expensive to the most expensive ranging from $18.00 to $33.00 per night.

O’Leno State Park – North Central Florida

O'Leno State Park in northern central Florida

The 2020 rate is $18.00 per night for spacious sites with partial hook-ups (water, electricity). The campground is located along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River, and features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, and river swamps. It is not near the beach or any tourist attractions, which is why it is one of the lower priced campgrounds in the Florida State Park system.

Gunter Hill Corps of Engineer Campground – Montgomery, Alabama

Corps of Engineer (COE) campgrounds are owned by the federal government. You can find them on Recreation.gov, just as you can find national parks and national forest campgrounds. The COE parks are found on bodies of water like lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.

Gunter Hill Campground is situated on Catoma Creek, a tributary of the Alabama River. It has 142 sites, with 75 of them boasting full hook-ups. The regular nightly rate in 2020 was $26.00 for the full hook-up sites.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park –  Southeastern Florida

This is the largest state park in southeastern Florida and has two campgrounds. One is partial hook-ups with much smaller sites, and the other has large full hook-up sites. The 2020 rate for the full hook-up side was $26.00 per night. Jonathan Dickson State Park is about a 10-drive from the Atlantic coast beaches, but it has the tranquil Loxahatchie River running through it. We also enjoyed the history on site: including a secret World War II training camp, the story of the shipwrecked Quaker merchant who is the park’s namesake, and Trapper Nelson, the legendary Wild Man of the Loxahatchee.

Assateague National Seashore – Maryland Coast

There are two campgrounds on Assateague Island: Assateague National Seashore (run by the national park service) and Assateague State Park. The national park campground does not have any hook-ups and is $30.00 per night. The state park only has electricity in one loop. The rest of the sites have no hook-ups and cost $28.00 per night. You might wonder why they are so expensive for no hook-ups. The answer is location, location, location, and wild ponies.

We did learn one very hard lesson. I normally check the cancellation policy very closely. Most state and national parks have very generous policies where you get all your money back except the reservation fee, which is typically around $10. Unfortunately we learned the hard way that Maryland State Parks don’t have such a lenient policy. We had to cancel our stay two days before our trip and ended losing the entire pre-paid 5 night stay. For that reason, when we plan a return trip, it will be to the national seashore campground.

Cape Henlopen State Park – Delaware Coast

This was my favorite campground of 2020. The regular rate was $33.00 per night for water and electricity. They also have a few pull-thru sites that are $40.00 a night. This state park has miles of bike trails and is surrounded by water on 3 sides (Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay). It was a World War II coastal defense site, and we were able to take a tour of a historic battery and learn more about Fort Miles and the role it played during the war.

Private Campgrounds

This category of campgrounds includes small mom & pop businesses as well as large franchises and even Disney. Below you’ll see a range of some of our favorites beginning with the least expensive to the most expensive ranging from FREE to $129.00 per night.

Chiriaco Summit Campground – California Desert

This campground has a handful of fairly level sand sites with fire pits (and that’s it). There are no hook-ups, no dump station, no water fill station, no trash can, no laundry, or anything else. But the price is right. You can stay for FREE for up to seven nights. The location is fabulous too. It is right behind the General Patton museum and one exit from the south entrance of Joshua Tree.

Wagon Circle Campground – Heber Springs, Arkansas

Wagon Circle Campground in Heber Springs, Arkansas

This was a wonderful example of a locally owned small campground. The owner was very friendly and lived on site. The land was previously a farm, and he said when he acquired it, he had no interest in farming so he created a campground. For $30.00 a night we got full hook-ups and terrific wifi. The campground also had a small playground, laundry room, and fishing dock on the located on the beautiful Little Red river.

Tucson Lazy Days KOA – Tucson, Arizona

This was a fabulous destination RV resort for us. We stayed here over three months on two different occasions in 2019. The 2020 winter rate for the basic back-in sites with a patio and full hook-ups is $42.95 per night. The Tucson Lazy Days KOA have many other site types with different prices, some are pull-thru and some even have their own private fenced in doggy yard. Regardless of your site type, you get free wifi and cable, as well as access to a fitness room, bar & restaurant, and two swimming pools with hot tubs.

Redwoods KOA – Crescent City, California

This wonderful KOA is located within minutes of the Redwoods National Forest. The Crescent City Redwoods KOA actually has redwoods of its own right on the property with nature trails winding through them. The rate for a full hook-up pull-thru site is $55.50 per night. The campground had free wifi, cable, and a game room.

Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World – Orlando Florida

As you can imagine, this is a pricey campground. Nothing at Disney is inexpensive. The 2020 rate for a Preferred Site (full hook-ups near the marina) in November is $129.00 per night. If you are gasping for air right now, we were too when we first saw the price.

However, we decided to stay a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. In our opinion there’s no better way to spend your vacation at the “happiest place on earth” than to camp in Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground! It is located on Disney property, and is considered an official WDW resort. That means you get all the perks like extra magic hours, fast pass access 60 days before your trip, and all the resort discounts.   You’ll also be able to ride a boat from the campground directly to WDW’s ticket and transportation center — no driving during your Disney vacation!

Saving Money on Campground Stays

 We love to stay at the different types of campgrounds. Sometimes we want to be surrounded in nature and sometimes we want the bells & whistles. Over the many years of our RV travels, we’ve learned a lot of tricks to saving money on campgrounds. One of them is just to plan ahead. The farther out you book, the more likely you are to find a deal or secure one of the less expensive sites in a larger campground.

If you’d like to see more of our tips and tricks for saving money on RV travel, check out the Budgeting Module of our program Full-Time RV Finance.

Filed Under: Full-Time Finance Tagged With: campground costs, campground nightly rates, campground prices, costs of campgrounds

May 17, 2020 by Julie Leave a Comment

All About Workamping

One thing that extended or full-time RV travelers are concerned about is making their money last. That is where workamping comes into play. It provides a way to reduce expenses or even earn extra money by working at the campground or a local business. 

What is workamping? 

The term “workamper” was trademarked by Workamper News in 1987. They define it as “individuals, couples and families who combine ANY kind of part-time or full-time work with RV camping.” Now at this point you may be asking, “why would I want to work while I’m camping?” The simple answer is that it allows you to stay out on the road longer. As a workamper, you can supplement retirement income, earn a full income, or even trade your services in exchange for a campsite. 

Even better, you can do it in the location of your choosing. If you’ve always wanted to visit a particular area, you might be able to find a position that will provide a free or discounted site, as well as free or discounted activities. 

What kind of jobs are available? 

If you can imagine it, there is most likely a job for you. Our friends, Levi & Natalie have tried many of them too. In fact, they have been workamping year round for almost six years now. They wrote a book about their experiences, Seasonal Workamping for a Living. 

We recently interviewed them about the book and some of their jobs: 

Here are some of the more common opportunities: 

Amazon CamperForce 

This is a common one for RVers to earn money over the holidays. It includes long days in a warehouse doing repetitive work, but can be a good way to pile up some cash over just a couple of months. 

Sugar Beet Harvest 

This is another example of a way to earn money in a short period of time. In fact, it typically only lasts a couple of weeks. While you’ll work 12-hour shifts, you can earn up to $8,000 in that time period. 

Holiday Lots 

Another short term seasonal workamping job is managing a holiday lot selling pumpkins in the fall, Christmas trees in the winter, or even fireworks in the summer. These positions typically require the RVer to park on the lot. Compensation can be in the form of a specific wage or commission. Levi and Natalie did a great video series on their experience running a Christmas tree lot. 

Camp Host 

Serving as a camp host is a very common workamping position. Both public and private campgrounds employ RVers to perform tasks such as taking reservations, checking in campers, cleaning the campground facilities, and various maintenance tasks. 

Many of the public campgrounds like state and national parks provide a site in exchange for the work, rather than pay an hourly wage. However, they typically require substantially less hours – often 15 to 20 hours per week. Private RV resorts and campgrounds may provide a site or discount one while also providing an hourly wage (averaging $10 per hour), but expect full-time employees. 

If this is something you think you might be interested in, we recommend watching the video below where our friends Phil & Stacy share their experiences camp hosting. 

Visitor Information & Interpretation 

We’re still working full-time (read more about that here), but when we retire this is the position that appeals to me the most: providing visitor information and interpretation at a National Park. As previously mentioned, these positions are typically considered “volunteer” and compensation includes a free full hook-up site and a good feeling in your heart for supporting the National Parks. Duties typically include staffing the visitor center, answering questions, and giving informal interpretive talks a few days a week. 

How to get a workamping position

  • Review job listings on Workamper News and choose a few that best meet your travel schedule and work preferences. 
  • Apply early. You won’t be the only one that wants to work at the bucket list destinations like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon.
  • Create a resume that highlights your experience. Once again, I highly recommend Workamper News resources for helping you create a resume that translates your previous work history to suit the needs of common workamping jobs. 

Questions to ask during the interview

You should not take a position without an interview. These will typically occur via telephone or video call. In addition to answering the prospective employer’s questions, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions of your own. Here are a few things you may want to know. 

  • How many hours per week are required per person/couple?
  • Will couples be on the same schedule? 
  • How many days per week are required?
  • Will a full hookup site be provided? If so, will the value be deducted from any pay.
  • What is the pay structure (if any)? 
  • Will you have access to Wifi and a cell signal?
  • What other amenities are available – laundry, bath house, etc.? 
  • Are pets allowed?

Learn more about Workamping from the experts

Join us at the 10thannual Workamper Rendezvous in Heber Springs, Arkansas October 17 – 23, 2020. The eventfeatures a variety of seminars, group activities, workshops, and social gatherings all geared towards delivering the information and resources you need to take off on your RVing adventures. They even have a job fair on the last day! 

Sharing is Caring! Feel free to share the image below on Pinterest.

Learn how to make money on the road through Workamping. Find opportunities like camp host, visitor center attendant, holiday lot sales, and more. Seasonal wonkamping can be done year round to fund your full-time RV lifestyle.

Filed Under: Full-Time Finance, Uncategorized Tagged With: digital nomad, remote work, work camping, workamping

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