A New Life on the Road: Guide to Living on the Road

Do you have the heart of a gypsy? Do you get itchy when you're trapped in one place for too long? Does work and responsibility make you feel like a caged animal? Do you get all wishy-washy when you glance a soaring eagle or a Greyhound bus? Do you find that no matter where you live, what you're doing, and how settled and secure you are in your lifestyle, you're always dreaming of... something else?

Do you want to run away?

I know exactly how you feel. Terrified. The thought of running away is a romantic one, but what will you do next? Where will you go? How will you make money? What if you're like me and you've got a family to support?

Still it nags at you. The tug of adventure. The thrill of the mysterious. You long for far away places, a change of scenery, a little chaos to shake up your habitual monotony.

I'm here to tell you, there's an entire culture of people just like you. They've chucked their empty lives and hit the road in search of new adventures, far away places, and a hint of chaos. They're making it happen. What do they have that you don't? A guide to living on the road.

This is where it begins. You need to create a plan. Free spirit that you are, I know plans aren't your forte, so I'm here to help you out. Planning is easy and fun-- you'll find that simply thinking about your new life of adventure will give you a burst of energy and put a smile on your face. There are a few necessities I want to address before I set you free to work out the details: 1. Getting on the road. 2. Surviving on the road. and 3. Family on the road.

Getting on the road

There are some things you just can't live without. Food. Clothing. Shelter from the elements. When you fantasize about running away, what images flash through your mind? Cheap, dingy motel rooms? A canvas carnival tent? An outdoor kitchen? A camper being lugged behind your family SUV? A massive gas-guzzling RV with all the frills? A house-boat?

Let your mind wander. Let your imagination soar. When you've carefully considered each option, pick the one that's best for you AND your family.

What can you afford? Let's be honest here. No one wants to be tied to hefty loan payments while they're living the unpredictable life of a drifter. If you were to sell your house, and all your impractical belongings, then what could you afford? Don't quit your job just yet! How much do you need to save before you drive off into the sunset? What will you be taking with you? What (if anything) will you put in storage? Consider the costs of a storage shed, camping equipment, a P.O. Box, long-distance phone service, a laptop computer, comfortable hiking boots...

Create a list of everything you feel you'll need to get started and estimate the cost. Always estimate high. Then you'll have an honest idea of how much money needs to be set aside.

Get packing. Hold a yard sale. Beg, borrow, and steal. Save, save, save! Post inspirational notes in your car, at your office, on your bathroom mirror to keep you on track.

When you're ready to go, don't look back.

Surviving on the road

I would love to tell you that you'll never have to work a day in your life again. But you'd starve to death. Free spirits wrinkle their nose at the utterance of the word "work." So let's quit calling it work. Instead, let's call it swindle. Once in awhile, you've gotta swindle yourself some spending money. How much money will you need? That depends on you. Let's be honest again.

Create a list of all your estimated costs on the road. Estimate high. Consider: Gasoline, Vehicle Repair and Maintenance, AAA, Insurance, Phone, Internet, Mail, Groceries, Restaurants, Entertainment, Health Insurance, Pet Expenses, Camping, Storage, Credit Cards, Birthdays and Holidays, Hobbies, Savings... personalize it to suit your needs. Think it's too expensive? Think it can't be done? Think again. Create another list of all your expenses before life on the road. You might find you're saving hundreds every month! Keep in mind, there are places where you can cut back. For example, if you stay at one particular campsite for longer than a few nights, you get discounted rates, and you're not driving as much so you're saving on gasoline as well. Entertainment doesn't cost much at all when you're outside the city. Campfire cooking tastes better than pricey restaurant food any day of the week. It's a simple life, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Now to the swindling. What are you good at? What are you mediocre at? What do you bring to the table? And most important of all- What do you want to learn? I'm not asking you what your employment history is. I'm asking you to make another list... a list of everything you are capable of. Do you cook? Do you clean? Do you care for any children or pets? Are you handy around the house? Do you have a green thumb? Are you skilled on the computer? Can you operate any heavy machinery? Are you a people person? Are you a bookworm? Have you ever worked with livestock? Do you possess any wicked ninja skills? Crafts? Hobbies? Psychic abilities?

You're more talented than you thought you were.

There are two phenomenal sources available to free-spirits. People just like you are finding countless swindling opportunities designed specifically to suit their globetrotter lifestyle-- and they find them here. Let me introduce you to the Workamper News and the Caretaker Gazette, my two favorite sources for making money on the road. The possibilities are endless. Browse their websites and see for yourself!

Family on the road

Got kids? Got pets? Got a significant other? Me too! And congratulations to you! What's the point of adventure, travel, swindling, and endless possibility if you've got no one to share it with?

Taking your family on the road, even for just a couple of years, will prove to be one of the best experiences of your life. Your family will become your support system, your teachers, your counselors, your companions, your world. You'll live, laugh, and learn together. You'll get to know one another. You'll create lasting memories. You'll discover that you can overcome any obstacle. If you've got school-aged children, home-school is your best bet. Pets will need to be up-to-date on all their shots, and you'll want to stock up on flea and tick medication. While you're on the road, you can stop by to see all your distant friends and relatives. You'll grow closer to all the people who really matter to you. You'll make new friends and connections everywhere you go. There will always be someone waiting for you. And you'll finally have time to focus on what's important-- Love.

"One of the strongest motives that lead men to art and science is escape from everyday life... with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness." -Albert Einstein

Resources:

Workamper News, Inc. (1996) Workamper News. 05/22/2009. http://www.workamper.com/#

Caretaker Publishing, Inc. (1983) The Caretaker Gazette. 05/22/2009. http://www.caretaker.org/m.php

Harris, Kevin. (1995) Collected Quotes from Albert Einstein. 05/22/2009. http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html

Hall, Jaimie. Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road. 1st Edition. Livingston, TX: Pine Country Publishers. 2002.

Groene, Janet. Living Aboard Your RV. 3rd Edition. Camden, ME: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press. 2001.