You don’t have to stay in an office and limit your travel to the weekends. There are plenty of income opportunities (AKA nomad jobs) that allow you to work from anywhere and travel full time on the road, just like we do! This blog highlights the different types of nomad jobs that work well for RV life or anyone looking for more flexibility in their job.
For more details on each type of job and where to find them, check out our YouTube here:
Types of Nomad Jobs
Nomad jobs include any position that gives you enough flexibility to be a full time traveler. These jobs look different depending on what your passions and income needs. Check out our job search resource guide for places to look for each of these different types of jobs:
1. Full Time Remote Job
This more traditional nomad job gives you the opportunity to have a higher income while exploring the country. Full time remote jobs boomed in 2020 with a 20% increase in permanently full time remote positions compared to 2019. That means more opportunities to land one of these full time remote nomad jobs!
Our favorite place to find remote jobs is FlexJobs (use code FLEXLIFE for 30% off)
2. Remote Contract Job
Employers open up contract jobs when they need extra help on a project, like a rebranding or new product launch, but they don’t need someone long term. Remote contract positions typically last 3-12 months and can be a great option if you aren’t sure what you want to do long term for income but you need income right away.
Contract roles can be both part time or full time depending on the employer’s need. Part time will give you much more flexibility for a nomad job, which is extremely helpful for finding last-minute RV spots or travel deals. Keep in mind that most contract jobs do not include benefits like healthcare, so you may need to purchase these on your own (which is what we do).
3. Part Time Remote Job
Part time roles are great for flexibility with consistent income. They give you the opportunity to explore during typical business hours (when most places are the least busy) and the opportunity to develop other income streams. For many full time RVers, part time remote jobs pay for all of their expenses because the cost of full time RV living is drastically less than living in a traditional house.
4. Freelance Work
If you want flexibility and an opportunity to make income on something you’re truly passionate about, freelance work could be a great fit. Freelancing is great if you have a specific skill that you can use to benefit small to medium sized businesses. Popular freelancing roles include writing, graphic design, website design, and coding.
Most freelancers work on a flat-fee rate by project. We started full time RV life thanks to our freelance income from legal writing. I use my background as an attorney and content creator to help small firms produce legal blogs. To be a good freelancer, you should be ready to jump right into the project, work efficiently, and communicate well.
The key is to constantly be getting yourself out there to create more consistent income since the biggest con of freelance work is your clients’ budgets will change. You may lose clients due to budget cuts or get more work because their budgets increased.
The best thing you can do as a freelancer is build up your portfolio and start getting great reviews. You’d be surprised how many word of mouth referrals we get as freelancers. Having our own website as an online portfolio is the easiest (and more professional way) to showcase our work. We opt for Bluehost to host our website because it’s inexpensive yet easy to manage.
5. On site contract work/seasonal work
On site contract work and seasonal work is a good option if you want to settle down in a city for 3-6 months and really get to know the area. Travel nurse, tour guide, workamper, and snowboarding instructor are some examples of this type of nomad job. If you’re outdoorsy or like to have some roots while traveling full time, this type is fun and versatile.
Make sure that whatever income you make from this type of contract work pays enough to give you financial stability or is flexible enough for you to have other income sources. It’s common to have gaps in between your seasonal or contract job, so you’ll need to have a savings that buffers this gap.
6. Gig work
The gig economy is growing quickly with people wanting more flexibility and employers looking for extra help when they need it. It’s one of the ultimate nomad jobs because you can find work anywhere with very limited experience in the particular field. There are apps you can download to easily find gig work (links & referral codes in our job search resource guide).
Most gig openings are in metropolitan areas, so if you are looking to RV in the back country, this probably isn’t the best fit. Gigs typically pay about $13-20/hr, so while they aren’t extremely high paying, they do give you the opportunity to supplement your income when you are in cities or work several gigs in a row to pay for your expenses on your next back country trip.
Our favorite place for finding gig work is Wonolo (use referral code TAYLOR2159 for a $25 bonus after your first gig).
7. Entrepreneurship
The highest risk but also highest potential for income among the list is to become your own boss. This nomad job is all up to you and can have huge rewards (both in personal fulfillment and financial freedom). If you’re just starting life on the road, we don’t recommend relying solely on entrepreneurship income if you’re new to it. It takes a while to build your income this way just like any new business.
The best businesses for nomads have low overhead costs and can be done regardless of your location. Some examples include blogging, YouTube creator, maker, and online influencer. If you’re a maker and have homemade items, you can sell them at swap meets around the country, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace.
We’ve done a little bit of everything – from selling our tie dyes at swap meets to thrifting on Facebook Marketplace to renting our home and running this blog! The great thing about entrepreneurship is that you can change how you make your income and what your targets are whenever you want. Create a solution to a common problem and you’re an entrepreneur!
You can become a nomad and life full time RV life with these different income sources. For a list of where to find all of these jobs, check out our job search research guide. And for daily nomadic content, follow us on all the channels!