There are so many ways to work remotely from home, or from the comfort of your camper van. Hell, you can even be a digital nomad while sippin’ mai tais on a beach in Thailand. Whatever your goal, this list will cover it all and provide a ton of resources. Let us help you find some van life jobs.
!!WARNING!! This article is LONG and will be routinely updated. Feel free to use the table of contents below to navigate through the multiple sections.
Let’s start off by defining a few terms that will be used throughout this lengthy article about mobile work and van life jobs.
Remote (or mobile) jobs
Remote work is typically done away from a centralized office. This may include careers that can be done from home, on the road, or even while traveling abroad.
However, these are not exclusively “virtual work,” although there is a lot of overlap.
A remote job might require you to be in a specific town or place for a period of time. The term remote work gets used broadly and for the sake of this article, we will use the terms remote work and mobile work interchangeably.
Virtual work
Virtual work are typically jobs that can be done through a computer and a good wifi connection. These can be full time careers like a remote IT job or they can be freelance gigs like a digital designer.
There is also a variety of self-employed entrepreneurial virtual work, like running an affiliate marketing website or managing a business from abroad.
It is important to make the distinction that not all virtual jobs can be done remotely, however. Some employers might take a more traditional approach and want their employees to show up to a traditional office for work. For the sake of this article, we will focus on remote virtual work when talking about virtual jobs.
I think it is the dream of many people that live a constantly shifting, vanlife lifestyle to be a successful digital nomad and find a mobile or a virtual job to allow them full freedom.
This is a comprehensive list of all of the different ways you can earn money while on the road, or from home, or even from that beach in Thailand.
There are over 50 options for remote work listed here. Some of these jobs will require a degree, or prior training. Some are seasonal work that will require you to hunker down for a few months. Other’s are virtual jobs that can be done from anywhere to make money on the road.
Use the table of contents to navigate around this extensive list of ways to make money while living in a van or RV
Phew… now that we got all that out of the way, let’s get down to the fun part.
Table of Contents
MOBILE JOBS THAT ANYONE COULD DO
These are mobile jobs that require no specific degree or certification. They might have some barriers to entry, but they are quite low making them perfect opportunities for a van life job, or to make money on the road.
#1
Driving for a Ride Share
Uber and Lyft are both popular jobs that anyone with a vehicle (and even those without… more on that later) can do. They might not seem like the best choice for a job while traveling in an RV or van, however. Gas mileage (and increased mileage on the engine itself) is a concern. Plus, I don’t think many people would enjoy riding along in the back of your motorhome or camper van.
However, there are still some options. If you are traveling the country in a van or RV, you could tow a small car behind. There are stories of people making their living this way, and supporting their nomadic lifestyle.
Also, a few months ago I caught a ride with an Uber driver that stated she rented her ride share car.
Rent a car????
Yes!
I found out that day that this is completely legal and many drivers actually do this. In fact, there are programs in place through the rideshare companies to get you set-up with renting a car.
The obvious benefit of doing this is that you are not putting a large amount of miles on your personal vehicle, lowering the maintenance costs. So, if you don’t have a practical car to drive but driving for Uber or Lyft appeals to you, renting a car might be a good way to earn money remotely on the road.
The following links will have more information about driving with the two biggest rideshare companies (Uber and Lyft) as well as information how to go about renting a car.
https://www.uber.com/us/en/about/uber-offerings/#earn
https://www.lyft.com/drive-with-lyft
And if you want to find out if driving for a rideshare company is worth it, check out this great article by Millennial Money Man.
Driving for Uber | Best Side Hustle and Pay for Drivers?
When I first heard about Uber a few years ago I remember thinking that it sounded like an awesome idea – a super millennial-friendly alternative to cabs that also helps people make more money on the side driving their own cars. As you may or may not know, I’m all about making extra money.
#2
Meal Delivery Service
UberEats, Postmates, GrubHub and DoorDash are good ways to earn some money while traveling. You can work on your own terms, when you want to. The gas mileage and wear-and-tear of your vehicle is still a concern, like with the ride-share services. However, if you are living out of your car or towing a car along with you, they are great remote job options.
In fact, you can even do these deliveries on a bicycle (if you’re in a busy enough city) or motorcycle.
I’ve delivered for Postmates and UberEats out of my camper van, although I am very weary about the distance required for the delivery.
I much prefer the next section in regards to a van life job.
#3
Grocery Delivery Service
I did grocery shopping and delivery for InstaCart for several months while living full-time in my camper van conversion. It was a nice little side hustle. Definitely a better bang-for-your-buck in regards to mileage and time compared to some of the meal delivery services.
Basically, you log into the app and wait for an order, or a “batch” as they call it. You can see how much you are going to make and how big the batch is ahead of time. You can even see the tip (although they can change that at a later time).
You can make some pretty decent money on InstaCart if you do it full time. Although, there are frustrations.
- Some batches have low pay.
- Some people don’t tip.
- Some people you shop for can be very picky.
- During the pandemic, the grocery shelves were out of nearly everything and trying to pick through and find adequate replacements was very frustrating.
My go-to technique is to turn on my InstaCart app when I have nothing better to do. Maybe I’m walking in the park or sitting in my van watching a movie. Regardless, I turn it on and wait for a good order. One that isn’t a million items and pays well with a decent tip… and isn’t a huge drive. Sounds like a white elephant but they definitely exist.
Since I have a full time job (more on that later), I only do this intermittently and I view this as a nice little supplemental income on my travels. This makes it a perfect little side hustle for vanlife.
#4
In-Store Shopper (for InstaCart)
If using your precious camper van or RV to deliver groceries doesn’t appeal to you, look into becoming an InstaCart in-store shopper.
In some areas InstaCart has a program where they divide the service into a delivery person and an in-store shopper.
Basically, you do the shopping part, bag up the groceries and set them aside for the delivery person to pick up.
Again, you can work on your own terms, design your own hours and schedule, and you wouldn’t even have to put any added miles on your van.
Some grocery stores even have their own in-store shopper service, so that is something else to look at if you are planning on being in the same area for a while.
#5
Ask Your Current Job if You Can Work Remotely
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people are just afraid to ask. This is a very viable option, especially with the COVID-19 shutdown. Many businesses moved their employees to work from home. I think this might open the door for many remote work opportunities.
If you currently work at a job that you think could be done as a virtual job or done remotely, consider asking your employer. If your field isn’t practical to be done on the road while traveling, why not ask if there is anything else available that would be?
If you are preparing to hit the road to see the world, you’re probably already planning on leaving your job. So, why not just ask?
REMOTE VIRTUAL WORK THAT ANYONE COULD DO
The following are virtual jobs that have a low barrier-to-entry. They might require a basic understanding of the English language, basic writing skills, or possibly a little creative spark.
The beautiful thing about these virtual gigs is that these all can be done from anywhere, allowing you to travel the world… as long as there is a wifi connection.
#6
Freelance Content Writing
This is a very common way to get virtual work. Content writing is a vast field. What I’m doing right now is content writing. Most of what you read on blogs, websites, and articles would fall into this category. You are writing content for emails, websites, magazines, newsletters, whatever.
Entry level writers generally get paid per word, around 0.02 – 0.10 cents per word. As you can see, that already varies dramatically. Now, to add to that, some of the top content writers can be paid as much as one or more dollars per word.
To break that down, that means that a very competent, and perhaps a little lucky, content writer can net a cool grand for one 1,000 word article. Again, this is the upper level of the pay scale so you will be much more likely to get something like $30 or $40 for that same length of an article, especially at first.
With the ability to do it from anywhere and pretty much no barrier to entry, besides a basic grasp of the English language, it makes for great virtual work for us van lifers.
There are many different websites that you can join to get a freelance writing gig.
ContentWriters.com tells you exactly how to become a content writer.
How to Become A Content Writer
Becoming a freelance content writer is an excellent work-at-home opportunity for professional, deadline-driven solopreneurs who want to make a living helping companies create effective digital marketing content. This often comes in the form of blog posts, website pages, email newsletters, product descriptions, and white papers.
Ditching Conventional has a great article on finding more freelance writing websites.
9 Freelancing Websites You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner – Ditching Conventional
61% of freelancers say they freelance by choice and 51% of freelancers say they will not go back to a traditional job, no matter how much they would get paid ( stats from Fundera). We are two of those freelancers in those statistics. It’s easy to find great freelancing jobs with all of the freelancing websites available.
#7
Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants (VA’s) are used by many entrepreneurs. Basically, they are assistants that work virtually. It can be done anywhere in the world. Many VA’s live in low-cost-of-living countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and India.
Typical tasks that these virtual assistants do are research, reports, excel data entry, reading and replying to emails, and so many others. Pretty much any semi-repetitive tasks that takes up time but doesn’t need a ton of specialized education to do.
Unspecialized VA’s and entry level VA’s don’t make a lot, typically less than minimum wage in most American states. However, having experience or skills like graphic design, website development, SEO, or other such specializations, can definitely increase that amount by a significant amount.
Personally, I’m willing to take a pay cut to be able to work wherever and whenever I want. However, keep in mind, clients will likely have schedules and deadlines for the work they want done.
#8
Dropshipping
Dropshipping is an entrepreneurial business model that allows people to start an online business, buy and sell products, without ever having to stock or come in contact with the products themselves making it a pretty perfect van life job.
To find out more about what dropshipping is, check out this beginner’s guide by Dropified:
How Dropshipping Works? – A Guide by Dropified
As more people look to start their own businesses, eCommerce has become really appealing because the cost to get started is extremely low compared to traditional brick and mortar retail businesses.
#9
Become a Brand Ambassador
If you have any sort of social media account, you probably see brand ambassadors on a daily basis, even if you don’t realize it.
To put it simply, a brand ambassador embodies and embraces a particular brand. They spread that brand’s message and goals. They are basically marketing machines… in human form.
Sometimes brand ambassadors are also called brand champions. You can either be a brand ambassador in real life, or in the internet world. And yes, you can get paid.
Becoming a brand ambassador is a little obscure and requires that you market yourself to your potential brand, but if you’re interested here are some very general tips.
(note, this is mainly for virtual brand ambassadors)
- Discover brands that are compatible and build engagement.
- Build an online personality.
- Build an online audience.
- Engage and get your audience involved.
- Contact relevant brands and apply to be a brand ambassador.
There are different ways of being a “brand ambassador.” For example, some beer companies are even offering to pay you money to hike the Appalachian Trail and drink their beer!
Get Paid $20,000 to Hike the Appalachian Trail As a ‘Chief Hiking Officer’ (Video)
A Virginia-based beer company wants to pay one lucky brew lover $20,000 to hike the Appalachian Trail as part of the ultimate socially-distanced ‘workcation.’ Devils Backbone Brewing Company is looking to hire a CHO or “Chief Hiking Officer” to hike through 14 states, from Georgia to Maine, in the spring of 2021.
#10
Grade Tests Online
Yes! You can actually get paid to be an online test grader. Not to mention you can totally do it from your van while living remotely on the road.
This virtual gig typically pays around $10-12/hr and requires no training or prior education past possibly a high school diploma or GED.
There’s several different websites that cater to this field and you can find out more information by checking out The Work at Home Wife’s post:
Get Paid to be an Online Test Grader: 8 Legit Online Grading Jobs
One work-from-home job loved by many in my community is contracting as an online test grader. In this position, you are working online grading tests, essays and other papers. In many cases, these essays are submitted as part of a standardized test like the ACT or SAT.
#11
Transcriptionist
If you’ve ever worked in a hospital you might be familiar with the term “dictation.” Doctors have to do a lot of charting and often do it over audio via a phone or a headset. If you’ve ever used Siri, you know how inaccurate this audio capture can be. Someone on the backend listens to the recorded dictation and transcribes it into word.
What about the subtitles and closed captioning on TV shows and movies? Those have to be transcribed by a person as well.
There’s plenty of other examples of situations where a recorded audio dictation has to be transcribed into type. There is a pretty low barrier to entry as well but you definitely have to have a decent grasp of the English language.
If you think this might appeal to you, check out www.rev.com, a popular website where people make money transcribing, created captions, and even translating foreign audio into text (bonus, that pays more!)
#12
Data Entry Freelancer
Data entry jobs are great work at home (or from van) gigs. They don’t require any sort of formal education past high school or a GED and it’s fairly easy to get started.
You have to be a decent typist, have a computer/laptop, and a good WIFI connection.
You can find freelance writing gigs on www.UpWorks.com
For a more detailed dive into getting a remote job doing data entry, check out this article by The Work at Home Wife.
12 Legit Data Entry Jobs From Home
INSIDE: Data entry jobs from home are easy to get – but the industry is full of scammers. Here are 12 real opportunites and what you’ll need to get started. Data entry requires very little specific knowledge, so it’s fairly easy to get started with one of these jobs from home.
#13
Remote Online Tutor
A lot of tutoring can be done online over zoom or facetime. Especially now with COVID protocols in place tutoring is a great remote job.
There are a literal TON of online tutoring websites but here is a list to get you started:
- Revolution Prep
- Skooli
- Smarthinking
- SpecialEdTutoring.com
- TutorEye
- TutorMe
- Varsity Tutors
- Wyzant
#14
Remote Call Center / Customer Service
Ring ring ring ring…
That’s my telephone impression, pretty good huh?
Seriously though, working in an actual call center sounds like a nightmare to me. I get startled when I receive a text on my cell phone let alone a whole room of ringing phones and talking voices, that’s just the picture I have in my head.
That’s why I think being a remote customer service technician would be appealing. I know a couple people that do this for their full-time job and are able to do it from the comfort of their home… so why not do it from a camper van or RV instead?
Here are some good books for your travels if you are interested in finding more about working remotely or virtually.
VIRTUAL JOBS THAT TAKE SOME SELF-TEACHING AND/OR FREE TRAINING
A formal education is not a requirement of these following tech-savvy jobs. That doesn’t mean you won’t have to put in effort to learn a new skill and become proficient at it. However, if you are able to do that, these jobs are perfect for remote work and van life job.
#15
Coding / Programming
I don’t know much about coding.
I do know, however, that people can learn to do it on their own with no formal education. There are tons of YouTube videos and websites dedicated to learning to code. Like this one:
There are definitely different types of coding language: C++, Javascript, Python, HTML, CSS, Ruby.
This article titled “A Guide to the Different Types of Coding Languages” will be a good place to learn more.
You might have to put in some effort into learning the trade, but coding is a very well paying job and is one of the most sought after “digital nomad” careers which makes it perfect for van life and nomadic living.
#16
Website Development and Design
I had to learn a bit of website development on my own for this very site you’re on now. It was remarkably frustrating and full of trial and error.
However, like coding, there are so many YouTube videos dedicated to website creation, design, and development. Not to mention that the stand-alone blog creation sites, like WordPress.com, make things intuitive and easy to get into.
Even if you only know the basics, that is still a lot more than the majority of people know. There are tons of Mom and Pop businesses that don’t have websites and would benefit from one, so there is definitely a market for basic level website development.
If you continue to learn and grow your own business in website design and development, you can get bigger clients and make a VERY good living from anywhere in the world while living remotely and working on your own schedule.
#17
Become a Copywriter
What is copywriting?
Basically, it is using words to get people to buy something (or take some form of action).
Copywriting is like being a salesman, but in print. Think about those newspaper ads that are a whole column long that tell this elaborate story to sell you a vacuum cleaner… that is copywriting. Those (semi-annoying) pop-ups and landing pages that you come across on the web from time to time–copywriting.
This can be a very lucrative career if you know what you are doing. Also, as far as I know, there is no formal education for copywriting. You just kind of… do it. You learn the trade by doing, and market yourself.
You might end up doing things like writing emails for mailing lists, ads (the long kind and the short kind), landing pages, etc. I will warn you, however, you have to be very self motivated to be a successful copywriter. You will have to hustle.
Copywriting is kind of mysterious, in a way. If you want to find out more about copywriting, check out:
How to Become a Copywriter (2020 Beginner’s Guide)
Trying to figure out how to become a copywriter in 2020? Well, you’ve just stepped into the right corner of the internet. In this article, I’m going to introduce you to all things copy. I’ll tell you what copywriting is, why it’s the best career ever, and even give you the tools and resources you need to get started writing high-performing business copy today.
#18
Affiliate Marketing
The big thing online right now is affiliate marketing. It seems like every blog or website these days has some sort of affiliate links connected to it. I mean, why not?
If someone like Amazon is willing to give you a small percentage of a sale for directing traffic and sales to their website, you take it.
However, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. You have to have something that people want to read first. A website or a blog is typically viewed as the easiest barrier to entry into affiliate marketing, but affiliate marketing can stretch across multiple platforms–like Facebook or YouTube.
Some of the big affiliate sites can make tens of thousands of dollars per month. Most, however, probably fall into the market of barely breaking even.
The nice thing about affiliate marketing is that once you have a website or blog set up, it is mostly passive income. Some websites are a decade old and are still producing income with little or no upkeep.
This is perfect for a little extra money while living your vandwelling dreams. You can manage an affiliate marketing website/campaign from anywhere in the world, making it a great remote job.
#19
Social Media Assistant / Account Manager
Social media assistants basically run social media accounts for clients… duh.
Sounds simple enough but once a social media account gets super popular, it can start becomming unwieldy, which is why people seek out social media managers.
You have to know the intricacies of the social media platform you are using and be able to run successful social media campaigns and even advertisements. So, it might sound like anyone could do it, but we have it listed in this category for a reason. It does take some training.
Also, many potential clients will want to see a successful social media account as “proof” of their assistant’s past work. If you think you can run a social media account and have proof, social media assistants can make pretty good money. Better yet, it is a remote virtual gig that you can do it from anywhere in the world making it one of the ideal van life jobs.
#20
Online and Remote Sales Work
Sales is a career that has a wide range of jobs and not all of them require you to be tied to a brick and mortar business. Not to mention they don’t require any sort of advanced degree.
Sales work can be done over the phone, through email, creating sales campaigns for businesses, or through zoom and skype.
You can either be a fully virtual salesperson or have it as a semi mobile job.
For example, some of the medical sales reps that come to the hospital travel all over the country to different hospital systems, or they might have a big regional area as their territory. This might be a nice gig for a vanlifer, if you can get it.
Sales is a hard field to get into, and you definitely have to be either
a) VERY knowledgeable about the product / service you are selling
b) be a VERY good salesperson
VAN LIFE JOBS FOR YOUR CREATIVE SIDE
If you are one of the lucky ones that have a creative bone in your body, this following section is for you. Some of these are my favorite possible van life jobs, as I always wanted to be an artist. These creative jobs allow you the freedom to build your own schedule and possibly work from anywhere in the world.
#21
Freelance Artist
Freelance artists don’t need any sort of formal education. Sure, there are formal art school degrees you can get and they will surely help if you want to be a professional artist — but it is not a requirement.
If you have a bit of a creative side and find doing art enjoyable (I know I do), then look into being a freelance artist while working in the comfort of your own… van. You can create a cheap, or free, website to showcase your work and commission art or just sell prints (or originals) of your own work.
#22
Graphic Design
Contrary to what you might believe, you don’t need any sort of formal education to make money as a graphic designer. It might help if you have some degree behind your name, but just like freelance artists, it is not required.
All you need to do is learn the ropes online, get a program on your computer, and start a profile on Fiverr.com
On fiverr, you create a profile. People who are looking for a graphic design freelancer will search through the profiles and portfolios and if they like your stuff they will choose you for their project.
You can set your own prices. Some people will create a logo for five dollars, others will cost as much as $500. You might have to do some free logos to get a little profile to showcase, but other than that… anybody can sign up.
I don’t know about you, but being a freelance digital designer while working remotely on a beach in Thailand sounds pretty amazing to me… I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with Thailand.
#23
Be a Creative Writer
Basically, this is any other writing not already mentioned on this long post. You can write poems, stories, biographies, comic books, what-the-fuck-ever. Much like being a freelance artist, you will have to hustle your own stuff… but if you’re a good writer, there is money to be made.
You can self publish pretty easily on amazon as an e-book or go the more traditional route and find a publisher.
Amazon Self-Publishing: [9 Step Guide] How to Publish on Amazon
Amazon self-publishing sounds tricky, but it’s actually one of the easiest ways to publish a book. Learning how to publish on Amazon is simple if you have a step-by-step guide, but since Amazon’s publishing platform may not be the most friendly user experience to some, it can get a little confusing if you’re trying to figure it all out yourself.
#24
Sell Something Out of Your Van / Etsy
If you like crafts and there is something you can create and sell on Etsy, then this might be a perfect opportunity for you to make some money remotely. Sure, typically you will need a little room, or a craft station, to make and sell your products… but who says that can’t be done in your van?
Knitting, croache, prints, stickers, leather work, minor wood work, stones, and even tie-dye… these things sell like hotcakes on Etsy.
#25
Photographer
Photography is a career that can mesh very well with lving the #vanlife. It can be done mobily and remotely. All you really need is a good camera and possibly some post editing software.
I know a handful of photographers that drool at the thought of living in a van and traveling the country (or world) to take pictures of beautiful shit.
You can be a freelance photographer and do things like wedding photography, family shots, nature photography, etc. Or you can create your own store and sell prints of more “artistic” pieces of stuff you have already made.
#26
Videography
Photography’s strange and more outgoing cousin, videography. I’m separating this one from the YouTube section because I want to talk more about the artistic side of videography.
YouTube is a platform to showcase this work, but you don’t necessarily have to be a youtuber to make money in video production.
I had a friend once (I know, suprising) that bought a drone and a fairly cheap camera and started his own video company. He filmed mostly weddings, but became very succesful. It just takes a little bit of drive.
If you are into extreme sports, like snowboarding or mountainbiking, you can take that film talent to a whole-nother level.
Personally, I always had dreams of being a nature/animal videographer. I love animals and I would like nothing more than to film them all day, every day.
#27
Become a YouTuber (Like it's That Easy)
Now again, I seperated this from the above section because I don’t feel like becoming a YouTuber relies on being a good videographer. Sure, it can help, but it is not a requirement.
Many YouTube videos are poorly filmed how-to/instructional videos. Hell, I changed my first alternator by watching a YouTube video.
If you are passionate about something, you can pretty much start a YouTube channel… regardless of your videography skills.
All that being said, you need at least 1,000 subscribers before you can monitize a YouTube channel with ads. Even at that point you will be making only pennies. Therefor, I don’t think you can approach life with an attitude that you are going to be a YouTube sensation…
However, there is something to the saying “where there is a will, there is a way.”
Just for fun, here is the top 5 most successful YouTuber’s, their subscirbers, and their net worth.
- Ryan’s World : Toy reviews : 23.3 million subscribers : $26 million
- Dude Perfect : Sports and who knows : 51 million subscribers : $20 million
- Logan Paul : Douche bag : 21 million subscribers : $19 million
- Jake Paul: Another douche bag : Who cares : You’re f*cking rich.
- You know what… it doesn’t matter 🙂
#28
Musician / Busker
I know what you’re thinking, this one might appear to be more of a stretch. Sure, if you’re in a band I wouldn’t consider that a mobile job. You will most likely have to have band practice and play local shows to build up a presence. We’re not talking about that.
If you are a good musician, there’s nobody telling you that you can’t put that to work for you. In today’s age of technology there are a ton of ways to make this happen. You could do live shows on YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, or Twitch and link them up to a Patreon account.
Or, if you like the more traditional approach and are talented enough, you could become a street performer, play open-mic-nights or do virtual collaborations with other artists.
If you’re a solo musician you can sell your songs/albums online.
Get creative to find a way to make money while doing something you love.
#29
Video Editing
Maybe you don’t want to be in front of the camera, or even behind the camera, but videography is stills something that interests you.
Video editing is something that can be done from anywhere in the world making it a pretty good remote virtual job.
Now video editing CAN be done on a good high-powered laptop, but a lot of the professionals use a lot more gear.
If you have the ability to hook up to shore power, or just have a really strong battery bank and solar set-up, then you definitely can get the higher powered gear in your van or RV set-up.
However, a video editor can still do work freelance work from their laptop on some beach in Vietnam (hah, switched it up on you).
Check out this video for more information!
TEMPORARY AND SEASONAL WORK IS A GREAT OPTION FOR VAN LIFE JOBS
If you live mobily in a camper van or RV, then that means you are probably keeping your expenses and overhead pretty low. I know people that are able to hunker down for a few months and get one of these temporary/seasonal jobs to earn some cash and then travel around for the rest of the year.
You just have to get creative!
#30
Work at a National Park
There are tons of national park jobs available, and many are seasonal work. Some of these jobs actually pair really well with living in a van.
The variety of jobs is outstanding; trail building and maintenance, bartending and restaurant work, nursing and wilderness first aid, admin and accounting, and many more. You can get a job in retail at the gift shops or be a park greeter.
Hell, I’ve even heard of people caretaking areas deep in the mountains for a handful of months. Some national parks are like their own towns and they have to staff a lot of people. A lot of these parks are also very seasonal. If you want to hunker down for a few months and make a little money, working at a National Park might be a good choice for you.
Check out these sites for more info:
#31
Work at REI
I was recently in the mountains of Colorado debating on what I was going to do for work for the winter. I wanted to hunker down and ski for the winter but I didn’t want to go back to work in my career field (more on that later).
I came across a REI and I got the idea to see if they had any seasonal work for the upcoming winter. Sure as Hell, they did. A lot of it.
It would have been a pretty good marriage of my hobbies (discounts on REI gear) and work.
I ended up going with a short term job related to my actual career, but there are definitely a lot of seasonal REI work.
Check out their job’s board and see if there is any seasonal work near you:
#32
Work at a Ski Resort
Similar to my experience ALMOST getting a job with REI, I thought about getting a seasonal job at a ski resort.
I worked at a ski resort when I was fresh out of high school and had the most memorable winters of my life… even if I flunked all my online college classes.
Maybe I just wanted to just relive that winter of my youth but I can’t imagine a more perfect seasonal gig for a vanlifer than working at a ski resort.
You could park your campervan in the overnight lot and walk to work. You could spend your time after work skiing the slopes and drinking heavily at the bar.
Being a ski bum and a van life vagabond sounds really perfect to me.
There are a bunch of jobs at a ski resorts. If you know how to snowboard or ski, you can be a ski instructor. Trust me, you don’t even have to be good since a lot of times you are teaching little kids the absolute basics. You could also be a lift operator, bartender, server, cook, work in the ticket booth, or be a park guy, or in rentals… the list goes on.
If you do get a gig working at a ski resort make sure you have a well insulated van and invest in a good heater to keep you warm!
#33
Temporarily Become a Farm Hand
Farmers are always looking for extra help. If you’re a hard worker, try reaching out to local farmers to see if they need any physical labor in exchange for some money and maybe even a place to park the van or RV.
If you need more help finding a place to sleep check out this great article by one of our writers.
Overnight Parking and Stealth Camping While Vandwelling
#34
Seasonal Bartending and Restaurant Work
I spent 7 years working nearly every jobs there is in the restaurant field. I went from being a dishwasher to being a prep cook, line cook, busser, expo, server and eventually bartender.
This isn’t about me, however, this is about you… and there are plenty of seasonal restaurant work for you.
We’ve already mentioned the restaurant work at ski resorts and national parks, but there’s more. Outside of the ski resorts there is typically a ski town. Generally dead during the summer and slammed busy during the winter, these ski towns will often hire seasonal bartender and restaurant workers.
Winter not your favorite season? Want something warmer? Beach resorts and beach towns are seasonal as well. I thought about cruising down to Florida and trying to get a bartending gig for spring break… before covid happened of course. They probably make a killing down there.
You don’t even have to go to that extreme though. A restaurant I used to work for in the Pacific Northwest had a location on the water. It was super busy during the summer but dead during the winter so they would double their staff every summer. Many restaurants have a busy and a dead season, so look for seasonal work there.
#35
Other Retail Work
Many retail stores are also seasonal. Take Christmas, for example; many department stores hire retail associates during the busy holiday seasons (cashier, store clerk, gift wrapper).
A smaller mom and pop shop in a beach town might hire an extra employee or two during the summer time with the expectation that it is just a temporary seasonal job.
#36
Summer Camp Counselor
It probably won’t surprise you that being a camp counselors is a seasonal job. For a month or two during the summer, you can be a camp counselor with little-to-no training. This is a great opportunity to earn a bit of money while still having the freedom to travel the rest of the year.
#37
Be a Tax Preparer
Being a tax preparer might be a but more involved than the other jobs in this section, but it is definitely a valid option.
People will pay you to do their taxes! Besides being good at math, there are a few things that you have to do in order to qualify to become a Tax Preparer
- Take a 60-hour qualifying education course (CTEC approved).
- Purchase a tax preparer bond from an insurance agent.
- Get a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS.
- Register ($33)
If you want to find out more about becoming a tax preparer, check out this blog post by The Work At Home Woman.
How to Become a Tax Preparer at Home
Tax season is a stressful time. Even if you’re ahead of the game or adept at filing, you’re likely surrounded by other adults who aren’t as speedy or savvy. For them, it’s a good thing that those who are well-organized, mathematically inclined, and meticulous become tax preparers.
OTHER SIDE HUSTLES TO MAKE MONEY ON THE ROAD
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sometimes you have to be a little creative to make money on the road. This section covers some of the more obscure ways to make a little cash. However, obscure definitely has a place on our list of van life jobs.
#38
OnlyFans
Okay okay okay… I know I’ll probably get some flack for this one. It’s a VALID OPTION though. And regardless of your stance on it, you can make money from the comfort of your van with an OnlyFans account… therefor it’s on the list.
OnlyFans is a subscription based site that lets content creators monetize their content. They can lock their content behind a paywall. People either pay a reoccurring monthly fee or a one-time tip to see the content.
And no! Not all the content is pornographic… even if most of it is.
I’m not gonna dive into the details. If you’re interested, do your own research.
#39
Teach Online Courses via Udemy.com
Udemy.com is a platform designed to crowdsource information and teaching. On Udemy an instructor can create courses on a topic that they are proficient in and charge a fee for people to enroll and take their class, usually in video form.
The nice thing is once the course content is created, it is up there for people to find. So if you have something to teach that you think might be a benefit to someone, think about spending time to design a course.
How Much Do Udemy Instructors Make? – Blog | TeachinGuide
In a popular blog a few months back, we profiled five high earning Udemy Instructors who gave their advice about how to be a successful Udemy instructor. Those featured Udemy instructors earn A LOT of money teaching the best online courses and this has been promoted as an argument for becoming a Udemy instructor in all manner of media and blogs.
#40
TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is a GENIUS platform designed to match freelance labor with local demand. Don’t know what I mean?
Imagine you need help painting your house, you can go on TaskRabbit and hire some help for the day.
If you don’t mind doing everyday tasks like laundry, cleaning, yardwork, painting, moving, delivery, and other basic handyman work then TaskRabbit.com is a great way to earn some money on your free time.
#41
Become a Webcam Model
Yeah, again… I’m not going to go into details. Just google it yourself, but be prepared for the results of that search.
#42
GoFundMe (AKA e-begging)
GoFundMe is a crowdfunding platform that is actually a pretty cool idea… when used properly. If you have a cool idea for a business, invention, or project that will benefit people then you can start a GoFundMe campaign to earn some money to get it up and running…
However, some people have started to take advantage of the platform by what I termed as “e-begging.”
This is far from my favorite idea and I almost didn’t include it, but a lot of people do it. I know some famous vanlife YouTubers who recently did this to get their van fixed. They got a lot of flack for it, and for good reason.
However, if you have no problem asking random strangers for money via the internet, feel free to start a GoFundMe.
#43
Become a Streamer on Twitch
I don’t know much about video games or Twitch, but I know it is damn popular.
I did a quick google search and found that expert streamers can make around $3,000-5,000 per month playing video games 40 hours a week, and that is not counting ad revenue.
This is the envy of every 14 year old boy, but Twitch streaming can be a serious cash cow. Now imagine if you did videogame streaming from cool places across the world. I might be on to something.
#44
Rent Out Your Van or RV on OutDoorsy
You might be opposed to renting out your camper to some stranger, but I know a couple people that bought an RV strictly for this reason… and they make a killing.
I mean, just now I went over to www.outdoorsy.com and on my very first search I found
A MERCEDES SPRINTER VAN GOING FOR $200 / NIGHT
What if you don’t have a sprinter van? Well I also found
A CONVERTED FORD ECONOLINE FOR $140 / NIGHT
So, if you arn’t planning on using your van for a while, consider renting it out.
I might even consider doing another build strictly for renting it out on Outdoorsy.
#45
Day Trading and Investing
It is always important to maximize your investments but if you don’t know much about the stock market I would stay away from day trading. You might have dreams of being the new “Wolf of Wall street” but you could very much end up broke living out of your van down by the river… oh wait.
Day trading is a form of speculative stock trading in which the investor opens and closes their positions on certain stocks in a short amount of time, usually before day’s end. The investor usually basis their in and out points based on a variety of technical data.
There are tons of YouTube videos on the subject, if you want to find out more information.
#46
Help People Build Out Their Van Conversions
What better van life job than building vans??
I’m surprised by how often I see Facebook posts where people are asking, even begging, to pay other people to come help with their van build. If you’re already traveling around the country in your own DIY van camper, why not make a little extra money helping someone else build theirs?
Keep an eye on those van conversion groups. People might cover your gas, pay you money for your time, and provide you with a spot to park and sleep.
In fact, if you are really good at building out vans you can really start getting a Van Conversion company going. Some people are willing to pay big money for a luxury van build.
I worked with a doctor once that was ready to sink over $50k into hiring a van conversion company to build out his Mercedes Sprinter.
VIRTUAL JOBS AND MOBILE CAREERS THAT REQUIRE SOME FORMAL EDUCATION
Just because a job requires formal education doesn’t mean it isn’t a valid way to make money on the road. Some of the best virtual jobs for digital nomads require some sort of degree or certification.
If you are serious about setting up and building a mobile life, you might want to look into these career paths.
#47
Be an Editor
Whether you are editing blog posts for an established website, an article for a newspaper/magazine, or somebody’s vampire porn fan fiction… editing can be done anywhere in the world making it a perfect addition to our list of van life jobs.
Typically, an editor can make anywhere from $30k-$100k+ a year, depending on experience. That being said, editing is far from a cakewalk job. You could potentially have to spend your days filled with reading, communicating with clients, re-reading, thoughtful feedback, and re-re-reading.
If you are interested in being an editor, here are some steps to get your started,
How to Become an Editor: A Comprehensive Guide for Writers
Despite some similarities, writing and editing are not the same job. Yet editing is often a natural progression for writers within an organization, and it’s a way for freelancers to broaden their work prospects. Based on my experience transitioning from writer to editor as a freelancer and staffer, here’s how to become an editor.
#48
Remote Virtual IT Job
Informational Technologists make good money but also requires some schooling. Traditionally, IT guys work in or near their employer so that they can come in to troubleshoot problems.
However, more and more IT jobs are moving into the remote work category. A lot of the troubleshooting can be done virtually.
You can get a certification/degree in IT from a trade school for very cheap compared to some of the more “advanced” degrees.
#49
Remote Accounting
Accountants handle financial records, data entry and analysis, managing accounts receivable and accounts payable for a businesses. Most of this work can be done remotely as they have digitalized this field.
Long gone are the days of having to sit in a cubicle to be an accounted. Sure, those jobs might still exist but it’s pretty unnecessary.
Personally, I don’t know if I could be an accountant… I’m not much of a number’s guy. But if you are trying to figure out what career might give you the most freedom so you can live your dreams in a van down by the river, dare I say it might be accounting.
#50
Virtual Engineer Job
Engineers can work from home, or virtually, although it depends on what kind of engineering they do, what company they work for, and how good of a fit they are for working from home.
There are five general types of engineers,
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
I won’t go into much detail about this because to become an engineer requires a ton of schooling and if you are considering it you probably already know more about me on the subject.
#51
Digital Marketing
I put this under the “needs some formal education” category because it definitely would be EASIER to succeed in this field if you had a marketing degree.
However, it is far from a hard requirement. If you are good at marketing you could totally market yourself into a sweet remote job doing digital marketing for a variety of companies.
And finally, what I do for a living…
#52
Travel Nursing
I went into nursing with the narrow minded focus of becoming a travel nurse. Far before I ever found #vanlife, I wanted to travel around and live a more nomadic lifestyle.
I got my 2 year Associates Degree in Nursing, started working on a general Med/Surg floor and hated it. I thought about quitting several times before eventually switching to emergency and then to the cardiac cath lab, which is where I still am.
As soon as I got enough experience, I pursued my dream of travel nursing. At the time of this article, I’m working in the foothills of Colorado, living in my van named Vanessa, and awaiting the ski season.
Travel nursing isn’t virtual or remote, but it is mobile. I work a 3 month assignment and then I can take the rest of the year off if I wanted to!
There’s other jobs in the nursing field that allow for a more nomadic lifestyle, like working for a nurse hotline (not the sexy kind–get your mind out of the gutter).
If you’ve actually read this entire list of van life jobs, I’m very surprised. If you got ANY sort of value out of it, please consider sharing it with your friends or on social media and give us a like and a follow.
If there is a job that you think we missed, please let us know in the comments below!