Taking the concept of entrepreneurship and work-from-home to an altogether different level is working from a recreational vehicle (RV). It may seem like an inspiration drawn from the ancient caravan, which could be called a more modest version of today’s technologically equipped, state of the art recreational vehicles.
The history of RV’s can be traced back to over a century ago when it was first introduced in 1910. However, by 2018 only 16 percent of Americans owned an RV. The continuous urge of humans to work at their leisure and on the go has led to the popularization of working from mobile offices and homes. These tend to liberalize you by removing geographical limitations and boundaries to operate from, says online dealership Caravan For Sale.
It may sound like a tempting offer, but it is no easy task to set up and run a business from an RV. With the right finances and resources, one can materialize this dream into reality.
Here, we present a guide to make your RV a workplace and a home.
Find the Right Job
If you are planning on resigning from your regular 9-5 job and going the RVing way wait a minute. Before you quit a stable job, find out whether your profession or skills allow you to operate independently from any remote location.
If the answer to this is positive, you can move ahead in your search for work from different web portals or job websites while you set up your RV.
Many jobs do not require to operate from a confined cubicle. At the same time, opportunities to find work wherever you travel are also available considering the skills you possess can come handy anywhere.
You could be a web developer, a customer support executive, a recruiter, or even a writer, and do most of your work without going outside!
Set Up Your RV
You can buy a RV from one of the RV wholesalers to save you some money. Apart from your basic amenities, if you’re turning your RV into a workplace, you will need some office supplies. Here are a few things for consideration.
- You need a source of power supply such as solar power or a generator for all your electricity requirements, including lights, charging source for mobiles, laptops or any other electronic amenities.
- A proper workstation if you are investing substantial hours in a day on your computer. Keep your comfort in mind while buying furniture for the RV as it may cause too much clutter if size specifications are not taken care of.
- A steady internet connection because all the work you do will be assigned to you and delivered by you only in the presence of a hassle-free internet connection. USBs and dongles are the best sources of fast internet supply regardless of where you are. You can also get a home internet plan, but then you wouldn’t be able to travel around as much as you would like.
- Make use of WiFi services available at all restaurants, cafes for free for whenever you are off the vehicle.
- As per the nature of your business, investing in a good digital camera or a mobile phone with a high-definition camera is important to be able to send pictures of certain documents required by your employer or client. Instead of investing in scanners, make use of mobile applications such as CamScanner to turn your phone into a portable scanner.
- You may also need to invest in a printer and a fax machine for when documents requiring signatures need to be sent to clients or companies.
- Paperwork is an inseparable part of a business, and necessary provisions should be made to avoid any last-minute issues later. If you have a neighborhood grocery store, things might be easier.
Know Your Legal Rights and Obligations
Study all the licensing requirements, insurance policies and regulatory implications of your business carefully before making it operational. Moreover, certain trades require regional certificates and licensing of the professional to operate in a certain geographical area.
When you are continuously on the move, you might face operational limitations attributing to your profession. It is better to find out your work rights in a place before starting to work there to avoid any legal action later.
While you may escape the several tax obligations of a house, vehicle and work separately, it is important to know how much your tax liability is and when the filings are required to be submitted.
Whether you can earn well or not while working from an RV is still a debatable subject, continuous efforts and forming the right contacts can ensure a regular paycheck. With the perks of working at your leisure and comfort coupled with traveling while you work are lucrative options and tend to compensate for the high-duty paychecks you would otherwise receive.
