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Old 03-07-2021, 05:45 AM   #1
Chasnracin
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Just a little news story on Workcamping

While doing my mindless surfing, this PBS story on Workcamping popped up.



https://youtu.be/9bJ0YjqALE0
 
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Old 03-07-2021, 08:10 AM   #2
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I found the article interesting and mostly a good representation of the challenges work-campers face. I think the only comment made that I question is right at 2:00 minutes in the video where he makes the comment.

"Tens of thousands of retirement age Americans are migrant laborers or work campers driven by economic necessity and wander lust."

Full time RVing and Work Camping is still a lifestyle choice. Our country is filled with people working in contract positions that have specific end-dates. Some choose to live in rental apartments, some choose to live in an RV. The company I work for has many, many contractor employees, and I know of some of them that are currently "living" in an RV. There are also many of these same contractors that are living in rental houses. All of them have a specific "end date" to their contract.

The difference between the people I work with and the people presented in this article is simply, the length of stay, or the length of the "contract". But, the shorter the working contract, the more mobile the worker needs to be. So, really, RV-living is a good alternative.

I have a hard time agreeing with his comment "economic necessity." We all "work" out of necessity. The difference is how we all do it.

But, beyond that one comment, I think the article is well done. It does present the many struggles that LIVING life on the road, opposed to taking a "vacation" on the road.

Beginning April, my wife and I are venturing into work camping. The only difference is, we are both employed by two different companies, but we both are in IT (Information Technology). Because of Covid, we have been working from home for the last 12 months. We're taking our "gig" on the road beginning April and will work from the camper where ever we land. Have internet ... will travel.

If (or when) our companies requires us to return back into the physical buildings, we'll return home.

Necessity? yes. We need the job. Living in the RV? Not necessary. We're doing it because we WANT to.

Well,.... someone had to get the conversation going. What's your thoughts. It's OK if you disagree with me.
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Old 03-07-2021, 10:19 AM   #3
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My nephew and his wife to be are nurses. They plan on being traveling nurses. The money is good like a quarter of a million for them and they can see the country. He likes to hunt so they will find a place where he can hunt in the fall go somewhere it’s warmer in the winter and cooler for summer. They could stay in an apartment but they are buying a 5er and a truck.
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Old 03-07-2021, 10:20 AM   #4
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I don't know about the movie, but if you read the book Nomadland you'll find there really are a lot of folks out there working because of economic necessity. They live in RV's or vans because they lost the house and they work so that they can eat. Many are well past social security age. It's a bigger number than you would expect and there are even several living in the park where we winter.
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Old 03-07-2021, 11:38 AM   #5
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I agree with Dick. There are a lot of people out there living in what ever they can just trying to scrap by. We are the lucky ones. We can afford an expensive camper and truck. My parents couldn’t afford any of the things we have today. My father drove an old car with holes in the floor but he kept his family fed, warm in the winter and dry.
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Old 03-07-2021, 12:10 PM   #6
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We fulltimed for six plus years and during a portion of those years were workcampers. We got our site and propane free. Trying not to sound arrogant here, my wife retired as a teacher with a pension, I retired as a full bird colonel from the Army and as a company VP with a 401k. We did not workcamp because we needed the Money, we workcamped because we enjoyed it. In our snowbird park here in Florida, we have workcampers who are UAW retirees, police and firefighter retirees, and even one couple who owned a concrete business. There are others who have little besides Social Security and are augmenting their retirement. Some live in Class A diesel pushers and others live in older trailers. Workcampers are a mixed bag. No label fits all except just about all of them we have run across are responsible, hardworking, friendly, and helpful.
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Old 03-07-2021, 12:11 PM   #7
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One big difference between fulltime RVing and living in a purchased house for young people especially, is that your house will greatly appreciate in equity over a lifetime while the RV will depreciate and need replacement many times in a lifetime. Don't be caught at the end of your working life with little in the way of security.
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