We Have a Job!

Kathy and I got a job. Yep, I know... you thought we were retired. We are... kinda. But there's nothing wrong with trying to make money on the road right? Right!

We leave Jacksonville on Jan. 11th and go to Tampa, Fl for 2 weeks, then Pensacola, FL for 2 weeks and then we have 7 days to get to San Antonio, TX where we'll work for at least 2 weeks as well.

We've spent the last 8 months learning about HOW to RV and after thinking about what we had done ( or more appropriately NOT really doing anything) we decided that it was time for us to have a purpose while we are on the road. :) Paychecks are always good!

Those that know me know that I'm always looking for a way to make a buck or two. Most of my "efforts" have been fruitless - like selling picnic table maps in RV parks( http://www.tabletopmaps.com/ ).

UPDATE: THIS JOB TURNED OUT TO BE A BUST.  WE GAVE UP IN ABOUT 6 WEEKS.


In looking for another way to make a few bucks, I Googled "affiliate programs for RV'ers" and found a company that sells site maps for RV parks. What they do is sell (or rather GIVE AWAY FOR FREE) RV site maps to RV Parks across the country. A site map would look like this: http://www.pecanparkrvresort.com/rates.aspx and it's printed on 100 lb full color paper. Every camper that arrives is handed a site map so they can find their parking spot. Thousands of eyes see these site maps every year.


Around the edge of the site map there are advertising spots. Local businesses, i.e. restaurants, dog groomers, real estate agents, pizza parlors, doctors, RV repair guys, auto repair shops, etc. can buy a small 2"x2" ad for $345 ( or up to a 4"x8" ad $1,100) and EVERY camper will see their ad on the site map for the next year for whatever RV Park we are providing a site map to.


For a business, $345 for a years worth of advertising that 6,000 to 10,000 eyes will see is cheap.


Here's how it works:

1. We call a RV park and ask them if they'd like a years supply of high quality, full color site maps for FREE. Yes, we provide the maps to the park for free. If they say, "yes" then we get a free place to park for TWO weeks.


2. During the two week period we are in the park, it's our job to sell a minimum amount of ad space to local businesses. The minimum amount isn't that much so we don't think that we'll have a problem meeting our goal. Even if we don't sell what we need to sell, we still get to stay for free at the park.


3. We also get a commission on the ad space we sell. The least amount we would make is $545, and the most we could make would be around $3,500 per RV park - if we sold every ad spot.

We get a free place to park AND we can make a little money. Nice huh? We think so anyway! PLUS every expense for my RV is now a tax right-off. Everything! Sweet.
Because we are now employed, our itinerary has changed a little. We were going to leave Jacksonville on 2-15, but now are planning on leaving in 2-1. We'll head west along I-10 to Texas where there are a butt load of RV parks (for all the snowbirds in winter like FL) and spend as much time in TX, AZ and NM area as we can until it gets too hot to be there. Anything above 90° is too freaking hot in a RV.  In the summer, around June, we'll work our way to CA to visit my sister and Dad and up the coast of CA . We haven't made plans past that. I do want to get to Oregon to visit my brother Tim this summer though!