Owning an RV is a lot of fun. But it can also be a great little source of income if you play your cards right. Many campers we know parlay their oversized ride into some serious cash every year.
In the summer, many recreation-oriented businesses want to employ short-term helpers (a few weeks or less). RV owners can often leverage the versatility and mobility of their rigs to make some cash either short or long term.
Here are five ways RV owners can make some money with their RV.
- Bike Ride Support Staff – Here in Iowa, the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) is an annual staple every summer. While RAGBRAI is the biggest event in Iowa, with a weeklong party of 30,000 bikers and support staff travelling across the state every year, there are also plenty of other organized bike rides that need support. From selling food to sleeping accommodations to just hauling bikers’ stuff from place to place, RVs are a great way to support a bike ride, and pick up a few bucks along the way.
- RV Rental – When you bought your RV you probably thought you would use your RV ALL THE TIME. Unfortunately, life often gets in the way of our best plans. If your camping plans are curtailed for some reason, you can take the sting out of your disappointment by renting your RV. You can rent to family or friends, or people just looking for a taste of the RV life with a rental. There are even websites now dedicated to matching up individual RV owners with renters. Check out RVShare.com and PrivateMotorHomeRental.com for more information about how these services work.
- Campground Hosts – Although most of these gigs won’t put cash money in your pocket, it is a great way to reduce your campsite rental expenses. Federal, state and local campgrounds offer hundreds of campground host jobs throughout the U.S. Living free in national parks, forests and on other public lands is a great way to save money and have a unique experience. Most campgrounds limit how long visitors can stay, usually about 14 days, so serving as a volunteer campground host is often the only way to stay for months on end and get to know a particular area.
- Trade Shows and Collecting – An RV is a great vehicle for people who collect for a living and/or sell things at trade shows. Not only will it haul a lot of merchandise, you can cut out your hotel and cooking expenses by living out of the RV while you travel.
- Selling at athletic events, farmers markets, festivals and fairs – Whenever there’s a large event with a lot of pedestrians milling about, innovative entrepreneurs have found a way to sell their wares. Once the event is over, transform your rig back into the “vacation on wheels” it was meant to be.
If you are interested in exploring RV possibilities, stop by our showroom to see what recreational vehicles have to offer for a variety of activities and lifestyles or check out our huge selection of new and used RVs at Ketelsen RV.
