RV Living And Making Money Online

from: http://cheap-rv-living.com/making-an-income-on-the-road/jobs-for-rvers-making...

Oh the dollar signs that flash in front of your eyes when you hear “make money online.” If it were only that easy.

This post has nothing to do with “get rich quick” schemes, but has everything to do with familiarizing you with all of the opportunities out there you might not know exist.

The basic three we are most familiar with are: selling products online, selling your skills online and sales blogs (or variations of this) where no product passes through your hands.

As this post grows, it will be very long and you will see many, many links to great sites to get familiarized with…so keep checking back! When we were starting out, we sure wish there was a site with all of these in one place…enjoy and have fun…

SELLING PRODUCTS ONLINE
Though there are other selling sites, the main ones we are referring to are Ebay and Amazon. Perhaps, like we do, you like to browse thrift stores for books, movies, antiques, designer clothing at a deep discount. When you find that “gem” you purchase it and list it on one of these sites. It does take time to learn to do it well, but there are plenty of resources out there to teach you the basics and you can start generating income rather quickly, if you know what items truly sell.

A bigger example of this would be someone who knows cars. Sites like Ebay Motors have tons of vehicle auctions – if you get one at a bargain, you can clean it up and sell it at a nice profit (this also holds true for rvs and other motorized items). The bottom line is you need to invest little and make a profit.

If you know all about rare books, antiques, vehicles, etc. you are miles ahead of the game and will do well with a little training on how to sell on these platforms mentioned above.

SELLING YOUR SKILLS ONLINE

Are you an excellent photographer? Do you make crafts or are you artistic? Are you good with computers or are you great with grammar and editing? There are so many opportunities/sites these days to sell your skills in the online world. Just keep in mind, though completely possible, getting the training on how to get your items noticed will take time.

You will need to research how to pick the right keywords and learn basic SEO (search engine optimization) tricks. It is the least fun part of the learning curve, but if you want to be found in the big online world, you will need to put aside time to train on how the internet works these days…and how buyers can find you

(hint: they won’t if you turn up on page 20 of a Google search). Many of these sites have forums that are there to guide you along the way.

BLOGGING – SALES BLOGS AND SIMILAR SITES

When we first started rving two years ago, we started a fun blog to keep our family posted on our daily lives. It was only late in 2010 when we discovered you can also have blogs geared to selling. Often referred to as affiliate marketing, the concept is you advertise company’s products on your blog, and if the customer buys a product you listed by clicking through to their site, you get a commission from that sale. It takes a long time to learn, but is a lot of fun.

RV Living: Why You Should Consider Solar Power

from: http://forexindicatorformt4.com/2011/07/rv-living-why-you-should-consider-sol...

Half a lifetime ago, when my wife and I first got a taste for remote RV living, we decided very early on that solar power had to be the way to go.

Despite rapid advances in solar technology — even way back then — many fellow travelers were surprised when they learned our RV was “solar powered”. Granted, that tiny house-on-wheels was getting on in years, and there was still a general belief among caravanners and motorhomers that solar power was “too expensive” and “too technical”.

But whatever their reasons, I’m here to tell you that solar-charged 12 volt battery power was then, and still is, worthy of serious consideration — regardless of the size or age of your traveling rig. In fact, even the most basic system — such as ours was then — provides not only a significant boost in self-sufficiency, it also saves enough money to recover your outlay in under three months. Even today.

For example, a 30-watt, self-regulating solar panel costs around 0 to 0 here in Australia. If you then factor in a no-maintenance, deep-cycle battery of at least 75 amp-hour capacity — to be installed in the RV — at maybe 0, plus suitable cabling, a salable plastic battery box (vented to the outside), and miscellaneous hardware for, say, more, your total outlay shouldn’t be much over 0.

After that, every night you make use of your on-board power, on a “no hook-ups” campsite, you stand to save between and on tourist park fees. Sometimes more. On those figures, the whole set-up pays for itself in maybe 30 nights or less!

True, sufficient power would normally be available from your towing vehicle’s standard battery over one or two nights, but if the vehicle doesn’t move for two or three days the engine will almost certainly need a run for an hour or more to “top up” the charge taken out of the battery. And with single-battery set-ups, there is always a risk of over-using your power, resulting in a flat battery!

On the other hand, if you prefer the overnight security and companionship of a tourist park, an unpowered site — those nice, quiet spots down the back — saves maybe – per night. Which means you could still have your investment back in the bank within six months.

No matter how you look at it, solar was — and is — the way of the future. It’s clean, efficient, silent, and requires almost zero maintenance. And once the initial outlay has been covered, basic power needs from that point on are free.

However, there is a downside. (Isn’t there always?) A fixed solar array — on the RV roof, for instance — needs to be receiving the sun’s rays long and strong to adequately replenish the battery’s charge.

Parked too long in the shade, or suffering through a lengthy stretch of rain-filled skies, can knock out a single-battery power supply in two or three days, even with judicious use. For that reason, some travelers have an additional, portable solar panel that can be constantly repositioned to catch the sun’s most direct rays, for as long as possible.

Nevertheless, in the four years we owned that well-traveled little van we had very few problems. (Mind you, we have always carried “conventional” backup in the form of a small petrol generator, and our vehicle has always been dual-battery equipped to share the campsite power needs.) And about that tricky technology?

Well, if a techno-slouch like me can have the whole system installed and operational in under two hours, anybody can! What we did was: (1) mount the solar panel directly onto the RV roof (with sealant carefully applied in and around the screw holes), then (2) run the panel’s cabling down into the van (through the corner of the all-seasons hatch) into a cupboard.

Being a self-regulating solar panel, a regulator was not necessary between panel and battery, so the cables were fixed directly onto the battery. The battery was housed in a robust plastic storage bin with a close-fitting lid, which I further sealed with silicone. Two lengths of 6 mm plastic hose vented the box to the outside through the caravan floor (inside the cupboard).

Battery terminals were fitted with heavy-duty extension straps that passed through the side of the box to the outside to facilitate normal connection via alligator clips, a portable 12 volt socket, or sometimes a low capacity inverter. All holes in the floor and the battery box were fully sealed (both sides) with silicone sealant.

As for maintenance, all that’s required is an occasional wipe-down of the solar panel, and a general examination of wiring and seals from time to time. I also put a multimeter across the battery terminals every so often to see how it was tracking. (Of course, this reading is only accurate after the battery has “rested” for a half hour or so, i.e, no charge in or out.)

OK, we’ve learned a bit more about solar power since then, so we did some things differently second time around. But these differences were, essentially, because our fulltime travel now needs more than twice the power, with quite a lot more in reserve.

So gizmos and gadgets are scattered throughout. But when we think back on that tiny, “drag-it-anywhere” caravan, with its most basic, D.I.Y. solar power set-up, we still get to feeling warm and fuzzy. (Self-sufficiency in the bush will do that!)

For our money, solar power and RVs are made for each other; it’s impossible to imagine a wandering life without either.

Bill Revill is an Australian freelance writer, fulltime RV traveler, and remote lifestyle expert. For further information go to: http://www.livingontheroad.com http://www.authorsden.com/billrevill Copyright 2007 by W.V. Revill.

Camping - The Best Foods to Pack For a Long Camping Trip

By Sophia Rodriguez

If you are going camping and are looking for the best foods to pack for a long camping trip, read on...

Although this question seems straight forward, there are many possible answers to what are the best foods for a long camping trip. The answer will depend on many factors.

Are you backpacking, car camping or traveling in a camper van or RV? Do you eat meat or are you vegetarian? Will you eat just about anything as long as it tastes good or do you like to eat mostly healthy foods with a few treats in between?

Since I am a vegetarian who likes to eat healthy foods, my answers will reflect this way of eating. I will discuss the best foods for a long backpacking trip as well as foods you can bring on a long trip across country in a camper van or RV.

The Best Foods For A Long Backpacking Trip For a long backpacking trip, you will need food that gives you lots of energy and that keeps well. If you know what types of plants are edible close to your campsite, all the better since you will be getting fresh food that will spice up your camping trip.

Here are some examples of what you could take with you:
1) dried fruit such as cherries, pineapple, mango and apple
2) banana or plantain chips
3) a variety of protein bars such as Vega, Luna or Clif
4) trail mix
5) soy nuts
6) a variety of nuts
7) granola and dried soy mylk
8) foil packed meals such as Indian food that can be warmed in hot water
9) quick cooking pasta and vacuum packed flavored tofu with seasoning
10) tofu jerky

The Best Foods For A Long RV or Camper Van Trip

Depending on how much space you have and your preferences will dictate how many or how few of the following items you can bring. The idea is to inspire you to make a list of possible meals based on the items you bring so here we go...
Non -perishable Items
1) Flour,sugar & baking powder (to make biscuits, pancakes,pizza dough, bannock,etc...)
2) Granola or other dried cereals
3) Peanut butter and /or almond butter
4) Powdered milk
5) Dried pasta
6) Quick cooking rice
7) Spices, condiments and flavorings
8) Canned soups and chili
9) Canned beans
10) Canned pasta sauce & gravy
11) Trail mix, nuts, seeds & dried fruit
12) Popcorn and marshmallows
13) Cooking and salad oil
14) Airtight packed silken tofu
15) Syrup or honey

Perishable foods
1) Eggs
2) Cheese
3) Veggie meats
4) Breads
5) Dairy or soy milk
6) Fruits & vegetables

Do you long to take off on a long camping trip. Live the adventure and discover a joyful way of life.
So, right now, turn off your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever. Click here to dowwnload:

http://www.cheapcampinglifestyle.info

Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure .