'What to do?', she asked...... - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Soulsearcher · RV-Dreams Family Member

'What to do?', she asked......

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Carol, you are well advanced in your planning and preparation. We attended the Workamping seminar last fall and it was definitely worth the time. We are not going to fulltime but part-time full time. :).

As soon as our house sells, (soon please, it's been on the market since mid-May), we are relocating to be closer to our children. Then we plan to travel 6-8 months of the year and workamp as we go. Taking the seminar convinced my husband that we could do this as he was not sold on the idea at all.

Your profession could offer you lots of opportunities. So keep planning and prepping and thinking positive thoughts. Way to go!!!!!

Hope to meet you on the road. Candy

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I guess my first thought is "why not be a traveling nurse? work 12 weeks and then move on." Then I re-read your post and do understand the burn out factor and the urge to do something different.
I have been there myself, first as a Paramedic/Deputy Sheriff and again as an insurance appraiser.
Work Camping offers us the opportunity to do a "fun job" and we love it! We are being tested some this year though with some medical issues that have us in dire straits financially but we are still working hard on the dream. We did have our own private medical insurance but it was a catastrophic, high deductible plan. Frankly, it was the best plan we could afford and we did have almost 1/2 of the deductible covered by our HSA. Unfortunately our savings took a huge hit paying the remaining med bills, but things are looking up and we are working hard to get back to where we can be a little more "comfortable".

Last year we worked in a campground where one of us was paid and the other traded their hours for our site. We only worked part time hours and we really liked that.
This year we decided to look for something with "all hours paid", and found it here in the Black Hills. We are working full time hours so that really hurts our exploring time but we both agreed we needed to buckle down for awhile.

I would shudder to think of the mess we would be in had it not been for our medical insurance. We would have to park the rig and put our dream on hold I imagine. Depending on what kind of medical coverage you select I would suggest you have either an HSA or a separate account to cover your out of pocket expenses should a medical problem arise.

Still livin the dream,

Phil and Rudee

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Such great ideas and thoughts on here. Can totally understand your oncology burn out, our extraordinary dog walker in AZ was a retired oncology nurse, she loved being outdoors and all the neighborhood dogs were totally in love with her. I called her the Dog Whisperer. My point is not that you dog walk but that you can move on and be happy.

No matter what direction you go you will find lightening the things that own you rather than ....

You're already doing so many things right, you're headed in the right direction...you will find your answers and it WILL all work out. Health insurance is important and HSA's seem to be a viable solution for many young'uns! (Isn't it nice to be called that?)

Sending warm wishes and happy dreams your way.

Sherry

Soulsearcher · RV-Dreams Family Member

Many thanks to Candy,Phil, Rudee, and Sherry for your replies, I am such a tossed around swirling, big ole bag of feeling torn, nervous, adventuresome, practical, spontaneous, free spirited, sensible, prepared and unprepared all at once and, quite honestly and humbly I am not that large of a person to have that much of a shopping cart of emotions swimming around in the old bod at once. YIKES OH MIGHTY! I have spoken to my nay sayer friends and my 'yippee skippee 'go for it' friends on purpose.......always good to explore and enjoy (objectively) the benefits of diverse opinions, right? The nay sayers (ns) are saying ...."you should work until you are 65 and then you will have your well deserved medicare $$$$$$"......(I.e. all the practical and sensible things). The yippee skippee folks are telling me ......go for it!.....you can always get work later if you need to! Funny how both bits of advice are .......depending on your current state of mind...equally groovy. Do I eat a well balanced diet and then treat myself to dessert, or to heck with the norms and have a chocolate peanut butter sundae for my dinner? (That makes sense in my mind)

Plan: talk to current employer about going part time 'enough' to get insurance.and then be able to work part time at my campground). call my financial advisor (who I suspect would prefer I work until the ripe old age of 90) and ask when I can collect on my annuity, and, lastly, decide when IS the RIGHT time to jump into PHASE 3 (retire and work camp) of my 3 part dream. Again, I am just processing the swirling little winged creatures flying around in my gut, and looking forward to hearing from those of you that can say....."been there done that". It is so fascinating that even for me ....the dreamer of my dreams..... The reality of DOING it varies remarkably from the reality of planning it!!!! Wowsy!

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Without knowing the details of your financial position it would be hard to give accurate advice. But you have a decent plan. If you feel you have enough money to live on for awhile and have a cushion you might "go for it" now. In your profession it would be a simple matter to go back to work on the road, if necessary.