Bikes keep this RVer afloat
George Bennett was fired from his job and hasn't found a new one so he set up his old RV on a dusty lot in Scottsdale, Arizona and sells mountain bikes and portable generators. He started his "business" with a $1500 RV and a supply of Mongoose bikes from a wholesaler. Customers in BMWs stop by for his deals.
RVers can make money by selling products and services. Some have magnetic signs attached to their tow or toad vehicle and generate business that way. A fellow who sells Amsoil said he has had people call him on their cell phones as he is driving and ask him to pull off at the next exit so they can purchase some!
To set up a business may take more than pulling your RV off into an empty lot and hanging up a shingle. Bennett has already been run off one location. Most cities require a sales permit and state and local jurisdictions usually require sales tax collection. If you conduct business in an RV park you should have permission; there may be liability issues or the owner may not want such activity.
The nice thing about being an RV entrepreneur is you can work when and where you want, plus you'll have some tax deductions.
Read the entire article here. For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com.
RVers can make money by selling products and services. Some have magnetic signs attached to their tow or toad vehicle and generate business that way. A fellow who sells Amsoil said he has had people call him on their cell phones as he is driving and ask him to pull off at the next exit so they can purchase some!
To set up a business may take more than pulling your RV off into an empty lot and hanging up a shingle. Bennett has already been run off one location. Most cities require a sales permit and state and local jurisdictions usually require sales tax collection. If you conduct business in an RV park you should have permission; there may be liability issues or the owner may not want such activity.
The nice thing about being an RV entrepreneur is you can work when and where you want, plus you'll have some tax deductions.
Read the entire article here. For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com.
posted by Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak at
9:30 AM
4 Comments:
Sounds great - but let's be practical. So you want to sell bikes in campgrounds? Where do you store your inventory? Do you have to buy a utility trailer to haul your stuff? How do you get replacement merchandise if you are mobile?
Sales Taxes - every state will want a piece of the action. You will need Fed tax ID#, state sales tax#'s, insurance, local permits etc if you want to stay legal. And don't ever think that selling food items from your RV is an easy way to make a buck - it just adds on another layer of regulations, taxes and fees - not to mention the inventory problems, especially if the items you are selling require refrigeration.
The only practical on-the-road business is selling your personal services, such as RV appliance repair, massage therapy or anything else that you have an expertise in - but even most of those require submitting to some sort of regulations and licensing.
Bottom line: except for working as a host in an RV park, trying to conduct a business on the road might be taking you down an expensive trail.
vBreezo
By
vBreezo, at May 12, 2007 10:30 AM
Thanks for your comment. Being an RV entrepreneur is certainly not for everyone. But for some RVers it is an excellent way to earn money. Just as in “real life”— or life before hitting the road — more people prefer being an employee than a business owner. Some folks, though, could never work for someone else.
You do have all those things you mentioned to consider: sales tax, sellers licenses or permits, and managing inventory if you sell a product. Certainly selling a service is easier, though you may need certification or a professional license — likely in each state you practice.
Thanks for pointing out you need to give RV entrepreneurship some thought and not jump blindly into it.
And, just a note: there are hundreds of other ways to earn money as an RV worker if you don’t want to be an entrepreneur. Camp hosting is a good match, but only one. :-)
By
Jaimie Hall, at May 15, 2007 7:45 PM
I have been looking for business insurance but can'tget any because we don't have a stick house
By
Chuck, at May 19, 2007 10:56 AM
Two suggestions:
Check with Sue Hegge at RLI Insurance (Wells Fargo Rurual Insurance Services). 800-697-6747. If they can't cover using your permanent mailing address, ask her is she is aware of such a policy.
Talk to people who sell at RV shows who travel from show to show in their RVs. They may know of a source.
Good luck!
Jaimie
By
Jaimie Hall, at May 19, 2007 4:15 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home