It’s a mixed bag. Lots of retiree full time RVers out there that have plenty of money and simply workcamp on the side. Many own RVs that cost as much as any three bedroom home. Others just like to live a simple life on their terms.
Amazon is only one of thousands of work camping job venues. Most simply involve work at private and public RV parks.
Quite a number of the down and out variety are fleeing high cost of living states like California. Most of those wander between the BLM lands in Arizona and Rocky Mountain states season to season.
Most choose the lifestyle. Only a few are truly forced into it.
I am doing oK now , went where there is work for me, in fact just got several months out of quality assurance checking the structural elements of a 1.8 million square foot AMAZON distribution facilty building.
there is no easy way forward for me, there will be no "social security", the Yellow Brick road leads to a run down trailer park, knees are bone on bone but I will keep limping along to the finish line ...alone, with no help, no family estranged and dodging the Obamcare ovens...[/sarc] LOL !
http://rvsueandcrew.net/
A retied school teacher from a high-cost area. Sold her home and nearly everything else and then purchased a 17 foot Caista and a used Van to pull it. She had a solar system installed and then hit the road.
The blog has a tag line - Living on less and enjoying it more. She will do well, until there is a heath issue(s). She lives on a pension and some small income from being an Amazon affiliate (link in on blog)
She is not alone in this either. Many 'follow the sun' driving to where the weather suits them. No property taxes, register in the correct state and no State income taxes. With some care, you can go months without paying any parking/lot fees by boondocking. Many have cell-based Internet access - so can stay connected and also make some money..
The web is full of 100s of these Nomads that blog, so there has to be many, many more that don't care to advertise.
As for myself I retired out of the military and had a good job for 10 years, only to be 'downsized'. I've worked lots of 'gigs' since then, never for less that 50K/year base.
All it takes is some hustle and a willingness to try a job. It helps that my house was fully paid off before I got laid off the 1st time.
Some gigs have lasted over a year, others - I quit after less than a month. My current gig started as a contract job and now I work as an P/T employee by choice. Yes, I still pull down over 50K/yr -- working 3 days a week.
All non-Union.
It is entirely possible to live the Nomad life, but again, that life may be impossible for many that that chose to lack an education, have serious medical issues or cannot travel for any number of reasons.
I recognize I have been Blessed.
“Lots of retiree full time RVers out there that have plenty of money and simply workcamp on the side.”
The wife and I are considering this. We have friends that do it and love it (they’re not broke, neither are we, LOL). The RV will not be such a huge purchase that if we decide we hate the life...we won’t lose much if we dump it.
No money for citizens, particularly the elderly.
“Refugees” and illegals get the bucks and free stuff.
In-laws elderly and no jobs (laid off in one case and other case the Company shut down its California plant and moved to Ohio where cheaper to do business).
So applied for Section 8 (subsidized housing) for them...their waiting list # was over 4,000. Massive “Mexican” influxes (so legal, much not) suck up the limited Section 8 housing.
Know how the “Whites” took the “USA” away from the Indians? Simple, more “Whites” than Indians.
Same happening in Calif. More “Mexicans” than “Whites” so soon enough, Calif is theirs due to population dominance. Dems happy as “Mexicans” vote for “free sh*t”...illegals & legals. Now Calif Dems are going to register illegals to vote in mass...so expect more voter fraud from Calif.