I have lived on the road for 20 years; with a break for about 1.5 yeas respectivly. First, with a carnival; then as a cross country driver in a big rig. I keep a home base in ca; but am rarley there. But when I am, the top comes down!

I'd agree different folks all do it differenty...

But I will admit that Spirit does tend to watch over those who wander. ;)

Right now Im in the process of setting up a business that I can maintain from the road - basically everything you can have from living a "sedientary life", just mobile.

Satellite Broadband, UPS store, and a whole host of other services empower folks these days to manage their beeswax the same as any other person would... But you can have the freedom of the road, too.

As for snail mail - either a P.O. Box & and a "routine circuit", or some compatriot can always take your mail, scan it, and send it to you digitally...

Oh, but I will warn you that the romance is all in the experiences when all goes right... LOL!
(First time you have to change a tire in a downpour, get your ride fixed in some strange town when you're out of cash, etc. - the practicality tends to shoo that idealism away right quick... LOL! ;)

It's definately not a lifestyle for non-do-it-yourselfers; but when you're up for that *routine* of self-reliance (or complete surrender to the Divine winds - sometimes the line gets a little blurry there and requires a bit of both ;) it's a pretty majestic life, because it affords you all the magesty of both the natural world and man's world that you can get to...

As for what many nomads I know *do* "for a living" - often it's a trade that involves the east amount of equipment to lug around... LOL! (I'm one of the weirdos in that regard - if I could afford to make a "robotic train" which carried all the manufacturing and processing abilities behind me, I'd do it in a heartbeat) LOL!

Most do some kind of creative or crafts work, spiritual service (which doesn't work on normal economic principles - more like on the eternal giving that returns only what is needed to you, but still - it works ;). Many are artists, writers, photographers, and other folks into intellectual property creation.

The landscape is changing tho - with the new mobility and commnications technologies, more and more is possbile every day... Let your imagination and spirit play together, and it's amazing what tends to happen. ;)

Years ago when I was hitchhiking around the USA I would stop in a town and work for Manpower a few days here and there. They would give you some money that day, and hold some back until Friday.
I would work and get the day money while traveling one direction, then when I turned around, I would just pick up the checks as I went. It worked pretty well for me!

I hold Poetry Events...
Make Jewelry...
Trade for other items that I can sell...
Anything else that generates...
J

My job sent me on the road. I work sales and booth management for businesses who sell at Renaissance faires. I get to see exciting podunk towns all over! but hey, it's a good time going to non-touristy places, meeting folks, etc.
I try to get gigs that pay me enough that I don't have to look for week work, and I can save enough to take the winter off.
Lots of folks do the renfaire circuits, with varying degrees and definitions of success.

Michele

back when i was hitching all over (hmmm... 25 years ago...) i was basically a travelling therapist. i didn't worry about eating or money or anything. just talked to the people who picked me up hitching and just about every other ride had some sad tale to tell ... some i helped by just listening, some i talked to. but it was pretty cool - i was an angel for a whole LOT of people in misery (or missouri, as we say in our family). now i'm a truckdriver. have been for about the last 10 years. warning though - the nomad life is really, really, really addictive. get a taste for it and it'll never go away ... least that's how it looks from these shoes.

I'm a squatter.. we live from town to town, pan handle and dumpster dive for food booze and drugs( not so much drugs anymore) when my road dogs and I are ready to go hopping on the freight is the way to go (or if i'm by myself i'll hitch with a big rig driver)

Wow 1 1/2 years after the question is asked I get to post. :) I'll tell you what one time about twenty something years ago I was in Seattle and I wanted out of that city due to some really bad experiences with some people who I thought were my friends. Anyway it was around Christmas time so I decided to do some window painting for extra money and at the time I didn't have too much experience but did enough to get gas money out of there....whew! Years later I decided I would pick it up again and got fairly good at it especially after I got this book, "How to Paint Water Color Window Splashes", by Nick Barber, a really great book! I'll tell you what! If you have good art ability, get some lettering type brushes (from a sign supply business) like brown quills (for outlining), grey quills (for outlining and lettering), get the really soft long haired type lettering brushes (and some snappy type lettering flats for casual stroke lettering) which work better for glass and practice ,practice, practice and you'll get saleable skill pretty quick. It does not have to be during the holidays to do Window Splashes. I am in the Northwest area so I wasn't big on watercolor paint but used for the most part alkyd based paint which is a synthetic oil paint. The neat thing about alkyd based paint is that it doesn't freeze or get ruined in sub zero weather. Latex after about 32 degrees turns to cottage cheese and is useless. The COOL thing is that paint and brushes a ladder or two, step stool and some other little tidbit stuff travels quite well as for a nomadic existence. If you are good enough you'll get the work and your inventory (paint) goes a long way as you will see. Fluorescent alkyd based paint like DAY-GLO brand or RONAN works best. Tip, alkyd based fluorescent paint tends to harden from the bottom of the can up so keep it SHAKEN UP WELL EVERYDAY and use it because it is expensive stuff and that's what the customer usually requires. Now an important thing to know is that you get your alkyd based fluorescent paint either from a sign supply outfit or a major art supply company but other colors like plain old red, aqua, black white or whatever buy from a paint store so it will be cheap. You'll learn quickly what colors you like to use so at first don't buy anything larger than a quart but pints work better at first. Tip, when you use some paint tap the lids on the cans very gently as you 'll be taking them off and putting them on a million times. When a lid gets deformed to badly it won't seal and then your paint dries up. I made pretty good money doing it but you have to work work work at it. Another cool thing is that it is one of the most pleasant types of work you can do. You are your own boss, it is usually quiet since early morning before the sun gets too hot is the best time to work...unless it is winter time. For winter you get insulated coveralls the one piece type, insulated snow boots the ones with the thick felt insoles because you do a lot of standing. The only really uncomfortable thing about winter time is that your fingers get cold but there are ways to keep them warm, like those chemical pocket warmers you can get at any good sporting good store. You want a successful nomadic experience this is a pretty much a no brainer deal. Only thing is you have to have a good work ethic, present yourself with a clean appearance, be realistically priced and on somedays you'll pull in $500 or better in the bigger cities (if you are good) and some may even pay more. Smaller towns you'll be fortunate if you make $100 in a day. If you ever are in a financial bind ask a lot less so you can get gas money or even barter for what it is you need. If you are a young person people tend to be kinder. Car Lots are usually a good place but with car lots don't ask too little or they'll have you painting every windshield on the lot and that my friend is tedious work. Ask $3 to $5 per windshield for two color. Get paid CASH ONLY!!! Seriously..and don't leave until you have ALL of it..some people are really criminal. In fact get a GOOD contract made up as a work order and have them sign it in advance! Try Staples or Officemax for a legally binding work orders, or get some made up for yourself custom made perhaps written by a lawyer. You will probably have to get a vendor type license for each city you visit to be able to solicit yourself on the street and if the police show up you are covered. I can't say enough good about Nick Barber's book, "How to Paint Water Color Window Splashes" you simply have to get it and it will be the best little investment you can make for your Nomadic business. I do also give total glory to my Savior Jesus Christ who saved me and protected me all these years. I owe Him everything! There is so much I would like to say but I'll end here. This is a good way to live nomadic and I wish you the very best! Sincerely, Pod :)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17