New to the forums

[FrugalandFree]

Hello friends,

I'm excited to learn from and to contribute to this community. My parents were hippie types and I grew up moving around, often while living out of a van. I started traveling on my own at a relatively early age and have basically been slowing down ever since. That said, not a day goes by that I don't dream about traveling more often and living on the road again.

My plan is to keep building up resources and doing research as I edge toward living more nomadically by combining living frugally with seasonal employment. I live in Portland, Oregon and would enjoy meeting like-minded folks - so if you're a local or passing through, please say hello. Your questions and suggestions are very welcome!

 

[papas34]

Welcome,
Hope you are ale to get out of Dodge sometime soon.
This is a great place to get answers, ideas and motivation.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Welcome frugal.

There's several members who hail from Or...including my partner, Margie. We spent most of the summer going up the coast and around Bend and Sisters. Beautiful state in the summer.

 

[jeanontheroad]

A lot depends on what you mean by seasonal employment. Bookkeeping and tax preparation knowledge is good Jan thru April. Waiting tables or cooking in tourist season? Farm work? Landscaping? Sheep shearing? Tutoring? Construction? If you are stuck somewhere, now, maybe you can hone you training or skills to give yourself options for various seasons, depending on where or when you want to go.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Companies like UPS hire tons of temporary employees in the fall as they ramp up for the holiday season. but agree with Jean that learning a trade can be helpful in finding work (i.e. cooking, baking, farming, pool maintenance, landscaping, carpentry, etc) if you can fill specific needs anywhere you go.

 

[FrugalandFree]

Thanks for the welcomes and thoughts all.

I'm quite fond of Oregon year round - there are just so many other wonderful places out there too and I love to move around. While the cool, damp and gray here on the wet side does get to me a bit, I'll happily take it over snow and/or freezing cold!!

I'm interested in both employment that is more strictly seasonal - like holiday and possibly tourist jobs - as well as more traditional jobs that just need temporary and/or on-call help from time to time. I'd also very much like to add to my skills and knowledge for work that I can do as I travel around. I definitely welcome all suggestions for anything folks think is worth knowing about!

I have some leads and resources already, including continuing to do the same sort of work that I am currently doing. I'm relatively outdoorsy and have some experience working with non-profit groups so sites like http://www.coolworks.com and http://www.idealist.org seem promising. It even seems like wanting relatively short term and/or part-time work is a potential advantage in that I can take positions that folks who want steady, full-time employment simply wouldn't consider.

 

[blkjak]

welcome from s.w. florida .... blkjak

 

[FrugalandFree]

Thanks blkjak.