Question 1

How do we make a living?

Accepted Answer

This is the most frequent question we receive from people wanting to live on the road. The unfortunate answer is that there is no "magic secret". Making money is work no matter where you are or how you live. We are all unique individuals with unique stories. What works for us might not be what works for you. For us, we rely on several means of income:
 • Teaching photography workshops(javascript:void(0))
 • Guiding Backpacking trips(javascript:void(0))
 • Speaking at events(javascript:void(0))
 • Selling photographic prints(https://mandyleaphoto.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Landscape/)
 • Licensing images to publications
 • Working with companies on advertising/sponsorships
But we have good news! We have a few tips that apply to everyone wanting to live a happier, more successful life:
 • Simplifying your life will reduce your needs and desires, making you realize just how little you need each month.
 • Redefine your idea of success, and you might find that success is a little easier to attain than you thought.
 • Watch our video blog (https://youtu.be/Hl3PwsL6_VU)on the subject if you need a shot of inspiration!

Question 2

How do we get mail?

Accepted Answer

A quick simple answer: The Escapees RV Club. Membership to this club offers a plethora of services including RV education, forums, community job boards, and yes, even a mail service.
 
The mail service will grant you a permanent address that you can use for all of your official documents, taxes, and registrations. They physically receive your mail, and all you have to do is shoot them an email and tell them when and where you want it forwarded. They even have a mail scanning service. Voila! Membership is worth every penny.

Please use my membership number as a reference: SKP #131471(https://store.escapees.com/store/join/)

Question 3

How do we get internet?

Accepted Answer

Since we work on the road, a strong internet connection with a large (unlimited) data plan is very important. Because of this, many of the mainstream options offered from Verizon and AT&T are not optimal. These plans either don’t include enough data, or in the case of unlimited plans, slow down your connection an de-prioritize you after you’ve reached a certain limit.
 
Luckily, we found JMS Internet.(https://jmsinternet.com/) This provider is not the very cheapest on the market, but it is fast, reliable, and unlimited (without data caps). Contact via voice/text to (866) 475-4567 or by email to sales@jmsinternet.com.(mailto:sales@jmsinternet.com) Mention my "Mandy Lea" as a referral to receive a discount!

Question 4

Where do we go to the bathroom?

Accepted Answer

Most of you know we live in a TAB 400.(https://nucamprv.com/tab400-camper) This includes a nice, large, luxurious bathroom. But, we don't use that. Why? Well it's been a very personal choice that we are young and able to find other means. This saves us from ever having to clean out a black tank, and also means we get a nice, large, luxrious closet instead!!
 
So that leaves us with what we DO use....
 
Does a bear sh*t in the woods? Us too! But seriously, most of the time we are boondocking out in mother nature, which provides the best outhouse we could image. Clean, breezy, and the views are great. Be respectful, be clean.(https://lnt.org/)
 
For tips on "going" in the woods, watch this video!(https://youtu.be/453r_F-wpYI)
 
But what about when we're not in the middle of the woods? Ask yourself when the last time was that you were in public, had to go so bad, and could not find a restroom? Not very often. There are toilets… everywhere.
 
Between gas stations, restaurants, walmarts, and friend's homes... We have successfully avoided any arrests due to indecent exposure!

Question 5

Where do we shower?

Accepted Answer

Okay, time to throw some honesty at you. We shower whenever a shower is available to us for free.
 
That is probably more often than you would think… but less often than the vast majority of Americans prefer to shower.
 
These showers typically come by means of campgrounds, friends and family, or provided by an event we've been hired for. This lifestyle has a lot to do with your perspective and frame of mind. We shower often enough to be presentable when I need to be, and the rest of the time… well… now you know why Mandy wears her hair in braids!
 
A few products we like to use when a real shower is not available:
 • Showerpouch Body Wipes(https://www.theshowerpouch.com/discount/MANDY)
 • Nemo solar pressure shower(https://amzn.to/33A6Q9T)

Question 6

How do we find places to camp?

Accepted Answer

We have been on the road for over 5 years now. Free camping is important to us not only because we live on a tight budget, but also because we didn’t choose to live in a tiny trailer so we could be surrounded by the people and amenities of an expensive RV resort. We find our peace in nature, and so we want to be surrounded by it as often as possible.
 
That being said, it’s also important to us to camp legally and respectfully. There are so many resources out there for finding these pieces of public land, and after spending hours perusing them all, here are our favorite and most used:
 • www.freecampsites.net(https://freecampsites.net/)
 • www.ioverlander.com(https://www.ioverlander.com/)
 • www.campendium.com(https://www.campendium.com/)
 • www.boondockerswelcome.com(https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/)

Question 7

How do we get power/charge batteries?

Accepted Answer

Every now and then we have shore power, in which case we have all the power we need to plug our electronics into the outlets in the trailer.
 
But for those occasions when we're on the top of a mountain for a month with no power? Solar power!! Yes, solar is the wave of the future, and something that nuCamp RV has fully embraced. nüCamp RV now offers solar panels as an optional add-on to any of their campers.
 
We have 380 watts of solar on our T@B 400. On a nice sunny day, we can leave our laptops plugged in all day long and still charge our camera batteries. But beware! If we need to work on a very rainy or cloudy day, we run the risk of draining our batteries. On these days we do have a Yamaha 2000 watt generator (https://www.yamahagenerators.com/Yamaha-EF2000iSv2-p/ef2000isv2.htm)that I can crank on for a couple hours - although I try to minimize the amount I use this. I have also been known to frequent the seats nearest outlets in coffee shops. Don’t forget the Americano!