A Nomadic Lifestyle: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Freedom
Life is a conundrum and during the times we live in today, it can be especially confusing. There was a time where the goal of a person included growing up, get a career, find love, and buy a home to live out the rest of their lives in. However, things are changing, and more people are looking to spread their wings and fly away from the conventional lifestyle of homeownership. In an ideal world, it should be all flowers and freedom, but there are pitfalls to living a nomadic lifestyle as opposed to buying a conventional home. We will examine both the advantages and untold disadvantages of living a mobile existence instead of settling in one location.
Work Mobility
The internet has opened a vast amount of mobile work opportunities. The average person can, essentially load up their laptop and venture into parts unknown relying on Wi-Fi hot spots and mobile internet options. It is a freeing experience to work when and where you want to, but it is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Mobile internet is not as reliable as a home-based office and even Wi-Fi in cafes, restaurants, and other public venues is not always a reliable option. Basically, when you go into a café or restaurant, you are required to purchase something, and it can get a little pricey when you must spend a whole day in that environment.
Living Mobily
A significant trend has sparked up in recent years in which people are abandoning the average home life for living on the road via an RV, car, van or some other form of mobile living option. This sounds amazing, but have you ever tried to work on a computer while your partner drives down the road? It is a hassle. Also, you might expect that things will get better when you park the vehicle, but this is not always the case. On sunny days, you can find areas such as parks to work in for some shade and a nice breeze, but what about the rain, storms, and fact that ventilation in a parked vehicle can be impossible to find on these days.
You should also keep in mind that doing laundry regularly is not going to be an option and the smell from dirty laundry will be something to contend with. Cleaning your mobile “home” will be a challenge especially if you live with another person, so be prepared for these things if you choose the mobile lifestyle.
But I Thrive on Disorder
Some people do not mind when things get a little messy or even a revolving schedule. There are some individuals that thrive on living minute to minute, which is why a mobile lifestyle is so attractive to so many. Even for those that thrive on the ability to do what they want when they want can find a lack of motivation and an anxiety for a little normalcy from time to time. You will not find relief for these feelings while on the road. Even if you find a slice of heaven to call home for a few weeks, the sense of urgency will be with you. It is difficult to truly relax knowing that you need to pack up and move again soon. Can you really enjoy the thought of always being on the move? That is a very important question to ask.
Vehicle Maintenance
Among the more difficult tasks is vehicle maintenance while on the road. Some travelers are experts at maintaining their vehicles, but not everyone will be and finding a quality mechanic in every location is a true task. Repairs to a vehicle can be mild or cost thousands and not repairing a vehicle while on the road is not an option. You must keep moving, so your vehicle must remain in order. It is also your home, so when repairs take longer than a few hours, you will have to find somewhere to rest your weary head and hotels cost a lot these days. Do you really have the bank roll for a mobile lifestyle?
Living the mobile lifestyle sounds amazing when you talk to some people, but remember, some of these people have the money and skills in place to make it all happen. You must know how to solve problems on the fly and have a substantial savings just in case you need a little help. Additionally, you must have the discipline to sustain life on the road and not use savings just for fun. There are some advantages to living on the road, but as we can plainly see, there are also a lot of surprising disadvantages for living that lifestyle. Consider these things carefully before buying your van, car, or RV to live out your mobile dreams.