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While there are several ways to earn an income on the road, many new full-time RVers have taken a pay cut or are working on starting a new businesses. However, there are several easy ways to earn extra pocket money while traveling. Below are my top suggestions for earning a little cash to help pay for all of the adventures. None of these will pay your bills, so if you are looking for ways to fully support yourself on the road, check out my post on earning a paycheck.
Get Paid to Shop:
There are several apps and websites that will give you cash back or gift cards in exchange for your shopping receipts or data. They key to earning money with these apps is to only purchase items you would have purchased regardless of any offers. Here are the five apps that I use regularly.
- ReceiptHog – Simply snap pictures of your receipts from grocery stores and gas stations. You are given points that vary based on the amount you spent. The points can be cashed out for Amazon gift cards or they will pay you directly to your PayPal account. I typically make at least $50 per year using this app.
- ReceiptPal – Again, all you have to do is snap a photo of the receipt. They accept any type of receipt from grocery stores to restaurants. You are given points every time you submit four receipts and once you have enough points you can redeem them for a gift card. I typically earn $50 a year with this app as well.
- Fetch Rewards – Fetch is similar to the two apps above, but they only accept grocery receipts and give you more points if you buy brands they are promoting. You exchange points for gift cards not cash, but they have a huge selection of redemption options.
- ibotta – ibotta gives you cash back for purchasing groceries, household items, beer and wine. They have cash back for specific brands and products, but for most grocery stores, you can get 25 cents for just scanning the receipt. I particularly love the cash back on a variety of beer brands. You can cash your money out through PayPal once you have $20 in your account. They will give you $10 if you sign-up through the link I provide. I have earned over $400 from this app in two years of using it.
- eBates – eBates gives you cash back for shopping online at a huge number of retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. You simply go to their site first and then select the retailer you want to shop at. They send you cash through PayPal every few months. I have earned $47 this year using eBates. If you use my link to sign-up, you will receive $10 extra on your first cash back purchase.
Take Surveys:
There are 100s of companies that will pay you to take surveys online. Online surveys can range from a few minutes up to an hour and the rewards vary greatly. When signing up for survey communities, look for companies that pay cash instead of giving points for gift cards as you typically earn more with that system. My two favorites are:
- Branded Surveys – This site has a large number of surveys and pays you cash directly through PayPal once you have made $10.
- CitizenMe – This app doesn’t have a large number of surveys, but their surveys are very short and pay well compared to other companies. They also send your reward to PayPal as soon as you complete the survey so you don’t have to wait to rack up a certain number of points.
Sell the Clothes you Downsized:
Like most RVers you probably have or will need to downsize your closest. For nice pieces in good condition you can easily sell them online.
- ThredUp – With ThredUp, they send you a bag to fill up with your gently used clothes. Once they receive the bag, they review all your items and set a list price. You get paid once your items sell. The downside of this site is that you do not get to set the price, but they do all the work for you.
- eBay – If you have higher end clothing or accessories, you will likely make more money selling them yourself on eBay or other listing apps like LetGo.
Have other ideas for earning extra pocket money on the road? Comment below to share.
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
