dirt baggin.... again

Kinda just a semi productive rant thread (full disclosure). Anyone else think that it's messed up that we can't survive off of doing simple jobs here and there? Like what a statement of the income differences and how twisted this system is. I think part of the draw to dirt bagging around is an understanding that society isn't working for them. Seems like being an ideal dirtbag is riding the fringe of being part of society while not. What my impression of why this is so hard now is things are designed to keep making people work. Just give them enough to keep their heads just above water. Also sprinter vans are way to expensive like why do you need a 60k van. How many years and how much gear would that buy? The real problem with being a dirtbag now is making enough money to scrape by.

*lets keep this semi productive (only rule of thread)

If all you want to do is climb, that's your choice- and figuring out how to pay for gear, healthcare, gas, insurance, etc etc is up to you. It's doable, but hard. One thing to think about- If you get a solid job and don't have any other commitments, you can still climb a lot, and have a lot less stress in your life as well. Knowing you have money in the bank for new gear, big trips, or accidents is super nice. As a "dirtbag" you may end up totally broken down somewhere, no gear, no communications, and just end up homeless- like James Lucas did for a bit after his saturn finally croaked. There is an argument to be made that dirtbagging is essentially dead and that anyone who can afford to live in a van full time probably has big bucks coming from mommy or daddy at some point. 

Garrett B wrote: Kinda just a semi productive rant thread (full disclosure). Anyone else think that it's messed up that we can't survive off of doing simple jobs here and there? Like what a statement of the income differences and how twisted this system is. I think part of the draw to dirt bagging around is an understanding that society isn't working for them. Seems like being an ideal dirtbag is riding the fringe of being part of society while not. What my impression of why this is so hard now is things are designed to keep making people work. Just give them enough to keep their heads just above water. Also sprinter vans are way to expensive like why do you need a 60k van. How many years and how much gear would that buy? The real problem with being a dirtbag now is making enough money to scrape by.

*lets keep this semi productive (only rule of thread)

Tired of holding a sign on the corner that says " Will work for food"?

The only rules threads have are not set by the OP. Sorry.

It sounds like you are romanticizing the past. With remote work and gig jobs, it seems easier than ever to live on the road. Becky played the stock market, Bjornstad was a business owner

Meh, you can totally still do it.

Personally, I haven't had a "normal" job in years. My main gig is flipping (buy stuff at thrift stores // the bins // estate sells and resell it). Sometimes substitute with some gig economy work like teaching English online. I also keep money in stocks. Granted, all these things take a fair amount (read: a lot) of effort up front (just like anything worthwhile) to learn how to do them well and make them profitable.

Granted, I can't be on the road "dirt-bagging" 100% of the time, but I more or less can choose when and if I want to work, and can take time off whenever I want. I spent this past October-February in Asia just bumming around and climbing. I can also put my work in early in the morning or late at night and get out during the day whenever I want. It's close enough to "real dirt-bagging" for me.

One friend of mine has worked his way up in the rope-access world and only works about 3 months of the year and has the other 9 completely free to climb and pursue his life pursuits. Of course, the three months of the year he works are generally 12 hr days 6 or 7 days a week, so that kind of thing isn't for everyone. But it could get you pretty close to "dirt-bagging" also.  It's close to the "just work when you need money" lifestyle, and there's always work.

Basically, you can do it. But it's hard work just like anything.  

I would argue that if you can dirtbag society is working for you.
You can survive off of odd jobs here and there but there are sacrifices
Life is full of priorities

And who ever said you need a 60k$ Sprinter to dirtbag?

I spent about four years living in the asshole of the world, aka Honduras, in a tent or nothing at all.  Once I got back to civilization, I pretty much vowed to never do that again. I'll still sleep in a tent, but on a cot with a pad and a fan.  Or an RV if I can swing the hookup.

But that all costs money, and I work just enough in a job I don't love to be able to do that about 40-50 days a year. But I have my gym and the local choss-piles to keep me hungry.

Robert Rowsam wrote: It sounds like you are romanticizing the past. With remote work and gig jobs, it seems easier than ever to live on the road. Becky played the stock market, Bjornstad was a business owner

I don't really feel like I am romanticizing it. just commenting on the current state of things that its kinda crazy to think people are struggling to earn enough to live out of a car. so I guess to simplify what i'm saying/asking is why is it so hard to live this way? Also it seems pretty often that you hear about corruption in the gig economy. Is that something you have first hand experience in supplementing income for long trips? I'm interested to hear how feasible that would be to keeping things running. 

Todd the Tangler wrote: Meh, you can totally still do it.

Personally, I haven't had a "normal" job in years. My main gig is flipping (buy stuff at thrift stores // the bins // estate sells and resell it). Sometimes substitute with some gig economy work like teaching English online. I also keep money in stocks. Granted, all these things take a fair amount (read: a lot) of effort up front (just like anything worthwhile) to learn how to do them well and make them profitable.

Granted, I can't be on the road "dirt-bagging" 100% of the time, but I more or less can choose when and if I want to work, and can take time off whenever I want. I spent this past October-February in Asia just bumming around and climbing. I can also put my work in early in the morning or late at night and get out during the day whenever I want. It's close enough to "real dirt-bagging" for me.

One friend of mine has worked his way up in the rope-access world and only works about 3 months of the year and has the other 9 completely free to climb and pursue his life pursuits. Of course, the three months of the year he works are generally 12 hr days 6 or 7 days a week, so that kind of thing isn't for everyone. But it could get you pretty close to "dirt-bagging" also.  It's close to the "just work when you need money" lifestyle, and there's always work.

Basically, you can do it. But it's hard work just like anything.  

I hear a lot of people talking about teaching english to generate income. Seems like a pretty good way to get a bit of money. What does it take to get you started in that? is there some kind of training program or something? Yeah i feel like working for the next trip is pretty much the closest you can get to living that kind of lifestyle. Not a bad way to get by though as long as you can meet all your goals

When I hear dirtbagging I think of working as little as possible or not at all to climb/ski/fish as much as possible.
When I hear “struggling to earn enough to live out of a car” I think of people that have shit luck.
Which one are you talking about? Poverty by choice is a lot different than poverty by circumstance. 

Paradise Lost

#FirstWorldProblems

Garrett B wrote:

just commenting on the current state of things that its kinda crazy to think people are struggling to earn enough to live out of a car. so I guess to simplify what i'm saying/asking is why is it so hard to live this way?

So you are asking why it's hard to be homeless by choice? What do you expect exactly? It's never been easy to live out of a car. It's hard because you are choosing not to participate in society. You provide nothing at all to society as a dirt bag, so society owes you nothing. The social safety net is bigger than ever, and short term jobs are abundant, so it'd seem now is definitely the easiest time to be a bum. 

As for the gig economy, it probably doesn't work for people that actually need to pay rent and bills, but you only need a couple bucks a day tops to dirt bag.

Edit to add: Additionally, in the US, even by choosing to contribute nothing, you will not die or go hungry. There are many organizations that will feed and shelter you, and a hospital will still treat you if you get hurt or sick. There is nothing actually hard about choosing to live in your car and climb. Try that in a developing nation and you would die in the street

To me a real dirtbag can't even afford a tent, thus sleeps in the dirt.  

I did that when I was age 18.  Lived in a car etc. No insurance, job, etc. Got a good percentage of my food out of grocery store trash cans.  Starting out I sold all my furniture in an auction and had $300 cash that lasted me about six months.  My only insurance plan was to move back in with my parents if the cash ran out.   I was able to do gigs here and there and never did, so success.

Ultimately, whatever Fred Beckey did would be the standard for being a dirtbag.

I don't think you can call yourself a dirtbag in any kind of expensive camper van, with actual insurance or any kind of money somewhere.   It's really an All-In proposition.  True homelessness.