Living in a trailer for 4 months. Feasible? (Summer job)

nobb · 10-29-2007, 10:03 PM

Hi.

Im only in 2nd year uni right now, but I managed to score a 4 month summer job with an oil company. Im pretty excited over this position because I live in an oil rich area...so getting my foot in the door of the oil industry is a good idea. They are also paying quite a bit (compared to other jobs that I can get as a student right now).

However, the catch is that I must move up to a small town and find my own accommodations. I am guessing rent is going to be atleast $500-$700 a month. So for the 4 months, I can expect to be paying $2.5K > $3K just for accommodations. Its also hard to find someone who wants to rent out for just 4 months. So then I got the bright idea to just buy a trailer and live in that for 4 months. I was looking through some ad's and see some really old travel trailers that sell for $2k or less (theres a 10ft one for $750!). These are 10-16ft trailers. These trailers come with stove, refrigerator, shower...pretty much everything I need. There is also the added benefit of being able to sell the trailer at the end of the summer and hence save even more money. I figure why not tough it out for 4 months and save a few thousand. It might be a good life experience too.

So I have some questions on the feasibility of this idea. Firstly...where would I park the trailer for 4 months? I am guessing I could find a trailer park or something. How much (on average) would it cost me to park in a trailer park? Is there some sort of standard connector on trailers for water, power, sewage that I would be able to directly hookup to the trailer park? Maybe someone can explain in a bit more detail how the water and especially the sewage connectors work? Would the sewage just be stored in a tank in the trailer...then require me to manually empty it every so often?

So how feasible is this idea? I know some people live in trailers and even in their car. Is there any other detail that I overlooked and that I should consider?

jjh221 · 10-30-2007, 09:13 AM

well this is what some have done and still do. If you can speak with anyone you are going to be working with, they may be doing the same thing. If not call the parks around where you live and talk to them. Water and electric should be there, not like if you were to stay in a parking lot. Where you would have to haul the trailer to fill and dump about every few days or weeks. I would def. go trailer if its possible.

nobb · 10-30-2007, 10:30 AM

I am just not sure how the sewage thing would work. Is there some type of permanent connector that a trailer park would have availiable to connect the sewage system of the trailer to the trailer park while the trailer is parked? I am planning on getting my dad to use the minivan to tow the trailer up there. So once the trailer is parked...I pretty much cannot move it to go empty the sewage or anything. I dont think my 2002 protege (2.0L 130hp) would be able to safely tow a 10-16ft trailer.

jjh221 · 10-30-2007, 10:38 AM

you would have to call them. Some sites have on site sewer system or whatever you call it. A hole in the ground connected to their septic. Other sites are more rustic with just water and electric, where you would have to dump it, they normally have a dump site. Call and ask, they prob have permanent sites you can purchase for a year. Maybe 4 months. I think my parents payed 2k a year for their spot. We went to another camp grounds this year and it was 1500 a year. Cheap living. I was gonna live there for two years. Take all my books, internet (because they did have cable) and read for about 2 years.

Also look into RV's maybe a class C with shower.

PORTUGAL · 10-30-2007, 11:13 AM

Some people live in the streets all life, so i think its definitivly possible

k1hog · 10-30-2007, 11:23 AM

Check www.rv.net forum.

Johnnie

Rafster · 10-31-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by PORTUGAL

Some people live in the streets all life, so i think its definitivly possible

TimmyM · 10-31-2007, 10:40 PM

you might want to check into an RV membership. They have parks around that might let you stay for an extended time. most state parks only allow you to stay for 2 weeks at a time.

Enforcer · 10-31-2007, 10:49 PM

Watch the trailer park boys

and then wake up

PORTUGAL · 11-01-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rafster

Can you type what i said in Portuguese?

Rafster · 11-02-2007, 12:32 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by PORTUGAL

Can you type what i said in Portuguese?

Would Spanish be close enough?

Rafster

PORTUGAL · 11-02-2007, 08:05 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rafster

Would Spanish be close enough?

Rafster

lol

Mexico rules

My brother was there on holidays this year and he loved it. No problems in comunication

Are you living in California now ?

Gunmaster · 11-03-2007, 11:35 AM

heres my thought ever watch those shows on tlc or discovery channel??

That will make you change your mind on oil jobs. Hard work nice pay but you screw up once and they kick your *** out. Very dangerous job if your not paying attention.

You could rent a rv thats if you know about rvs. Your better off renting a house/apartment. Dont think about buying a trailer. Also try local hotels and motels?

nobb · 11-03-2007, 12:09 PM

Whats wrong with oil jobs? I doubt Ill be wresting with blown oil pipes or stuff like that. I am trying to get into an engineering type position in an oil company and something relevant to my degree, not pure hard labor. Discovery channel usually shows the labor and more dramatic aspects of oil jobs, but rarely do they show the engineers who do boring measurements, or calculating pipe flow.

Rafster · 11-03-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by PORTUGAL

lol

Mexico rules

My brother was there on holidays this year and he loved it. No problems in comunication

Are you living in California now ?

I've always been in California... I was born in San Diego...

My mom is from Guadalajara (Mexico's Silicon Valley)...

Rafster