'She's in for a reality check': Aspiring van-life YouTubers are "floored" that no one will let them park in their driveways

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Feb 25, 2024 5:00 PM EST

This aspiring YouTube couple are having some awkward realizations about their friends. 

One person took to Reddit to share the story of their mother and father's hijinks. It seems that as the reach retirement age, these parents are planning to sell their house. They've already bought a fifth wheel, which is the style of RV that is pulled behind a person's truck. Many a retiree would love to embark on a trip with their own RV, and plenty of them do. But these parents aren't just doing this for fun---they're convinced they're going to make it big on YouTube. 

Working as a YouTuber is a perfectly respectable job, and there's a lot of money to be made if you've got the talent and the equipment. It's a lot of work, though, and only a small percentage of YouTubers ever "make it big." Most do YouTube for the love of it, while still working their regular 9-5 jobs. They may earn a little bit of money, but it's probably not enough to focus 100% of their energy on it. 

That's why it's so startling to hear that these parents hope to make "$50k in the first year" of their video-sharing career. Optimism is one thing, but that's setting themselves up for failure! There's the cost of buying camera equipment and editing software, and maybe even buying a computer if they don't already own one. They'll have to dedicate hours each day to filming and editing… and their kid doesn't mention how tech-savvy this couple already is. For someone who's just starting out, learning to edit videos can take quite a while. If everything goes exactly as planned, perhaps this traveling couple will gain the YouTube following they desire. It seems like they haven't fully thought out their plan yet, and hopefully they figure out a solid plan before hitting the road. Commenters had plenty of opinions to share, and the OP added a wild detail in the comments that adds a whole other aspect to the story. You can check it all out below, and then read the story of a micromanager boss who left a restaurant in chaos. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    HYMER (3787 KJF
    via Stijn te Strake on Unsplash
  • 02
    No one will let my mother park in their driveway My mother and father are recently approaching retirement where they want to sell their home and have purchased a fifth wheel to become traveling YouTubers. I'm sure I'll be back on this sub in the future as they have determined with nearly zero experience of videography, editing, and personal skills, that they can make $50k the first year of YouTubing and have 1 million followers.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 03
    I digress. My mother has begun the tedious and repetitive task of "building the itinerary". She has been advised to drive no more than three hours each travel day (by the other youtubers). She is also convinced that this endeavor is cheaper than living in a paid for home.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 04
    When she mentioned to her family that she would be coming to visit them around "these dates" she was floored that no one cared about her camping, her channel, and wouldn't allow her to park her massive fifth wheel in front of their homes in suburban neighborhoods. She realizes now that in order to stay there she will need to get campgrounds which "are so expensive!"
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 05
    My tongue will certainly fall off by the end of the year with how much I haven't told her off. It's going to be so sweet to hear an "I told you so" in the back of my head every time they face a reality of camping full time at 65.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 06
    survival-nut Most digital nomads have a real job where they work remotely, even if part time. It is incredibly hard to get 1m followers on youtube and make 50k per year. This will not end well.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 07
    mbuurkarl Having been a retiree/5th wheel RV full timer for 3 years... Stopped in 2018. I can't speak to the YouTube stuff, but full time RVing isn't cheap. Depending on season, to feel safe, we budgeted $50 a night, $1500/month for sites. And that was playing all the memberships, and discounts we could. Good news is that power, water and sewer is included. I'm sure it's more now.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 08
    The standard rule is 2,2,2 or 3,3,3. Drive no more than 200 miles, arrive by 2 pm and stay 2 nights or 3... Our big Dodge Ram diesel pickup gets 10-12 MPG pulling our 43 ft trailer. Going 200 miles at $5 per gallon is $100 per travel day for fuel. So if you really do the 2,2,2, at least $3000 per month just for the lifestyle. Oh and hopefully they paid cash for that truck and trailer. Cuz payments, insurance, and maintenance, tires, lots of tires. Plus life. They still need to eat, hobbies, recr
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 09
    I had a neighbor who, along with his wife, was incredibly nice. Their dream was to retire, sell the house, buy an rv and spend their golden years driving around the country. And they did it! But a couple of months into the travels she got sick. Breast cancer. They spent the remainder of their savings getting her care. And she died. And he is broke, back in town and parks his rv in a local campground. He has social security, but picks up work when he can because he is still liable for her medical
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 10
    Hour_Departure23 OP. I asked about their plans for medical care if an emergency arose and the plan is to "not do this forever just for three years". But you never know when health will be impacted. Traveling like this is not easy.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 11
    Sofa_Queen Yeah, as a not fulltime RV'er, she's in for a reality check. Cities/HOAs don't allow RVS in driveways or parked on the road (except CA, which junkers can be for years). Who wants to watch a YouTube of 65 year olds finding out how little they know? She'll be back within a year.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 12
    seahawk1977. I mean... I'd love to watch a channel about two Boomers traveling around, thinking they know everything, and having a terrible time in the world they helped create.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 13
    I_chortled This is my parents. They are lovely people and much more self aware than your typical boomer. But my brother took them to Japan and basically had to take them to American fast food establishments the whole time because they kept complaining about the food
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 14
    EntertainerCapital36 I wonder how much of the retirement savings they burned through on that fifth wheel. Even older ones aren't that cheap.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 15
    beatissima I hope the OP isn't counting on a big inheritance.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 16
    irish_mom Here are a couple of thoughts. They can volunteer to be camp hosts at National Parks where they can park for free and live rent free for the camping months. They have to be like tour guides a certain number of days for this deal. They can camp in county fair grounds for relatively cheap. Until they need to use the festival grounds. At least in my state.
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 17
    Hour_Departure23 OP. I should mention they have been banned from Nextdoor app multiple times for racial slurs. So... wouldn't say they are the most likable lol
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 18
    thenectarcollecter My jaw literally dropped, haha! Honestly this horribly planned RV adventure channel where two older people just make of themselves all day by knowing nothing and being ignorant is starting to sound pretty entertaining. Chess Gol B 66 Reply Narrow_Currency_ 1877 Right?! I'd sub!
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 19
    BurmecianSoldier Dan Let's not accidentally make them successful now lol
    via u/Hour_Departure23
  • 20
    dmccrostie I'm older than your folks and have been a camper for roughly 15 years. You know what I am not? I am not delusional enough to believe anyone would want my advice on camping, nor compensate me for it.
    via u/Hour_Departure23

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

consequences youtubers parking space mother youtube driving filming social media camping retirement parents parking
Scroll Down For The Next Article