A Challenging Month Full-Time In The Truck Camper

Truck Camper

Sep 20

I didn't move into a truck camper full-time, thinking it would be all sunshine and rainbows. Oh no, I was expecting some challenges, and this month delivered.

Alright, so things started getting more turbulent about a week ago.

It was around 7 am, and I had just crawled out of the truck bed when I noticed some mouse turds on my rear bumper, of all places. I've heard some horror stories about mice getting into rigs, so I've been vigilant about keeping things clean and storing food properly.

Since there were few places for them to hide in the camper, I wasn't too concerned about that. So I checked the cab first. I didn't find anything.

But then I shifted my attention to the engine bay. And sure enough, signs of my new tenant were abundant. He had chewed at the insulation on my wiring harness and made a little bed around my spark plug wires. Luckily, the only wire chewed through completely was a small sensor wire, and it's not causing any issues.

So I dodged a bullet there, but it got worse.

I'm sharing this to spread some awareness. Mice getting into your engine compartment can wreak some serious havoc, and you do not want to deal with the expense of repairing a wiring harness. You can mitigate this risk by using scented packs that deter rodents. I'll link some in my truck camper essentials below. Learn from my example; It's worth extra precaution if you spend too much time in remote places.

The next morning, I started my truck, and at the end of the ignition cycle, I heard a clunk, which rattled the cab, too. When I put it into drive, there was also a chatter I could feel through the gas peddle.

Any guesses?

Well, I found a great shop in Portland (shout to Japanese Auto Repair), and they diagnosed it as my motor mounts. It's not a diagnosis you want to hear because it's costly, but at least now you know if it happens to you.

I fixed it, which was great, but the challenge is what it did to my savings account.

You see, I've been living off the savings I've built up over two years of working a full-time job. I had a nice three-month buffer left, but this unexpected expense just cut that down by a month and a half.

Maybe you're thinking, "What about YouTube?" And I'm glad you asked because I want to use this opportunity to dispel some common misconceptions.

YouTube is not a hobby for me. I put in over 40 hours a week, and I've been at it for five months now. I love making these videos, but the reality is that it's a long play. I believe this channel will provide a sustainable income in the future, but that's probably two or three years away. I think it's important to be transparent about these things so that other folks interested in building a YouTube channel understand that it's a huge time and energy investment upfront that may or may not deliver returns.

So, what am I going to do now?

Well, I have to hustle and find some work. That could be freelance, a seasonal job, or delivering packages. The truth is, I don't know yet. But I do know that I want to keep living this way and making videos, so I have to figure it out.

Challenges are inevitable, whether living in a house or a truck camper. But this one has been different for me. Even though I'm on a shoestring budget now, it hasn't deterred me.

I value the freedom, time outdoors, and joy of making videos so much that overcoming the challenge is the only option in my mind.

I will leave you guys with some corny motivation by telling you the same thing I'm telling myself.

If you're going after something in life but getting bogged down in tough times, just keep showing up. Smile at the challenges. Focus on and enjoy the process, not the results. Take it one day at a time, one step at a time. You're going to make it, and it's going to be awesome.

This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I'll receive a small commission. So thank you!