How do I make a bit of money?

[BigonaBianchi]

Thread dies instantly

 

[hubbike]

Thanks tourdottk, great website by the way, thats a huge number of links on your links page.

I'll give the sex industry / drugs trafficing options some thought.

BTFB busking in USA might work better. . .Its been an ambition of mine to go into the deep south and get an old bluesman to teach me.

More and more starting to think that in a year I could learn a new skill (aside from speaking spanish). Maybe start work on writing a novel? or sketching scenery. or something like that.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I have lots of contacts in America, musicians mostly who I record with on line..they all say I'm welcome to stay over if I'm in the 'Hood'...thing is there's at least 5 hundred miles between them all!

Quite fancy it still though...only not solo...and not until the forex rate stops misbehaving

 

[directSkiers]

Depends on where you'll be and when, and if you have specific skills. Lots of campsites in France for example, need help putting up tents pre-season, and taking them down at the end of the season. You may be able to tie this is in with some cheap (free.....) accommodation. Ski resorts will have maintenance and deep-cleaning of the chalets, required at the end of the season (late April, early May) - pm me if you need contacts. Bar work may be available in most places, on a casual basis. Good luck with your trip

 

[Riding in Circles]

Advertising sponsorship, I know it sounds difficult but it could be an option on panniers and clothing.

 

[rualexander]

In USA and Canada, if you get that far, you can possibly subsidise your costs by collecting drinks cans and bottles that you find at the roadside as you cycle. There is a deposit and refund system in a lot of states, whereby you can get between $0.05 and $0.40 per item returned. It would probably be too much bother to keep stopping to pick stuff up and you'd need a big bag of some sort to carry it all in. But I remember when I was cycling in Canada in 1992 meeting a couple who were funding their campsite costs by doing this.

 

[MarkF]

Stop thinking about simplistic ways to earn pennies. Sell something and earn many pounds. If not a product, then bring customers, leads or at least gain appointments for a company, all you'll need is a netbook.

 

[ASC1951]

Maybe start work on writing a novel? or sketching scenery. or something like that.

There is pitifully little money in either, even if you are very good at it.

I reckon you are much better earning the money before you set off, doing what you already earn a living at and at UK rates of pay rather than competing with people who have to scrat about washing pots etc for a couple of dollars a day. Seems ethically sounder, too, if that is a consideration.

 

[tourdottk]

In USA and Canada, if you get that far, you can possibly subsidise your costs by collecting drinks cans and bottles that you find at the roadside as you cycle. There is a deposit and refund system in a lot of states, whereby you can get between $0.05 and $0.40 per item returned. It would probably be too much bother to keep stopping to pick stuff up and you'd need a big bag of some sort to carry it all in. But I remember when I was cycling in Canada in 1992 meeting a couple who were funding their campsite costs by doing this.

That IS aviable option, especially in British Columbia! if you can carry the cans with you and don't mind stopping, you might earn yourself quite a bit of money, I mean more than the camp spot. There are so many cans on the side of the road there, I'm talking 20-30 bucks a day !

 

[bonj2]

Hoping to take a year off for a long tour. Was thinking about how to earn a few pennies along the way to stretch out my finances. So far I have thought of the following:-
bar work or pot wash
busking (guitar too big for the bike so ukulele or the Harmonica?!)
Talking into a dictaphone as I travel? Radio 4 style, Podcast etc "memoirs of a cycle tourer" perhaps? Some sort of teaching aid or story?
Make Lemonade in a big keg on a trailer & sell it to people you meet in lay bys! Bit far fetched that one & means lugging vast weight long distances. Or you could just carry the lemons & sugar, stop where there's water & mix up a batch to sell to fellow travellers then move on!
Cooking up something to sell, chestnuts, banana crepes, tacos, etc.
Writing articles, selling something I could make, designing cheapo websites (but that means lugging a laptop)
Selling photos
making and selling toys, jewelry, or ‘art’ out of trash/bits of wood, stones etc
selling ice creams to people on the beach, or giving them a massage.

I figure I might sacrifice 10-15 hours a week to do a bit of work, and I will have very few overheads.
Please give me more ideas, or tell me which ones will work. Pete

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How about prostitution?

B)
looking for a profession? Try the oldest profession.

 

[Brains]

Get some training as a waiter - my sister used this for travel for ages.

Another sister lived off the beach for years selling jewelry made by her boyfriend

Otherwise your English language skills can be quite useful in certain places if you are prepared to do some shifts in a call centre - you need a think skin, but the pay is not bad.