A Living from a Campervan??

stromtrooper101

Guest
Okay folks. This has been mulling around my head for a while now.

Can anyone tell me what would be a suitable way of making a living that anyone can do while touring in a camper? Does anyone already do something similar?

I'm talking of skills anyone could learn and make enough to get by on.

Any and all ideas would be very welcome.

I'm at a fork in the road and to be honest I've always fancied a life on the road in a warmer climate. Complete freedom and all that bollocks.

My job gives me 4 weeks off out of every 10 but I'd like to make it 10 weeks off out of every 10. Doing something I enjoy for a change.

Please help!!! :anyone:
 
fruit picking,tattooing,market trading. I never really cracked this problem and tended to stay a while in areas and do building work. markets are ok if you can come up with something not too bulky,we sold jewellery in france and Portugal,not great but paid our way.nice early start,pack up by 12 noon and off to the next one .picking keeps you outside and healthy,the pay isn't too bad and it's a good way to get a lump of cash together
 
Telling fortunes, selling lucky heather & pegs? :lol-053:

Sorry, I couldn't resist the temptation you offered!

Seriously, it has to be minimum tools or stock, so probably a basic service that might be wanted wherever you happen to be. You say "hot climes" but what might be needed in Spain will not be the same as Africa, so think carefully about whee you will go first.

Secondly, many warmer European Countries are suffering badly from the economic melt down, even the established locals struggle to find paying customers. As an Itinerant, you will not be easily trusted & have no reputation to fall back on.

Hugh Fearnley-Wossisname tried "living off the land" on a TV programme but much of it was clearly pre-arranged & a lot of it thro the help & generosity of friends. However he would do manual labour & ask to be payed in kind & he would trade stuff given by one person with another. Very hand to mouth existence - especially if doing it for real & not retiring to a hotel at the end of the day.

Haircutting might be one idea, carpentry, gardening or decorating are fairly useful skills that do not require qualifications, but for plumbing & electrical work you need qualification & probaly membership of a trade organisation that will cost you annual fees. Your main dificulty will be letting people know what you can do & that you are available locally. The internet is not good at reaching everyone in a certain location, so you will need to set up & advertise your prescence - this will attract Official attention so you need to make sure you have the relevant work permits etc.

It all starts to get a bit tricky doesn't it? I have read of people with skills like Dentistry earning their way aroud a world cruise by getting work in different countries as they go, but I doubt you will want to train that long. Also people on boats who can fix boats can get a bit of work by stopping in a harbour & passing the word around.

Maybe that's your best bet; select a busy Aire & let it be known that you can fix motorhome problems. You will need to know where to source parts from locally & be able to tackle a wide range of problems in many different vehicles & habitation kit, but in could work if you are practical enough, sensible about charging & not just doing it for free. Lots of caravanners & motorhomers are on the Internet, a well publicised web site with your current location could then be useful.

Do you think you could learn enough about fixing vans? Maybe spend a year or two working for a caravan/ camper servicing company?
 
selling fish caught from a sit on top canoe using longlines, coppicing, charcoal making, trug making basket work, motorhome repairs or valeting, baking, campsite work, market stall selling value added local produce, engraving, computerised embroidery was the best I saw in spain they were making a bomb but the setup is not cheap. Wood turning using a pole lathe (utube for an idea of how) cutting/selling firewood. the list is only limited by your imagination and skills.
 
In this day and age I think that setting up an online store should be relatively simple and easy to maintain. Find a popular product that already sells well online, something light and small that doesn't cost a fortune in packaging and postage. Investigate drop-shipping companies (there are hundreds, just Google it) so that you don't have to even keep stock for sale. Lots of wholesalers will gladly do drop-shipping and are already geared up to do so. Drop shippers will pack up your orders with your own invoices and paperwork and then post directly to your customer for you. Or choose to sell software or applications that can be downloaded and don't even require postage.

You can operate this from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection with relative ease and almost zero start-up cost or commitment. You can use FaceBook, Twttter and other such social networks and forums to promote your products. There are also dozens of search engines and other shopping sites that offer free listings. You can create a free blog at blogspot.co.uk to act as an online brochure for your product.

Well this is my plan anyway, I am busy teaching myself the basics of internet marketing and looking at various products to offer for sale.
 
2 good earners I saw in Gib years ago. this guy played guitar ,not very well, with a small repertoire,had 2 stiff wires attatched to his shoes which operated 2 dancing dolls,made them jump about a bit,he wasn't very good but he was raking it in.
another great earner was a guy with a jeweller's saw cutting out coins,leaving just the lettering and the head,then soldered on a ring to hang them on a silver chain for a necklace.very painstaking,but I had a chat with him and he made a good living
a good one I saw in France,which is possible even if you're not musical,is a hurdy gurdy.if you don't know this instrument,it's a bit like an autoharp,in that you press down bars to play a chord.quite easy to learn 3 or 4 tunes,and just play them on a loop,the sound is great,and loud !I saw a girl doing it on the markets and she used a waste paper basket to collect the cash,loads of it !
busking is entertainment in many forms,a guy on Portobello used to dress up in top hat and tails and push an old pram with a wind up gramophone in it playing old classical stuff.how hard is that? but it worked for him !
 
This thread made me think what i could do whilst travelling. Im quite artistic and very crafty (in the honest sense..lol) and decided like Jess WVW id look for a hand sewing machine. So if anybody has one on offer id be grateful.
I could then offer my services of repairing curtains etc (buttons on shirts for you men..lol) Im not able to offer much in the way of motorhome mechanics or electrics but would be more than happy to help out with repairs to anything in the habitation area.
Im also thinking of doing a little craft work along the way, any ideas would be welcome
 
CooP said:
In this day and age I think that setting up an online store should be relatively simple and easy to maintain. Find a popular product that already sells well online, something light and small that doesn't cost a fortune in packaging and postage. Investigate drop-shipping companies (there are hundreds, just Google it) so that you don't have to even keep stock for sale. Lots of wholesalers will gladly do drop-shipping and are already geared up to do so. Drop shippers will pack up your orders with your own invoices and paperwork and then post directly to your customer for you. Or choose to sell software or applications that can be downloaded and don't even require postage.

You can operate this from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection with relative ease and almost zero start-up cost or commitment. You can use FaceBook, Twttter and other such social networks and forums to promote your products. There are also dozens of search engines and other shopping sites that offer free listings. You can create a free blog at blogspot.co.uk to act as an online brochure for your product.

Well this is my plan anyway, I am busy teaching myself the basics of internet marketing and looking at various products to offer for sale.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest this too, especially the drop-shipping angle (not that I've tried it myself), so you've saved me some typing!

Hope it all works out for you!

PS. There seems to be an opening in the double-skillet market, if you can find yourself a wholesaler or manufacturer (remember it was me who suggested this when you make your first million!). :)

PPS. Daisymini... There used to be lots of "Singer" hand sewing machines going very cheaply at car boots and second hand sales, but I haven't been to any for quite a while. Could that be worth a try, or have they become expensive antiques now?
 
Bonnie and Clyde made a good living on the road. And they only had a Model T Ford. :drive:

Just think what you could do with a motorhome. :cool1:
 
If I was the arty kind I think it would be great to be on the road and offer to draw peoples campers and motorhomes....bring the to life with character almost cartoon theme .....but I can't draw for toffee so that's that .....
 
Last edited:
If you can find something suitable to pay your day to day expenses, you could then try keeping a detailed journal and taking plenty of photo's as you go along.

After a few years you could write a book about all the adventures you've had, and hope that the sales pay for your next adventure! (Then there's the film version to think of!). :)
 
I have an internet company and i'm a professional musician so i'm sorted :) ... actually it's not that easy and there always seems to be some issue that makes you come back to deal with it!

Busking can be good though....
 
I liked busking,in France,my mate and I had 3 small,blond haired daughters.we bought them matching French berets and no woman could pass without reaching for her purse,upon which signal the girls would whip off and offer their berets,thereby getting 3 coins ,usually 1 euros.we had a repertoire of 5 loud songs and could earn between 20 -60 euros an hour no probs
 
n brown said:
I liked busking,in France,my mate and I had 3 small,blond haired daughters.we bought them matching French berets and no woman could pass without reaching for her purse,upon which signal the girls would whip off and offer their berets,thereby getting 3 coins ,usually 1 euros.we had a repertoire of 5 loud songs and could earn between 20 -60 euros an hour no probs
Click to expand...

would a one legged busker with a dog that can do tricks get me plenty of euros???
If so i just need to find the dog!!!.....lol
 
seriously, look at many buskers !there's a lot of people out there with no talent,but lots of bottle, earning a nice living ! look at the statues for god's sake ! making money by keeping still ! that's clever
 
I'm trying to get good doing about half a dozen popular tunes on the fiddle and training Rigg to go round cap in mouth, I'm sure he could charm the audience even if I couldn't!

Sorry Daisy, any other time I would have loaned him to you but he's got to start earning his keep ;-)

You should be able to pick up an old hand sewing machine easy, plenty around still so cheap. Don't pay more than £20 max.

For me, I'm thinking busking, henna hand painting, hair braiding, face painting, kids temporarily tattoos, kids craft workshops, t-shirt design with online shop (maybe dog themed), sewing repairs /alterations, selling own craft stuff, pyrography, mural design and painting, dog walking, house and pet sitting, selling second hand clothes, car window cleaning, and loads of other stuff. I reckon I could get by during the summer and maybe in Xmas run up but Jan, Feb and Mar will be difficult. I'd also be happy to do outdoor labouring for builders and farmers but not sure if they'd take on a middle aged woman.

Had already thought of drop shipping ~need to investigate further. Am thinking I'd really need a storage facility / office (lock up or shed).

Have also got an idea for a novel and planning on publishing the dog's biography "memoirs of a mongrel". Looking into writing more ~magazine articles etc.

I got lots of ideas but I've come to the conclusion that I will really need some sort of storage base and a tow bar and trailer so now I'm thinking about whereabouts in the country would be the best place for it (assuming that I wont have my house in 6 months time ).

Exciting but scary.
 
whitevanwoman said:
I'm trying to get good doing about half a dozen popular tunes on the fiddle and training Rigg to go round cap in mouth, I'm sure he could charm the audience even if I couldn't!

Sorry Daisy, any other time I would have loaned him to you but he's got to start earning his keep ;-)

You should be able to pick up an old hand sewing machine easy, plenty around still so cheap. Don't pay more than £20 max.

For me, I'm thinking busking, henna hand painting, hair braiding, face painting, kids temporarily tattoos, kids craft workshops, t-shirt design with online shop (maybe dog themed), sewing repairs /alterations, selling own craft stuff, pyrography, mural design and painting, dog walking, house and pet sitting, selling second hand clothes, car window cleaning, and loads of other stuff. I reckon I could get by during the summer and maybe in Xmas run up but Jan, Feb and Mar will be difficult. I'd also be happy to do outdoor labouring for builders and farmers but not sure if they'd take on a middle aged woman.

Had already thought of drop shipping ~need to investigate further. Am thinking I'd really need a storage facility / office (lock up or shed).

Have also got an idea for a novel and planning on publishing the dog's biography "memoirs of a mongrel". Looking into writing more ~magazine articles etc.

I got lots of ideas but I've come to the conclusion that I will really need some sort of storage base and a tow bar and trailer so now I'm thinking about whereabouts in the country would be the best place for it (assuming that I wont have my house in 6 months time ).

Exciting but scary.
Click to expand...

Jess if your anything like me i have a head full of ideas and best intentions i just need someone to kick me up the a**e..
Life seems to get in the way of things i want to do and i give up so easily...im hoping some time away in the van to gather my thoughts and intentions might inspire me to actually start something and more importantly finish it!!!!
 
daisymini said:
null
Click to expand...
Absolutely ditto, I also think I'm lacking in self belief, and tend towards the glass half empty view as my default position which I'm working on but life's dramas and crises over the past year have made it difficult.

But the seed of the idea was long since sown and now I feel like it's germinating and it's up to me to put the time and effort in to make it blossom ~ scuse the flowery language but at a beer festival and a pint of purple haze cider 7% has made me a bit waffly, I had to go have a lie down after the first pint of it this afternoon :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top