Ideas for Making Money On The Road

[Gary68]

pretty much any farm will have something you can do for gas/food

 

[Satellite5812]

Not specifically money oriented, but other van dwellers I know have had good luck using WWOOF to find work/trade for places to stay which feed you: http://www.wwoof.net/

 

[Ella1]

Trust me, I work out how I CAN do things all day long. I've figured out how to survive vandwelling with my unique limitations, which involve unpredictable bouts of severe illness and life-threatening emergencies. My issue is not negative thinking. I'm being realistic: there's only so much ability in the pot and if all of one's ability is currently going towards survival and that's still not always enough, then there's really none leftover.

There are growing numbers--silent, invisible numbers--in similar situations. Some on the verge of, some just entering, some deep in the swamp. An interesting read is "BUT YOU DON'T LOOK SICK"
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
It may help people understand a bit better.

Getting help would be fantastic, I have chased down all the benefits I'm aware of and ask people outright as well. Many are willing to, but then get a bit of a shock from my unique limitations and end up bailing, and I don't blame them.

Take care.

 

[Ella1]

Another way for some to make money might be as an artist's model if you will be in an area for a while.
Youth and beauty are not prerequisites. Striking, and holding, interesting poses is.
Often, the first 5 poses in the ~3 hour sessions are  2 minutes long. The next 3 might be 5 minutes long. The next 2, about 20 minutes, and the last might be an hour long, made up of two 25 min with a break.
One life session I go to uses a nude model once a month, and a clothed/costumed model the second weekend each month.
The other uses a nude model for the session I generally go to, and clothed for others.
I do not know what the pay is.
Apparently, for some groups or areas, model turnover is pretty high. So maybe they'd be interested in you for even one session, esp if you have done this previously.
I'm seeing some of the same models for each group, and two, husband/wife, are also character actors for a local venue, who at times, turn up to model together in their costumes. These two model for both groups.
One group is expecting to have a ballerina soon. Unfortunately, I guess I'll miss that one.
If you are interested, pm me and I'll send you some links re info about modeling so you get a better idea of pros and cons, expectations, model discussions.
Here's two links to whet your whistle: http://www.thedrawingstudiotds.org/classes/open-figure-studio/
and http://www.beccart.com/opensketch/

 

[RevDrMartian]

What would you folks thing of knifesmithing for road-friendly income? I've an interest and the physical ability. I can make a tiny forge out of an old brake drum, and a stump anvil is only four inches square and weights ~25 lbs. Two hammers, a small bench with a vice and an assortment of files- all the tools can be packed into a reasonably small area. If I get a roof bin, I could store what I need up there when on the move.

As to fuel- I can make forge-quality charcoal with fallen branches, a campfire and an old paint tin, and any railroad will offer up any amount of steel spikes that can be forged into handy knives and even small hatchets.

It can also be a sharpening service for all sorts of edged gear- I can sharpen axes and chainsaws easy, and I can do extremely fine sharpening on kitchen blades.

Camp out on public land somewhere out of the way and just put hammer to steel all day. Do it near a lake or river and have a line in the water for my meals. Sounds rather like heaven to me.

 

[BradKW]

What would you folks thing of knifesmithing for road-friendly income? I've an interest and the physical ability. I can make a tiny forge out of an old brake drum, and a stump anvil is only four inches square and weights ~25 lbs. Two hammers, a small bench with a vice and an assortment of files- all the tools can be packed into a reasonably small area. If I get a roof bin, I could store what I need up there when on the move.

As to fuel- I can make forge-quality charcoal with fallen branches, a campfire and an old paint tin, and any railroad will offer up any amount of steel spikes that can be forged into handy knives and even small hatchets.

It can also be a sharpening service for all sorts of edged gear- I can sharpen axes and chainsaws easy, and I can do extremely fine sharpening on kitchen blades.

Camp out on public land somewhere out of the way and just put hammer to steel all day. Do it near a lake or river and have a line in the water for my meals. Sounds rather like heaven to me.

That's pretty cool you can do all that! I think the idea has real potential, but I think the greatest value might not be so much the merchandise, but that lots of people would find it interesting. In Key West, we have lots of street artisans, everything from palm frond weavers, to jewelers, to painters to "poet for hire". And what you always see is people stopping to watch the craft, then perhaps making a purchase. If I saw someone making a knife from an old RR spike, using homemade charcoal, I might just buy a knife that I really don't need

 

[RevDrMartian]

That's pretty cool you can do all that! I think the idea has real potential, but I think the greatest value might not be so much the merchandise, but that lots of people would find it interesting. In Key West, we have lots of street artisans, everything from palm frond weavers, to jewelers, to painters to "poet for hire". And what you always see is people stopping to watch the craft, then perhaps making a purchase. If I saw someone making a knife from an old RR spike, using homemade charcoal, I might just buy a knife that I really don't need  

That is a thought. I am just not much good with people and have an aversion to being stared at, so I dunno, hah.

One thing that did occur to me a few minutes ago would be the idea of using local wood to make charcoal and hammering out a knife from a railway spike that had been quite literally part of a local area's lifeblood for ~100 years. It'd be pretty interesting to a local with the right mindset. It might also warm some hearts to the idea of vandwellers if one rolls up and starts turning local history into functional things.

Well, I still need to build the forge and practice making knives properly before I can make money out of it, hah. Also, trying to find local wood in the middle of the freaking prairies; not easy... Probably just get a certain type by the bag at Home Depot until I can forge something as beautiful and simple as the attached pic.

 

[GotSmart]

That is a thought. I am just not much good with people and have an aversion to being stared at, so I dunno, hah.

One thing that did occur to me a few minutes ago would be the idea of using local wood to make charcoal and hammering out a knife from a railway spike that had been quite literally part of a local area's lifeblood for ~100 years. It'd be pretty interesting to a local with the right mindset. It might also warm some hearts to the idea of vandwellers if one rolls up and starts turning local history into functional things.

Well, I still need to build the forge and practice making knives properly before I can make money out of it, hah. Also, trying to find local wood in the middle of the freaking prairies; not easy... Probably just get a certain type by the bag at Home Depot until I can forge something as beautiful and simple as the attached pic.

I have an old spike from my home town I would love to get a knife made from.  

 

[compassrose]

What would you folks thing of knifesmithing for road-friendly income?

It can also be a sharpening service for all sorts of edged gear- I can sharpen axes and chainsaws easy, and I can do extremely fine sharpening on kitchen blades.

The sharpening might be handy. But you may need to pull into (gaspith) an RV park or a campground for a couple of days (weekly is cheaper). You will need to be where the customers are. People are lazy. They don't want to go out of their way to have something done for them. Sharpening knives may make you a few $$ if you are where the customers are. Keep in mind that some RV parks do not like commerce within their park (put a magnetic sign on your vehicle door or in a window) and you usually cannot operate a commerical enterprise (like sharpening knives) on public property with out paying a fee. I know this because I have vended food at a NM state park ($75 fee but the rangers waived it as they asked us to be there).

 

[Canine]

Find people who wear cowboy boots and shine them up for a couple of bucks.(the boots,not the people)I made pretty good money shining shoes when I was a kid.Course a lot of folks wear sneakers now.

 

[highdesertranger]

you can buy portable kilns. here's one place that sells them, http://www.makeyourowngoldbars.com/gas-furnaces . go to the bottom of the page for the cheaper ones. here are more http://www.rosewindminingsupply.com/Kwik-Kiln-Mini-Gold-Kiln/GPK-Kwik-Kiln . highdesertranger

 

[RevDrMartian]

you can buy portable kilns.  here's one place that sells them,  http://www.makeyourowngoldbars.com/gas-furnaces .  go to the bottom of the page for the cheaper ones.  here are more http://www.rosewindminingsupply.com/Kwik-Kiln-Mini-Gold-Kiln/GPK-Kwik-Kiln .  highdesertranger

Need quite a bit more heat to do anything with steel, and those holes are quite tiny.

Also, you can build the same thing with an old coffee tin, some sand, plaster of paris, and water. Why pay when you can build it yourself for pennies?

Also, you can make enough charcoal to melt down an entire car with just one match if you know what you are doing (and have the time, hah.) Propane is cheap until you do the math on how much you need to burn to work metal.

 

[cyndi]

Camp out on public land somewhere out of the way and just put hammer to steel all day. Do it near a lake or river and have a line in the water for my meals. Sounds rather like heaven to me.

I would be so completely pissed off if I was camping out in the woods, by a lake, or anywhere for that matter and had to listen to someone banging on a hunk of metal all day.

I'm living outside of urban areas to get away from intrusive noise pollution and to hear the sounds of nature.

 

[rvpopeye]

I agree with cyndi about the noisy neighbors......but , I think there is plenty of space on BLM lands that he could find a spot far enough away from others to not be heard by anyone . Maybe others with noisy hobbies or work could congregate and create an area to make their respective crafts.

 

[buckwilk]

You may recognize someone from this video https://wandrlymagazine.com/article/make-a-living-on-the-road/ Some good work finding ideas.

 

[RevDrMartian]

I would be so completely pissed off if I was camping out in the woods, by a lake, or anywhere for that matter and had to listen to someone banging on a hunk of metal all day.

I'm living outside of urban areas to get away from intrusive noise pollution and to hear the sounds of nature.

Oh no doubt- I'd get upset as well! When I want quiet time, I want it -quiet-.

I'd be quite far away from homes and camping places when it comes time to start hammering. Nice part of Canada is that it isn't too hard to find a spot like that.

 

[akrvbob]

What would you folks thing of knifesmithing for road-friendly income?

Camp out on public land somewhere out of the way and just put hammer to steel all day. Do it near a lake or river and have a line in the water for my meals. Sounds rather like heaven to me.

I think it's brilliant! Once word gets out you'll make custom knives, there will be no end of orders! Even more valuable would be offering classes in it and teaching others. 

One problem I see, you're going to run into the problem of all hand-made items, you can't really charge enough for all the hours you put  in. People compare the prices of Chinese knives and want to pay you just a little more, giving you $2 an hour for what id actually a masterpiece. 

That said, I'd like to be one of the first to order one!
Bob

 

[akrvbob]

You can get a travel visa and spend the 6 months of winter on BLM land in AZ and bang away to your hearts content! Set up a tent at Quartzsite and sell a whole years worth in one quick shot. Lots of disposable income down here in the retired RVers in QZT! Tons of places here to be totally alone!
Bob

 

[buckwilk]

RDM you want to learn to make knives, this place has knife making courses every winter in Quartzsite. They also had a fellow who taught flintnapping. Very inexpensive and they provide all the tools. Check it out. https://www.google.com/webhp?source...ha=0&tbm=lcl&rlfi=hd:;si:14797757712073296974

 

[gcal]

I would be so completely pissed off if I was camping out in the woods, by a lake, or anywhere for that matter and had to listen to someone banging on a hunk of metal all day.

I'm living outside of urban areas to get away from intrusive noise pollution and to hear the sounds of nature.

I would rather have that guy with the hammer for a while than those #!@*#@! wind chimes 24\7!