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[Paul:)]

Hi everyone,

I currently in the process of downsizing in preparation for taking the plunge as a full time van dweller, although I plan to save enough money to get me by for at least a winter in warmer more pleasant surroundings, then the plan is to come back to the UK for summer to try to find enough work to pay for my winter travels back to sunnier climates. This will also keep me on the UK radar and will allow me to have an E111 card and sort out any medical problems etc while back in the UK Eventually things like pensions will kick in and money worries will ease up a little but for now:

Is this doable? Does anyone do something similar?
How do people make money while living this way?

Thanks. Paul

[nomadnovan]

Hi I'm new here. Paul it sounds like your plans are similar to mine, so I'm posting in here to see how this develops.

I guess it depends on the individual. I'm working towards an IT degree with a view to be a digital nomad. We shall see. Like you before I set off I'm going to save enough to get me through the first few months.

[Vanholio !]

Listen to this podcast about a vandwelling couple in Europe. They talk a lot about how they transitioned to making money on the road. They're also clever about finding/creating opportunities. I like their approach, and I think their way of thinking could work whatever profession you're pursuing on the road.

http://www.nomadtopia.com/melandarmando/

[shinobidef]

I managed to extend my backpacking travels by freelancing online (using a site called Elance which has now merged and become Upwork, and sadly a shadow of what it used to be). I'm a graphic designer but for my work, the issue with working completely digitally is that for some types of projects, I'm up against people in Asia working for $3 an hour!

I'm thinking of keeping my van in the UK for the first year and temping in order to fund the summer months, similar to what you're planning, but ultimately, I want to be able to not have to rely on agencies providing me with the work. I'm an arsty type an not bad at portrait drawing so think this might be something worth developing so it's more of a "portable" opportunity and doesn't rely on a power hungry computer, and a few other "crafts" have taken my interest as well. Could you busk, teach something, make something, fix something, get to know an area really well and offer on-foot tours, write a book, sell photos...etc? It all depends on how much you want to make vs. need to make and your current skillset. 

If you Google "Ways to make money on the road", there's a tonne of ideas from various nomads - some more lucrative than others. There's quite a few good books on the market as well in terms of helping you find a passion that you can turn into a money-making idea, or using your existing skills and experience to offer a new service.

Good luck!

[ourtour]

We tried a few ways of making cash online, but to be honest we're a bit old and scared of digital nomad work, and were wanting as much freedom as we could possibly get our hands on. Instead we ended up going for the old-fashioned approach: earn cash in the UK, invest it instead of spending and live from the returns. Not easy, takes a huge amount of cash to generate reasonable returns, but it is another way of looking at the challenge.

I wrote a free ebook (various formats) about how we did it - it's here for anyone interested. Good luck with whatever approach you take, the freedom of the van life is intoxicating.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/632284

Cheers, Jay

[Nulife]

Hi Gang,
I've had a look through the boards for an 'Area' for Members to Offer & Search for Skills, Swap, Buy & Sell stuff amongst this Online community as a way of Making some Money but can't find a Specific listing,, Can Anybody nudge me in it's direction if one exists please !. I Need some bits done & Have some Bits to Sell, Swap & Free Cycle & would prefer to start here before going to other Online Sites.