HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY ON THE ROAD?
Ah, the question that everybody asks, but nobody searches for.
Listen up friend, there are SO MANY ways to make money on the road. The trick is to be creative, & follow your niche.
- What do you LIKE to do?
- How do you envision your future?
- What career will help you achieve your long-term goals while making you feel accomplished & satisfied?
It’s better to start at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than to work your way up a ladder you hate. You will definitely want to do some soul searching to find the perfect fit for you.
Now that you know what you WANT to do, let’s see what opportunities are out there!
If you’re looking for work on the road there are a few avenues to consider. There are highly recommended options such as work-camping, where you can boondock in one area and help someone out for a while: farming, helping out at campsites, etc. You can find these opportunities on work-camping websites.
However, most people asking “How do you make money on the road?” are inquiring about remote income opportunities. Let’s dive into a few of our top picks for remote work!
FIRST, KEEP IN MIND:
Most remote work will require an internet connection & devices. Don’t let your electronics die on the clock. Find electricity or set up solar for your van.
If you have a job that doesn’t take taxes out for you, try to save ⅓ of your income for tax season. Hopefully, you’ll have a little cash left over to add to your emergency savings.
NEXT, ASK YOURSELF:
Do you need flexible hours? You may need a little leeway outside of the 9-5 schedule if you’re boondocking. You don’t want to get fired because you lost signal or didn’t have enough juice to charge your laptop. You also may just enjoy working at your own pace during your creative hours. I get it, you can’t be “on” all the time. Consider what will be possible for your schedule before choosing a path.
Now that you know what you need and want to get out of a job, let’s explore our options!
FREELANCE ANYTHING
What do you LOVE to do? More importantly, what can you do REALLY WELL? Can you fix cars? Are you a massage artist? Can you edit photos & videos? Figure out your top skills & consider how they can be useful to others. There are plenty of sites where you can offer your services to people that are looking for them. Check out Upwork, Fiverr, & TaskRabbit, just to name a few.
Consider developing a website for your new business & networking on social media to get leads. Facebook groups are a great place to start! Keep in mind, you have to be able to sell yourself! Read a few books & watch a few videos about marketing. You’ve got this!
ART & MERCH
Let’s be honest, if you got the travel genes, you’re likely the creative one in the family. Sell your art! If you’re a photographer there are plenty of places to sell stock photos. You could also freelance for weddings and events. If you’re a painter or make jewelry, you could sell your art on the street, you could rent a booth at a festival. There are plenty of sites that allow you to upload graphic designs and sell them on merch like pillows, T-shirts, notebooks, you name it! Opportunities in the art world are endless. BE CREATIVE, it’s what you’re good at!
WEB DESIGN
If your brain works in 1s and 0s then this is the path for you. Learn how to code! Coding is a highly sought-after skill that people are desperate for. It’s like being a drummer, you’ll always have a gig. Plenty of sites offer coding programs where you complete the course & they connect you with job offers. Google has a great certificate program that starts at around $300 and offers exclusive connections to top employers upon completion.
DELIVERY DRIVER
Jobs like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, Instacart, and Grubhub are great options for travelers that want to choose their own hours and explore larger cities across the US. You usually get a flat rate plus tips. (PRO TIP: have a collection of specific memes to update your customers throughout the process, sayings like “Almost there!” with a cute animal will usually spread a smile and jack up your tip percentage!) Keep in mind, the pay on these apps is not always steady. Additionally, driving for a living will put more wear & tear on your vehicle & cost a fortune in gas if you’ve got a guzzler so delivery may not be the option depending on circumstance.
JOB PLACEMENT SITES
If you’re open to just about any remote work, particularly customer service, try searching for “remote work” on sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, Monster, or Google. You may also be able to find jobs as a virtual assistant. Some companies will provide you with all the tools necessary to complete the job while others may be BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) & require a phone, laptop, & internet connection during specified hours.
BECOME AN “INFLUENCER”
DISCLAIMER: This is not REMOTELY as easy as it may seem. It will take years of hard work, teaching yourself to be comfortable on camera, videography, photography, editing, cost of these technologies, marketing & networking. Do not think this is the fast and easy way to make a living. Most influencers have multiple side hustles as well to make ends meet.
That being said, being an “influencer” IS in reach for you if you are dedicated, confident, and consistent. Once you are able to gain a substantial following, you will be able to make money through Ad Revenue, Affiliate Marketing, Sponsored Brand Deals, Courses, Merch & other outlets. Understand that you are already an influencer to the people close to you. Your compensation correlates to the number of valuable consumers that believe what you have to say. To attract valuable consumers, you must provide quality, trustworthy content.
UNDERSTAND
This is not an exhaustive list of options. Remote jobs are more common right now than ever before. If you want to break into the remote work game, this is your time. Now go out there and make some money friends!
Safe Travels
MORE RESOURCES
12 Ways to Make Money as You Travel: Long and Short-term –
The Ultimate Guide on How to Make Money on the Road – fulltimefamilies.com
HOW WE MAKE MONEY ON THE ROAD | AFFORDING VANLIFE – drifterjourney
How To Make Money On The Road: 40+ Ways to Make Money While Traveling – Carrie Fay
