Can you make money whilst living aboard?

[elioti]

We will be joining the cruising community round Europe and the Med in 2013.

I'm hoping to suplement income by busking with saxophone and painting pictures and swmbo is doing courses on jewellery making. We think these are portable skills but will we be able to make enough for a meal out a couple of times a week?

i would do that if i could play an instrument!We arrived in france two weeks ago and prepared to do any work, even in the fields. some helpful locals are helping us find work! we plan to stay though so guess is a little different than those on the move. Perhaps a snorkle mask and scraper and clean the underneath of boats!

 

[chinita]

Perhaps a snorkle mask and scraper and clean the underneath of boats!

Sub-aqua gear would be better.

Another application would be to tout around Spanish and Portuguese golf courses to see if they have any need for golf ball recovery from their water traps.

Some people DO make money from that.

 

[V1701]

I've done a bit of underwater cleaning/scraping here in UK, have full dive kit on board but no compressor, wish I had room for one. Also have dive instructor cert but that's very competitive. 45 now and I'd like to sail off one day (say before I'm 50) even if it's only for a few years, when I do I will be willing to do pretty much any work that's available. Live on the boat here in UK & work part time (3 days a week), more time but less money and living on my boat is preferable to mortgage/career slavery for me...

 

[mandlmaunder]

if cleaning boats is something you want to seriously consider then maybe a 'Hookah' type of self contained shallow water diving equipment might fit the bill.
http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/the-whys/of-hookah.aspx -link-

We, me and She are both PADI instructors and have not tried to make money diver training as it is a competitive market and the young and cheap are prefered over age and experience, it seems that there is only room for one old wise diver in each store and that is usually the owner.

Just my observations in 8 years of floating around trying to stay afloat.

Mark

 

[Conachair]

thought not exactly aimed at supporting our lives of luxury, it seems only proper on here to mention our very own stingo's website...

http://www.desperatesailors.com/

 

[KellysEye]

>Adrian??

Yes.

 

[Irvine_himself]

We will be joining the cruising community round Europe and the Med in 2013.

I'm hoping to suplement income by busking with saxophone and painting pictures and swmbo is doing courses on jewellery making. We think these are portable skills but will we be able to make enough for a meal out a couple of times a week?

Don't count on it. The cost of licences (or fines if you don't have one) may well exceed profit. Some countries not so tolerant about street selling and busking.

I did this for over twenty years while based in Aix-en-Provence/La Ciotat I travelled around Europe and could save enough money during the season to be able to spend the winter in the Caribbean or alternatively rent a Chalet in Puy-Snt-Vincent, (along with lift pass, skis, insurance and off-piste excursions to Le Grave ) I started off by playing the guitar/singing and eventually progressed to a circus using trained guard dogs.

Generally, it is better, (you make more money,) by playing the terraces of cafes and restaurants. When it is a new town or cafe, you just go to a member of staff and wave your instrument and he will say yea or ney.

With street pitches, you will find that quality counts for a lot. Even very reactionary right wing places like Cassis will be slightly tolerant and take few days to tell you to piss off if you can actually play. In fact a friend of mine from Paris would regularly fly down to Cassis for the weekend and fill a large suitcase with money. An advantage to being based in France is that unlike the Uk, "begging" is not taxable.

Selling things on the street is more problematic, again, quality counts and it is better to ask at the municipality. Usually, (unlike the UK,) even very right wing towns, (like Cassis,) have special arrangements for novice artists and artisans to display and sell their wares without actually paying for a licence.

In general if you are genuinely travelling and don't piss anybody off, most place will take a few days to get around to telling you to leave.

Unless you have a very good medical insurance, avoid Monaco, you will be dealing with the Gendarmerie and, although in recent years they have been given politeness lessons, they get very physical when it comes to discouraging unwanted visitors to the principality. For busking the rest of the Riviera is fine and playing terraces very profitable

My final piece of advice is this: The big mistake that British buskers make is the idea of a "regular pitch", it does not work like this. Okay fine, you have played a town for a few days and you are raking in the dosh and are thinking of settling down for a while. Forget it!

The idea is you are a troubadour, a traveller and they love you as a traveller. If you leave before outstaying your welcome, in a few months they will welcome you back. If you overstay your welcome then the money will dry up and it will be a long time before you get a return engagement. If you really overstay your welcome there is the distinct possibility that the local municipal police, (not the Gendarmerie,) will take some very physical steps to ensure that you get the message.

This is the most important thing to remember, European police, (of all types,) do not like paper work. Except in Monaco, they will always give you a warning but if you choose to ignore their polite suggestions to leave they are quite likely to confiscate your shoes and make you walk 25 miles while they drive behind in a squad car ready to jump out and demonstrate the efficient use of a nightstick on the backs of your legs.

 

[SHUG]

Yous can alweys gave privite English lesons.

 

[DownWest]

All this relies on the country in question being tolerent of people earning money without contributing to the tax system. France is not kind to 'black' work. OK for the French to earn a little for cash, as long as they pay on their main income. But try that as a furriner...
I had a regular side income in Portugal in the local marina. Simply because they could not cope with the work.I had other reasons to be there and was constantly asked to fix things. I thought to make it mainstream, but reconsidered, after thinking that as soon as they got their act together they would edge out the competition. Much later I quoted on a job in Lagos. Was told I would have to pay a yearly 'contribution' to the management if I wanted to do any work there.
I would not expect to 'work my way' nowadays, only as a top up.
Outside europe your milage may differ...
A

Oh, there was a Danish guy, who used to arrive in the Algarve with an ancient tractor and farm trailer,with Danish plates.The trailer had a wonderful shed/home on it, complete with with floral window boxes. I saw him busking in Albufeira with his wife and child, seemed to be making some cash.
Just the idea of traveling that distance at very low speed made me wonder. Too close to the edge, unless he had other means.

 

[DownWest]

Just remembered a quote from the US ambassador. He was asked about Irish students earning money playing guitar while on their gap year in the US. "Why sould I be concerned about a few people earning some money by playing in bars, when they will go home? Our souther border is letting huge numbers through,who have no wish to go back.

 

[rickym]

We are planning the 'great escape' for next year. I am sure we could make some money on the side if we wanted to. SWMBO is a jeweller and also paints, I am an engineer by profession and also pretty handy, so I suppose we could do jobs for people sell a painting, repair something... or get legit employment.

The point is do we really want to. We plan to go cruising and exploring. To establish a reputation we would need to be 'resident' for a time, this kind of negates the plan of the nomadic life.

I guess we will just have to live off the rental income from the house and dip into savings if nescessary it feels like going back to student days! We are planning a 3year 'course' to see if we like it. It could then become a permanant lifestyle..

 

[KellysEye]

>SWMBO is a jeweller and also paints, I am an engineer by profession and also pretty handy, so I suppose we could do jobs for people sell a painting, repair something... or get legit employment.

You don't say what type of engineer you are but short of rebuilds most cruisers repair their own engines and generators and if help is needed it is willingly given free. As it is for all repairs.

You said SWMBO is a jeweller but don't say if she makes jewellry. We knew a Swiss boat where the lady made good quality jewellry which she sold at every stop. It sells particularly well in hurricane proof marinas where the yachties have nothing to do for months except wander around and party. If she does make jewelly make a one page colour flyer giving her training, experience and examples. Print hundreds and pin them up everywhere you go.

Painting might make a living, peoples boats should be a good start.