Making Money on Your Gap Year

"Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it won't get you anywhere." Van Wilder

While I was on the road I rather needed to earn some money along the way. I didn't earn a massive amount but enough to cover the costs of home (mortgage, taxes, gas etc).

We met a number of people as we went along and some of them raised money as they travelled by doing the following:

• Offering dance lessons at local schools
• Story telling at local schools and libraries
• Busking
• Portraits painted and drawn
• Instant photoshop photography

There were also many opportunites for us to fruit and vegetable pick but we didn't follow these up.

How I helped my own coffers

Website

I owned and operated a number of websites on a variety of subjects through which I raised money. Through these I sold books, photographs, affiliate products, information and advertising. None asked for donations.

Writing

I also sold articles and photographs about the adventures that we experienced along the way.

This was surprisingly lucrative and if you are seriously considering doing something like this I would whole heartedly recommend doing a writing course that explains how and who to approach and how and where to sell your photos.

You are much more likely to be published if you know the right way to go about it. I have heard some very funny stories from various editors about the pitches they get, some of which, in principal being mildly interesting but so badly tackled from the start, the pitch is binned immediately.

If you are interested in doing something like writing articles, please drop me a line and I will put you in touch with a couple of people if I can.

Photo: Ian Belcher - Freelance Writer extra-ordinaire
Click here to read his funny article of his experiences in Thailand. The Enema Within