Vagabonds Travel for Work – Must Diversify Income

Have you also thought about occasionally doing writing in exchange for fun things? Say, offer to write an article about your experience white water rafting if you nad your family can go for free? Then maybe make money off the article.

I understand the need to keep your writing free of the kinds of influences that most travel writers have, but for the commercial world, no one really wants to read an honest review, most readers want a glorified, everything is rosy and exciting kind of writing. Certainly you would want to keep your website totally real, but you may have to suck in your pride a little on other writing.

Let us all know about when you will be in the states. Maybe some of us readers can put the word out that you are looking for work and get you something temporary.

Bob L

I feel this article a lot… though I´m not traveling with a family, I do suffer from splurging a bit on food or coffees when I know I can feed or entertain myself for less or free.

I do make a little money from my travel blog, but I think of it more as surprise additional income and not my living.

Doing freelance travel writing for magazines and such is a great idea… with all your time on the road, I´m sure editors will jump at the chance to publish your work.

I appreciate the realness of this post, I think a lot of wannabe vagabonds should have a look before they take the plunge for a reality check.

Wade,

I’ve noticed your decreased presence online over the past few weeks. This is obviously a contributing factor.

I do 100% agree with you that it is not possible to make a full time living from Travel Blogging alone. At least in terms of actually traveling, and running all aspects of website like this from the road. If one were sitting behind a desk, taking small trips etc, then yes, it would be a lot easier.

I’ve always said it. A good marketer will always beat a great writer. There are more doorstep books in the world than there are classics.

Travel blogging may change in about 5-10 years if things like the internet accessibility , and blog formats, and advertising systems change. But, that’s not much good, as we live in the present, not in the future.

At the moment travel blogging has become fractured. It’s breaking off into many different areas. Some for business, others still for mom & dad. It happens in many different genre’s. One can only live true to your own intent.

I made the decision in Africa that I was not going to suffer in the worst of the worst accommodation, and eat out of garbage bins to prolong my travels, nor save money. I put health, and life first.

Writing a “travel blog” these days has become a business for many. And, as such, they employ business tactics and shrug off anyone that criticizes them. That’s just the way it is. I would not harbor on this thought, as it will only make one bitter to your own idea of what “travel blogging” should be.

As you know, many people who start off travel blogging, make a little cash, run with it for a year or two. Some even quit their jobs. Sit in room, writing that “book” which will get them fame and or fortune. Then blogging their hearts out while trying to cross comment, Alexa boost, win online voting awards, score SEO ranking and so on they acclaim “fame” in a very very small community. Then, add in another year and they end up going home.

Once home they either continue to blog for a while. Then, lose interest. Auto post plugins become the norm, or they just let the site sit there. Such is life.

I sincerely hope you find a way to subsidize your travels while working. At least you have a degree to work with. And, a family. Sometimes they may be a burden, but at the end of the day, blood is thicker than water and sweeter than the dollar.

Don’t lose sight of what you have accomplished. Don’t bow to peer pressure. Stand tall for your accomplishments are those of only a few in this world today. You’ve been to places few have, nor will. You’ve lived a life many can’t nor have the guts to do live.

Moreover you’ve always painted a picture of the world as it is. Not some glossy print of what people would like it to be. There is a difference. But, no, it won’t put bread on your table.

Do what you have to do my friend. There is no point in suffering in bad accommodation and eating poor quality food. Take this time to find a way to upgrade. Take stock of what’s really important in your life.

Only if you are enjoying yourself can you truly live the life you want. Take stock of this thought and make it happen.

You know where to find me should you need anything. In the meantime refocus, and try to find something to make you smile again.

Dave

Thanks to Dave, I saw this post and mainly just want to send you some virtual hugs. I hear ya, traveling as a family and travel blogging while traveling both are tough and I am grateful that we do not have to depend on our website for our total income. When you have a child and when you have a family, really everything changes and most people do want some sense of security. Give it more time, your ideas and plans sound good, but growing a system for a family is different than for a single guy. I have great faith that you can find that freedom, abundant, security that you are looking for while you travel.

Don’t discount all the work that you have already done for it does have great value. DO follow the examples of people who are making very good money with very good perks through travel writing and various ways of selling evergreen information products, consulting, etc.

I don’t think the only model is the travel blogging how to make money scammers.

I think you should also think about time factors because TIME is the only true wealth. So the goal for us is always to work less and make more. What is the use of being a vagabond if one is always working or plugged in? Part of that comes by being a minimalist and living large on little, which you have already mastered. It will help to have saved funds and investments that work for you and give you a cushion so I’d make that part of the priority like maybe tithing to yourself first or something or maybe teaching English for a while to build a nest egg or something, invest in precious metals or something. Being dead broke with a baby or young child is not fun, or dealing with serious health issues, deaths or other such challenges ( like we’ve had) …adding it to the vagabond life means tougher still.

It’s all about balance which is hard enough as a single, but becomes more of a challenge when one is dealing with meeting the needs of 3 individuals.The only place we ever really travel is inside ourselves, so of course travel does not mean escaping life or the endless challenge that it is..including survival. I have perfect faith that you are on the right track and will find your way through this. Be kind to yourself as you continue to build your ramp to your goal and enjoy the whole process. Hugs to all three of you.

THANK YOU for saying what has been on the minds of so many of us as we attempt to make money through our websites. We may think these things or talk about them under our breath, but I haven’t seen them written out so, well, bluntly.

I liked this line best:

“The only way to make money from a travel blog seems to be using it as a platform to sell ebooks on how to make money travel blogging: the sick irony of a publishing medium that was quickly sucked dry by too many piglets at the tit.”

HA HA – ain’t that the truth!

I do make a living in the travel world, but I use blogging and my website to sell tours and books. I’d be pulling shots of espresso at Starbucks if I was waiting for advertisers to all come on board so I could pay for that next plane ticket!

I am not the traveler that everyone else is, but I play one as an editor on that “other site”. 🙂

Regardless, I do understand your need to change your current situation and improve your monetary status. Since you have Chaya and Petra to also take into consideration, the hard decisions needed to be faced and decided upon. No one is of much help to anyone else nor themselves when their mind is fought with worry and uncertainty. To that, I can personally attest.

Think of coming back to the US as a way of rejuvenating, refocusing, reorganizing and refinancing. Best wishes at succeeding across the board.

Wade, there’s no failure in life only lessons to be learned. I suspect you’ve learned a lot not only about blogging but also about yourself over the past few years. In particular you may have learned you’re more ambitious than you previously realized and that the small rewards of blogging and perhaps even the vagabond lifestyle no longer satisfy you the way they once did. That sort of realization can be invaluable. Good luck to you whatever you choose to do going forward. You’re a skilled young man and I’m sure you will ultimately achieve the success you’re searching for. Just be sure to enjoy the journey between now and that day. There are times that the path seems impossibly steep and treacherous, but it just makes the view from the top that much more rewarding when you finally arrive. Vagabondjourney was a good experiment and I’ve enjoyed following along. G.

Maybe there is something here that can help you. This guy is staying in one place and is a great marketer. http://www.mikeslife.org And missed the website this morning, but speaker said, unfortunately the marketing is more important than the product. Doesn’t matter how good the the product is, if no one is standing in line to buy. Seems that is often the case. More eyes is always the issue. Perhaps a little less content and more time spent social media marketing etc. Get other blogs promoting your blog = more eyes. In college, the authors of all the books we studied promoted/quoted the authors or all the other books we were studying. Now it’s the “Good ole boy’girls blogs.” Sorry you are in the cold.

Know what my mom said? (She asked about you when you guys were unable to come on the boat trip.)

She said that if you write well enough to make 500 bucks a month on a blog (and garner a ton of comments) that you’d be good enough to write pieces for newspapers/magazines/etc. Not full time, mind you, because print media is a dead end career but there’s lots of freelance work. So I think the thing is you just need to apply your skills to slightly different areas.

Why don’t you get started with a topic that will appeal to many: travel with family? You could write a general article about the benefits (and some cons) of traveling with a small child… someone would gobble that up and pay you for it.

Or… come back to DF and we can start the city blog. Ha ha. I’ve already started writing articles.

The guy who said you probably just need more heavy-duty marketing has the right idea. Also, your purist attitude might get in the way a bit. Many successful bloggers (who put out GOOD content) do sell other stuff. And these days, even mainstream editorial has to kowtow (i.e. compromise themselves) to their advertisers. They’re nudged to include plugs for the advertisers in their editorial & sometimes it’s more than a nudge.

Is this so different than putting ads on your site? (I’m not trying to be incendiary here). We do sell products but DON’T allow any advertising on our sites.

A pretty successful blogger, Yaro Starak, out of Australia, walks a nice line for both. His blog is chock full of good info (on a dif subject) but he does sell affiliate stuff & his own informational products and makes over $200K per year (& as a fan of the 4 Hour Work Week, he does travel when he wants since he is virtual).

I prefer to remain anonymous but we have traveled steadily for the past 5 years. We transitioned our income virtually and part is made from writing. The first year we made just over 100K virtually. We are now up to 200K. I would DIE if I had to compromise like your wife is doing (from your own reports & the comments section). While we can’t live like high end travelers, we pretty much find a way to stay at 3 or 4 star situations & are living within our means.

It was an intention that we set that we would figure out a way to work smart, abandon time-for-money and get smart on marketing. Marketing really goes a long way. Our content is good but the marketing is really KEY.

I hope you won’t compromise. I have to admit I HATE people’s suggestions of grounding in the U.S. and working to save a nut. With all that you’ve accomplished, I have a feeling you are just a couple of small adjustments away from making it work, hitting your tipping point where your previous goals seem like peanuts compared to what you are raking in. I really hope you find a way to keep going & streamline the effort while maximizing the income. Best of luck!

I’m not so sure about ebooks – I think they could go the way of affiliate programmes, sites like flickr and earning money through clicks – too little, and declining revenues as more and more people come onto the internet and try to make money from these programmes. But using one of the free publishers (if Bloomsbury or the like pick up your book, so much the better, but in case they don’t….) like lulu.com doesn’t seem such a bad idea to me. They stock your book, at whatever price you want to sell it, and, provided you invest in an ISBN, you can then send some off to Amazon for them to sell for you via their “fulfilled by Amazon” sales channel. They will probably, given your web traffic, be plenty of people out there interested in reading about your travels. Meanwhile, you could also buy a few copies from Lulu.com, so you could sell them directly off your website. Just don’t let them be the publisher, i.e. make sure “Vagabond Publishing” or whatever name you would like to use 🙂 shows as the publisher. Otherwise people may be put off, thinking you self published because you couldn’t get a mainstream publisher to pick up your book.

I mention lulu.com because I have bought books from them in the past, even though I don’t live in The States.

I don’t know about teaching English overseas. If you wouldn’t want to do that in The States, would you want to do it while travelling? I taught English in China for 18 months, and what I found was my time was never my own. When I wasn’t in class, groups of students would come to visit — which obviously the university encouraged. After all, by Chinese standards they were paying top dollar for our skills so wanted to milk the most out of us.

Why not tell us how we can help you make money, e.g. by clicking through to the advertisers on your site? Not everyone is internet savvy about this kind of thing.

I wouldn’t go back to working for someone else, even if it meant living on £10 a day. That’s a road to ruin creatively. Put it this way, some people are suited to that life, and good luck to them, may they live long enough to enjoy some freedom in their old age, (because that’s what they will be when they finally retire – over 65 and maybe even 70) and may they make millions. And some aren’t and that’s us – the ones who left all that behind and became our own bosses.

Going back to teaching English, I found one on one tutoring more lucrative and less stressful. But it’s not for everyone – not everyone wants to open their home to strangers. What about more esoteric pursuits like tarot reading? It’s still labour, but it does pay well. I used to quite enjoy going to spiritual fairs and just renting a booth for the day. For some of the more serious full time readers, that, to them was advertising as well as stall rental. Not phone tarot though – that’s horrible.

Failing all of this, I once did a spot of envelope stuffing and leaflet delivering. I really did it just for the exercise, but I did make £40 for the day which I was quite pleased about. I’m not sure though if they do this kind of thing stateside.

There is something that doesn’t happen over here in the UK from what I can see but was done across The Pond when we lived there. People would hire other people to drive their cars to whichever part of The States they were moving to while pulling a U-Haul enclosed trailer, including covering the train/plane journey back to base.

Fantastic post Wade (and so refreshingly candid!) And likewise such interesting comments. Not sure my own .02 can add anything much to the mix, but nonetheless, as a lass who long ago gave up a most promising climb up the corporate career ladder in favor of following her own brand of travel bliss, I can offer the following:

1. There must be at least a bazillion ways to make a decent living (perhaps not posh, but nonetheless quite comfortable) from travel. I sincerely believe it’s limited only by your own imagination. And yes, agreed: NOT by working for someone else, but rather, as an entrepreneur. For starters, there’s my own example: So You Wanna Be an Int’l Tour Operator, Huh? (Note: 3 posts in a series, the final fourth in the saga, still to come.)

Just one of gazillion ways to follow your travel bliss in this life, whilst not being compelled to eat macaroni and cheese every blessed meal.

2. As stated, above (“…not posh, but…”) there ARE of course trade-offs involved. Just like every other path one chooses in life. IOW, Nope, you’ll likely NEVER make as many rubles following your travel bliss as climbing (like a zombie?) up the corporate career ladder. But you can most certainly make a decent living and besides… Isn’t the trade-off of “working” at what your love, worth it?

3. Speaking of which (i.e. “working”) – let’s be realistic here. There’s surely no free lunches in life (who would be foolish enough to work at making them, only to hand them out freely to those who want one for doing nothing, yes?) Even doing what you love is most certainly going to involve a heck of a lot of hard work (not to mention, time – long hard hours, esp. in the beginning, as you’ve done here w/ VJ). But again, you’re following your own bliss after all (not say… waiting tables or changing oil), so isn’t that worth it?

4. Only other tip I might add is… Yes, yes, you’re most surely on the right path with your plan to “diversify” (i.e. “make money four or five different ways”.) Leastwise, that’s what I did/do. I started my own little int’l tour company (specializing in travel to a country that at the time, few had even HEARD of), but I’ve also ever dabbled in various other travel-related revenue streams (taught travel classes, reviewed hotels for a world-wide hotel directory, etc., as well as taught myself HTML and became a whiz at digital graphics, so I can fiddle websites from anywhere on the globe.) In short, yes, yes, diversify. A few rubles here, a handful there – it all can add up to a decent living.

And finally, I have to laugh. Yes, I recently started blogging a bit (mainly, like everyone else, as a way to chronicle my next crazy travel scheme – moving lock, stock ‘n barrel to some g-forsaken rice paddy.) But trust that when I first looked into the blog scene, it swiftly became obvious that making rubles at it wasn’t – in a million years – ever gonna make me rich. So I do the blogging merely as a fun thing and honestly, mainly because I’m just fascinated with learning how it all works.

So I think you’re on the right track – you’ve built quite a nice little revenue stream here doing what you love and on your own terms. So yes, now just a matter of fine-tuning what’s working and what isn’t, and finding a couple of other ways to bring in a few more rubles for the luxury of munching on a steak once in awhile.

I recently reinvigorated my personal travel/photo blog before leaving on a long wandering trip. Along the process I flirted with getting involved in the indie travel blogging “industry” but I found it ultimately distasteful. The techniques that most indie budget travelers use to try and earn money off their blogs strikes me as vapid and unsustainabe.

I do believe there is money to be made, perhaps enough for those living below their means, but it doesn’t come from the stories and photographs that we love to share.

Best of luck man. For what it’s worth, I really dig your style.

This article is very hardcore. I mean I often look for budget travel resources online and most of the bloggers brag about how they earn this and that while traveling. It’s good to know the downside of traveling as a lifestyle. This is a very enlightening article. Thanks, Wade. (: