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How to travel long term when you're broke ??? How to travel long term when you're broke ???
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Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 27 Aug 2012
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How to travel long term when you're broke ???
Long story short..

I lost my main job a few months ago then went to Canada and spent ALL my savings on an Epic Canoe trip... ! (worth it though )

So. All I have left now is my Triumph Tiger and about £500.

I'm having no luck finding work apart from sporadic bike repairs in the UK a so thinking of how far and for how long I could travel RTW for instead.

I'm 32 and too old for working holiday Visas in the obvious Commonwealth Economies and I like to keep moving.

I'm assuming finding 'Cash in hand' work in this recession is going to be pretty hard. On my recent travels I didn't talk to anyone finding easy work.

Couch surfing and wild camping are on my list for keeping costs low but what can pay for petrol, food and money ??????

I've sold a few articles but they don't pay too well and the work is few and far between.

Let the brainstorming commence !!
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Old 27 Aug 2012
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Start your own business, get it up and running and then put in a manager and travel on the profit of the business or sell it and then travel with the proceeds.

I think cash in hand work in this economy is a total non-starter to be honest.

Self employed mechanics can do quite well in down turns as people try to save money on main dealers - what is your bike/marque specialty?

Scooter/small bike dealership?

Brake/tyre/exhaust/accessory fitting business?

Might need to relocate though - the economy down here (SE) is not too bad at all right now.
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Old 27 Aug 2012
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Sell your triumph and get a cheap 250 or another scrap bike . Then you should have plenty left for a good tour.
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Old 27 Aug 2012
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Sell your triumph and get a cheap 250 or another scrap bike . Then you should have plenty left for a good tour.
Yeah... A definite option. But it's only worth £2500 and that £2000 cash back won't last long in Europe.

I'm thinking more of ideas for a long term solution, but yeah.. Scrape it from where you can.

Already Ebayed everything else before my Africa Trip
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Old 27 Aug 2012
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I thought it was worth around 5000.-
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  #6  
Old 27 Aug 2012
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Check out this site Ted, it could be the answere you're looking for.

Find Hosts in Europe - Help Exchange
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  #7  
Old 27 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by jim lovell View Post
Check out this site Ted, it could be the answere you're looking for.

Find Hosts in Europe - Help Exchange
Jeez, this is amazing. Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Chris
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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Ted - you're a good looking boy - you don't need to ask this question.

Regards, Mick
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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helpx is great. I'm a paid up member. Thing is, they dont pay anything. Great for accomodation...

Mick, I accept PayPal...
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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this might be a longshot... is there an equivalent of "harvest trail" in europe or the UK?

Harvest Trail - Harvest jobs - Australian JobSearch

when you're paid by weight, hard work = good coin.

or, visit australia... the $ is ridiculously high against the major currencies. you might even go home with more in the pocket than you started with.

if you can repair small engines or use mechanised equipment you can rock up on a farm, let it be known to the owner that you have skills, and you'll quickly be out of the field and tinkering in the shed, or sitting on an air-con john deere with MP3 player (summer is coming).

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Old 28 Aug 2012
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rent your home, sell your house or even buy a house sounds mad, but find the right property in the right area chop the place up to create more small rooms and rent to students , with the right place you could clear the mortgage and have a little left .
Go to an overseas employment agency, or contact one of the international charity's, see if there's some work there ??
The lottery or the 3.15 at haydock park !!!
I have chosen to put my house up for sale , so just sitting back and waiting now
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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Ted, there are ways but I think you need luck to be on your side. Let me tell you a little story..........

A mate of my Brother's went on a tourist holiday to Thailand a few years back. He quickly got the dog with the resort so he got on a bus intending to do a day-trip. He ended up getting on another few buses and doing a bit of hitching. Eventually he arrived at a little village with nice beach and decided to stay for a few days. While he was there, he fixed a fisherman's outboard motor.
A couple of days later, another chap brought him a couple of "dead" outboards and he managed to get one running, keeping the dead one. As the weeks went by, he built up a stock of wrecked motors and started buying, selling and fixing all manner of stuff.
After a few months, he got permission from the village to build his own house and employed a couple of local lads to help him out with the build and the business.
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by Big Yellow Tractor View Post
Ted, there are ways but I think you need luck to be on your side. Let me tell you a little story..........

A mate of my Brother's went on a tourist holiday to Thailand a few years back. He quickly got the dog with the resort so he got on a bus intending to do a day-trip. He ended up getting on another few buses and doing a bit of hitching. Eventually he arrived at a little village with nice beach and decided to stay for a few days. While he was there, he fixed a fisherman's outboard motor.
A couple of days later, another chap brought him a couple of "dead" outboards and he managed to get one running, keeping the dead one. As the weeks went by, he built up a stock of wrecked motors and started buying, selling and fixing all manner of stuff.
After a few months, he got permission from the village to build his own house and employed a couple of local lads to help him out with the build and the business.
Europe sucks for starting a business on a small budget. Been there, done that and I am glad that I only lost 2500 euros on it. There are too many regulations and laws here. Asia and Africa is a much better place in this respect.

For the OP: You could try teaching English or something. I've heard there are jobs in Denmark and Belgium... maybe someone here can tell more about that.
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  #14  
Old 28 Aug 2012
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Sell a kidney? Become a male escort?
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Old 28 Aug 2012
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Brainstorming - how about this? But not up your street maybe.

I've known one or two people who have been drivers of those overland adventure trucks (Dragoman and similar).

As far as I know, there's a constant, if not very high, demand for drivers. And the main qualification seems to be "I've been there, and there, and there."
And, "I can mend that, and that."

Again as far as I know, most drivers only do the job for a while, maybe one season, another reason for the ongoing demand for new drivers.

So maybe a possibility for a year of earning? You'd be travelling, but on 6 or 8 wheels instead of 2.
And you must have tons of experience to offer.
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