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So the deal is the GF and I now live full time (since September 2022) in a van.
We've sold all our worldly possessions except those things either dear to us or essential (obviously bikes fell into both categories). We've no physical ties to the Vaterland or anywhere else.
The GF is able to work remotely and can now (sickeningly) refer to herself as a digital nomad. She has a few customers and can more than cover our monthly outgoings. She also has a few grand coming in each year via previous jobs in the form of commissions.
She could sustain us both. For now I'm happy for that to be the case given I've been self employed since 19 (now 40) have never received a single penny in the form of benefits nor had more than two months off at a time whereas the GF started work at 29 and in 11 years has received 3 years of very generous German unemployment support. Think I've paid more into the German system than she has.... Think she's received more than she's paid in...
I'm fortunate to have relatively substantial pot to dip into as and when, but seeing me pot has more than stagnated recently due to the markets I don't want to keep doing into it. It's not finite and is there for my retirement, although that's kinda ironic given I'm now kinda semi retired.... (although I have no state pension in my future from either the UK nor Germany).
My idea was to occasionally take on conference and exhibition jobs (as was my mainstay in my previous life in Germany) which would mean ten days work would see me good for three or four months of #vanlife (for the both of us), but that means keeping my one-man-band Co registered in Germany which in turn means having to stump up around €4k a year (assuming nothing happened to me, €5k if I needed treatment) for health insurance. Essentially, one or two jobs a year just to cover that doesn't make sense.
So I'm looking to do something that makes sense, I can do on the side and it brings in something.
So far, whilst the GF is working on the laptop I'm either picking up litter, out riding or chilling in my hammock.
Was listening to Bernard Kerr interview the other day where he said he makes a (relative) shed load through his LSD YouTube. Then there's the likes of Post10(?) who Films himself unblocking drains for fun without ever presenting to camera.
Now, I like riding. I often walk a trail prior to riding it with secateurs and a hand saw in my bag. I like picking up litter (it's therapeutic and I like to leave a place looking cleaner than when we arrived). I travel a lot and get to ride a lot of places.
Basically.... Should I strut about with a gopro, start a channel and start raking it in?
Any other hair brained ideas welcomed.
It's either that or something on Onlyfans.....
^ Nude Litter picking
Give it a go, just don't expect it to be a success. For every sucessfull YouTuber cleaning out pools in timelapse, there's thousands of them making digital junk and posting it to all the Facebook groups under the sun to only rack up 30 views.
And success will be the result of a multitude of factors, interesting content, interesting presenters, good production, good direction, good shooting, good editing, a popular topic, etc.
TBH I'd just do the carpentry, and if you want some extra income, do youtubes of the carpentry showing how it's done. People will probably tune into a regular YouTube version of the "what's the last thing you made" thread.
I'd say give it a go, it will either take off or it wont. You haven't lost anything as you'd be doing those things anyway?
sounds like a good idea.
you will need some pretty good kit to make videos that are easy to watch. sound recording, video editing, drone, multiple cameras. and learn how youtube works.
Rode with quite a few YouTubers in past year. Pennies for loads of followers according to them, more free stuff benefits. Pretty much a full time job to get any real benefit. Probably easier to do cash in hand on the tools, join local FB groups in places you’re planning on going to and advertise. Good luck with it though.
Have you seen the amount of people out there trying to do the exact same thing? How are you going to rise above them and be worth subscribing to?
Video production, editing, recording good sound etc. is massively time consuming. You also need a constant stream of goods ideas and subjects to turn into videos. Otherwise you turn into a repetitive, pointless 'vlogger' or a GBMN style 'which colour bike is the fastest' channel.
You've missed the boat with Youtube unless you come along with a really good new idea.
Sorry to pee on your bonfire. You can still do it obviously if you've got the time and you enjoy it. I just think to make it a money spinner you need to treat it like any other small business and have a long term plan.
(Spoken as someone who watches too much YouTube and is massivley jealous of people who have turned 'arsing around' into more money than I'll earn in my life and would love to do it myself but am too aware of how crushingly boring I would be to watch)
Basically…. Should I strut about with a gopro, start a channel and start raking it in?
Starting a channel is the easy bit.
Strutting about with a gopro isn't that hard either.
Turning that content into something other people will watch is the hard bit.
Sustaining it is the really hard bit.
Raking it in is almost impossible.
To monetise video content you need a minimum number of watch hours (and followers?). Then you make money from people watching that content via ad revenue. (you may also be able to make money from Patreon and Sponsors but that is definitely NOT passive income - you need to work that stuff). To get income you need lots or people watching lots of stuff.
Why would anyone watch the shit you plan to make? Basically I think it falls into 3 camps. 1. Pure entertainment/interest. What you are saying or doing is funny, novel, creative or interesting. 2. To gain some knowledge. 3. To follow your life / essentially real life soap opera stuff.
Your content sounds like 3. In my opinion thats the hardest to sustain. You need to have something to say to make a story people want to follow and tune in next week (or tomorrow) to see what happened. Because its "time sensitive" back episodes will also not create as much passive revenue. i.e 95% of the money will be coming from the latest episode and if you stop making episodes the cash will drop off dramatically. A lot of the #vanlife stuff will be in this camp. If you are travelling enough to do travelog stuff you might be able to sustain it. For unfathomable reasons content which had bikini clad girls seems to get more traffic! Potentially option 2 is where you can make passive revenue. Lets say its "how to wheely" or "how to replace avid brake pads" people will always need to know that stuff so you should get a constant stream of new watchers. Even if you stop making videos you can expect people searching to still be interested for some time. But the problem there is you need to get your video found - which means a lot of effort on the marketing front, working the youtube algorithm, linking across social media etc. I think the second issue is things like bike repairs, van conversions or joinery all already have a lot of content out there so you would be lost in a sea of competition.
If you do decide to do this then I think you need to understand how to make compelling content. That means good audio (you can forgive bad video but wind noise, mumbling etc is unwatchable), a clear story (even if its educational content its telling a story), decent editing/video, a consistent brand (so I recognise the video as one from the same creator who I liked before). How long does it take? Someone I know who makes educational content for teachers reckons for every minute of footage he uploads he's spent 1 hour on it - so a 12 minute clip once a week is 12 hours of filming, editing etc. That's now that he's got good at it - it was about twice that when he first started. To make enough traction to make money you need to really understand social media and work it hard, so he spends about 1/2 that again just doing Instagram stuff etc to drive traffic. So basically thats every weekend! A typical video gets him about 5K views (its niche stuff) and last time I spoke to him he was making less than minimum wage for the time he put in just to the videos (never mind the promotion). He is single! He loves doing it and I suspect would still do it for no money, but perhaps less obsessively.
You can get loads of views for doing cute couple stuff on TikTok
One of our ex freelance sound engineers does pretty well on YouTube which runs alongside his actual work. He does car audio installations.
Given that he had a client fly him from the UK to Australia last year to work on his car and he's got one currently shipping over from Sweden he's at a level where you don't spend much time in a hammock!
Patreon donations from YouTube also bought a 60k mercedes which shows that the level of his production is pretty good. So money to be made for hard work and the right content.
I guess the only way now on YT, is to be unique and upload compelling videos but its finding that USP...
Could you get a MTB leader qualification, then you could use YouTube to advertise that and make the real money on Mtb guiding.
It’s 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours in the last year before you can ask YouTube to monetise your channel. My work you tube channel falls well short of that. But I don’t work at it. It’s just a useful tool
But that didn’t put me off thinking I’d try something like you describe.
I’d practice first. Start a channel. Play with it. Learn to edit. Learn to take nice video.
You’ll need a decent laptop, software and fast high capacity internet connection. I can’t imagine it’s worth trying this at less than 4k.
<p style="text-align: left;">My other ideas would be trail head bike mechanic only working weekends. Basically you set up at popular trail heads and people pay you to fix their bikes</p>
My digital nomad skill would be A-level physics tuition online. Any chance you could teach English or maths gcse online?
After my OP I rode another trail, got to the bottom, cruising down the hill on towards the village on my back wheel. Turn the corner to go to a bar for a bite to eat. Next thing I hear a siren turn round and there's a big Landcruiser with blue lights. Guarda Civil. Turns out that 36kmh wheelies into town are forbidden.
One guy wanted to read me my rights and wanted ID, the older guy was more interested in the Gopro (not filming unfortunately) and wondering where I had been riding. Explained and he insisted I upload it.
He's now following me on YouTube.
........
Not interested in presenting to camera. I might be an egoistical git, but I'm not that far up my own arse.
Can't be doing with these ticktock/vanlife/influencers types. Saw a group of septics filming each other singing songs lyrics whilst in Cuenca*.wanted to slap them. The same with that couple that pulled up and the first thing they do is get a drone out and start buzzing along the nude beach. Dickhead. Guy got a right earful from some father of three kids. I can
Re. Carpentry/van build filming.
A bit like that NZ guy who asks if you can hang a door (I can)...?
Back during lock down, for a laugh/thinking I could use it for marketing, I filmed my colleague and I installing a big slab of decking. Time lapse. The job got done but having to edit out the number of beers drunk/empties lying around and joints rolled meant the footage was deleted.
The big conferences and events I do it's not an option. On site you've not the time, privacy nor space to do it.
Mates said I should have done something whilst doing the van build, but I was more focused on getting it done in evenings and weekends whilst still working a 45-55 hour week.
Re. 3 Camps...
More 1 & 2. See the point about ticktockers. I'm not willing, nor is it practical, to be whoring myself out and creating an alter ego. Each to their own and all that, some people can do it, but not me.
"Could you get a MTB leader qualification"
<p style="text-align: left;">Got that already. Worked as a guide in the alps for four years and have guided a bit in Finale.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Plan to do something in the future but not 100% sure where.... That's part of the reason we're in the van. Cruise about and take a leisurely look at places.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">My other ideas would be trail head bike mechanic only working weekends. Basically you set up at popular trail heads and people pay you to fix their bikes</p>
That could be a good option. Would have to stock up on spares such as cables, brake oil, etc.
After seeing me with my bikes, tools and work stand, some dude suggested that I should drive to the various spots full longterm campers/pensioners in their UFO camper things and offer a bike check up service. Could easily try this as I've got a chalk pen that washes off that I could use to advertise. Lost count of the number of folks I've helped in the last few months... The other day a lady (seriously fit in both senses) came to me with a broken chain. Seeing her legs 😍 it was no surprise. Fixed some kids gears the other day and the old man was trying to force a 20 in my hand. I accepted a beer instead.
You can get loads of views for doing cute couple stuff on TikTok
Read that to the GF. She asked with whom given that she thinks I'm neither cute nor do couple stuff.
TBF, naked litter picking is high in the list. I like being naked and hate seeing litter. Not sure it's YT friendly. Might be one for only fans.
This guy explains how it works for him in this video.
There may be loads of similar vids but I thought that he was refreshingly open about how it works for him.
I am amazed at how hard some people work at it. Itchy Boots’ output and quality is really impressive but I can only imagine how much work she puts into it.
I don’t think YT is going to be a quick easy buck. Your skill set in carpentry is very much in demand and a good hourly rate I would expect.
I know companies in both Exhibition and pub / restaurant fit out that would take you in in a flash if you rocked up. They are desperate! (No offence!)
Sounds like the GF is more successful than you. I’d suggest marriage 😉
Taking on a few odd jobs in doable. I've got some basic hand tools with me, but it does require me being somewhere I most likely don't want to be.
Day rate for exhibition/conference stuff is good. A weeks work is around 3k,plus I would get flown from wherever I am, I just need to make my way to the nearest airport/train station.
My problem with that is that it requires me to be registered as a business and that then means I'm roped into the German health care system and its ridiculous costs. If I'm not registered in Germany I can insure myself for <400€, however if I've a business there I'm paying over ten times that.
I could look to register a business in another EU country with more flexible rules and cheaper health insurance.
Sounds like the GF is more successful than you. I’d suggest marriage 😉
No need to use language like that... 21 years together. I can deal with her earning more than me, although that's not hard. Not earnt a thing since September last year!
Why Germany? it sounds expensive. Register in UK?
Sounds like you are in Ireland atm (Garda ref) Register as a sole trader there.
Currently in Spain, soon to be France.
Been living in Germany for 15 years. And yes, it is expensive. High health care costs, high tax and seeing as I have been self employed for all those years I don't get any benefits (unemployment, housing not even a pension). It's a f-in joke, tbh.
Not registering in the UK. Have been absent/not registered in the UK for 15 years. As such capital gains tax doesn't apply to me. If I were to register it would cost me lots and besides, because of brexit I wouldn't be covered with regards to health care on the continent.
I will eventually register in the UK again as I need one more year NI contribution to access my state pension, but not until I've taken my pot out of the country.
What insane lengths are you prepared to go to get views?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65567519
Speaking from a friends experience who is also self employed and found his income stream fall off during the pandemic.
A mate builds award winning custom cars and smoothie bikes for corporate events, and generally makes a good living out of it, however during the pandemic he had very little work and decided to video what he was building and gave out tips on how to recreate it. His early videos are cringe worthy to watch.
So I would say it can be tough to start with, My mate comes across all confidante and to us his friends he is the funniest person we know. Knows a lot about stuff no one else knows and is generally entertaining while explaining it.
Now he is turning away projects because he is too busy but it has taken him and his wife 3 years of hard work to make it pay. I'm over the moon for him because I remember the time when we were young adults we could barely scrape a couple of quid together to go down the pub.
He is also a bit of a celebrity and works on the NBC hotwheels show due to air this month (shameless plug).
Give it go, it might work for you!
I have nothing that useful to add except that I saw Street Pigeon post a link the other day to his “buy me a coffee” donations page and he commented that his YouTube channel is loss making after he’s bought a decent camera, drone etc. His videos get up to 40k views.
He does presumably get some free stuff though, not sure what his deal with Bird Bikes is?
didn't Rob Warner mention last year his at one point that up until then his videos had made him £46?
sounds like you need to merchandise your brand and beg for patreon to make a living.
Then you need to make content all the time which must be annoying.
Dont give up the day job.
Currently in Spain, soon to be France.
WTF?? France is invading Spain???
"buy me a coffee” donations page
I'm not a fan of this kind of thing either. What am I paying for? It's basically begging for people to fund your lifestyle. In this case riding trails on free bikes and banging on about how awesome everything is.
I'm not picking on this individual because everyone is at it. I just think you'd better be producing something unusually good or something I can't get anywhere else for me to just send you cash.
Disclaimer: I'm always buying merch like shirts and stickers etc from people, bands or causes I want to support.
How often do you plan on moving? You could make a little vid for each move. Show the van, the campsite, the scenery, trails, your bikes etc. No need to talk to camera. You might get loads of views you might get none.
How are you at computer games ?.
You can stream to an audience, with some of the more popular streamers appear to be making £30K a month.
From my observation of them(I like to watch, im poor at playing these games) but it appears that the gift of the gab is the most important attribute rather than how good you actually are.
Inevitably the subject of advertising income comes up and they say that income off you tube, is higher than income off the stream channel(Twitch or whatever) And you tube really does make a lot of people millionaires.
The Mr Beast chap on YT, he apparently makes an average of $3m/month with yearly income over $50m as of 2021.
Haha..... I'm shit at games. When lockdown came along I bought several boxes of wine, loads of weed, papers and honey roast nuts... Then I wondered what was missing. Went and bought myself a PS4 and GTA5.
I drank the wine, smoked the weed and ate the nuts, but I sold the PS4.
Besides that I'm living in a van. Don't have the battery capacity to run a console and monitor.... 😂
We tend to stay a good while at each spot. Three or four nights. Hence why I like to clean the place. It also depends on whether the GF needs decent internet and what the connection is like. A stroll around, a ride or two and a day hanging around in my hammock.
Theb there's some guy who films some spot in the middle of nowhere for eight hours. A stream. Woodland. A beach. No sounds but the water trickling, the wind and birds, the waves.
Could do that easily enough.
Edit... This geezer...
https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/johnnielawson
McTrail Rider did an interesting video recently on making a living from YouTube. 36,000 subscribers so on the surface seems successful.
Several years ago I was in a bit of a rut. Mrs BigJohn told me "Find something you're good at and enjoy doing. If you end up getting paid, that's a bonus". I followed her advice and it worked.
A few years later she found herself in a bit of a rut. I told her " Find something you're good at and enjoy doing. If you end up getting paid, that's a bonus".
Apparently the hardest advice to take is your own.