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Originally Posted by geraldagotts
I'm very new on this forum but after reading it I'm enjoying it very much.
Has anyone out there figured out how to make a small amt. of money while cruising ? I'm planning on the Caribbean and Florida where I now reside as my cruising grounds. I can cut hair,weld (tig ), scuba as in bottom cleaning. I have also written several articles and columns for local newspapers as well.
I don't need to make a whole lot of money just something to keep me going. I plan to leave sometime next year (winter probably).
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Jerrry
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Hi, Jerry,
I would suggest you "soar with your strengths" and don't get into doing something that you "can do" but are not extremely proficient at doing. Typically, picking up an odd job means doing something for less money than the local vendors. So, you'd better be quick and good at the task if you want to make something close to minimum wage. Else, stop by the local hotels, bars, eating places and look for the clean up/dishwasher type jobs to make a little cash from place to place.
If you're talking about US places and you're a US citizen (so you can work w/o getting into troubles), you shouldn't have a problem picking up a few odd jobs around the marinas if you let people know your skills. That can get you a little cash. I'm always amazed by how many boat owners (including cruisers) there are who won't clean their own hull. I just don't get it. But, hey, there's some money for the person willing to clean hulls. Again, price it right so you're not working for nothin'
If you're good with brightwork, that's another money-maker at the marinas. Other boat maintenance activities are worth knowing and you might be able to market them from time to time as well.
Welders always seem to be in demand--if you carry your own gear, AWS cert (if you're not a certified welder, you might want to brush up at community college and take the exams) and put the word out, probably many small jobs would come your way. Even if not, sometimes local shops can use help.
Oddly enough, another marketable skill (in the USA) is that of bartender as I've heard from many voyagers who happen to have bartend experience is that there's always a job, private party, etc.
Better yet is to find something that brings you a residual income. Owning real estate that brings in rents; having investments that bring you dividends; and so forth.
If those aren't realistic options, you can consider starting a business that allows you to do something on the boat which you can sell via vendors in your home country or via the web. Not big money makers but a small income stream can be had if you're an artist and can produce jewelry, photography, drawings, what-not which can be sold via a gallery. I did this in college to help my expenses and must say it does add up if you have a marketable product and a relationship with a gallery or gift shop to sell your work.
Finally, there are internet-based businesses that do very well. Here, you'd have to have knowledge of a needed product and set up to have orders taken online and drop shipped by the vendors or set up an Amazon.com store. A little more overhead and risk, but it might be worth your while.
Best of luck to you in your cruising and activities to keep the cruising kitty healthy
Brenda
) I'd say that there are far more that don't. Let a few cruisers in a far away anchorage know you can breathe new life into an old motor and just see how many knocks on your hull you get 
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