6 Things I Do To Make Money While Living Aboard

How Do I support my Margarita Habit from the bow of a sailboat?

Digital Nomad is quite the buzzword, and 35 million people worldwide participate in this new frontier. YOWZA!

First, a quick definition. A digital nomad is not a remote worker or an expat. They are not striving for a permanent space or coming from one. The goal is to travel, and work is interwoven into that goal.

I have heard the term “location-independent entrepreneur,” which is a mouthful but more accurate.

Either way, here’s what that landscape looks like now:

• America has the largest population of digital nomads — about 17 million.
• 90% of digital nomads have received a higher education.
• 58% of digital nomads are men.
• 77% consider themselves early adopters of technology.

These are all interesting facts, but one that strikes me is that over half are Millennials born between 1981 and 1996. As for me, I am a proud member of Gen X. I wasn’t born in the 1980s; I lived them.

Where does that leave me, someone who predates digital? Someone who completed a Master’s Thesis on an IBM Selectric, circled Want Ads in the daily newspaper, and went to the post office to buy stamps and mail resumes?

There are allegedly tons of ways to generate income as a nomad. You can read about them online, in blogs, or eBooks. They usually have titles like 30 Days to $30,000 or Give Up Your Day Job, Start Your Dream Job and Become A Millionaire, or Get Lit, Get Going and Get Rich. I know this because I have a Kindle full of such titles.

The books are filled with how-to’s, from starting a blog and implementing affiliate marketing to becoming a YouTube superstar, designing websites, and many other money-making ideas. They leave you inspired and wondering why you had spent so many years working in an office, spending so much time in traffic, kissing up to bosses and wannabes when all you had to do was as simple as 1–2–3.

I have found that they rarely tell you 4, and there is always a #4.

So, I wanted to share how I make money as a sailing nomad. I must confess that I have been living as a nomad for more than 30 days — and have not become a millionaire — yet.

If you already have a money-making blog or are a master web designer, awesome — go forth, get lit, and get rich.

But if you are like me and started this income-from-the-road idea from scratch, here are some things I have learned — and I have done — to make money. None of these options will help you get rich quickly, but in combination, they can be lucrative, fun, and freeing. So, let’s dive in.

1. Teaching English Online:

If you have a college degree, you can quickly obtain your TESOL/TEFL certificates and teach English online. If you are a teacher or love teaching, this is a great way to make money, and I know many people in my demographic who do just that and love it. The primary teaching opportunity is with children from Asian countries, but many companies cater to youth and adults, offering everything from tutoring to formal grammar.

My Personal Experience: I did precisely that. I got my TESOL/TEFL certifications online and successfully applied to many companies. I learned a lot about myself in the process, including that I am not a passionate teacher of English. I hated it. Teaching children via apps such as Magic Ears, VIP Kid, or Q Kids is a lot of work. Some platforms provide a curriculum; others require you to create your own.

I hated having a schedule. It felt like it was a job, and it was. You have a schedule of classes, which you prepare and show up for. Ensure strong internet, set up camera and mics, and (depending on the age group) — create a background of dancing Alphabet Letters or ‘C is for Cat’ pictures. And of course, hair and make-up must be presentable.

I discovered I preferred teaching English to teenagers and adults. A couple of my favorites were Cafe Chat, iTalki, and Preply.

Some platforms require teaching experience, and some do not. However, many Gen Xers come from a corporate or business background and have relevant experience.

Have you been a trainer at your company?

Have you led seminars for employees?

Did you teach classes during Graduate Work?

Guess what? You are qualified.

Most platforms tell you that you will make $15-$20/hour, and you will, but only after a period of time. You may have to go through some training and do a demo class. You will be encouraged to offer an introductory class for free or at a significantly reduced price. You will have to develop and cultivate consistent students. It takes time and effort, so be sure you love it before you dive in.

2. Participating in ‘Mock Juries’:

A ‘mock jury’ is what it sounds like: an opportunity for lawyers to work out weaknesses or loopholes in their cases and get an idea of the outcome of an actual trial. The only requirements are a stable internet connection, a webcam, and the willingness to participate at a specific time. When you sign up on a platform, you will be asked demographic questions: age, gender, location, etc.…

My Personal Experience: Jury duty was one of my favorite forms of sideline income, and it is perfect for the GenX crowd because we have a lot of life lessons and experience under our belts. Most of us have participated in jury duty, as evidenced by the fact that the average age of a juror is 50, with 46% of jury members being over 50.

You can sign up with eJury, JuryTalk, Online Verdict, or LegalFocusGroup. If a matching opportunity arises, you receive an email, usually followed by a ‘screener’ phone call. I made about $150-$300 per ‘trial’ and was immediately paid via Venmo or Paypal. My only complaint is that I wish there had been more of them.

3. Reading Books For Money:

As an avid reader, this was a ‘no-brainer’ for me. I love to read, and living on a sailboat gives me ample time to do so. Writing book reviews is a great way to earn a little Margarita Money. The key is to read fast and write well, using original words only. No AI allowed!

Writing book reviews pays about $15-$60 per piece. It’s not a lot of money, but you can do them on your schedule. When you sign up on a platform, you select which genres of books you enjoy and would like to write for. You get FREE books and a lengthy timeline to submit your reviews.

You will need a resume and writing samples. Those will be easy if you are already a writer or blogger. Otherwise, a way to get started would be to write a few articles in your style, post them on a free site, such as WordPress or Weebly, and use the site as a portfolio.

My Personal Experience: I wrote for Booklist, which paid $15-$60 for 150–175 words. I enjoy young adult books, and Booklist is part of the American Library Association, which was cool in many respects, including reading Banned Books.

I also wrote for Kirkus, which was fantastic. Kirkus is one of the most respected book reviewers, and they vet their writers well. Once accepted, you can review their list of books to see what kind of reviews they are looking for.

The reviews are about 350 words long. If they are indie titles, you receive between $50-$75 each and the good karma of helping out an indie author. If, like me, you have a background in a specific area, you can apply for the traditional titles and receive $400 PLUS. This takes time and effort, but as a former music journalist, I found a great niche in music and entertainment on this platform.

4. Narration/Voiceover

I am a music addict and own very professional audio equipment, which was perfect for one of my gigs: narrating (or reading) books aloud. I loved this.

My Personal Experience: I signed up with Audible, created a profile and sizzle reel, searched and auditioned for projects, and was surprised at what came my way. I voiced a climate change robot, gave life to a boring office chair, and found I had a knack for pulling off country bumpkin voices.

An Audible gig will give you all the project details and pay you promptly.

Although I succeeded with Audible, many other ways exist to create a voiceover business as a nomad. If this is your jam, it is worth the time and research.

5. Sell Your Crafts Online:

You hear this a lot, especially if you are artistic or crafty. It’s great, but it requires research and stick-to-it-ness. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I consider myself creative and crafty and have tried many things, such as painting on sand dollars, etching on driftwood, making record bags, and sewing rock and roll shirts. Some worked, and many did not.

My Personal Experience: Etsy did not work for me. I had to have inventory, visit the post office for shipping, deal with returns, and jump through a myriad of hoops, all of which were impractical from a sailboat in the middle of the ocean.

One day, I noticed how many people were digging the photos I shared on social media. When I asked my Facebook Family for their thoughts, there were many suggestions, on how to sell work online. Being the diligent Virgo I am, I researched. A LOT. I discovered Merch on Demand from Amazon, and, so far I LOVE it. They print stickers, cups, shirts, etc.….as people order.

Amazon is a place where people go with their wallets in hand, and they trust it. I don’t have to contend with inventory, returns, or issues that require immediate assistance.

Amazon’s commission rate is high, but the ability to ‘set it and forget it’ is worth the admission price.

If you can create digital downloads, such as social media calendars, journals, 30-Day Challenges, etc.…you could build a business. I have not done this myself, but I know others who have. The best thing: no inventory to take up room in your small space.

As a Gen X’er who values education and is continually learning to navigate the digital landscape, I am a big fan of Teachable, Udemy, and Skillshare. If you are an expert in a field, I am sure you could create a course for one of these platforms.

But, if you are a consumer — soaking up knowledge like a sponge- invest in a course and yourself. To quote Blues guitarist BB King: “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”

I have taken oodles of courses on these platforms and have learned a ton about creating online businesses, such as selling merchandise on demand or being successful on Audible.

Whenever I consider a side gig or hustle, I sit with it in the flickering flame of my John Lennon prayer candle. If the idea resonates and sprouts a root, I take a course on how to do it to assess how and if it can work for me on a sailboat.

If the answer is yes, I dive in.

6. Yoga/Pilates/Instruction and My Personal Experience:

In the nineties, I completed a Yoga teacher training with Rodney Yee, an icon of Hatha Yoga. He became famous when he was featured on the cover of Yoga Journal Magazine and then hosted a slew of yoga/meditation videos and DVDs. I was drawn to his silky smooth voice and Colgate smile, so I plopped down $5,000.00 and signed up for his teacher training seminar.

The training was rigorous; Rodney was no joke. I learned history and philosophy, anatomy and physiology, how to ‘bend it like Beckham’ and Sanskrit.

At the end of the training, I could stand on my head in elegant poses (aka inversions), bend my limbs in logic-defying ways, and breathe peacefully through everything from bad dates to bad weather.

That being said, teaching yoga has been my most lucrative, steady endeavor. But it is more challenging than logging on and hoping for people to come along.

Rich Dad/Poor Dad, a book I regularly review on my Kindle, discusses how one little tweak or adjustment is always needed to propel us forward.

For me, that was the business side of yoga; more specifically, How do I ‘sell’ yoga? The idea brought so many other things to the surface: Maybe I’m not as good as I think. What if I suck as a teacher? What if I get stuck in a pose? What if I can’t do a pose? What if my butt hits the ground?

So yes, I took a course on the Business of Yoga and turned my fifty-plus-year-old bootie into a money-making machine.

My current ventures include being here (writing for Medium)and participating in the Amazon Influencer Program. The results of this have yet to be tested, but I have taken courses on both.

I won’t say something cliche about having faith that it will work. I will say this: I have learned some things as I head towards my sixth decade of life. One of the most important things was on a street corner in New York City twenty years ago.

I was making a living selling my hard-crafted words — (also known as books) — on the streets of The Big Apple.

Each day, I filled a metal box that hung from my neck via straps and filled it with my books. You know the box — you’ve seen people auctioning hotdogs from them at ballgames. I would board the F Train — (I lived in Brooklyn) — and arrive at Union Square to hawk my wares.

Russel Crowe bought a book from me. I had no idea it was The Gladiator himself, probably because he wasn’t wearing his bronze underwear. My friend snapped a picture, and what people mistake as me being a star-struck girl in the presence of Russell Crowe was nothing more than the sheer joy of selling one of my books.

One day, I was approached by a Black man, approximately the size of a refrigerator. I stood in his shadow, steeling myself to defend my coveted Russell Crowe corner, when he said: “Girl. I got respect for you. I see you come out here every day and work this corner. Most people couldn’t do what you’re trying to do — (Emphasis on the word trying) — But I’m gonna tell you something right now; if you want to survive in New York City…you gotta get addicted to hustle and allergic to broke, real fast.”

He introduced himself as Fly Boi and thus began my education in the art of ‘hustle.’

Today, I hustle in a true Gen X sense. I work hard every day and do things others won’t. I work smart, not needing to find hacks or shortcuts because I don’t mind the hard stuff. I do these things with a sense of joy and purpose because I love them, and they allow me to live the life I have imagined.

I might expand on Fly Boi’s quote: — –Getting addicted to hustle helps you survive and thrive in New York City and the world of life.

Drop a comment or question to learn more about these opportunities, or share your experiences, which could be the wind in someone else’s sails.

[Ask a Question] or [Share Your Story] now and join our community of free-spirited wanderers. Let’s navigate this journey together!

And, if you want to learn a little bit about yoga–check out my page: The Salty Yogi.