Fun Funds

There are a lot of people having their adventures and posting their experiences on-line. I'm following a lot of people on sailboats, but also van dwellers and other travelers. One trend I've noticed is that a fair number have set up Patreon accounts. That's one way to help fund their adventures. I've mixed feelings about that.

One one hand if people want to donate money that's their business. Maybe they enjoy their adventures vicariously. Sending a few dollars to keep the blogs and videos coming is a reasonable price to pay for the entertainment. In a way it's not all that different from donating money to keep public radio and TV stations on the air.

On the other hand it would feel weird to me. Why should someone else fund my good times? Of course, I'm a terrible businessman and neglect many money making opportunities. Then again, I have noticed some of the more successful sites feature a lot of youthful women in bikinis. (I'm sure I'd look terrible in a bikini)

To be fair, I do have a regular source of income. It might be small, but it's consistent. Other people do what they have to do. Some practice their trade while traveling. That's great for writers and artists who can work from anywhere. Other people have skills that have value all over the world.

I wish I could remember where I read about the guy who made two circumnavigations around the world. The first trip cost him a few thousand dollars. At the end of the second trip he had more money than he started with.

Joshua Slocum, the fist man to sail single handled around the world, was able to make a fair amount of money off it. In the days before the Internet people would gather to listen to interesting speakers tell their tales. Joshua also wrote a book about his adventures and it holds up well even today. Here's a free copy of it.

Maybe if Patreon was available to him back in the day he'd have made good use of it.

-Sixbears