After much thought, I have decided to add a Donations Page to this blog. It’s not just that I want to make a bit of money from what I am writing (of course, that too!) but I have too many projects that would need funding just to get off the ground. Once they are up and running, they will probably become self-sustaining very quickly, and different projects will support one another as they feed into each other on various levels.
The widget that I went for on this WordPress page is called Seamless Donations. It’s as simple as the name says, but it’s not as perfect as I would have liked it. The reason I went for it is that I can then accept payments either via Paypal or via credit/debit card. Stripe is a better option, apparently, and also available on the widget, but not in South Africa, for some reason.
What I am planning to use the money for? Well…
Moving to Portugal won’t be cheap. A part of the requirements is that I need to prove an income at a certain level, preferably a passive one. Donations aren’t quite passive, and I can’t control the frequencies and amounts, either, but at least it’ll be something on paper and hopefully, it will satisfy the immigration agent on the Portuguese side. I shall use the funds to pay for some frills such as my passport, visa fees, photographs, and money to organizations like Bordr to get a NIF number and open a Portuguese bank account.
Once I am there, I’ll most likely use the donation money for transport and property-related expenses, such as rent deposits, camping equipment, et cetera.
At the same time, I am considering buying an ex-military truck to convert into a rugged RV. I have a model in mind. It’s the USSR-made GAZ-66, which – in some opinions – is better than the UNIMOG of the same era, but at a fraction of the price of the German truck. I have found some in the Czech Republic and Hungary (there will probably be some in Russia too, but we won’t entertain that idea here!) with solid canopies. That means that a lot of the work has been done already. I will be left with outfitting the interior of the Habitation Box, lots of de-rusting and repainting, and other practical enhancements such as storage boxes, proper lights, a reverse camera, and two good winches, front and back. Apparently, the tires aren’t cheap, either, and the truck will probably need a new battery from the get-go. The truck itself will not be expensive, as far as trucks go, but the many little expenses to get it up and running properly are quickly going to add up, even if I plan to do most of the work myself. And I’ll need a different driver’s license, too, to be legally allowed to handle that heavy vehicle!
This brings me to project number three.
The third big project that I’m planning to embark on – and which will tie in with the other two perfectly – is to launch a YouTube channel for each of the above projects. Once again, the setup will take some funding, even if it’s just with the basic components of a camera, tripod, good lighting, and a proper microphone. With luck and some persuasion, those channels can be monetized relatively quickly and pay for themselves, but “relatively quickly” does not have a specific time frame attached to it and a financial cushion will be nice.
So… now you know. I’m not being as greedy as I thought I was, but some practicalities need to be addressed. Guess I am turning into one of those “influencers” after all! Just less pretty and much better skilled.
And in case you missed it at the very start of this post, here’s the link again. Every little bit will be greatly appreciated and serve to validate my time and effort.