VAN LIFE | HOW I MAKE MONEY + BACKGROUND

Hey all! Some of you have asked… HOW do you make money living in a van and traveling full-time?? In this video I share all the details on how I’ve built a career around content creation, how I diversify my revenue streams, and also a bit about my background and how I got here. I would love to hear from you in the comments below, hope you're all doing well and thanks so much for watching :)

01:20 intro/background
02:14 i moved to hawaii alone
03:57 retail management
04:20 i moved to europe alone
05:00 i quit the corporate life to backpack solo around the world
05:32 how i got started with photography
07:09 what even is an influencer/content creator
9:07 sponsorships & sponsored content
10:57 commercial photography
11:36 talent/modeling
12:12 print sales
12:35 youtube ad revenue
13:05 affiliate marketing

This video is sponsored by Logitech #Logitech #MXAnywhere3 #ad

Hey :) I’m Christian Schaffer, and I’ve lived on the road full-time since May 2018. This journey began in 2013 when I left the corporate world to build my career as an outdoor adventure & travel photographer. As a semi-minimalist, I eventually decided to donate/sell most of my belongings and move into my 4x4 Nissan Xterra. After 14 months of SUV living and falling madly in love with the open road - I bought a van and hired a team to build it out. Van life enables me to experience and document the beauty of our natural world on a whole new level, all while having my home and office nearby. My hope is that by sharing my own personal highs and lows along this (sometimes) wild journey, you might be inspired to hit the road or spend more time outdoors. Maybe one day I'll see you out on that open road 🚐

**My van is a 2019 Ram ProMaster 1500 High Roof, 136" WB with 19K miles**

#vanlife #howto #finances

[thetrap]

The corporate comfort zone is a time thief. Before I knew it, I woke up to realize 2 decades slid past and took a piece of my soul. Currently I'm plotting my 4 wheeled escape and this video just adds fuel to my resolve. Thank you.

[Terry]

As an old guy I love seeing young people chase their dreams. You appear to be living life to the fullest which is great. Thanks for the beautiful photos and sharing your life. I wish you all the best. Also a big shout out to @logictech y'all picked a great person to sponsor!

[scobelverse]

I’m so glad you told the entire history on how you even got to the point of being able to afford van life.

Too many people just jump right to “here’s how I make money”. The truth is you can’t get there from here. It takes time, effort and true commitment to get to the place of freedom.

Great video.

[sarasjegersart]

Christian, this video just blew me away. I'm incredibly impressed with how you've consistently sought out and made use of opportunities and turned them into something amazing. I love the combo of creative and business savvy that you have developed. All of this takes perseverance and a lot of belief in yourself. Kudos to you!

[zohaibqadir]

You have my respect. Sharing something that personal with the world.

[kimr]

You're a badass! From one Wisconsin raised woman to another! I also made my way to the mountains (CO) and haven't looked back. Love how thoughtful and to the point you are. It's easy to recognize your depth and that's refreshing. "Your only limit is you" and your hard work paid off. Congrats!

[Michael-lslu]

9:06 Sponsored Content
10:54 Commercial Photography
11:33 Modeling
12:11 Print Sales
12:33 YouTube Ad Revenue
13:05 Affiliate Links

[gengphoto]

I've only recently come across your channel, as I've been interested in a traveling and experiencing lifestyle. You're an incredible person Christian. Thank you for sharing your story and background. It's amazing seeing the experiences you've had, the challenges you've been through, and how you've endured and ventured forward to find what you want out of life. You're so genuine, honest, generous, and your work is beautiful. All the information and insights you share are really helpful. Thank you, you're an inspiration. Looking forward to your future adventures.

[TheAmateurListener]

I can't believe how close, yet so different our stories are. I grew up poor and found myself paying for college and moved to Hawaii to go to college. Our similarities pretty much end there, but now that retirement is staring my husband and I in the face, I've been contemplating #vanlife and found your channel. Thank you for sharing.

[captaindavidkusterer]

I'm 72, when I was in my twenties i had a job managing a color processing lab, a small photography business, and a van converted for the road.Quit the job sold the business and took of 14 months to cross the state's. Shot lots of film, along the way got jobs to keep going. I wish back then we had digital cameras, lap tops, cell phones . That's how you can market your craft from the field .Good job . It just wasn't my

[raymondvaldez]

Watching this just made me happy for some reason. It's great to see you make moves fearlessly, you don't allow any fear to dictate your decisions in pursuit of your goals. I feel like people know what they have to do to reach there goals, they just don't go for it as passionately because it requires change as you grow and mature. People freak out when it comes to change, like for real. Thanks for the video and sharing your story!!

[stephenbrody]

I just found this video by accident. I have a 15yr old daughter who started watching it too. Thank you she was locked in watching this. She didn’t look at her phone once! It did inspire her. She said dad she is very relevant. We each subscribed. Look forward to more of your videos.

[hardlyworkin]

You are a highly intelligent human. That is the reason you are so successful. If Covid was not so prevalent, you could easily be working in Hollywood. The camera lens loves you. And as I recall from a previous video, you are highly adept at defending yourself. Of all the thousands of vlogs I have viewed of humans living remotely in a camper type situation, you are by far one of the very few who have mastered the lifestyle. That is not an easy task. You have done the hard work, and are reaping the rewards. Congratulations. Your photography is stunning.

[climbhigh]

Thank you for being so open and transparent; you're truly a self-made person... much love and respect.

[wilf]

Very impressive woman. Half the battle is knowing what is good for you and acting on it. It’s so easy to get blown along with the leaves. Beauty and brains. ☺️👍🏼

[whobru]

It is amazing to me how some people are just naturally brave. you have lived more in a short time than I have lived my entire old life...by a long shot.

[LilyHanna]

It's always interesting to hear how people make money on the road. I'd love to see a day in the life video.

[BrilliantDesignOnline]

Talented and hard working; I am impressed. I felt like I was sitting in your van getting a professional briefing in person, with such personal details.

[kamwickw]

Wow - you really DID start the mobile life young! Being flexible and open has served you well. You are living a beautiful life - thanks for sharing it!

[vanessasandberg]

Very inspiring, business-savvy, and articulate video! Thanks for answering the question of how to make good money on the road and not just enough to get by! I just found your channel and look forward to binge-watching more videos. Also, I grew up and now am living again around Green Lake, WI (near Oshkosh) and agree with the need to leave WI/Midwest! :) Been planning my van life for some time and looking forward to making my vision a reality soon!