fucking sad in every way of the word.

[alameda]

I just found myself while I was down and out.
I have a story about all of it....so does everyone. Whatever. I want out. I've got 600 to pay on some hospital bill and that's one paycheck. That'll leave me with 200 or so dollars...if i work four more weeks i'll have close to 1100 dollars...then i want out....fucking bad. i already do...but i want to leave with at least something.
i've traveled before but in a van...never had to squat but wanting to or i don't really fucking care, i just need to leave asheville....
what the hell would you guys do?
how is spange life these days? do you make anything these days? how's flying signs workin out? i just have a feeling it's not as easy as it used to be.

 

[shasellette]

im a girl, and i look young and am really small, and i made almost no money in portland
but it depends on where you are and what time of the year, and if you have people taking the money from you like i did, a lot of people took the money that was meant for me

 

[Mouse]

portland was shitty for spanging for me too. I think it's just too saturated with kids most of the time.



we are in a recession so life is tight for everyone

 

[rootsong]

getting train out of asheville isn't too bad. however, it depends on where you want to go. you can PM me for specific information, maybe we can e-mail or phone it. but trains in a month out of a-ville will be fuckin freezing too, so that's probably not what you want to do. get a greyhound or something, and as far as survival once you get where you're goin, well that depends on where that is too. south is warm, north is cold, some places have more work than others, etc. etc. where to, traveler?? i hear alot about austin, new orleans, s. cali, rainbow in n. florida for this time of year. what do you want to do?

 

[bananathrash]

im a girl, and i look young and am really small, and i made almost no money in portland
but it depends on where you are and what time of the year, and if you have people taking the money from you like i did, a lot of people took the money that was meant for me

when i was in portland a few months ago i saw some girl ask for money for ice cream and a lady hand her 5 bucks. maybe you gotta ask for ice cream?

 

[Raging Bird]

hopped from asheville to knoxville this summer and met some of the greatest most generous people I've ever met. Hitchiked through the south in the summer. Me and the girl I was with felt guilty about getting so much money hitchiking and gave some away to actual homeless people (i.e. not bored white kid homeless people like ourselves).

people would drive up and say "I'm really sorry i don't pick up hitchikers becuase of safety but here is 20 bucks".

if you can go 1 on 1 with a member of the opposite sex, people think it is cute and hook it up spanging.

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

I'm a fairly small girl, and I have never really made any money spanging except for once in Milwaukee with another girl. Other then that my luck is always bad. I've had better luck finding under the table odd jobs.

 

[Clit Comander]

spange is fine, you just have to be relentless. when i was in portland a few weeks ago we mabe enough to eat, drink, and smoke. sure it wasn't the best but it was enough. i seem to make more money fly'n signs on the highways. I have been making multiple $20 scores on the ramps, and during the holiday season people are more than happy to kick down. you'll be fine. stay south where its warm, it's gonna be a cold winter.

 

[blackmatter]

haah hell yeah i actually just go up to people ask em for change for a phone call sometimes they ask how much i need i say a buk i get a buck others empty there change into my hand sometimes im turned away butb this summer i made 30 bucks in chicago doin that not bad at all
or get some funny ass signs i know kids whove gotten 20 bucks when we were in bmore for that

 

[Mouse]

usually if you can have a pretty good attitude and sense of humor you can make money anywhere. nothing like telling people dirty jokes or just saying silly things to mak someone laugh and kick down.

that's my stchick for the most part.

 

[Mouse]

usually if you can have a pretty good attitude and sense of humor you can make money anywhere. nothing like telling people dirty jokes or just saying silly things to mak someone laugh and kick down.

that's my stchick for the most part.

 

[kai]

I walked around breathing fire for people as my spanging act and that worked out really well. I had a bag with my supplies, make 10 bucks, go get beer, drink beer, need more go out and breath more fire... Just pull something out of a bag of tricks that you can do that they can`t and people are like ooooooooooooooooooooh...insert the sound of money falling into a hat here.

 

[macks]

last time i was in portland i had a lady in the mall walk up to me and hand me five bucks. i wasn't even trying to spange or anything.. people act strangely on the holidays.

 

[dirtyfacedan]

Portland is a great city. So many damn bridges, train routes! The cool looking old buildings there must hold some good squats, places to explore. I know some folks who helped me get some awesome deals at an outdoor store there, and i was able to replace my super worn out winter body bag. Someone knew a photographer who was retiring his camera, and he pretty much gave me the thing. I liked a few neighborhood's like Belmont, and Hawthorne. It didn't have the encroaching feel of subway, and mcdonalds like my old neighborhhod of Commercial drive in Vancouver BC has. On the note of Hitching, as the thread states, i have always been fortunate. I was even once picked up by David Milgaard, a Canadian who was imprisoned most of his life for a murder he didn't do. Seeing his freedom....to see a lake, stop, and just jump in taught me something about my freedom. Hitching has always been good to me, and have always been able to pan a few clams, meet some great folks.

 

[livesworthliving]

little advice people don't take to kindly to kids spanging with pity . it is your choice to be out there so i recomend a talent and if you don't have one findit. could juggling, devlin sticks, drums, harmonica guitar,even some spoken word poetry that one allways gets them. let them know your just a free soul tring to get by.leave the sympathy act behind you cause pity will get you no where

 

[Mouse]

^^^ very fucking true.

I refuse to even beg for bus fare saying things like "hey man, I just need like 50 more cents to get on the bus, can you help?" FUUUUUCk that. I'll tell jokes or act a fool instead and not go the pitty route.

 

[Antics]

I seem to make good money wherever I go, in summer I can make for sure like atleast $100 in a few hours everyday busking.
not bad, ha my friends will be busking a bit up the way and they will only make like $20, people seem to like to give me money
i cant play music in the winter though, so i just pan with funny signs, usually people read it and laugh then give me some sort of drop.
people like funny, and since yer choosing to be out there, dont be all mopey, be positive and make eye contact. People arent going to want to help you if you cant even look into thier eyes or start a conversation with them maybe. I never even ask for change I just sit or stand with a sign and say heelloo to people and ask how thier day is n such.

 

[Clean]

Just get an instrument, get enough for a half-pint of whiskey, drink get loose and play. You will make good money anywhere you go, especially in college towns. Flying a sign never fails anywhere you are. unless you see a homebum at every off-ramp.

 

[macks]

Every college campus I've busked by has been really shitty... my best luck so far (solo) has been on Clement St. in SF. I think going to places where the people aren't too stuck up that buskers don't usually go to is a good idea. On Haight in SF and Telegraph in Berkley I haven't made squat since there are already so many buskers/spangers there..

 

[Mouse]

yeah those spots are really blown up cuz all the kids dont' bother to walk any farther down the block than liek 10 ft. from each other.

I found the castro to be pretty sweet money making. gay dudes are always friendly and generally in SF they are pretty well off.... and drunk by the end of the night.