Just got a van, how can I monetize it?

submitted by RatherSmallPotato from (self.whatever)

tl;dr; I got a van that I'm turning into a camper, but there is plenty of space for cargo and I kept the tie-downs, so I can still move stuff. What is the most profitable thing to move? Trash? House clearouts? Gimme ideas please :)

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[–]_cloud 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Just throw an ad out on craigslist telling people you can move stuff.

[–]Tom_BombadilBombadildo 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (6 children)

If it's a windowless utility van, then I recommend Uber.

You could make a hidden camera show out of peoples reactions when you arrive in a windowless utility van.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 4 insightful - 5 fun4 insightful - 4 fun5 insightful - 5 fun -  (5 children)

Don't try to hide the duct tape, hand cuffs, zip ties, rope, knives, garbage bags, and Polaroids for better reactions.

[–]AbeFroman 2 insightful - 6 fun2 insightful - 5 fun3 insightful - 6 fun -  (1 child)

Also spray paint "rape van" on the side for good measure.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 3 insightful - 6 fun3 insightful - 5 fun4 insightful - 6 fun -  (0 children)

You could.

"Free Candy" works better.

 

Who is Candy and why isn't she free?

[–]yetanotherone_sigh 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

You know, I really wonder about this. Certain parts of the population would find this absolutely hilarious and they would request it. Kind of like visiting one of those extreme haunted houses.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Around Halloween people pay you to park in front of other people's homes, like a singing telegram, except your white van starts "leaking" a red fluid...

[–]Tom_BombadilBombadildo 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Be sure to have 2 rows of stainless benchesin the back, but also install that perforated steel divider separating the front 2 seats from the rear 3/4 of the van.

Also, all interior surfaces should be carpet-free, and safely hosed clean.

[–]magnora7 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Well recently I was trying to buy some drywall from home depot but it didn't fit in my car. If there was a way to transport it cheaply... not sure how you'd actually get that business though.

I think maybe there's like an uber for packages you can sign up for too, so you could deliver packages.

Then also you could help people move their stuff when they're moving from one house to another, but that might not fit, not sure.

Anyway, there's 3 ideas!

[–]RatherSmallPotato[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I thought about immediate delivery from Ikea and such, I guess building materials is also an idea. They rent vans at 49 dollars for 3 hours at ikea, but many people can't drive, and it still uses up their time. They could order online and I could pick it up for them.

No idea how to find these people, though.

I thought about some "immediate/emergency" moves, people are willing to pay more, and there is lots of competition for planned stuff. But again, no idea how I'd get to these people. Facebook ads, maybe.

[–]yetanotherone_sigh 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Home depot rents pickup trucks for something like $19.99 plus mileage for an hour. You need to adjust your price point to be competitive and still earn more than minimum wage.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

There's a hellova lot of convenience there.

You don't have to find a way to Home Depo, gas it up, etc. It can come to your door and leave you at your door.

And labour / extra hands.

It's apples and oranges to Home Depo truck rentals.

[–]yetanotherone_sigh 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah, kinda depends. In my case, I have a truck. But if I wanted to buy a sheet of drywall and only had a car, I'd drive to Home Depot, park my car, rent their truck, and take the drywall to my house. Then return the truck to Home Depot and pick up my car. That works well if you are buying stuff there. Way better than going to a rental place and having someone drop you off at U-Haul or Penske or whatever. Everybody's going to do what is most convenient / cheap / practical for them at the time. The trick is to find a niche that no other business has filled. Such as: We will pick you up at your house, drive you to Ikea, you pick out your stuff and buy it, we help you load it and drive it to your house. We help you unload it and we will help you with labor to assemble it. We provide a tool box with simple common tools and a cordless drill. That might be a business model.

I think the one I'd stay away from is actually renting the van to other people and they drive it. That seems like you'd need a real business license and real business car insurance and a bunch of stuff. Really hard to fly under the radar when your own liability is on the hook. My wife sold a van to a friend on payments. He is one of those "gig economy" guys who drives 12 hours a day for Amazon deliveries and Uber Eats and Grubhub and stuff like that. He constantly picks stuff up and delivers it. He ended up getting in a wreck and totaling the car. It turns out that he didn't insure it for business use and they won't cover the loss, and he had only made two payments. Yay.

I'm one of those cautious people who constantly says "what can go wrong here?" so that it doesn't bite you.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

End of month/start of month is often tricky, moving vans are often booked. People are stressed, packed and trying to move, maybe just need a place to crash, etc , etc , etc.

Take the rest of the month off.

Also, some people are desperate. Talk to them. Maybe they have something to barter with. Maybe they can provide you with a service, product, etc. It's a long shot, but you never know. Could be win win. Trust but verify. Be careful. Most folks are decent.

[–]useless_aether 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

'man with a van'

[–]yetanotherone_sigh 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

You could go further with it... "man with a van and a plan". Help people plan and execute their move or whatever. Bonus points if you are good with logistics.

[–]useless_aether 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

just take care of your back tho, slipped and herniated discs will put you out of commission for many months or for the rest of your life..

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

So fucking true.

[–]DrStrangelove 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Check out Lugg.com. It's an app based service like uber/lyft but for hauling stuff instead of people. I work for a big box store (rhymes with bosco) and our customers use them regularly to haul enormous, impulsive, credit card purchases. Also, Cheers on the van man! Cars are for plebs, trucks are for insecure plebs, but vans... vans are the chariots of gods.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Depends how much work you want and when. Is it part time, full time, weekends, all hours, specific hours?

Lots of boomers are downsizing. Estates come up and get picked over by Vintage shops, Retro stores, Antique boutiques, etc. If you can do it carefully you're gold. Old things don't show damage as readily as brand new stuff.

Boomers and sick people need groceries, etc. Perhaps cleaning stuff, meals on wheels, etc. Maybe vets need extra delivering but be ready for messes with animals.

Catering and food prep. Weddings, DJs, photographers, family events, etc.

Maybe there's a local venue where all the big or medium sized bands perform and they need a shuttle.

You can video tape your process of camperizing your van. You can edit it right away or in 10 years. There are a lot of good channels on YouTube on the matter. Vans, tiny homes, alt homes, earthships, minarchism, etc. If you put a new spin on it, like minarchism, merging practicality with philosophy, then you might have better content.

If successful you could tour your region or nation or whatever, documenting as you go.

In 2007, my girlfriend and I toured North America from Ottawa to Detroit to Memphis to Austin to Juarez to Vegas to San Francisco, stopping at all the far out weird and free stuff along the way with the help of https://www.roadsideamerica.com/ You might actually be surprised how much great stuff is in your region that you may not know about.

You could make your vehicle into an art car and do events. Maybe even Burning Man.

If you must do something like Uber, maybe try for a competitor, preferably indie, as they are evil. If you finish it as a camper but have a home, maybe you can rent your "room" and shuttle people around a bit, ie. for conventions.

Much of this is just local cold calling through your local phonebook/Google Maps. If they hesitate, maybe just show up to convince them that you're not a creep, a local, and would be good for them. If you left a business card with your contact info then maybe you might be the one to call on special occasions.

[–]RatherSmallPotato[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Part-time, as the work comes, no set hours. I also don't want to be doing it all day as it gets boring. This is just an experience and starting a business is way overkill because I might get bored, really just want to try something.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Business cards aren't an extravagant expense. With a good design, you can use them for any type of introduction, even after you quit and find another career, assuming the info remains valid.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

If its a white-van, you could just go around grabbing people and putting them in your van. Facebook has all the instructions on making it happen. I think people will give you some money for doing it.

[–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

The Finders.