someone asked recently, about leaving for a bicycle tour with absolutely no money.

Having done a lot of travelling with very little money in my youth, i thought a little about it,

and had this to say:

"Advice from a long time dirtbag -

that sounds like more of the vagabond thing. you're going to get hungry quick, and stall out shortly thereafter.

if you are good at dumpster diving, and living like a derelict in ditches, you'll be fine for a while. look for the grocery stores in the nice neighborhoods.

The day labor thing is tougher than you would expect and there is a lot of social pecking order at day job lots - a person passing thru does NOT typically make out well in the day laborer lineup.

A restaurant with a lot of customers, and a help wanted sign in a small town will sometimes be good for a free meal and twenty bucks if you can wash dishes or short order line cook, could lead to a few days or a few months of work, depends on how you play it.

you could always beg, or busk, or twist balloon sculptures. I've had good results with a harmonica, but I'm a good harmonica player. Busking for a few dollars on Layafette Square in New Orleans remains one of my indelible memories.

asking for help or getting hitched up with a travelling bicycle cult wouldn't be so bad either.

Realistically, i wouldn't tour in the US with a budget of less than 10 bucks a day and I'm used to living on the cheap.

Avoiding anything premade or beverages in bottles, you could do it even cheaper.

of course, with a credit card, and the ability to make a few minimum payments by internet from a small bank account, you could tour VERY cheaply, like 15 bucks a MONTH -until you had to pay more than the vigorish."