Live in Batanes, earn $8000/month

Three years ago, when were busy installing free Internet Stations and Hotspots in remote locations in the Philippines (see www.phdf.org.ph), I would give talks about how it might be possible to live in the province yet make a living on the Web.

A few days ago, I came across a story on CNN that gives us a clue how the improbable can actually become possible. It’s a story of how an artist would put up his paintings for bids on E-bay. The artist - based in the US - would price his works in the $1250-$2500 range and he recently had an $8T month! Pretty impressive. (Certainly enough to live by if you lived in the mountain province - this means you, David F.)

Of course, someone who is actually using one of our Internet cafes in the boonies would still have the problem of receiving payments. G-cash is one possiblity, yet there still is the need for a middleman to receive International payments (perhaps via Paypal or an Online Payment Gateway), then remitting the funds to the artist via G-cash, SmartMoney, or bank transfer.

There also is the need for the artist to establish himself on E-bay as a reliable merchant. (After, a buyer in Connecticut might have serious concerns about dealing with shysters in the Philippines).

Here is the CNN story:

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/03/18/artists.online/index.html