Gypsies are perhaps one of the most misunderstood communities in the world. For instance, it’s a common misconception that all gypsies are fortune tellers or beggars. Another misconception is that they mostly earn money by stealing or scamming people.
However, the question – how do gypsies make money – is a legitimate one given their nomadic lifestyle which seems out of place in the modern world where most jobs require people to live in the same place for long periods.
In this article, we’ll bust some of the misconceptions mentioned above and review 10 legitimate ways in which gypsies earn money and support their families. And some of them are quite ingenious!
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
How Do Gypsies Make Money?
Here are 10 ways in which gypsies make money:
- Reselling products
- Reading Palms or Tarot cards
- Playing music on the street
- Doing temp and seasonal jobs
- Doing odd jobs
- Working as handymen
- Working as Psychics
- Circus Performers
- Selling Scrap
- Working in Travelling Carnivals
Let’s look at each of these ways of making money one by one.
1. Reselling products
Many gypsies will just buy products on the cheap or in bulk and resell them at retail prices. This is as legitimate a business as one can find. Every shop has this or a similar business model. And so do gypsies.
The only difference is that they move around a lot and don’t have a fixed store and so can sell their products at a lower price since they don’t have the same overheads as a regular shop. They will usually put up a temporary shop with minimal costs.
2. Reading Palms or Tarot cards
This is one of the more popular ways in which gypsies make money. They will often set up shop in tourist areas and offer to read people’s palms or do tarot readings for a fee.
This can be a bit of a scam since there’s no real way to tell the future but almost everyone who goes to a palm reader knows that and so it’s part of the fun.
It’s still a popular way for gypsies to make money because people are often curious about their future and are willing to pay for some insights, even if they know it’s fake.
In that sense, it is no different than reading your horoscope in the newspaper.
3. Playing music on the street
Many gypsies are very talented musicians and will often play music on the streets to earn money. This is a bit of a more creative way to make money since they’re using their talents to create value for others.
It’s also a more interactive way of making money since they often get tips from people who enjoy their music.
4. Doing temp and seasonal jobs
Many gypsies will do temp or seasonal work when it’s available. This is usually agricultural work or something similar like picking fruit or working as a farmhand.
They may also do garden work in the summer months. This can be a great way for them to make some money while they’re in an area but it’s not a sustainable way to make a living – but then, that isn’t usually their objective anyway.
5. Doing odd jobs
This is similar to temp work but it’s usually one-off jobs like painting a house or doing some gardening. Some gypsies will work for a moving company loading and unloading moving trucks. Or they may do similar work at a dockyard.
Gypsies often find work at construction sites where construction companies are always looking for temp workers for manual labor.
6. Working as handymen
Many gypsies are good at fixing things and so they will often work as handymen. This can be a great way to make some money since people are always in need of someone who can fix things around the house or do odd jobs.
For instance, gypsies from certain communities in Romania are well-known for their skills in making and repairing traditional carpets. In other places, they are known for offering services assembling IKEA furniture.
7. Working as Psychics
A Psychic is someone who claims to have the ability to see the future or interpret people’s dreams. This is another popular way for gypsies to make money as there are enough people who are willing to pay to hear a psychic’s predictions.
However, it’s important to note that there is no scientific evidence that supports the claims of psychics and so this can (or should) be considered a scam unless the person going to a psychic is fully aware of the fact that no one can actually predict the future, interpret dreams or communicate with the dead.
8. Circus Performers
A job as a circus performer can fit a gypsy’s itinerant lifestyle perfectly well, as most circuses travel from town to town and are never in one place for too long.
There are many different types of circus performing jobs but some of the more popular ones include fire-eaters, clowns, acrobats, and trapeze artists.
While these may not be the most lucrative of jobs, it’s certainly a fun and interesting way to make a living. And many circus jobs do not require long-term commitments and so gypsies easily are attracted to them.
9. Selling Scrap
Gypsies also make money by selling scrap. This can be anything from old metal to bottles and cans. They will often collect this scrap from dumpsters or the side of the road.
In many cases, they will actually make more money from selling the scrap than they would if they were to get a job working at a recycling center because some scrap can be quite valuable.
Many will find work at a scrap yard where temporary work is actually valued and where they can get paid by the pound for what they bring in.
10. Working in Travelling Carnivals
Finally, similar to circuses, many gypsies also work in traveling carnivals. This can be a great way to make money as it’s usually quite easy to get hired and there is a lot of work available.
There are many different types of jobs available at carnivals but some of the more popular ones include working at game booths, running rides, or being a barker to attract people’s attention.
Carnivals are a great way for gypsies to make money as they can travel from town to town and are never in one place for too long.
So there you have it, ten clever ways how do gypsies make money.
Summary
We hope that this article helps debunk some misconceptions about how gypsies make money and also provides some useful information for anyone who is interested in learning more about this topic.
Gypsies are often thought of as being lazy, uneducated, and unscrupulous but the truth is that they are often very resourceful and entrepreneurial. They have to be in order to make a living since they don’t always have the same opportunities as other people.
So the next time you see a gypsy, don’t judge them too harshly and try to understand how they make a living. It’s not always easy but they usually find a way to make it work.
Having said that there are gypsies like there are others, that resort to questionable or illegal activities to make a living. But which community does not have such people? And so it wouldn’t be fair to paint an entire population with a broad brush. We hope that this article goes some way in dispelling stereotypical views anyone might have about gypsies.
