Franc Humphries, of Dunedin, did just that by busking in Central Otago over the holiday period with the proceeds going to the Otago Community Hospice.
He set out with a plan of raising $1000 for the organisation and was "blown away" by the reaction from his audience.
"I thought it would take me until the end of March, because I didn't think I would have such a response," he said.
The hospice was a worthy charity to support because of the "amazing" work it did, he said.
The guitarist performed three two-hour stints in Queenstown, Wanaka and Alexandra before returning to Dunedin to perform in St Kilda and Mosgiel.
He played the "good stuff" from the 1960s "baby boomer" era, with about 670 songs in his repertoire.
Mr Humphries' part-time entertainment career spanned seven years under the stage name Classic Gold.
He largely performed at paid gigs and this was his first attempt at busking.
"I love busking - I love the edginess of it," he said, though added he would never busk for himself, preferring the money went to charity.
"I'd do it again."
