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Have you been bitten by the wanderlust bug? The world is filled with so many beautiful and exciting places waiting to be explored.
Experiencing other cultures is an important part of our role as global citizens. It’s also tons of fun!
However, there’s one thing that may be holding you back: money. Your budget is tight and you don’t know how to earn money while traveling.
Part of the root cause of this problem is how traveling is portrayed in the media. It’s all about luxury hotels, fancy cruises and everything that allows you to relax and have a good time for a week or two.
An authentic travel experience requires far more than that. Those who are serious about experiencing a new culture immerse themselves in it. But, did you know that you can earn money while traveling for this true immersion experience?
[h2 bgcolor=”ff6600″]36 ways to get paid for travel [/h2]
1. Travel blogging/vlogging
This is by far one of the most common ways to earn money while traveling. We’re going to use a popular travel vlogger and popular travel blogger as examples.
Nas Daily is one of the most popular travel vloggers on Facebook. Nuseir Yassin, the founder of the popular website, quit his high-paying tech job in New York in 2016 to travel the world fulltime. He has a net worth of $250,000, most of which is earned through Facebook ads in his videos.
Nuseir’s videos, however, stand out from those of other vloggers. He has committed to traveling the world in 1,000 days and chronicling the things he learns along the way. His videos focus on not so popular places to visit in the world such as Rwanda and Malta.
Each video highlights a poignant social issue and provides a fresh perspective based on Nuseir’s experience. For instance, one of his most popular videos “Why Are We Blind to Africa?” showcases Africa as a beautiful continent, far different from what we see in popular media.
The Nas Daily approach to travel vlogging opens a window into the possibilities of earning money while traveling. His powerful videos resonate with many audiences and have gone viral.
If you’re considering travel vlogging, your approach must come from a place of being different from other travel vloggers. Think carefully about what has inspired you to travel. How can you use this inspiration to create fresh content that the world has never seen?
Travel blogging is perfect for people who love to take photographs and spend hours typing in front of a computer screen. Dan Flying Solo is one of the most popular travel blogging websites. It was created in 2014 by Dan, a guy who seriously loves to travel.
Dan’s revenue is earned primarily through advertisements on his website and his photography. His photography “has been published in Beautiful Destination, Travel and leisure, National Geographic, Travel Channel and Matador Network.”
Nuseir’s advice for people considering travel blogging or vlogging includes:
- Success won’t happen overnight.
It took a lot of work for Nuseir to get to where he is today. Focus on developing a personal brand that resonates with your target audience and you’ll build a following over time. Nas Daily has over 11 million followers on Facebook!
- Other streams of income will be necessary.
Nas was able to make travel vlogging his career because of a $3000 per month job that he got after a Russia-owned media company saw the video he posted about his first destination, Kenya. The company hired him to create and manage the content for their social media pages.
- Don’t expect to be rich.
Living a minimalistic nomadic life will be your norm.
- Get comfortable with being lonely.
Nuseir is constantly traveling and this makes it difficult for him to establish lasting friendships. His passion to reveal the truth about the world is what drives him despite the often lonely road he travels. He truly enjoys having new experiences.
If you’re afraid of being lonely, you could try to find someone who’ll be willing to join the ride like these awesome couples who do travel blogging.
2. Busking
Busking? Seems like a strange word right? Busking simply means earning money by playing music in the streets or other public places. Watch this viral video of a young violinist who was playing Despacito in the streets of Santa Monica earlier this year to see an example.
Talented musicians often start their careers through busking. Ed Sheeran, for instance, used busking to earn an income while he was living on the streets.
Harry Vagrant is a talented musician who earns money through busking in Lativa, a small northern European country. It provides him with just enough money to support a minimalistic life of traveling. He has also gotten a few gigs and learned to play a unique Persian/Turkish instrument called the santur.
Here’re some tips from Harry’s journey that’ll help you succeed as a traveling busker:
- Don’t be shy.
- Determine if a busking permit is required before playing in the streets.
- Play an interesting instrument that wows your audience.
3. Work on a cruise ship or airline
If you want to make traveling a full-fledged career, working on a cruise ship or with an airline may be the right fit. The qualifications to become a cruise ship employee vary greatly because of the different job possibilities.
More specialized positions, such as a fitness instructor, require special experience and education while general cruise staff positions don’t. Similarly, working as a flight attendant typically requires only a high school diploma.
4. Get a working holiday visa
A working holiday visa allows travelers to work while visiting a foreign country. The traveler can stay in the country for up to 12 months.
The requirements for this visa differ from one country to the next. Additionally, not all countries offer this visa.
Visit this website to view a list of the countries that offer working holiday visas.
5. Work at resorts or summer camps
Summer is one of the busiest times for resorts. It’s also the time when camps become active. You could apply to a resort or summer camp job in a destination you love. Most of these jobs pay a meager salary but they do offer accommodations and meals. There would also be opportunities for you to go and explore the town or city in which the resort or camp is located.
6. Photography or videography
This point was mentioned in the section covering travel blogging and vlogging. You may not want to commit to a blog or vlog, but you can still earn some money from the photographs and videos you take.
Some popular websites where you could sell your photos or videos include:
- Shutterstock
- Uscreen
- TripFilms
- Foap
- Fotolia
- Tandem Stills +Motion
- 500 px
- iStock
- Snapwire
- PhotoMoolah
- Smug Mug
- Can Stock Photo
7. Work with an international traveling show
Do you love adventure? An international traveling show is the right blend of fun and travel opportunities.
Circuses are the most widely known international traveling shows. However, you may be lucky enough to join the band of an international artiste, dance troupe, or performing arts group.
Research groups that appeal to your interests and skill level. Always remember though that you’ll be trading the place you call home for a life on the road. Be prepared for the emotions and pressure that comes along with that.
8. Become a tour escort
A tour escort is someone who guides tourists through certain areas of a town or city. The role differs from one region to the next but one thing remains constant; you must be well versed in everything that makes the destination unique.
CruiseJobFinder can help you find the right tour escort job in a destination of your choice.
9. Become a tour operator
If you’ve explored a destination several times, chances are you’ve learned a lot about it. Why not hire some locals to create a tour operator company?
Tour operators are similar to tour guides but they guide tourists through several destinations instead of just one. They essentially bring some of the best local attractions together to create a good experience for guests.
10. Sell your art and crafts at local markets
Artists and craft vendors have earned money by selling their work at local craft markets in the destinations they visit. You’ll need to strike a good relationship with one of the local vendors and bargain a mutually beneficial arrangement.
11. Edit English signs and menus
You’re sitting at a bar in a local German restaurant and notice that one of the English signs has a few words spelled incorrectly. It bothers you so you ask to speak with the owner.
The owner speaks broken English and is grateful for your help with correcting the sign. You then offer to look through all his English printed material for a small fee. He gladly obliges.
Editing English signs and menus isn’t a lucrative career. However, it can help you earn some spending money for your trip abroad. Having good people skills and a good grasp of the local language can help you win a few jobs.
12.Work exchange
Work exchange is just a fancy term for volunteering. You exchange your time and skills for accommodation. Not only do work exchange programs allow you to give back in a meaningful way, they also allow you to explore a new country without having to worry about accommodations and meals. It’s also one of the best ways to get an authentic experience of the local culture.
13. Become a traveling chef
Years of experience are needed here. Earning steady income as a traveling chef may mean working with a global restaurant chain as an international liaison. The more experience you have, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to convince the company that you’re an asset.
Otherwise, you could work as a freelance chef who takes up odd jobs while traveling. This is a less stable stream of income. However, you can supplement that income with a food blog that chronicles interesting things you’ve learned about food on your travels. James from WorldTravelChef.com has done this successfully.
14. Become a translator
Translators are pivotal for government and international business relations. If you’re fluent in another language, you could become a freelance translator.
The type of translation you do, however, depends on the area of translation in which you want to specialize. The possible areas include:
- Technical translation
- Scientific translation
- Financial translation
- Legal translation
- Judicial translation
- Certified translation
- Literary translation
Some areas require more specialized training than others. However, you can build a profitable career as a freelance translator.
15. Become a long-term Brand ambassador
This is probably one of the more difficult ways to earn money while traveling. Brands don’t notice people who don’t have a large following and who aren’t interesting enough. It isn’t worth their time.
If you have a large following of people who love your social media posts, chances are that you can approach brands to negotiate a partnership. In fact, brands will start noticing you before you even approach them.
Yendi Phillips, Miss Universe 2010 1st Runner Up, is a prime example of how to make this work. She has managed to leverage her social media fan base, and local status, to become a long-term brand ambassador for Payless Shoes.
Her Instagram page is flooded with pictures of her travels around the world, with Cape Town, South Africa is one of her favorite spots. She’s enjoying travel bliss without losing a steady income stream.
16. Work overseas as an expat
An expat is someone who lives in a foreign country temporarily and plans to return home sometime in the near future. One of the best ways to find expat opportunities is to work for an international organization. These organizations tend to have short-term contracts for work in overseas locations.
17. Create an online freelance company
Online freelancing is one of the best ways to earn money while traveling. It provides the flexibility of working anywhere if there is internet access. Jobs are available in almost every field imaginable.
You can build a successful freelance company using any of the following online freelancing platforms:
- UpWork
- Fiverr
- 99 Designs
- Toptal
- People per hour
- Simply Hired
- IFreelance
- The Creative Group
18. Become an au pair
An au pair is basically an international nanny. There are several au pair websites that offer positions in various countries. Here’re some examples:
- The International Au Pairs Association
- Au Pair International
- Au Pair World
- Au Pair Care
Some of the best cities to work as an au pair include:
- London
- Madrid
- Sydney
- Amsterdam
- Stockholm
- Berlin
Entry requirements to work as an au pair in any country differ. Ensure that you follow all of the legal requirements and do extensive research before applying to work with an agency.
19. Sell timeshares
A timeshare provides ownership of a vacation property that can be used at least once per year. You may own a property in a nice vacation spot.
Selling timeshares on that property to interested buyers may give you enough money to travel for a year.
On the other hand, you may have bought timeshares for property and wish to resell them. The best way to do this is to use a for-sale-by-owner website. One possibility is sellmytimesharenow.com.
20. Work at a hostel
Hostels provide inexpensive accommodations for travelers on a budget. You could get a job in a hostel in one of the following areas:
- Reception
- Cleaning
- Bartending or serving
- Events
These jobs provide accommodation for free! Working at a hostel is a great way to earn money while traveling.
21. Instagram Model
Modeling is a highly competitive industry. Few models are able to reach the heights of success of supermodels like Naomi Campbell.
A new approach to gaining modeling recognition is to use Instagram. Attractive men and women post stunning photos of themselves hoping to get enough interactions and to be seen by the right persons. You can try this tactic if you got the goods.
22. Teach English
You can either teach English online or travel to a foreign country to teach English as a second language. Some of the better paying teach English abroad jobs can be found in South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Vietnam.
23. Manage social media for a small tourist destination
Social media is crucial for developing a successful online presence. However, not enough companies are using it effectively to reach their target audiences. If you have experience creating successful social media profiles, you could offer your services to a tourist destination in a company you visit. The pay may be good enough for you to afford a nice vacation.
24. Work at a restaurant
Working as a waiter/waitress or bartender is a popular way to earn money while traveling. Minimal experience is required and you can earn big tips in some tourist areas. Restaurants in busy tourist areas are the best places to start looking. Having someone from the same country as restaurant patrons increase the likelihood that more tourists from that country will feel comfortable in that space.
25. Create an online store
Successful online stores can generate a steady stream of income. Marketing is pivotal to this success. Working as an online store owner also means that you can work from anywhere in the world. This is great if you want to earn money while traveling.
Dropshipping is one of the best ways to enter the online store niche. You won’t have to handle inventory. All you essentially do is market a product that the supplier wants to sell using you’re marked up price. Watch Kirk Buchanan’s YouTube channel to learn more about succeeding as a drop shipper.
26. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing online can be done using social media, blogs, a YouTube channel or your own website. Success requires a high volume of followers and/or website traffic and strategic placement of the affiliate links and products.
Some of the best affiliate marketing platforms include:
- Shareasale
- Flex offers
- MaxBounty
- Tradedoubler
- CJ Affiliate
- Rakuten
- Affiliate Window
27. Day Trading
Day trading is a high-risk way to earn money while traveling. It’s for the financially savvy individuals who know how to trade with ease on the forex and stock markets.
Marcello Arrambide from the Wandering Trader blog has used this approach to finance his travels. He warns of the risks involved with trading and emphasizes the need to do extensive research before trading.
28. Become a Scuba Instructor
There is so much to explore under the sea. Become a trained scuba instructor and help others find sunken treasures in some of your favorite destinations.
Talon, owner of the 1dad1kid blog has worked as a traveling scuba instructor. He has used this, and the money he earns from his blog, to finance he and his son’s travels. He notes that Utila,
Honduras is one of the cheapest places to work as a scuba instructor. The requirements to become a scuba instructor are:
- At least 6 months of experience as a certified open water diver, rescue diver, divemaster, and Emergency First Response Instructor
- 100 hour of open water dives
- Successful completion of the instructor development course
29. Surfing Instructor
Chris Stevens, the owner of the blog Backpacker’s Banter, has traveled the world as a surfing instructor. He warns that this is a seasonal job with not so wonderful pay.
So, you must really love it an be committed to a life of adventure to take it on.
30. Yoga/ fitness instructor
One of the best ways to earn money as a yoga/fitness instructor is to create an online subscription-based school. Pop Sugar Fitness is an example. They’ve created a robust YouTube channel filled with useful workout videos.
The beauty of this online approach is that you’re able to earn passive income and it isn’t location based. So you can travel worry-free.
31. Rent your home while you travel
Why not use AirBnB to rent out all or a portion of your home while you travel? It’s a good way to earn money that helps reduce your expenses.
32. Masseuse
Are you a trained masseuse? You can earn money while traveling by offering your services at resorts and other tourist destinations.
33. Beauty expert
Again, like some of the other jobs previously mentioned, developing an online brand is one of the best ways to become a beauty expert. YouTube and Instagram are 2 of the more popular platforms used to gain influence in the niche. It’s a highly competitive field but you can stand out if you have something unique to offer.
34. Travel nurse
A travel nurse is an experienced registered nurse who travels to other cities to work. The assignments usually last between 8 and 26 weeks. There are nurse shortages in several major cities across the world. So, why not give it a shot if you’re a registered nurse?
35. Design websites
Website designers can make good money online. Businesses always need websites and they’ll pay good money to have an experienced professional design them.
36. Dance instructor
Dancing is a part of every culture. You can become a certified dance instructor who specializes in dance styles from a specific country. This increases your credibility and makes it more likely that you’ll be hired to work at tourist destinations in your country of choice.
Putting It All Together
Money doesn’t have to be an obstacle if you want to travel. We’ve given you 36 ways to earn money while traveling. If you’re serious about exploring the world, try one of these money-making strategies and have fun!