How to Make Money While Traveling
Saving money so we can travel is something a lot of us do. But do you ever wonder how to make money while traveling? Whether you’re looking to recoup costs before you even catch the flight back home, or you’re looking for a long-term deal, we have some tips.
Some of these methods of making money while traveling will require various skills. And while others won’t add up to a full time income, you could combine these side hustles to maximize your earnings.
We’re going to talk about gigs like travel blogging, winning money with mobile games like Solitaire Cash, freelance writing, completing surveys with sites like InboxDollars and more.
Can You Really Work and Travel at the Same Time?
Yes, but there are pros and cons to it just like with anything else. Most of the time, you’ll need to make sure you have internet access, have certain skills or do multiple side hustles to build up enough income. But the rise in working from home does make remote work while traveling possible. Here are some avenues to consider.
10 Flexible Jobs and Hustles to Fund Your Travel
1. Freelance Writing or Design
You can write articles and blog posts or do design work for publications on a freelance basis — and all remotely. You’ll need a computer and internet access plus some knowledge of design or writing. You’ll also need to put in the work to find clients in need of freelancers. LinkedIn is a good place to start. Fiverr and Upwork are also popular sites for finding gig work.
2. Online Surveys or Testing Websites
Sites and apps will pay for you to take surveys or do usability tests. The best part about these options is a low barrier to entry. You don’t need any special skills or knowledge — usually just a phone. It’s also great for earning a few bucks during downtime at the airport or while you’re on public transport. The best way to take advantage of these is to make sure to share your honest opinion and use more than one app.
For website and app testing, we recommend Kashkick and Freecash.
Some of the best survey sites we recommend include:
3. Travel Blogging or Vlogging
Being a content creator is growing increasingly popular. People look to travel influencers for destination recommendations, tips on savings or other hacks that elevate the experience. If you turn your travels into content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or your own blog, you could make money with ads, affiliate links or sponsorships.
It’s not an instant money maker. You need to grow a following before you get a ton of engagement or cash from sponsors. However, it can one day be a serious money-maker that funds your travel lifestyle.
Check out our guides on how to make money on YouTube and TikTok.
4. Play Online Games
If you’re any good at games like Solitaire and bingo, you could win some money playing online. And it’s mobile friendly, so all you need is a phone. Although it won’t amount to a full-time income, it can supplement freelance work or give you extra spending money as you travel.
A few of the best money-making games are:
5. Social Media Management
This is another skill you can use for freelance or contract work. You can create and schedule posts and manage engagement for brands who don’t need a full-time social media manager or need help with a big project. If you know your way around social media and aren’t ready to become an influencer, this is another way to make money with your skills.
It can be done from a phone, but a laptop is probably easier. You’ll also need regular access to the internet and some knowledge of content creation.
6. Teaching or Online Tutoring
Tutoring can get you decent money with a more flexible schedule. If you’re well versed in math, science or language skills you can find gigs doing online tutoring. Sites like Wyzant or Preply are good places to find work.
If you want to make a bigger commitment and deeply explore one part of the world, you can get jobs teaching abroad. These are usually to teach English, and you can get paid to live in a place you’ve never been and immerse yourself in the culture.
7. Seasonal Work (Tourism, Cruise Ships, Ski Resorts)
This is another way to spend a lot of time in a certain destination. Lots of popular tourist destinations need seasonal work during busy seasons. This could be summer for warm places and winter for places like ski resorts. They’ll hire you for temporary jobs and may even include housing. It’s another great way to make money while exploring a new place.
8. Pet or House Sitting
If you’re willing to arrange getting there, people will pay you to pet or house sit by staying in their homes. You could do this in a cool city you’ve never been to before. While the free accommodations are nice, make sure to keep your responsibility in mind. You shouldn’t take a pet sitting job when you plan on being out exploring tourist sites all day.
You can find work on platforms like care.com, rover.com and trustedhousesitters.com.
9. Photography or Selling Stock Photos
Photographers who want more of a passive way to make money can sell their images through stock photo sites like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. It’s a decent option because there’s not much more work to be done after you upload the photos. The best part is, you’ll have plenty of sites to take photos of during your travels.
Check out our guide on how to sell your photos online.
10. Virtual Assistant Work
Remote work has made another job more popular: virtual assistant. Working as a virtual assistant, you can help business owners manage tasks like responding to emails, scheduling meetings and research. This gig is great for people with a laptop, access to the internet and exceptional organization skills.
How to Find Travel-Friendly Remote Work Opportunities
If you want to start with a broad search, we have a list of the best work-from-home companies. You can also look at sites like FlexJobs.com and Remote.co. You should make sure your LinkedIn is up to date, especially if you’re going to look for freelance or contract work. You’ll also have to plan ahead and make sure you’ll have access to the internet when you need it and that you can manage any time differences.
Another import note: Make sure to research the work visa requirements for your destination, as they can vary.
Don’t Forget About Travel Credit Card Perks
An even easier way to help fund travels is to use travel credit cards. The best ones offer rewards points or miles toward purchases like airfare, hotels and rental cars. Though some carry steep fees, the right card not only saves you money on foreign transaction fees but also offers rewards and perks that enhance your travel experience. And they might also come with perks like travel insurance, free baggage check and late check-out at hotels.
The key to this is to use the cards responsibly. Don’t overspend just to get rewards and don’t buy something you can’t pay for once the statement comes and interest gets charged.
Tips for Managing Finances While Living the Travel Life
Your banking and budgeting can get messy with lots of travel. Here are some tips to follow:
- Use digital banks or accounts with no ATM fees
- Set up an emergency fund
- Use a budgeting app to keep track of expenses
- Track exchange rates and fees when transferring or converting money
Common Scams to Watch Out for While Earning Abroad
Scammers use remote work and job listings as a way to get money or information from you. As you look for a way to make money on the road, avoid jobs that charge you fees, be wary of jobs that are sent to you unprompted, always use secure payment methods like PayPal, and research any company or client before you do work for them.
Final Thoughts: Is the Travel Life Right for You?
It will take a lot of organizing and planning, but it can be done if you dream of traveling more than once or twice a year. If you’re not sure you can keep track of the side gigs or get nervous about not having a steady income, it may not be for you.
But if you’re willing to give it a shot, try some of these gigs before you start traveling to see how they work for you. And build your emergency fund as much as possible so you have it to fall back on. It will be challenging, but an adventure for sure.
