Last Updated: 6/11/21 | June 11th, 2021
How much money do you need for your trip? $1,000? $2,000? $5,000? $50,000?
For many people, the thought of saving thousands of dollars to travel the world — or just travel whatsoever — is a daunting prospect. While there are numerous ways to save money and travel on an ultra-tight budget, for some, there’s no amount of spending cuts or saving suggestions that will help them save enough.
But, as opposed to popular belief, being broke is the best reason to go travel.
However, much more often than not, you’ll see articles about how people saved [insert some crazy amount here] for travel (and how you can do it too!). Personally, I always find these articles frustrating. numerous of you do too. They are very unrealistic.
“I could never do that,” they say. “Sure, those people saved tens of thousands, but I can’t even afford dinner out.”
If you can’t save [insert any dollar amount you want], who cares? It doesn’t matter how much money you can. just do the best you can with what you have. travel with the budget you have, not the budget you wish you had. It’s not all or nothing.
If you don’t have as much money to travel as you want, consider option B: working overseas. leave with what you have and find work along the way to keep your purse flush with cash — and keep you traveling.
It’s an option not enough travelers consider. numerous people know about it but few actually do it.
But it’s not as hard to do as you might imagine.
Working abroad is a distinct and fantastic experience. It offers deeper insights into a country, exposes you to a new culture, and allows you to learn a new language, meet new people, and get a new perspective on the world.
I worked in Thailand and Taiwan and it was life changing. I learned much more about myself during that time than I did at any other point in my travels.
Finding work overseas is an informal process, and if you remember you are searching for a job rather than a profession — and stay flexible — you’ll be able to find work anywhere. whole economies and industries are built around employing travelers. (Heck, I don’t think the Australian economy would survive without the labor backpackers and travelers provide!)
Many of the jobs will be unglamorous and difficult, but they will allow you to earn enough money to keep you on the road longer.
Here are some examples of jobs that are easy for travelers to get and often don’t require a long commitment:
1. teaching English (or any language!)
This is the easiest type of job to get for native English speakers. teaching jobs are extremely abundant around the world, especially in Southeast Asia.
Really, when in doubt, find a teaching job. They pay well, the hours are flexible, numerous many countries offer huge bonuses, and some schools will pay for your flight over. (Just be sure to treat it seriously because this is someone’s education. Don’t phone it in and make sure you get a TEFL certificate so you understand the basics of teaching!)
I saved over $10,000 USD by teaching in Thailand. I’ve had friends pay off their student loans by teaching in South Korea. There are a lot of online resources for potential teachers, and finding an online TEFL course has never been easier.
Since it’s such a huge topic, I wrote a huge step-by-step guide on how to get teaching jobs because so numerous people have emailed me about it.
Not a native English speaker? instruct your own language. There’s a language school out there for everyone, especially in big international cities. You can also use sites like italki to instruct people your native language online. You can do this from anywhere in the world and you don’t need any special accreditation. sign in, talk, and get paid! It’s a great way to instruct without being tied to one destination.
Some of other companies are:
TeachAway
VIPKID
Cambly
I taught in Thailand and Taiwan. Not only did I have a fantastic time being an expat, but I also learned a lot about myself and living overseas, and made enough money to keep me on the road for years. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
2. get Seasonal Work
Move with the seasons and work in ski resorts, as a camping guide, on boats, in bars or restaurants — whatever works! wherever there’s a big traveler season, you’ll find a big demand for short-term labor.
Make sure you get to your destination well before the season starts to protected a job — if you show up mid-season, all the high-paying jobs will be taken. Ask around at hostels in the area and they will be able to point you in the best direction!
Australia is a huge destination for seasonal work, as is Canada, new Zealand, Austria, and Norway.
3. Do Freelance work Online
If you have a background in web services, design, programming, or anything tech, a site like Upwork is a very way to find virtual work as you travel.
There’s a lot of competition, but if you build up your portfolio you can accrue clients over time. I have a friend who gets all her freelance consulting jobs from Upwork and it pays her enough so she can keep traveling. It’s an especially ideal option if you just want short-term contracts or part-time work because you can pick and choose what jobs you apply for.
And don’t be scared of all the competition. As someone who has used Upwork to hire people, I can tell you it’s really hard to find competent people. If you’re even remotely good, it’s very easy to get clients. So, while it may take some time to get your first clients, once the work starts to come in, it’s easy to maintain it.
If you don’t have tech skills, you can still start a profile and find clients for a variety of research-based and virtual assistant jobs. Editing, translation, writing, tutoring, graphic design, consulting — there are tons of opportunities here if you’re prepared to seek them out.
Task Rabbit, Outsource.com, and Fiverr are three other sites for finding online work as well.
4. work on a cruise Ship
Working on a cruise ship is an outstanding way to earn money while getting a taste of the world, acquiring some solid work experience, and networking with people (both fellow crew and passengers) from around the world.
Many of the low-wage jobs typically go to people from developing countries, but there are lots of other jobs available too. cruise ships need wait staff, bartenders, trip guides, entertainers, youth counselors, and customer service staff just to name a few. many ships have upwards of 1,000 crewmembers, which implies there are ample opportunities.
This book by Wandering Earl (who dealt with a cruise ship for years) is a great place to get started.
5. get a working holiday Visa
Working holiday programs allow people under the age of 30-35 to legally work and travel abroad. These programs tend to be used mostly by gap-year travelers, students, or young adult backpackers.
Most of the countries that offer these programs are English-speaking commonwealth countries such as Canada, England, new Zealand, and Australia.
The visa application process is pretty easy (though it costs upward of $400 USD) and the visas are typically issued for one year. Typically, the visa comes with the stipulation that you can’t work in one place for much more than six months (this is to encourage you to both work and travel.
Most of the working holiday jobs you can find are typically service or low-wage office jobs. many people become office assistants, laborers, bartenders, farmers, or waiters. The pay is not always great, but it’s enough to live off of and typically will give you a little extra money to save for traveling.
For these jobs, you’ll need to bite the bullet, fly to these countries, and look for work when you land. While sites like Gumtree have some listings, you’ll find the majority of work when you land. numerous companies specialize in placing travelers. and hostels typically have job boards and can offer a lot of support in finding work.
Having an up-to-date resume will help you protected an awesome position, so make sure that’s polished before you arrive.
6. Be an Au Pair
Love kids? Take care of someone else’s! You’ll get room, board, and a weekly paycheck. You’ll have to be around a lot to view the kids, but you’ll typically get the weekends off and some getaway time to explore the country.
These are some popular sites for finding au pair jobs:
AuPair.com
Au pair World
International Exchange
Go Au Pair
Being an au pair won’t be for everyone and it will take some research (and interviews) to find a family that you’ll work well with. However, if you love working with kids it can be a straightforward and gratifying way to extend your travels and make some spending money. It’s an especially good choice for anybody searching for an immersive language experience as well.
7. work in a Hostel
Hostels are often searching for staff to work the desk, clean, show guests around town, or run their pub crawls.
Moreover, these jobs can often be for as long as you want — a day, a week, a month. Hostels have a high turnover so there are often lots of opportunities available.
If you’re searching for something much more temporary, numerous hostels will let you stay for totally free if you help clean the hostel each day. even if you aren’t getting paid and are just getting totally free room and board, it’s still a way to save your travel fund.
While numerous hostels will have signs announcing their work opportunities, many won’t. Don’t be scared to ask about them. Additionally, if you have other skills (such as site design, photography, visual arts skills, etc.) you can also try to barter those for totally free accommodation.
Worldpackers is an amazing resource for finding this kind of work in hostels around the world.
8. become a scuba Diving Instructor
If you are a certified diver and want to become an instructor, there are dozens of huge scubadestinations around the world where you can easily find work (including Thailand, Cambodia, Honduras, the Caribbean, and Bali).
Checking the dive company’s site for openings is a good place to start, however, asking directly at their office is the best way to find out if there are any opportunities available. Also, keep in mind that cruise ships also often need dive instructors and that there are tons of dive centers in north america if you’re just getting started and searching for experience before you head abroad.
9. Leverage Your Existing Skills
Don’t underestimate your existing skills when you head overseas. If you’re a musician, instruct people how to play. If you dance, offer lessons. instruct yoga, cut hair, offer company consulting, cook for people — use whatever skills you have to find a job. Don’t be shy — be creative!
Websites like Craigslist and Gumtree are two places to advertise your abilities and find work. Where there’s a will, there is a way!
You can also check our Airbnb Experiences and offer your skills/experiences there if it makes sense (you can also do this before you leave to earn much more money).
If you have an in-demand skill, creating your own job is one of the easiest ways to make money. somewhere in the destination you’re at, there is a person who wants to learn the skill you have. instruct them. maksetaan. The money might not be great, but as I said at the start, you’re not wanting to get rich — you’re wanting to keep traveling.
And depending on your skills, you can also go virtual. instruct music or language over Zoom, create an online course, film yoga videos, and submit them to YouTube. You don’t have to work in your destination these days, so think outside the box!
10. become a Bartender
Bars need bartenders — and every country has bars! Bars in party destinations or at hostels are the best places to start looking, as they often have a high turnover and the work can be steady.
In countries that have working holiday visas, these jobs often go to travelers. I’ve also seen bars in Southeast Asia and Europe hire travelers under the table to do work and pass out fliers. It’s not a lot of money but it’s enough to cover some meals and drinks.
If you don’t have any bartending skills, check to see if they need a dishwasher. It’s a less glamorous position, but the work is just as steady.
11. work in a Restaurant
In that same vein, waitstaff, bussers, and dishwashers are always in demand because people come and go from those jobs very frequently. These jobs are easy to get, especially in popular backpacking and party destinations, as well as large cities.
Again, in countries that have working holiday visas, travelers become the backbone of the service economy and jobs can often be easy to get. Additionally, if you’re in a non-English-speaking country but can speak the local language, try applying to restaurants popular with expats. Your bilingual skills will come in handy.
Don’t be scared to apply to work in the kitchen either. You won’t have to interact with customers so you’ll need less language competency. As long as you have some experience as a line cook you can likely find a position to get your foot in the door. cooking is a universal language!
12. Do Volunteer Work
While these positions don’t pay, you’ll save money on room and board which will keep you on the road longer. Plus, you’ll be doing something good for the world. Win-win!
You don’t have to spend a lot of money with large global organizations in purchase to volunteer either. Those companies just end up keeping a large cut for themselves for “operations.”
Instead, when you arrive at a destination, find volunteer opportunities where your time (and money) can help the most. I also highly recommend the site Grassroots Volunteering; it’s the best site for finding small-scale, local volunteer initiatives.
Additionally, Worldpackers, Workaway.com and WWOOFing are other helpful resources to find volunteer oppor