9 Opportunities to Work While on the Road
All of us love to vacation. Some of us dream of permanent travel. The question is: How could we possibly afford permanent or long-term travel? Luckily, there are quite of few different opportunities for you to work and make money while you are traveling. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
1. Teach English
Pros: Teaching English in another country to children or adults can be extremely rewarding and there is a need around the world with lots of opportunities.
Cons: Usually, you will need to commit to at least 6 - 12 months, which means that you cannot travel around the world while teaching English in a country as you are somewhat tied to a location.
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2. Online Freelance Work
Pros: The obvious benefit of online freelance work is that it allows you to work 100% location independent and thus is very flexible. And since you are freelancing, you are not confined to an hourly wage and do not have a 'limit' on how much money you can make.
Cons: Something that freelancers struggle with is that there is no guarantee of steady work; you may have fantastic month, followed by a dry spill of losing and not finding new clients, so you need to budget accordingly. It can also be very competitive, depending on the work you choose to do.
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3. In-country job (e.g. at a resort, on a movie set, at a local market)
Pros: Finding a local job abroad, will allow you get cultural insight into the country's work environment and also motivate you to familiarize yourself with the foreign language to communicate with the local people you will meet through your work.
Cons: You may be at a disadvantage working in a foreign country due to cultural and language barriers. Another downside is that you will most likely need to apply for a work visa to legally work abroad and depending what the job entails, it will be most likely location dependent, thus decreasing your flexibility to travel.
Resources:
Speak to locals
Google "Jobs [Name of the City / Country]"
4. Travel Blogging
Pros: My opinion may be biased, but I think travel blogging is a fun way to share your experience as well as capture your memories. When you know you will be sharing your travel experiences, it allows you to be more attentive to your surroundings and create more intense memories. In addition to monetary income, you may also get other non-monetary benefits, such as paid press trips.
Cons: Travel Blogging isn't as simple as you think. It takes time to create great content, perform general blog maintenance, and build a loyal audience and thus it also takes time before you start making money through your travel blog. However, if this is your passion, then the initial effort is absolutely worth it.
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If you want to learn how to start a travel blog, scroll down to the step by step guide in this post.
5. House sitting
Pros: House sitting allows you meet new furry friends (in most house sits), live in a house for very little to no cost, and be immersed into the local culture. It is also a great way to experience a different way of living than you are used to and determine which you prefer.
Cons: You are responsible for organizing and paying for your own travel to and from the house sitting destination and depending on the destination, your country of citizenship, and the length of your stay, you may be required to get a visa, which incurs additional fees and preparation.
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6. Sell your own Creations
Pros: You get to follow your passion and be creative and generally, there are very low barriers of entry. It allows you to work 100% location independent and thus is very flexible not only in allowing you to work on your creations anywhere you want, but also when you want, since you don't have any set hours during which you have to work.
Cons: The downside of creating physical items/art/jewelry is that even though it allows you to work from anywhere, you do have to carry around your supplies, because they may not be readily available in some parts of the world or be available at a much higher cost. In addition, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that people will like and buy items.
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7. Photography
Pros: The biggest benefit is that it allows you to turn your passion into income and thus spend more time doing it. Depending on the type of photography you specialize in, you may have the opportunity to travel a lot and see the world and/or meet some great people along the way.
Cons: Unfortunately, the photography industry is very competitive. With so many free photo editing apps out there now, nearly everyone can snap some photos and make them look quite professional. However, if you have a unique niche or a something that makes you stand out as a photographer, it is not impossible to earn a full-time living with photography.
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8. Cruise Ship Employment
Pros: A lot of cruise ship jobs pay really well and also come with a variety of perks, including special low pricing on food and drinks and areas for the crew to socialize and hang out during their off-hours. In addition, you technically get paid to travel the world and will have the opportunity to visit a lot of different places and sometimes explore them as well.
Cons: You may be expected to work 90+ hours per week, which can get very exhausting. If you get into an argument with any of the other crew members, unfortunately you are stuck with them for awhile and it being a cruise ship, it won't be very easy to avoid them at times. Lastly, you will be at sea for months at a time, away from family and travel is less flexible, since the itineraries are set and not dependent on your wishes.
Resources:
Detailed Guide on Getting a Job on a Cruise Ship by Travel Blogger Wandering Earl
Article: "What is it Like to Work Onboard Cruise Ships?" by an ex-cruise ship crewmember
9. Work Exchange
Pros: With so many different opportunities available around the world, you are bound to find a work exchange that will suit your skills and your wish list. You have the opportunities to meet wonderful people and build friendships all around the world with your hosts and other work exchangers, get to know a new destination on a low budget (since your accommodation is usually taken care of in exchange for the work), and give you a chance to try out a new lifestyle of work.
Cons: Of course there is a risk that the work exchange won't meet your expectations and you won't be happy there, leaving you forced to either fly back, find a paid accommodation last-minute, or try to find another work exchange nearby; all of which can cause stress and unplanned expenses. Due to potential cultural and language barriers as well as just a feeling of obligation, you may find yourself working much longer hours than initially agreed upon, decreasing your amount of free time to explore the destination and culture.
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Do you have any other ideas of working and making money while traveling? Do you have any experience with the above work?