Make Travel a Lifestyle
It’s a common conundrum for people to not travel long term — or at all — because of money. They think if they travel, they can’t work, and therefore they will have no money to travel in the first place.
This is simply not true. There are ways to travel for free, or at least make money as you go to support your ventures abroad.
Read on to discover some of the most popular ways to keep your butt on the road and your mind off that return flight (which it’s also possible to get for free, by the way). Go ahead and cancel it now — you can stay abroad for longer (and cheaper) than you think!
HelpX and Workaway
There are other sites similar to these out there as well. Signing up for these sites does cost a small amount, but it’s very well worth it as you really do get to travel for free.
Here you’ll have access to opportunities around the world in which you can dedicate your time and get “paid” by getting a free room and sometimes food in return. Other perks may be offered, but it all depends on your host.
You might even acquire a new skill as well.
My personal experience was with HelpX. I dedicated two and half months of my time working in Pai, Thailand packaging salt packets. I worked very little (10 hours per week), so I was quite lucky.
My payment was a sweet apartment surrounded by mountains, a mango orchard, rice fields and cows. It was an unforgettable experience and I saved some money too.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
If you’re interested in working on a farm, travel the world for free, and experience something new, this service is for you.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is another site to sign up for to get opportunities around the world to help local farmers.
This type of work also isn’t paid, but like mentioned above, you are working for free accommodation and food. This will likely result in an amazing cultural experience and even acquiring a new skill.
Teach English
I told you in a previous post how you can make money teaching English around the world, so if you’re qualified, this will certainly help keep you on the road for longer and possibly even replenish your depleted bank account.
The awesome experience is just an added perk.
Au Pair
Love kids? You’re in luck; you can care for children all around the world, so why not become an au pair and do exactly that?
An au pair is a nanny — a job that’s needed everywhere — and what better way to get into the culture than to actually live and interact daily with a local family? You get paid, housing, food and the inside experience of living with locals. Score!
Using Your Skills to Your Advantage
Are you a certified yoga teacher? Perhaps you’re a dive master? Or maybe you play some sweet tunes on your guitar? All of these skills can translate into making money on the road, or at least saving you some cash and making your adventures much cheaper.
Use your skills to your advantage. There are plenty of jobs you can get abroad if you have the right skill set.
I’ve met people who:
- Work on yachts half the year and travel cheaply for the rest of the year.
- Post up in a town and play live music every night for a free place to crash and free drinks.
- Are sitting cozy on a Thai island teaching others how to dive.
These are just a few examples — the list is endless.
There are many crafty ways of saving money on travel expenses. However, sometimes cheaping out on certain services isn't worth it in the long run.
More Specialized Fields
Doctors Without Borders and the Peace Corps are two options I know of, and there are surely more. These are more specialized and take either a specific field of study to get into, or some long-term dedication and strict requirements, but there are some great perks.
For example, the Peace Corps offers loan assistant payment programs for those who volunteer for a certain amount of time. Not to mention these positions will look great on your CV when you decide to go back home.
Working Holiday Visas
Depending where you’re from, this could end up being the most lucrative way to travel and work abroad.
Let’s take me for example: I’m from the United States. U.S. citizens who meet certain requirements can be granted a working holiday visa in Australia.
We can stay for one year and are legally allowed to be employed anywhere in the country. How cool is that?
Where are you from? Do you have opportunities like this? Look it up!
Before moving abroad, I had no idea about working holiday visas. I’d venture to say a large chunk of people back home don’t have a clue about this opportunity.
We can also work in New Zealand. Maybe there are more? So get to Googling working holiday visa opportunities abroad.
It all depends where you’re from and what requirements they ask for, but if you can get it, this is an amazing way to travel and make money.
I can’t express how excited I am to move to Australia, especially since I’ll be working as a waitress and they pay hourly — no need to worry about tipping. Cha Ching!
I’ll be working my tail off, hoarding my money, and then spending it on my future travels. Feel free to follow me on that journey as I challenge myself to spend as little as possible and save large chunks of change.
So where are you headed to? What job appeals to you the most? Happy long-term travels to you!