20 Ways You Can Make Money and Travel the World

Have you ever asked yourself, “How will I possibly make money while traveling?” or “How will I survive on the road?” or maybe “How can I can’t start traveling when I don’t have much money?”.

Chances are that these very thoughts have indeed crossed your mind (they cross all of our minds at some point!) and there’s also a chance that you haven’t found any answers. As a result, you’ve still yet to take that first step and start traveling and as time passes by, you start to wonder if you’ll ever achieve your travel goals.

Here on the blog I’m always making the claim that you can make money and travel much more easily than most people think. But yesterday I realized that I should probably back up that claim with some actual examples. So, that’s what I want to do here. I want to help you answer those questions above.

Are you ready? Here’s a list of 42 ways you can make money while traveling (keep in mind this is just a fraction of the opportunities that actually exist!)…

Teach English – Job opportunities are all around the world and in many cases, you don’t need to be certified. You just need to be a native speaker. Check out eslcafe.com, send in a few applications to schools in South Korea, Japan, Thailand or dozens of other locations & you’ll be surprised at how many interviews you land.

Sell Timeshares – If you were born to be a salesperson, then head to Greece, Thailand, Mexico, the Caribbean or any other major resort area and you can find work selling timeshares. These resorts want salespeople who can relate to their potential customers, so they prefer to have Americans selling to Americans, Italians selling to Italians and so on. The earning potential is huge in this line of work.

Resort Jobs – If selling isn’t your thing, resorts all over the planet often hire staff from other countries for a variety of positions, such as front desk, restaurant or the activity/entertainment department.

Work in a Hostel – Hostels are often looking for new staff who are willing to work some hours each day, either at reception or cleaning or maybe both, in exchange for a free bed each night. Not a bad way to save money at all.

Online Freelance Work – Whether you have a background or interest in web design, programming, illustration, writing, marketing, consulting, legal work, engineering or able to do any type of admin work, you should definitely look at websites such as Elance.com and Odesk.com. These are platforms that connect freelancers with people and companies who need work done. Even if your background is in something else, have a look anyway as there is freelance work to be found in dozens of different fields.

Act in Films & Television Overseas – Head to Mumbai, stand on a street corner in the Colaba neighborhood and before long, an industry scout will ask you if you want to act in a Bollywood film. (I once acted in an Indian daytime drama!) You won’t make millions, but you’ll be on the big screen. I also know people who have done the same in Kenya and earned very good money.

Working Holiday Visas – Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Ireland and Singapore offer these to foreigners, generally those who are between the ages of 18 – 30. If you’re in that age range, the working holiday visa might just be your best option to make money and travel. It allows you stay in a country for up to one year and in some cases, to apply for and work in any position you want. Yes, it is a sweet deal and one incredible way to earn an income while being overseas.

Fruit-Picking – Get out into the sun, grab a basket and start picking fruit. Such an option is quite common for travelers/backpackers passing through Australia and the pay can include payment per kilo of fruit you pick, room, board or any combination of the three.

Travel Blogging – It’s not easy to earn a big income with a travel blog. The amount of time/effort required to do so is much more than most people imagine. But if you’re looking for some extra cash to help fund part of your travels, while keeping the world informed of your adventures, starting a travel blog might be your answer. (Have a look at the high quality, extremely useful Superstar Blogging Course by Nomadic Matt if you’re serious about earning money from your blog.)

Any Kind of Blogging – You don’t have to start a travel blog just because you’re traveling. Whatever your interest may be, that might be the kind of blog you should start. There are always opportunities to earn some money no matter what you choose to focus on.

Affiliate Marketing – Making money this way is definitely possible even though the competition can be high. But if you’re willing to dedicate yourself to a couple of months worth of research, you’ll find your niche and hopefully a steady paycheck. If you don’t know much about affiliate marketing, have a look at Affilorama.com, which offers an excellent series of free lessons to get you started.

Selling Goods Online – Found some cool product that you think others would be interested in? Have your own handmade product you want to sell? You could set up a website or a shop on eBay or any other type of online sales outlet and start selling. Your success will depend on many factors but again, if you’re willing to learn how to get your goods in front of the right people online, even a few sales each week could potentially keep you on the road.

Day-Trading – It may not be for everyone, but there are people out there earning a living and traveling as a result of their day trading efforts. One in particular is Marcello from WanderingTrader.com.

Housesitting – Who wouldn’t want a free place to stay? While you typically won’t get paid, if you don’t mind looking after somebody else’s house while they’re away, this is a great option. I know many people who just hop around from house-sitting gig to house-sitting gig, essentially avoiding accommodation expenses for years. Gigs can be one week, one month, one year or anything in between. (Jess & Dani from GlobetrotterGirls.com and Pete & Dalene from HeckticTravels.com are the experts when it comes to house-sitting!)

Work Remotely – There’s no rule that states you must quit your current job in order to travel. Perhaps your position allows you to work remotely and all you need to do is speak with your boss in order to make the adjustment. Head down to a place like Playa del Carmen, Mexico and you’ll find foreigners everywhere who are doing just this, able to make money and travel wherever they wish.

Haircuts – Choose a popular hostel, put up a sign (ask first!), charge a reasonable amount and off you go. I remember meeting a traveler who was doing this in Zagreb, Croatia and she was making $40 USD per day by advertising in 3 hostels. She would cut hair for a month, then travel for a month and repeat. Not bad at all.

Massages – Follow the same idea as above but offer massages instead! I’d sign up for sure after a long day wandering around a town or city.

Bartending – There are bars in many towns and cities that pay ‘cash in hand’ to travelers who can work a bar and are willing to stay in one spot for a while. Bars connected to hostels are often your best bet.

Cafe/Restaurant Work – The same goes for cafes and restaurants. If you’re in a popular backpacking destination, just ask the hostel staff if they know of any cafes that hire travelers. Sometimes you’ll find a local classifieds/coupon traveler-oriented magazine lying around the hostel as well. Flip it open and many times you’ll find restaurants advertising for help.

Website Design – Know how to build simple websites, or even more complex ones? Start your own business and look for clients online, through family & friends or even overseas. Staying at a hostel in Turkey that has a crappy website? Tell them you’ll completely improve their site for $50. (When I was traveling in Syria, just because I worked online, I received over a dozen offers from budget hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses who were willing to pay me up to $500 USD to set up a new website for them. And this can be done anywhere.)

Teach Musical Instruments – Piano? Guitar? Flute? Glockenspiel? Whatever you can play, chances are there are people all over the world who want to learn as well. Advertise in local online classifieds or put up signs in busy areas, such as gathering places of college students, and you just might have a few classes lined up before you know it.

Teach Any Language – English isn’t the only language people want to learn. Speak French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Arabic or anything else? Look for jobs or set up your own classes by advertising at universities or popular hangouts such as cafes.

Teach Dance Classes – Again, put up some signs around town, find space in a public park and teach others how to get their tango on. You could also work out a deal with a restaurant/bar where they pay you to hold a class at their location because it will bring them plenty of extra business.