By Lauren Juliff
Student Travel Expert, about.com
If the idea of being able to travel full-time while making money as you go sounds like the ultimate dream, you're in luck. Work and travel doesn't have to be an unrealistic goal -- there are thousands of people doing so all around the world at this very moment. I've been doing it for four years!
One of the first things I recommend doing is to
jot down a list of your skills. From there, you can start researching if
there could be a way to do them from anywhere -- while being paid, of
course! Here are 25 suggestions to get you started:
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Teach English Abroad: If
you have a college degree, you'll find that in certain countries around
the world you'll be able to work as an English teacher without any
further qualifications. The pay won't be incredible but it'll be enough
to live of off, and often enough to build your savings, too. I've heard
of people who taught English in South Korea for two years and, by the
end of their stint, had enough money to fund a year-long round-the-world
trip!
If you don't have a degree, you can still study for a TEFL (Teaching
English as a Foreign Language) exam, which will qualify you to teach in
most countries around the world. Some TEFL courses will even help you
find a teaching job after you finish their course.
Who is this for? Someone who has strong language skills and the desire to work with children.
Working on a Cruise Ship: Cruise
ships are always looking for new employees, from cleaners to nurses;
bartenders to entertainers -- there'll likely be something you can do.
Working on a cruise ship allows you to see the world in small doses,
traveling from port to port and never spending more than a few days in
your destination.
Who is this for? Someone who's looking to see a large percentage of the world in a short amount of time.
Working as a Surf Instructor: If
you love to surf, then why not consider training to be a surf
instructor? Just remember that you'll be limited to traveling in areas
by the sea with surf-able waves -- something that's never a bad option!
[post_ads]Working as a Dive Master: If
you've fallen in love with life underwater, consider getting training
as a dive instructor so that you can teach people how to dive around the
world. Like surfing, you'll be limited to spending time by the water,
and the money isn't great, but you'll be able to spend a few months or
years helping others to fall in love with the ocean.
Working in a Hostel: If
you're running low on funds, you'll be able to pick up work in a hostel
in exchange for free accommodation. The work will usually involve
spending a few hours a day cleaning dorm rooms or manning the reception
desk, and then you're free to spend the rest of your day exploring.
Working in a Bar: The
great thing about bar work is that its easy to pick up and doesn't
require too many skills. Ask around in a new city and see if anywhere is
looking for work.
Working on a Yacht: What do
you think of the idea of living on the ocean? If you love sailing, get
your competent crew qualification and you can help crew yachts around
the world. One of the most recent yachting opportunities I came across
involved sailing from Southeast Asia to South Africa. You can find
opportunities on job boards online, or even on your hostel noticeboard.
Freelance Writing: If you're a talented writer, you could have a look at freelancing to fund your travels.
Writing is one of the easiest ways to find freelancing opportunities
because the barrier is very low -- however, finding good pay can be
tricky. Travel writing pays notoriously badly, but there's still plenty
of other subjects you can write about.
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Graphic Designer: Have
experience with graphic design? That's the perfect career for travel
and work. Graphic design jobs can be completed from anywhere you can
take your laptop and have a decent Internet connection.
Computer Programming: If
you're a talented computer programmer, you should find it easy to find
work on the road. Check out some freelancing websites to see what
opportunities are out there. Once you have some experience under your
belt, you'll be able to attract bigger and better paying gigs.
Travel Blogging: Making money from travel blogging
can be challenging but rewarding. With advertising budgets dropping
each year, you'll have to come up with a product or service to sell to
your readers -- and then there's building up those readers in the first
place! However, if you persevere, you'll find an encouraging community
who are only too happy to help you out and make travel recommendations.
Self-Publishing: Self-publishing on Amazon
is a new and upcoming way to make money online. If you're an expert in
any topic, you can write an ebook about it, and sell it on Amazon to
make money. You could even try your hand at writing fiction. The benefit
of self-publishing is that it's passive income. You'll continue to make
income from your book, without having to touch it in the future.
Traditional Publishing: Likewise,
if you're a competent writer, you could attempt to follow a traditional
publishing route instead of self-publishing. This will likely involve a
lot more work, but will often result in greater earnings, thanks to the
large marketing budgets of publishing companies.
Day Trading: There
are quite a few day traders out there who travel the world. Being able
to work with just an Internet connection and a laptop definitely has its
perks!
Work Remotely: Maybe you don't want to
give up your pay-check to travel. If that's the case, speak to your boss
to see if there's a possibility of working remotely for the company.
Sell Products Online: You could consider setting up an online shop and selling some of the items you pick up as you travel. Etsy is great for this.
Translator: If
you're speak more than one language fluently, you could work as a
translator on the road. You'll need nothing more than an Internet
connection to make it work. You could even think about putting up fliers
in new cities to advertise your skills to get extra work.
[post_ads]Busking: If
you can play an instrument, you could take a look into busking around
the world to fund your travels. Make sure to research the local laws
before doing so, or you could contact performance halls to see if
they'll hire you to play. You could even arrange a concert in a hostel
for your fellow travelers!
Working Holiday Visas: Many countries around the world offer a Working Holiday Visa.
These visas allow you to live in a country for a year or two, while
picking up work as you go. The benefit of doing one of these is that
you'll be able to work in jobs you'd ordinarily struggle to find without
a work visa. You can work in retail, or in a corporate setting without
having to worry you're going to end up deported.
WWOOFing: WWOOFing
is a way to gain free accommodation and food in exchange for working on
an organic farm. You won't earn money through WWOOFing, but it's a
great way to see a little more of a country without spending any money.
Fruit Picking: Fruit
picking is hard work but if you can stick with it, it can be extremely
lucrative. Expect to spend all day every day in the sun, and have very
sore muscles for the first few weeks.
Au Pair: If
you love children and want to take care of someone's house, take a look
at a jobs board when you arrive in a country and you'll find plenty of
opportunities to work as an au pair.
Tour Guide: Combine
your love of travel with making money and you can work to be a tour
guide! Most companies will require you to take a test before allowing
you to work for them, so make sure to choose a city you know an awful
lot about!
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Working as a Photographer: If you know
your way around an SLR, consider working as professional photographer
as you travel the world. You could also submit you photos to a stock
photography website and earn income passively as you travel.
Volunteering: You
won't earn money as you volunteer, but you will be able to find
opportunities that offer you free accommodation and food in exchange for
your work. There's no end of volunteering options out there, whether
you want to work with animals or children, communities or the homeless.
