It’s the dream for many – being able to travel the world and get paid at the same time.  Luckily, with thanks to the digital and internet age, this is now a possibility for many.  If you are interested in learning how to get paid to travel then read on.  In this article we will look at several ways you can make money when travelling.

How can I travel and make money at the same time?

Travel is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. More and more people want to travel, but they often don’t have the funds. Thankfully, there are actually several jobs that pay you to travel, as well as many ways you can travel and earn your own money at the same time such as by being self-employed.   

The most common ways to make money and travel at the same time are:

1) Work remotely from where you are travelling – Remote workers can work from anywhere and create a flexible work schedule.  This can be through a self-employed online role or working for a company online who allows you to work from anywhere in the world.

2) Work as you travel – there are lots of jobs that are seasonal or dedicated to travellers that are temporary.

3) Join a company’s international team as a global expat – perhaps your current employer has an international team and you can work as a global expat in a foreign market for a period of time to explore a new location.

Popular ways to make money whilst travelling

Let’s take a look in more detail at some of the most popular ways to earn money whilst you travel.

·         Sign up for workaway schemes

There are several workaway schemes such as Workaway.info who offer cultural exchange programmes, working holidays and volunteering in 170 countries.  Often you are provided with free accommodation and food in exchange for working for the host.  This could be picking fruits and vegetables on farms, or even helping residents with their daily household chores.  There are opportunities to housesit, pet sit or even help in local schools. 

Whilst you won’t often make money doing this, you will usually get free accommodation and food which will slash your travel costs considerably and can even allow you to travel for free for substantial periods of time low cost.  Some hosts looking for help with business activities may offer payment to ensure they meet minimum wage requirements of their country.

·         Rent your residence on Airbnb and let GuestReady manage the hosting

Whether you plan to travel short term or long term, there’s a way you can make money with your main residence whilst you are away.  Platforms such as Airbnb allow you to rent out your property to travellers for a very reasonable fee.  You can quite literally rent out your own accommodation and in turn, use the money to pay for your own travel accommodation whilst travelling!

If you’re worried about trying to manage such a venture whilst you are travelling the world, and not readily accessible to deal with guests personally, then make use of an Airbnb management service who will manage the hosting process for you. 

For example, GuestReady is a short term rental management company, with over 2500 properties currently on their books. Operating in 25 popular cities worldwide, including the likes of Bordeaux and Lyon in the south of France, to Edinburgh and London in the UK.

GuestReady fully manage properties on behalf of owners on Airbnb and other online booking platforms.  This ‘Airbnb concierge service’ will take care of listing management, photography, guest management and property management including housekeeping and maintenance. 

They will make the most of your property while creating amazing guest experiences, leaving you to make money from your main residence hassle-free whilst you travel.  Not only is this an amazing way to make money from your property whilst you travel, but it will ensure your property is looked after and maintained in your absence.

·         Rent your residence long term for guaranteed rental income

You usually can’t make as much money when renting your residence long-term to a permanent tenant, but it does often guarantee a more stable income whilst you are travelling. If your property is mortgaged then you will need to check with your bank as you may need to change your mortgage deal to a buy-to-let deal. If you own your property outright then you should be able to let it out, depending on your local authority rules. And, if you rent, then you likely can’t let it out unless you are allowed to sublet the property and instead would need to simply end your contract and move out.

If you are lucky to own your own home and want to rent it out then you may be concerned about needing to find tenants whilst you are travelling and managing the whole process. Instead of worrying about this yourself, you can hand it over to a reputable letting agents to deal with tenants and collect rent on your behalf. There are even schemes such as the AMS Housing Group guaranteed rent scheme where you are guaranteed your rental income even if the tenant does not pay rent or the property is vacant. This is a great idea if you are travelling as you will know exactly how much rental income you will get each month towards your travels.

·         Become a travel influencer or blogger

If time is on your side, then you can set your sights on becoming a travel influencer on social media or a travel blogger.  Becoming influential in this area, building an audience and platform that brands are willing to work with, and pay for, can take time. 

Depending on your initial success it can take several months to several years to build a sustainable income.  It’s definitely not a quick way to make money travelling, but if you are serious about this as a career path and way to make money whilst you travel, have the determination and right skillset, then it’s a viable option.

There is numerous free advice online about how to make money blogging and it’s easy to set up a blog using WordPress to get started.  Once established you can make money from affiliate marketing, display ads, brand collaborations and more.

·         Teach English as a foreign language

Perhaps one of the most well-known ways to travel and earn money at the same time is to complete a TEFL course, which is to Teach English as a Foreign Language.  On one TEFL website there are currently 1699 positions available in 38 countries for those with an official TEFL qualification!

Many TEFL jobs do not require you speak the native language in the country you’ll be working, and as it’s an official job posting they can often satisfy any VISA requirements you need to work in their country.

To qualify you’ll need to complete TEFL training with most employers expecting TEFL teachers to hold a 120 hour certificate.  It’s possible to complete training hours online, at weekends and even in the classroom, so you can pick a learning style that suits you.

Once qualified you can find and apply for TEFL teaching positions online and see different parts of the world as you teach and travel.

·         Sell your travel photos online

If you’re a keen photographer and can shoot professional travel images that people are happy to pay for, then you can make money as you travel by selling your photos online.  All sorts of online and print publications require stock images daily and they are willing to pay for it.  If your photography is of a high enough standard then you can sell your travel photos to these stock image websites.

To make your photography even more lucrative you can set up your own online store to sell your photos on products.  It would be impossible to manage this yourself as you travel and you don’t have a business location to manage orders yourself, so there are many ‘print on demand’ sites that take care of the manufacturing and shipping on your behalf.

Print on demand means your photos will only be printed when a customer orders them. They can choose to have them printed on all sorts of goods from clothing to mugs and phone cases. Or they can choose a print in a frame.  The print on demand website will then pass a commission on to you for every item sold using your photo.

·         Work for a travel company

There are numerous jobs within the travel industry which will allow you to work in a secure job either whilst travelling or in a set country. 

For example, you could work on a cruise ship which will provide you with accommodation whilst you are paid to work and travel.  Use your hours and days off to explore each location the cruise ships ports at.  There are all sorts of positions available on cruise ships from hospitality to retail and catering to entertainment.

Another option is to be a resort rep on location for a travel company.  You’ll be responsible for meeting and greeting holidaymakers at the airports, selling excursions, answering questions about the resort and location and overall, ensuring the holidaymakers have a great time.  You’ll likely spend one entire season in one location abroad.

·         Use your best digital skills virtually

Many digital jobs can be done remotely providing you have access to a Wi-Fi connection.  You can set up your own virtual assistant job for example and provide services online.  There are lots of platforms where you can sell your online services such as Upwork, PeoplePerHour or Fiverr. 

You can even sell your digital skills in the form of one off ‘gigs’ if you’re a dab hand at editing photos, proofreading content, writing content, designing logos, creating social media posts, or wherever your talents lie.  There are endless opportunities to sell your skills online.

Conclusion: making money whilst travelling

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to get paid to travel.  From working in the travel industry itself, to exchanging your services for food and accommodation, to setting up your own online business or selling virtual services online, to letting out your permanent address whilst you travel, there are plenty of options to make money and see the world at the same time.