Wondering how to get paid to travel and make money while traveling the world? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve been a full-time traveler who’s made all of her money online since 2018. If you think that digital nomads (or working nomads as some call it) make little money online, I’m here to break those myths for you today. As a matter of fact, what if I told you that I earned over $3,300 in just one month while traveling? Below is one of my real paystubs, even dead in the middle of the pandemic. Would you believe I earned that income remotely, and regularly make that money while traveling if I didn’t have the screenshot to prove it?
Friend, I know you. You’re stuck working a 9-5 somewhere that just doesn’t make you feel fulfilled! You’re tired of working endless hours, feeling under-appreciated and underpaid, just to pay the bills.You know something needs to change or the dread you feel when the alarm clock rings every morning is going to be your next 35 years.
Instead, you go to Instagram and Pinterest with a head full of dreams and look at pictures of others doing what you so desperately wish you could;
Get paid to travel and make money while traveling!
I get it because I’ve been there…
You wish you could just quit that soul-sucking job and travel the world, but how would you even pay for it all?!You’re not a trust fund baby, you don’t have any rich family members to give you a “loan”, and you are certainly not making enough money in your real job to just drop everything and get on a plane!You wonder to yourself, “Do those Travel influencers have something that I don’t?”
Let me answer that for you.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
What they do have, however, is several income streams that allow them to continue traveling while making money on the side! Want to learn 50 Creatives Ways to Make Money While Traveling? Click down below and I’ll send my exclusive cheat sheet right now!
Worry not, friend! In this post, I will be teaching you 3 easy ways you can make money while traveling the world! And guess what?! You don’t even have to get out of your pajamas! #winning But before we can get into the 3 easiest ways you can make money while traveling the world, you’re going to need some tools first.
Related:What is a Digital Nomad? What You Need to Know
Tools you NEED to Make Money While Traveling
1. Reliable Laptop
First and foremost, to make a lot of money while traveling you’re going to need a laptop. Many of the travel jobs I’m going to be talking about later in this article are online. With a laptop you’ll be able to apply and earn money while traveling through remote positions, teaching jobs, or freelancing gigs. A question we get asked often is, “can I do these jobs on my smart phone?”. Unfortunately, many jobs will require you to have a laptop with a hard wired connection or reliable wifi signal. My recommendation for a basic laptop would be the ASUS Zenbook 13in. It’s small size, military-grade durability, yet powerful processor are great for working online. The best part, it’s only $849.00 new, which beats the Apple competitor saving you over $300!
However, if you’re an Apple fan, don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you. The Apple Macbook Air 13in is also a great laptop that will complete most remote tasks.
2. Pocket Wifi
Pocket wifi is essential if you plan on traveling places were wifi is unreliable. When we were traveling through Sri Lanka, I remember stopping at several coffee shops before giving up on working all together. You can actually read my post on digital nomad life in Sri Lanka here (spoiler alert: it was a crap shoot), but all in all, get pocket wifi. It will make your life much easier, and let you work from prettier places.
3. A Laptop Stand
Sitting at a coffee shop for hours hunched over a screen can be a pain in the neck (literally). Not to mention, it’s horrible for your posture. A simple laptop stand, like this $15 one from Amazon Basics can make a huge difference.
Related: What its Really Like Being a Digital Nomad
The 3 Easiest Ways You Can Make Money While Traveling the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0K9GFe7QJc
1.Make Money While Traveling with Remote Work
Remote work is an awesome working style that allows you to literally work from anywhere in the world so long as you have an Internet connection. Jobs vary from virtual assistant gigs to full-on marketing managers. Making money while you travel is as easy as applying for a job as you would on Indeed.com and scoring a gig that meets your needs. Using a well-known website like Flexjobs.com can help you find a remote job so you can quit your regular 9-5 and make money while traveling the world. But rest assured, this isn’t the only way to get a job that lets you travel. If you want to learn how to make a great living while earning money online, get our free cheat sheet below!
If you didn’t find your dream job on flex jobs, then scout out the company you want to work for and pitch yourself! Send them an e-mail with who you are and why you’re an awesome fit for them, and see where that takes you! More often than not, you will get a reply with either an opportunity within the company or a referral for a company looking for your services. Don’t let e-mails unanswered discourage you. The more you pitch, the better you will get!
Also, if you wanted more step-by-step guidance on where to apply for these remote job, you should sign up for our free mini-course, 30 Days to Nomad. Click here to register for free now!
Related:10 Best Location Independent Jobs That Let You Travel Full-Time
Why shouldn’t I make money online this way?
Although remote work seems like the best and only answer at first, it’s not for everyone! While working a remote job, you still have to answer to a boss. This is a part that I always struggled with because, in my eyes, travel equals freedom. Answering to a boss doesn’t quite equal freedom to me. Another con to remote work is that you can’t always set your own hours. If you’re planning on traveling often, this will make it difficult for you to jump time zones.
Related:The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: 10 Painful Truths
Making money while traveling doesn’t have to be difficult!
With the cons out of the way, remote work can be really great for digital nomads who are just starting out! It gives you the comfort and security of having a traditional job while being able to do it from anywhere in the world. Remote jobs also usually have benefits like a 401K, vacation days, sick leave, and even year-end bonuses! Also, chances are that there is someone hiring remote workers in your field right now! Getting paid to travel the world doesn’t have to be complicated with this route. Remote work allows you to make money while traveling and will let you get paid in USD while spending in weaker currencies! Did someone say it’s time to live like a #queen?
Related:Thailand as a Digital Nomad Hub
Here’s the quick and dirty on remote work:
Remote work is great for you if you’re:
- Self-Disciplined
- A Hard worker
- Want to work from anywhere
- Looking for a steady paycheck
- Wanting the benefits of a “real” job (PTO, 401K, Health Insurance, etc…)
Remote work is not the option for you if you:
- Want to create your own hours (usually)
- Don’t want another person owning your time
- Don’t have the discipline to get work done unsupervised
- Are looking to be entrepreneurial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-4wjFqJP9c
Make While Traveling with Freelancing
Anybody out there looking to make money while traveling needs to look into freelancing! Why?! Because it can literally be the answer to your travel funds prayers. Freelancing is an excellent option for anybody with a skill and time on their hands! You can be a freelancer in dozens of fields, and at whatever price point you choose! Years ago this process would have been complicated. You would have needed a skill and then worry about finding your own clients, charging them, getting paid, and continue getting the word out on your new business.
Now, with websites like Upwork.com and Fivver, you’re able to find freelance gigs with just the click of a button! I can speak from experience because I’ve used both Fivver AND upwork to hire my own freelancers to grow my business.
Related:Do you Have What it Takes to Be a Digital Nomad?
Are you afraid that you don’t have a skill that you can monetize?
Learn one.YouTube is an amazing resource for learning new skills in a visual way. As a matter of fact, if you’ve seen our YouTube channel, you may have noticed that we like to produce TV Show quality videos. Daniel, my fantastic video editing husband, had NEVER edited a video in his life before starting our channel. What?! He learned everything he knows from creators on YouTube.
Chase for Adventure was literally founded on free information that we spent hours searching for online until we learned. Now, we have dozens of monetizable skills that keep us on the road on a daily basis and we started traveling full-time in June of 2018 (learn why here)!
If you’re looking to make money while you travel the world, Freelancing could be what helps you get there. Click here to sign up for Fivver and start getting hired!
Examples of freelance jobs include:
- Graphic Design
- Copywriting
- Virtual Assistance
- Photography
- Videography
- Social Media Management
- Marketing
- & sooo much more!
Want more examples of freelance jobs along with more details on how to make money while traveling the world? Get our FREE 30 Days to Becoming a Digital Nomad Mini Course!
Freelancing is a great option for people in dozens of fields! You don’t have to be a tech genius, or computer scientist to get a freelance gig anymore! Whether you want to go into photography or web design, there are tons of websites where you can find clients! Making money while you travel doesn’t have to be difficult. So long as you have a talent or skill (or learn one), there is someone out there looking to pay you for that service.
Make Money with Traveling with Teaching
Teaching is a great option for many travelers because it offers a very flexible schedule with the ability to get some major money in your pocket. Personally, this has become one of my favorite methods to teach my students because anyone can do it and the opportunities abroad and online are endless! I have a friend who just showed up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a guitar on his back and got offered a job teaching music at a nearby school! Other friends got their TEFL, and went to South Korea to make around 50K teaching Korean student English!
There are teaching gigs available both in-person and online. Websites like VIPKid are always looking for teachers who are willing to teach English to kids from other countries. Their teachers can earn up to $22/hour and completely choose their own schedule! One of my friends was able to quit her regular 9-5 after just a few months, and is making more than she ever did before! Click here to apply for VIPKID now!
Also, sites like Teachable and Udemy allow you to literally teach about any topic you want! Whether you’re a drummer, artist, or wanting to teach people sign language, your course could make your travel fund go much further than you think!
Related:Teaching English Online: A Guide for Digital Nomads
But Annette, I’m scared of jumping into the digital nomad lifestyle…
Listen, friend. Nothing worth it in this life is easy. Being scared is normal, but the important thing is to not let it stop you. But if what you’re looking for is step-by-step guidance on how to become a digital nomad, you should join our mini-course 30 Days to Nomad! In the mini course you will learn:
- The most frequently believed myths regarding the digital nomad lifestyle, and what it’s really like to become one.
- What skills and jobs you can find online and on the road to keep you traveling full-time (trust me, these will surprise you).
- The #1 mistake aspiring digital nomads make that regularly sends them home earlier than planned (and how to avoid it).
This is honestly the best free-mini course on the internet for aspiring digital nomads. Here’s what my mini-course alumni had to say:
“I have been putting my dream of becoming a Digital Nomad on hold because I was unsure of how to take the proper steps to achieve my dream. Thank to the mini course “30 Days to Nomad” I have gained so much knowledge and I am one step closer to achieving my goal. Annette is a sweetheart and there is no better mentor our there for aspiring digital nomads. I am beyond excited to start “Worker to Wanderer” and to finally make my dream of becoming a digital nomad a reality!” – Jessica Burbridge
“I am grateful to Annette for sharing the digital nomad experiences and offering this free online mini course. Annette has given precise instructions on every aspect of the digital nomad lifestyle and lots of my questions were answered. She is a great teacher!” – Basil Adler
“This mini course actually is an eye opener for me. I use to think that it really is difficult to even think of Nomad life but now after so much info on my hand (all thanks to you), I have started thinking of planning in that direction. Throughout the course I was making notes and figuring out how and when to execute it, etc. etc. Thanks again for all the information!” – Prashant Gaur
Y0u see, friend, you literally have nothing to lose. Click here to join my FREE Mini-Course, and get started on your digital nomad journey today!
Don’t let fear hold you back from being profitable. More importantly, don’t let fear be the reason why you don’t make your dreams a reality. Dreams are not built on luck. They’re built on hard work, and being scared sh**less, but doing it anyway.
Take Action Now!
Don’t let another week go by where you count the days until Friday and dread Sunday evening. Life is not a dress rehearsal, and our weekdays count just as much as our weekends! Take advantage of them and learn how to get what you want out of life! If you want to make money while traveling you aren’t going to do that by reading blog post after blog post. You’re going to accomplish it by DOING SOMETHING.
Want to be a freelancer? Get on YouTube and learn a skill and start looking for clients! Want to start your own online course? Go on teachable and get started! Want to take on a remote job? Start looking! Nothing comes from nothing, and I know first hand how difficult it is to start. That’s why I’ve created 30 Days to Nomad, our mini course that will let you make money while traveling the world! You’re too awesome to not be living your best life. Click here to register now!
What I want you to take away from this article: You don’t have to sell your kidney to make money while traveling.
Making money while traveling the world doesn’t have to be complicated, or something based on luck. It’s something that anyone with a good work ethic and some courage can do! If you’re nervous, look into the remote work, freelance, and teaching opportunities that are out there. You may find that even if you decide against traveling, they can still create the side hustle you are looking for.
Related:How to Become a Digital Nomad on a Budget
What keeps you from taking the leap and traveling long-term?
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