How to Travel Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way (2024)

Would you like to take to the road? Spread your wings? And not have to worry about returning home any time soon?

But….

Are you wondering how full-time (or long-term) travel could possibly be financially sustainable?

How to Travel Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way (1)

You’re in the right place!

As The Professional Hobo, I have been a digital nomad since 2006. I traveled full-time for 12 years. Since then I’ve spent a few years with a home base and traveling the world for about half of each year.
My adventures have taken me around the world a few times over, and my location independent career has kept the money coming in regardless of where I’ve been galavanting.

It’s Time to Share What I’ve Learned…

If you sift through the thousands of articles I’ve written about travel, personal finance, and lifestyle design that are scattered across the web, you could piece together the key ingredients of how to travel long-term or full-time in a financially sustainable way.

It’s Free…

By signing up for my newsletter, you’ll get free access to the exclusive 5-part guide How to Travel Long-Term or Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way.

There’s so much information, that I’ve split it into 5 parts that will be delivered to your inbox over 2 weeks. This gives you enough time to digest each component before moving on to another modality.

What You’ll Learn

Financially sustainable travel is an art that requires attention to a number of different elements, including:

  • Reducing your travel costs with cheap/free Accommodation options
  • The secret to saving money on Transportation, and tips for keeping costs low when you’re on the move
  • Getting ready to travel by creating your Packing Lists and Selling Everything (or not!), and deciding what to sell, and where to sell it
  • Ways to earn money byWorking on the Road – whether it’s working remotely or getting jobs along the way
  • And, of course, greasing the wheels of the lifestyle by Managing Your Money, including some tips to keep more of it in your pocket using special tips and tricks, as well as hedging risks

In addition to practical advice, I also share my own experiences to spur your creativity as to the places you might like to go and things you might like to do. (And in a few cases, you can learn from my mistakes).

In Addition…

This intensive series gives you the basics of financially sustainable travel, but it’s a broad topic! So every few weeks, I’ll send you an update with new useful links and tips to enhance your travels (and put more money in your pocket).

Join the Tribe!

Sign up below to start receiving your free series, and financially liberate your travel!

*I promise not to spam you, or use your email address for evil purposes.

Reader Feedback

Just in case you’re still wondering whether it’s worth your time, here’s what readers of the series have had to say about it:

This was an incredibly informative and well laid out series that did a top notch job of wrangling together and presenting a truly monolithic amount of information.It gave me the inspiration to take the initiative and turn my daydreams into a reality. If all goes well, I will be leaving for China in 3 months time with no set return date, and I largely have you to thank for giving me the courage to take the plunge.

Matt Piechocki

Your series has already given me some great ideas – not only on how to financially support my travels, but on different things I can do along the way.

Kellie Netherwood

You gave me so much ideas and information that I couldn’t imagine when I started to read your articles…information on books and articles and about many web sites that I had no ideas can exist in reality. Probably I didn’t have time to think about them or search for them before. Sonow, I have already started to plan for upcoming changes in my life. I am really glad that persons like you exists and want to inspire other people.

Senad from Sweden

I appreciate your opening my eyes to the concept of location-independent travel/work possibilities. It galvanized me to stopdreamingabout it and start doing something concrete to move towards that goal.

– John Lewis

Whenwe began discussing how unhappy we were with our jobs, our home, andour location back about a year ago, we just couldn’t see a clear way out of working jobs to pay rent to stay somewhere we didn’t want to be and dream about travel. It waswhenI started seriously pondering getting out that Imagically started meeting people who were living the dream and came across your blog and a few others. I showed my boyfriend (who wasn’t completely convinced) that other people managed to do what we wanted desperately to do ourselves. I’dsay that your advice has been the most useful during this process. Our attitudes have definitely changed as well as our needs and spending habits!

Jane di Nunzio

I loved the entire series! It gave me a ton of information. We are still in the “considering it” phase of operations, and your information helped us to see that it is truly possible.

– Colleen Daniels

Check out my Travel Lifestyle Guides for more ways to earn money remotely, spend it wisely, and balance the two so you can travel as long as you wish, in a financially sustainable way.

How to Travel Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way (2)

How to Travel Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way (2024)

FAQs

How can you travel sustainably? ›

10 Steps to Being a Sustainable Traveller
  1. Choose Carbon-Free Transport. ...
  2. Avoid Single Use Plastic Bottles. ...
  3. Leave No Trace. ...
  4. Be an Ambassador for Peace. ...
  5. Keep Wilderness Trails Litter Free. ...
  6. Choose Sustainable Accommodation. ...
  7. Consider the Welfare of Animals. ...
  8. Do Your Research.

How can I make a living traveling full time? ›

How to get paid to travel
  1. Telecommute to your current job. ...
  2. Explore your company's other locations. ...
  3. Teach English or another language. ...
  4. Become a tour guide. ...
  5. Write a research guide. ...
  6. Become a flight attendant. ...
  7. Start a side gig. ...
  8. Find a new remote opportunity.
Mar 10, 2023

How much money do you need to full time travel? ›

It costs about USD $20,000 to $30,000 (or £14,000) per person to travel the world full time for a year. This includes food, travel expenses and accommodation. For a family, you will obviously need to expand your calculations. If you have an unexpected windfall, this can be a great way to invest it in making memories.

How to budget for a long-term trip? ›

Your long-term travel budget tips
  1. How long will you be gone? A month? ...
  2. How much is return airfare to your destination? ...
  3. Where will you live? ...
  4. What is your destination's cost of living (such as groceries, transit, entertainment)?
  5. How will you get around? ...
  6. What will you do in a medical emergency?

What is the most sustainable form of travel? ›

Train travel is the most ecologically friendly option, aside from walking or bicycling. They emit 66-75% less carbon emissions than other forms of transportation, even if they're electric.

What does it mean to travel sustainable? ›

If you've ever wondered, what sustainable travel means, it refers to travel that seeks to conserve the planet while improving the economic and social conditions for the local people.

How to finance full-time travel? ›

These ten steps will get you started off down the right path if traveling full time is your dream!
  1. Build up some savings and pay off debt first. ...
  2. Sell your stuff. ...
  3. Figure out if you can take your career online. ...
  4. Explore in-person work opportunities. ...
  5. Choose low cost of living destinations. ...
  6. Find cheap accommodation. ...
  7. Travel slowly.
Mar 7, 2024

How do I become a full time Traveller? ›

Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of your future full time travels.
  1. Find Your Pace, But Try To Go Slowly. ...
  2. You Don't Need A Goal Or Structure. ...
  3. Leave If You Don't Like It. ...
  4. Say Yes (Unless Your Intuition Says No) ...
  5. When Things Don't Go As Planned, Find Another Way. ...
  6. Be Open-Minded. ...
  7. Observe Local Rules And Traditions.
Jun 2, 2022

How can I travel full time without a job? ›

An incomplete list of options to get your ass abroad and exploring the world:
  1. Join a volunteer organization. ...
  2. Teach English. ...
  3. Find a source of mobile income. ...
  4. Start an online business. ...
  5. Convince your company to let you work remotely. ...
  6. Get transferred overseas. ...
  7. Find odd jobs as you travel. ...
  8. Work on a cruise or for an airline.

How do you plan financially for a trip? ›

Financial Planning Tips All Travelers Should Consider
  1. Figure the Costs of Your Trip. ...
  2. Set Up a Travel Savings Account. ...
  3. Use a Credit Card Wisely. ...
  4. Learn About Exchange Rates. ...
  5. Make Plans to Pay Your Regular Bills. ...
  6. Consider Taking Out Insurance.

What is a reasonable travel budget? ›

2) The average domestic trip costs about $144 per day while international trips come to about $271 per day. The major expense associated with travel and vacations is transportation. About 44% of travel funds are spent on getting to, from, and around your vacation destination.

How much should I save each month for a trip? ›

“People using the 50-30-20 rule should commit the entire 20% to emergency savings and retirement funds, and their vacation account should be funded from the 30% 'wants' bucket,” Fowler says. Once you know how much money you can put aside every month, you can see how long it will take to reach your vacation budget goal.

What are the three types of sustainable travel? ›

The intertwined nature of these pillars is part of what makes sustainable tourism so complex and nuanced, and it's also why it's so important to think about how your individual actions can impact these three areas: the environment, societies, and economy.

What are sustainable travel 8 best practices? ›

What is Sustainable Travel: 8 Essential Practices
  • Choose Eco-Friendly Accommodations: ...
  • Reduce Carbon Footprint: ...
  • Respect Local Culture and Customs: ...
  • Conserve Natural Resources: ...
  • Support Local Communities: ...
  • Practice Responsible Wildlife Tourism: ...
  • Minimize Plastic Pollution: ...
  • Leave a Positive Impact:
Feb 27, 2024

How tourists can be more sustainable? ›

Upon arriving at a destination, staying longer, staying local. Engaging more fully with local communities through community-based tourism activities, staying locally rather than in large, generic hotels, eating local food. Avoiding 'exploitative' tourism that harms the environment, people and/or animals.

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