Every traveler waits for that day to pack their bags and set out on the adventure they’ve been waiting for. A lot of time, sweat and blood have been put into all the good hours in order to save for the trip. But it’s equally heartbreaking to see all the hard earned money being spent in a jiffy. Most of the time, the only thing that keeps all of us motivating is that wallpaper of Phuket beach or Everest Base Camp or wherever it is that you’ve been longing to go to.
But Hey, surprise surprise! For all you sitting on your desk dreaming about your wonderland, here are a few more things to be excited for and to cut short the money chase. This also goes for all those who’re running low on cash or completely broke in the middle of a trip.
Here are a few ways to save/make some money!
1. Couchsurfing
Picture Courtesy : Tomislav Perko
Couchsurfing is a website that enables you to stay in local’s homes for FREE! In exchange, you offer them your warm and friendly company. It’s that simple! What better way to experience a new place than with a local; be prepared for some amazing hospitality, cheerful conversations and if you’re lucky, some scrumptious food. To stay on the safer side, check out the recommendations a host has received before sending a host request. Oh and be nice, get them a souvenir or something when you visit!
2. Work in Exchange for Stay/Food
These services are experience seeker’s paradise. The concept is that you have to work/volunteer at a place and in exchange for that, you get accommodation and food. The jobs roles are really interesting such as teaching, tour guiding, farming, help desk at hostels and even basket weaving.
3. WWOOF
The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a website similar to the concept of that of Workaway but exclusive to, you guessed it, farming jobs. They exchange accommodation and food for your work so go try it out if you’re looking to get your hands dirty.
4. Freelance
This is one of the easiest ways to sustain yourself while traveling. Take up projects on whatever skill you’re good at and earn whilst on the road. Some of the most demanding skills include website development, content writing, graphic designing, video production, business consulting and the like (mostly computer/media related skills). So it would be a huge plus to invest some time for yourself to develop at least one of these skills.
5. Busk
Showcasing your talent on the streets, or more simply, busking is one of the popular ways in which travelers support themselves financially. In addition to showcasing your awesome talent and earning some money out of it, it’s super fun to just play music on the street and entertain bypassers! To be on the safer side be sure to check the busking laws in the country/city you’re in unless you want to be featured on Nat Geo’s “Locked up Abroad” series or pay a fine.
6. Work at a Youth Hotel
This one requires a bit of people skills. If you’re staying in a particular city for an extended period, you can ask your youth hotel if they require an extra helping hand in exchange for accommodation or at least some discount. Youth Hotels are always looking for more content for their social media page and blogs so you could put on that writer’s pen of yours to use here.
7. Teach English
If you’re looking to travel to some of the Eastern countries like China, India, Nepal, etc, one of the assured things you can do for some money/accommodation is to teach English. Some of the organizations might also require an additional certification from TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) so be sure to check it out here.
8. Work as a Divemaster
This one requires you to have pre-earned qualifications from a dive school but if you already have them, then the whole world is your oyster! Working at dive sites in different countries can be a priceless experience and the best part, you would be earning while diving! See the website for more info on different levels of certifications.
9. Work on a Cruise
Dream of working on a cruise ship? Stop dreaming, here’s the opportunity. Working on a cruise can be fun, it’s also very demanding so be prepared to be on your toes if you were to take this one. Best part, you get to visit the city wherever the ships stop and save every penny that you earn as you have less/no expenses while on board!
10. Start a Blog
This one is for the long run. Starting a blog won’t generate much during the initial days but when you start putting good content for people to read you start generating the momentum and it starts kicking off. Once you’re at a certain reach/reader level you can start selling and earning off of advertisement from your blog. Like I said earlier, it’s for the long run but very rewarding!
Now go get that calendar and mark the cross a few days earlier. Keep it going. Cheers!
