5 Ways to Make Money Traveling

As much as I love being at home with Carter and my husband, Matt, I consider myself fortunate to have a job that takes me all over the country. And when I am able, I take them with me. Carter traveled to seven states before his first birthday! I’ve taken in some of the greatest cities in the United States and met people I never would have met or worked with otherwise.

So many of us want to see more of the world and are passionate about travel, but “real-life responsibilities” often keep us from it. The great news is that you can combine work and travel and make your life one grand adventure! Here are a few talents that you can take on the road.

Photography

Photographers will tell you that travelling provides endless subjects to capture. And the more your photography business grows, the further your client reach is and the more opportunity you may have to go places. Destination wedding, anyone?

Plus, stock photo websites like ShutterStock and iStock hire freelance photographers to take photos from all over the world. In turn, they build up their pay-per-use portfolio, which are used by websites, magazines, etc.

Writing

The more stories and experiences you have, the better writer you’ll become. I love the quote: “Taking time to live life will only inspire your work.” That’s certainly true in my life. Most of my best stories and experiences didn’t happen inside the office. They happened when I was just out living my life! And what better way to gain new experiences than to travel? You could start a travel and/or food blog. (For help on how to monetize your blog, check out this post by Money Saving Mom).

If you already do some freelance work, pitch a story to some of those publications that would take you to a new place. (“I really think we need a cover story/editorial/blog on the best restaurants in Paris . . . No? How about New York?”)

Teaching

Websites like TakeLessons.com and Clarity.fm allow you to teach and train from anywhere, whether in person or online. List the subject you’re passionate about and your rate and the students come to you!

If you prefer a more traditional classroom gig and have a college degree (in anything!), you could teach English in a foreign country. You’ll need a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, but it’s only a four-week course. You can totally do this!

Travel Nursing

If you’ve got the skills and an RN degree and you’re just starting out, this is actually a great way to get someone else to pay for you to travel.

Hospitals need nurses to fill in while they train the newbies. Travel-nurse staffing agencies can send you to work at one of these hospitals in a city you’ve always wanted to visit for a great salary, plus a housing fund AND medical insurance. These gigs usually last 12 weeks—just the right amount of time to explore a new locale during your off time.

Travel Agency

As an independent contractor for a travel agency, you can have so much flexibility. You can work from home, your clients come from pretty much everywhere, and you may get to take all-inclusive vacations for free a few times a year. 

There are many roads to becoming a travel agent, but you should have these two things for sure: a passion for travel (which is why you’re reading this, right?) and persistence.

Every business goes through five distinct stages. Find out which stage your business is in with our free assessment.

The knowledge you need to sell a travel package comes from experience working at a travel agency, from college classes and online courses, or—you guessed it—from traveling. Because your customers love to hear first-hand accounts of where they want to go, tour companies and airlines will bring you (and usually, a plus one!) to a destination they want you to sell. And the best part is, there is no fee to your clients for the use of your services. Your commission is paid by the agency you work for.

If you’re passionate about traveling, these are just a few ways to make money doing it. You don’t have to choose between work and play; you can have both. If you are determined and creative and put in the hours, you can make it work!