Here are just a few ways to earn money while traveling the world:













Working Holiday Visa - This is less of a specific job, and more a means to earning money legally. If you’re under 30, you can get 1-year working rights in a variety of countries. You can do any job that you are qualified to get, but many travelers use their visas to work seasonal/service job for a few months, then move on to a new location in that country.

More info (enter your country of origin halfway down the page to see where you qualify to go)

Working on Boats - Jobs are available on small charter boats, medium sized mega yachts, and full-on cruise ships. The boat you choose will depend on your skills at hand; transferable skills like hospitality and bartending will serve you well on all three kinds of boats. You’ll get the widest range of job possibilities on cruise ships.

Working Odd Jobs - Many travelers subsidize their travels by working odd jobs along the way with transferrable skills such as bartending, massage, construction, and hospitality. Remember, if you don’t have working rights in the country, it may not be legal, and work can also be hard to come by. But depending on your networking skills and being in the right time/place, you could support yourself with odd jobs, and even get a working visa sponsored by your new employer.

Teaching English - This is one of the most common ways people of all ages earn money while living and traveling abroad. Most jobs provide accommodation, sometimes flights, and a stipend to allow you to live comfortably and bank money to travel (for months if you wish) between contracts. Asia is where teaching english is most popular, but jobs are also available in Latin America and Eastern Europe. You’ll need a certification like TESOL, TEFL, or CELTA which you can take online or in class.

Get a Transfer - If you work for an international company, perhaps they can transfer you to work abroad. You won’t necessarily be fully embracing the “long-term travel” concept, but it will give you a chance to live somewhere else in the world and immerse in a new culture and way of life.

Online Tuturing - Got something you can teach? Teach it online! You can engage private students with video calls and email, and even teach the world at large (and earn a passive income) by designing courses on platforms like Udemy, Teachable, Skillshare, and Thinkific.

You can help students with their studies, teach musical instruments, tutor languages, provide coaching services, lead yoga classes...the list goes on. Your method of online tutoring is dictated by what you teach, and your entrepreneurial desires. You can also work for online tutoring companies if you don’t want to drum up business yourself.

Freelance Writing - No matter how obscure your area of expertise is, there’s probably a publication that you can write for! If you’re verbally crafty, you can also look at copywriting, content strategy, and other related forms of freelance writing.

It takes a while to build a writing portfolio that can command a decent income, but if you treat it like a business and have an area of expertise, you’ll get there.

Location Independent Business - Many of the above careers are location independent businesses, but you don’t have to be a writer or web design whiz to have a location independent business. I know voiceover artists, airport management consultants, wildlife illustrators, database architects, jewelry designers, import/exporters, coaches, and more - all who make a living from around the world, with clients in equally far-flung destinations.

Telecommute - If you don’t want the onus of running a business, work for another company remotely by telecommuting! Maybe you can convince your employer to let you try it out, if your job allows. It saves them money on office space and resources, employees are often happier being able to construct their own workday and style, and with the sophisticated communication tools we have, it’s easy to stay in touch.

Travel Writing - Travel writing is a form of freelance writing, and although it goes hand-in-hand with long-term travel, it’s a highly saturated market so you’ll need an edge to stand out. It’s not all hotel and restaurant reviews for glossy magazines; focus on a niche to differentiate yourself, and with some solid work, you’ll get there.