Five Jobs That Allow You to Work While You Travel

Being able to hop from one country to another without worrying about a dwindling budget sounds like a dream. We all know that traveling is expensive, and it often seems like only the wealthy are able to take to the skies whenever they please. However, the more you travel, the more you discover that not everyone you meet is rich or famous. In fact, many of them are working while they travel, and in the modern digital world, it’s totally a possibility.

Whether you’re sitting in a beachside villa in Costa Rica or snowboarding to the door of one of many Jackson Hole vacation rentals, these are five jobs that will let you feed your wanderlust without going broke.

Teaching English Online

If you’ve done any research at all on jobs that allow you to travel to faraway destinations, teaching English is probably one of them. In fact, you probably have heard of those early travelers who made a living teaching English abroad without any teaching degree at all. While the teaching English abroad jobs are becoming more strict, and requiring Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certification (TEFL), it’s still possible to earn a good living, and now, many of those jobs are available online.

The demand for online English teachers is on the rise. Many of these online teaching services are based in China and involve tutoring kids via Skype or other video chat options. Generally, these companies ask that you have a college degree and are a citizen of the US or Canada. A TEFL certificate may help you get hired more quickly, but is not required. Teaching English online is more beneficial than teaching English in a specified destination for many travelers, because as long as they have an internet connection, they can hop from one destination to another.

Travel Blogging

Making money as a blogger isn’t easy, but once you put in the time and effort, it can be an excellent way to earn a living while doing what you love most: Traveling. It’s essential to pick a niche, such as traveling with kids or foodie travel around the globe, and create posts that stay on topic while engaging your audience. Most of the income from travel blogging is driven by advertising, influencer projects, selling products, and affiliate market, so the first step to making money is to build your audience.

The amount of money you can make monthly via travel blogging can vary from very little to thousands. There are countless articles on the web about the ins and outs of starting your travel blog, so do some research, put in the effort, and you could be running a successful travel blog in several months. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not every blog is successful, and many bloggers put in several years of effort before their blogs takeoff.

Translation

Do you speak two or more languages? You could be open to a number of opportunities that travelers who only speak one language do not have. Freelance language translating is a job that can be done online anywhere with a solid internet connection. There are countless companies around the globe that need your translation skills to translate their books, product manuals, web pages, and more. Being bilingual is a major advantage in the online world, and the more fluent in each language you are, the more money can be made.

Learn more about translating online from this post about Alexandra, a traveler who makes a living while translating English to Spanish, from wherever her travels take her.

Graphic Design and Website Building

Creatives and tech-savvy travelers have multiple opportunities for freelance or company-based work while traveling. Because graphic design and website building are both jobs performed on computers, those who are specialized in them often only need a variety of computer programs and a solid internet connection to get the job done. In fact, graphic and website design are two of the most popular jobs among digital nomads.

Writing code and learning the ins and outs of programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Wordpress doesn’t happen overnight, but with schooling or a lot of time spent watching tutorials, you can design websites, company logos, and other items while traveling the globe.

Freelance Writing

As opposed to travel blogging, where you typically write about your adventures or travel tips, freelance writing often involves writing about topics chosen by others. Many times, this means writing website content for marketing companies, websites, or magazines. Writing online is competitive and pitching editors (only to be rejected at times) can be difficult, but once you find a few steady writing gigs, you can grab your computer and travel anywhere with Wi-Fi.

Keep in mind that freelance writing often involves writing for minimal pay at first, especially if you’re not an experienced writer, but the more time you spend writing, the more money can be made.

Working online while traveling is most certainly a dream, and the more you travel, the more you’ll realize that not all travelers are the recipients of trust funds or millionaires. In fact, many of them are making a living while on the go—whether that’s through online work or picking up odd jobs wherever they land. With a little research about your desired destination, you can uncover a list of jobs that may be suitable for your skillset.