10 easy and creative ways to make money while traveling

Before you start traveling, you will have probably spent quite a bit of time preparing for your adventures by saving up some money. 

But have you ever considered earning money while you travel? 

By making some extra cash, you’ll have fewer budget-related worries, be able to do all the things you want to do and perhaps even stay away for longer than you had originally planned. 

Below is a list of ten creative ways (both online and otherwise) to make money while you explore the world.

10 ways to make money while traveling the world

1. Freelancing online
2. Language tuition
3. Teach other people your skills
4. Make things to sell
5. Offer your services at hostels
6. Sell your photos
7. Street performances
8. Seasonal work
9. Dog sitting and walking

1. Surveys and market research

How to make money while traveling:

1. Freelancing online

Fancy adopting a ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle? It’s easier than you think thanks to freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr where you can apply for all kinds of jobs offered by clients all over the world. 

The only thing you need to begin with is a demonstrable skill in a sought-after area. 

Winning projects can be tough, especially at the start when you don’t have a proven track record, but once you have had a few jobs and there is positive feedback on your profile, you’ll hopefully be able to find a steady stream of work. 

Some of the most lucrative fields in freelancing are web design and development, internet research, data entry, graphic design, content writing, and translation and editing.

If you want to travel the world full-time as a digital nomad, consider doing a work exchange with Worldpackers. Choose from thousands of volunteering opportunities around the world and work a few hours a week in exchange for accommodation and other benefits. This is a great way to  travel on a budget while building a sustainable freelance business and learning how to get work done on the go as a digital nomad!

2. Language tuition

If you’re fluent in English, teaching English as a foreign language is a great way to earn some money while traveling — the demand for English tuition is huge all across the globe! 

If you’re a native speaker, you’re especially lucky because individuals and schools do tend to prefer to employ teachers whose mother tongue is English. It may be a good idea to take a course, such as TEFL, to increase your chances of finding work. 

Speak a different language? There’s work for you too! Do you speak perfect French? Locate the Alliance Française in the country where you are and see if they can help.

Great at German? Try asking the local Goethe Institute if they know of any opportunities. 

Universities and libraries can also be good places to visit to ask about language tuition jobs. Otherwise, you can register your services on websites like tandem.net or verbling.com and start teaching online.

3. Teach other people your skills

Of course, people don’t only want to learn languages. 

Do you have a special skill that you think you could help someone learn?

Then why not ask around and/or advertise your services in the local area (on notice boards in supermarkets, on social media or in the newspaper) and teach your talent? 

Perhaps you play a musical instrument very well or are a photo editing pro; whatever it is, there is probably someone out there looking to learn how to do what you already do so well. 

Not only is this a great way to make money, it’s also a way to meet new people, become more connected to the local community, and make friends while traveling.

4. Make things to sell

If you’re creative and know how to, for example, make jewelry (especially profitable if you are working with materials — such as shells and stones — that you find rather than buy), draw portraits or paint, it might be a good idea to take some of your handicraft supplies with you on your travels and sell your creations. 

You could sell your wares at a local market, in independent stores or even at your accommodation to fellow travelers looking for unique souvenirs.

5. Offer your services at hostels

Hostels are a great place to make a bit of extra cash because they (and the people staying in them) tend to be quite laid back and open to new ideas. 

Selling things you’ve made is just one of the many ways you could make some money while staying in a hostel. 

You could also offer to organize events, teach yoga, cook meals or even give massages. 

Again, use the talents you have to your advantage and make some money while getting to know new people and enhancing other people’s travel experiences as well as your own!

6. Sell your photos

If you have impressive photography skills, you may want to consider becoming a freelance photographer and selling your photos on websites like Shutterstock, 500px and Etsy (where you can actually sell anything you’ve made yourself). 

These sites do take a cut of what you make and you’d have to be selling a lot of images to make decent sums of money, but it can still be a quick and easy way to make a bit of extra cash. 

Every little bit helps, right?

7. Street performances

Singing, playing an instrument, dancing, juggling… how you choose to entertain passers-by is up to you. 

Whatever your skill, performing on the street can bring in some serious cash if you are in the right place, at the right time. 

However, before you begin, check the laws of the city/country you are in to make sure you won’t be breaking any! 

In most cases, you can’t just start performing on the street and asking the public for money without some kind of permission beforehand. Once you know you are legit though, you can get started.

8. Seasonal work

If you’re planning to travel long term and stay in an area for at least a month or more, you might be able to find seasonal work. 

Fruit picking, working at summer camps for young people, being a ski instructor during winter or a dive instructor in warm destinations, selling goods at Christmas markets… these are just some of your options, depending on location and time of year. 

The added bonus of some seasonal jobs is that your accommodation and at least one meal may also be taken care of, meaning you can save even more money.

9. Dog sitting and walking

Sometimes people compare having a dog to having a child. 

These pets, like babies, are completely reliant on their owners to take care of them. But people these days are so busy and finding the time to take one’s dog out for a walk three times a day can be quite a chore. 

That’s where dog sitters and walkers come in. 

Love dogs and looking for an easy way to make money during your trip? 

Have a look online to see what the possibilities are at your current location.

10. Surveys and market research

While you won’t be bringing in the big bucks, you can earn a bit of pocket money by completing surveys online and testing new products (with the added bonus of being able to keep all of those samples). 

You should be careful as not all websites are legit and may never pay you, but some reputable companies include Swagbucks, Toluna and Opinion Outpost. 

Doing this kind of work requires minimal time and effort, meaning you can focus on what you really want to be doing — enjoying your travels!

Hopefully, you can now see that the lack of a big budget doesn’t have to be an obstacle to exploring the world and you now have a lot of inspiration regarding how to make some money while you travel. 

This is not an exhaustive list, however, so perhaps you can think of other creative ways of earning while traveling. 

If you do, we’d love to hear them, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.