Ever wanted to head to the Greek Islands or maybe Thailand? Traveling is everyone’s dream but it’s not always the most accessible one out there. After all, between expensive plane fares, the cost of hostels, Airbnbs or hotels, not to mention spending money once you get to your destination, traveling is expensive! And to top it all off, you won’t be working during this time, so you’ll have no money coming in either. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t realize your dream of traveling for extended periods of time. There are many people who take sabbaticals and have figured out ways of sustaining themselves while on the road. We’ll look at some of these below:
Start a travel blog
There’s an entire slew of travel bloggers out there, documenting their experiences and sharing them with would-be travelers throughout the world. They’re the boots-on-the-ground reporters bringing international experiences to local audiences. While it might seem easy enough to do, in reality, it requires a lot of persistent work before you’ll attract traffic and start making money. Getting the blog started is the easy part, but it’s making meaningful content on a regular basis to draw readers that is slightly more challenging.
Teach English at a local school
Teaching English is one of the most popular ways for travelers to fund themselves, especially in South East Asia as well as South America. Literally all you need for this one is to be fluent in the language you’ve spoken your whole life, as well as a TEFL certificate which can be obtained at a number of different institutions quite easily.
Au pair
If learning a new language and getting immersed in a different culture appeals to you, then au pairing might be your key to traveling for free. You’ll be expected to look after and perhaps tutor a child for a couple of hours a day, but in return you’ll receive free lodging, food, language lessons (if you don’t speak the family’s language) as well as some pocket money which you can use to travel further.
Work in a hostel
If you’re keen to meet people while traveling, then working at various hostels along the way is a great option. You’ll meet people from a multitude of different countries, be able to stay in the hostel you’re currently working at, and probably get a couple of free beers thrown your way at the end of a shift.
