Ways to earn money while traveling

Ask any twenty-something what he or she wants to do and you will probably get an answer that includes travel. With technology improving at such a staggering rate and with the world reportedly shrinking in size, one would have thought that people today don’t need to travel as much as they needed to a few years back. But if anything, with the proliferation of the internet and exotic images, wanderlust has only intensified in the modern age.
The world may be getting smaller, but travelling isn’t getting any cheaper. In fact, with rising airfares and price of accommodation, travel is by far the most expensive hobby any one of us could have. But what if there was a way – or eight – to not only travel the world but also get paid doing it? Wouldn’t we all jump at the chance?
Become a tour guide
Imagine the life: you lead hordes of tourists under the leaning tower of Pisa, around the pyramids of Giza, between the hallowed rooms of the Louvre in Paris. You will get paid for the service, and by the process of showing places to people, learn more about them yourself. But for this to be a viable income source, you must first become a qualified guide, which may require a significant amount of travelling for which you will not get paid. Add to this the daily grind of dealing with irate tourists, looking after all the logistics, planning, and headaches that come with managing a large number of people.
 Go WWOOF
No, we don’t mean that you should bark for a living. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities for Organic Farms, where people set up communities that are based on working in exchange for board and home-cooked meals. There is no pay, but the opportunities are plentiful, and with WWOOF on a mission to propagate this kind of living as sustainable, large-scale, moneyless societies of the future, you may just pick up a skill required in the coming years. Even if that doesn’t happen, you can travel and live for free in exchange for work, and follow a flexible schedule, staying for as long as you wish. Not a bad deal, we think.
Teach English
This may not be feasible for those of you whose first language is not English, but if it is and you’re willing to teach non-English speakers, opportunities await you in various places of the world like the UAE, South America, Europe and Asia. Schools are looking for native English speakers who can teach by the ‘direct’ method, where students learn through concepts and pantomiming. A certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) will do your credentials no harm should you wish to pursue this line.
 
 
 Become a flight attendant
This is probably the most thought-of career choice for someone addicted to travelling. Flight attendants generally earn somewhere between $US25,000 and $US50,000 a year, and get free travel benefits not only for themselves but also for their friends and family members. If the pay sounds on the lower side, it’s because a flight attendant typically work for eighty hours a month.
 
 
Start a travel blog
Being a professional travel blogger can sound nice at first glance, but if you scratch under the surface, there is a lot of time required to set up your site and get enough traffic before you start seeing money from your blogging. Most travel bloggers go through a year or two of rigorous posting on their blogs and self-promotion on social media before they begin to earn money. Even if you do make it, remember that it’s a business, so you will have to look after the financials, the marketing, the promotion etc. To be successful travel blogger, you must be truly passionate about both travelling and blogging.
 
Become a destination wedding photographer
Wedding photography pays a lot these days. Of course, the boom may turn soon and the next generation may turn out to be paupers, but while it is possible, why not become one and put out your card? You may get called to one of the beautiful locations of the world to take pictures and display your creativity. Two birds with one stone. Many destination wedding photographers charge up to $US10,000 per wedding, plus travel, meals and accommodation. Not a bad deal for a few days of hard work.
However, there is a lot of competition now in photography with the emergence of digital cameras. You need a computer, photo editing software, lenses, a portfolio, a website, probably some training a photographer, and other such things to get started. Once you do get going, though, it could just be the dream job where creativity and fun mix in just the right amounts.
Whichever career you pick from the list, we hope that you have fun flying around the world and billing someone else for your expenses.