When you hear the phrase “how to travel for free” the response “yeah, right,” often comes to mind. Travel is such a luxury in our world that it’s almost incomprehensible to imagine being able to do it for free. I wouldn’t as far to say that traveling for free is easy, but it’s definitely possible. You just have to get creative.
Many will say that it’s not possible to travel for free because of how expensive it usually is, depending on where you go. I always say that just like anything else, if it’s a priority, then it’s absolutely doable.
How To Travel for Free
Teach English In-Person or Online
Believe it or not, teaching english to students in-person or online is an excellent way to make money and allow for more travels abroad. There’s always a demand for teachers both far and wide which can be an excellent opportunity, especially if you’re looking to live abroad, even for just a few months. You don’t have to speak the native language of the students and you don’t even have to be a formal teacher, you just need a bachelor’s degree.
VIPKID is an excellent platform to use when looking for a teaching job. It pays $14-$22 an hour, making it easy to bring in $1,000-$2,000 a month. Not only will you be making money, but you’ll be helping shape the lives of young children by giving them the gift of being able to speak another language.
Start a Business Abroad
Did you know you have the ability to start your own online business not only in the US, but abroad too? There’s so many services out there that allow you to go through the process and start your own business while being able to travel at the same time.
There’s several programs out there, but one I find most interesting is Settle in Abroad, a relocation service that helps you move to Thailand and find a job. Establishing residency, setting up a business, getting your visa and having all legal documents can be quite stressful. Settle in Abroad helps take care of the whole process and makes your transition a smooth one.This opportunity allows you to live abroad, make money and be in close proximity to other countries for travel.
Volunteer with the Peace Corp
An amazing way to see the world and do some good in it is to join The Peace Corp. While they do cover expenses and housing in the country where you’re volunteering, it’s a very involved and time-consuming job. It should be understood that by signing up for the Peace Corps, you’ll be expected to do a lot of work!
The programs typically lasts 2 years + 3 months of training and as long as you have a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of professional experience, you should be qualified. Many volunteers have said The Peace Corps changed their lives for the better. It truly is an amazing opportunity.
Travel with Credit Card Points
This is probably the easiest way to travel for free without making any major lifestyle changes. As long as you can pay off a credit card on time month to month, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be using credit cards that add up travel rewards.
There’s tons of credit cards out there that are beneficial for all types of spending habits and have specific benefits assigned to each card. When you sign up for a credit card, refer a friend, use the card and add up points, you can actually cover flights and hotels by booking them with your credit cards. It’s amazing what you can do by mastering this system!
Pet Sit or House Sit
How amazing would it be to be able to travel somewhere you’ve never been and stay in a house or hangout with a dog..for free? Well now you can! Website like TrustedHousesitters can make that dream a reality and allow you to stay somewhere while helping someone else out and lending an extra hand.
This is of course another opportunity that requires you to be professional and courteous but is one of the most unique and affordable ways to see new places. You can create your own account and start a profile, watching houses and pets around the world!
Become a Destination Wedding Coordinator
This is a very specific role and niche, but can be one of the absolute best ways to travel for free wile making excellent money doing so. Like a regular wedding planner, a destination wedding planner helps organize, create and bring the wedding to life, but instead do so in various locations around the world.
There are thousands of brides who would love nothing more than someone else to plan their dream wedding for them, to take away the stress. This is an excellent opportunity for event planners, travel agents/advisors and wedding planners to use their skills and create epic weddings for people, all while getting to travel to breathtaking destinations.
Become a Travel Blogger
Ever thought about building a business around travel itself? This is the ultimate way to make traveling for free a part of your everyday life. Becoming a travel influencer/blogger can be quite intimidating, especially when you don’t know where to start but there are so many great resources out there to help you.
When you start creating a business around travel whether through a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, Instagram, etc. you can actually start working with hotels and brands to travel for free. The best advice for accomplishing this goal is to just start and make adjustments as you go.
How will you travel for free this year?
About the Author
Jess Litras is an entrepreneur and Travel and Lifestyle Blogger who focuses on building a business online and encouraging women to travel while looking and feeling their best. After working at a start-up company and a corporate company over the last 5 years, Jess has taken a leap of faith to build the life and career of her dreams. She specializes in event planning, blogging, social media, building communities and creating travel guides. When she's not traveling, you can find her cuddled up on the couch with a good book or true crime show.
Website: https://www.jessicalitras.com/