So you’ve been travelling for six months on the adventure fund that you accumulated in your final year back home, done your fair share of volunteer work to save money, slept in all sorts of environments and on all kinds of surfaces to save cash. One big problem. Said cash is running out. What to do? Well, you could volunteer forever but wouldn’t it be nice to make a little money so that you can continue seeing a wide variety of places? You could just go home but you haven’t had enough of the nomadic life and want to see what it’s like to live in another country. There’s only one real solution if you find yourself in this kind of situation, and that is to work for money.
Online Freelancing
As mentioned in Chapter 2, freelancing is a great way to pick up some extra cash before you start travelling, and of course while you’re on the road too. If you have any specific skills that work well online such as programming, administration, writing, editing, bookkeeping etc. then signing up as a freelancer on a site such as Upwork is a great option. I’ve met many travelers who work two to three hours a day on average for clients they’ve met on Upwork and make enough money to travel and even save a little extra. Fiverr is another excellent site for online freelancing.
Working Visas
Many travelers fall in love with certain countries they explore and wish to stay to live and work there. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to live in many countries on a tourist visa, although certain Southeast Asian countries are notorious for allowing tourists to renew their visas after spending 24 hours in a neighboring country, thus extending their stay indefinitely!
The next logical step then is to obtain a working visa and find a job. Of course, the requirements for this depend on your home country’s relationship with the country you are aiming to live in, whether you require sponsorship from a company who you will be working with, how long you are required to stay for, the list goes on. If you are already in the country in which you want to live and work then it pays to head to your home country’s embassy and enquire there. Alternatively, conduct a search on the web or ask other foreigners in your target country to find out the requirements. I’ve met many travellers who have extended their adventures indefinitely by working in several countries along the way, a few of whom even managed to save a great deal of surplus cash to return home with!
Cash Jobs
There are loads of opportunities for working on odd cash jobs when you’re travelling. Many hostels will offer you some cash in addition to free accommodation if you work there. If hostel work is your thing, simply ask around at the hostels where you stay. Alternatively, if you volunteer at a hostel through a network like Help Exchange or Work Away, you may be able to secure some cash by offering to work extra hours. Just ensure that your visa for the country you’re in will allow you to stay for a while. If you’re unsure about the unofficial (and in some countries, illegal) nature of cash work, do some research on obtaining official working visas for the country you’re in, and ask around in embassies or on the web in case there are any risks associated with accepting cash jobs.
If you’re travelling in rural areas during the planting or harvesting season, some farmers may offer quick cash jobs too, but these are harder to come by unless you’re in the know with some locals. In a similar capacity, I’ve met people with specific skills who have been referred to help out with personal building and construction projects, renovations, house moves and the like. Most of the time these are just favours done for local friends, and may only be a one-day job, but hey, any extra cash is great to have when you’re travelling, and helping people out is always a rewarding experience.
If you have anything you can teach others, this is also a great option for picking up extra cash jobs. Retreats, Help Exchange/Work Away hosts, hostels and the like all over the world take in and pay people with specific skills. Usually these skills revolve around languages, yoga, massage, dance, music and similar holistic or creative endeavours. If you have a background in any of these areas, keep an eye out for residencies as you travel about.
Busking
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet dozens of inspiring adventurers who travel with instruments, performing on the streets as they go to pick up extra cash. If you are musically inclined, this can be a great way to boost your finances and also to get involved in local music scenes wherever you go. Of course, small instruments like harmonicas, ukuleles, mandolins, violins etc are ideal for travelling, but I’ve met travellers carrying full-size guitars, amplifiers, all sorts of drums and even didgeridoos. Many of these people actually make all of their travel money through busking, not only on the street but also by contacting local bars, pubs and cafes to offer to play in exchange for food, accommodation or a little cash.
Teaching English
Teaching any language is a viable way to pick up some extra cash while you’re abroad, but teaching English is by far the most readily available job-wise, and can also be the most lucrative. If you are a native English speaker, or fluent in English as a second language, you can find English teaching jobs almost anywhere in the world.
You have several options when it comes to securing a job in the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) industry depending on your level of experience, your certifications, how much you want to earn and where you are in the world. Most prospective TEFL teachers will look to secure a TEFL qualification before they search for a job, and indeed this is a prerequisite for most TEFL placements out there.
The most popular certifications, but also the most expensive by far, are CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). These two certifications are suitable for those who are pursuing TEFL as a career beyond just funding their next few months of travel. They are considered very prestigious and with either one under your belt you can secure a TEFL job anywhere in the world.
However, if you are just looking to teach a semester or two of English, or even just engage in some private tutoring in exchange for cash, a less prestigious qualification may be for you, especially if you can’t afford the huge course fees for CELTA or TESOL. These courses are usually completed online and come at a very cheap price point. Just be warned that with these cheaper qualifications you may not be as sought-after as those with CELTA or TESOL certificates. Some resources for comparing the plethora of TEFL course options out there are TEFL Course Review and Go Overseas. Ensure that you’ve done your research into the legitimacy of your course, as the quality of some courses, especially those taught in Southeast Asia, can be dubious. With an online or ‘alternative’ certification you should be able to land work anywhere in Asia, South America and in some parts of Europe. The Middle East is actually the most lucrative region to work in pay-wise, especially if you are able to teach business or technical English for subjects such as engineering and computer science, but this usually requires CELTA or TESOL to secure a placement.
Another option is to find English teaching work without a qualification at all. This can either be in the form of jobs where you actually obtain your qualification while teaching (although often this means you won’t be paid, either) or taking on ad-hoc, casual work as you travel. The latter is particularly viable in countries where English teaching is so sought-after that qualifications aren’t necessary. Typically, this includes Southeast Asia, China and Central America, although in Central America a knowledge of Spanish is usually a requirement too. The best way to secure work in this more informal manner is to simply ask around where you are staying. Hostels, guesthouses and of course local schools can usually provide information on informal teaching opportunities in the area. Please note, however, that due to the unofficial nature of this work, the pay will be typically quite low and in some countries it may be considered illegal due to the lack of a working visa. I’d always recommend going through more official channels unless you are truly desperate for funds or can’t afford a TEFL qualification.
Whatever option you choose, one of the best resources for actually finding work in the TEFL industry is Dave’s ESL Café. Many job listings are of the type that include obtaining a qualification in the placement, so this site is great for finding certification courses too.
