What? You can get paid to travel? Yes you can, and we are proof that you can make money traveling.
We have been traveling around the world for the past 11 years. As travel is our full-time job we get a lot of questions about how we make money.
Let's start off by answering some of the most popular questions.
The best way to get paid to travel is to start a travel blog or become a digital nomad like us.
We make a comfortable 6 figure income annually through these income sources.
As a travel blogger, you can earn money traveling by selling e-books or courses, freelance writing, affiliate income and more.
Get Paid to Travel the World in 2020
Over the years of being professional travel bloggers we have learned what works and what does not.
What I know for sure is that this is not a “get rich quick” kind of career. There is a lot that goes into building a business that allows you to get paid to travel.
In this post, we want to peel back the curtain so you can benefit from our knowledge and start on the path to making money out of doing something that you love.
If you want to get right into it we have provided this quick reference for you.
How we fund our travels
When we first started out by cycling the continent of Africa, we had no real idea of how we were going to make money.
We had saved about $20,000 from working in the film industry and this is what we used for the first 8-10 months to pay for our travels.
I do remember sitting at a cheap guesthouse in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka having a bit of a breakdown. We only had about 2 months left in our travel budget before we’d have to start dipping in to our savings.
As luck would have it, a few days later, we sold our first ad. $40 a month for 12 months, we suddenly had nearly $2000. We had successfully funded our first travels through the blog.
These days, most of our travels are funded through either tourism boards and brands or destinations that want us to promote their regions or products.
They will take care of our travel expenses including things like room and board, flights and activities etc.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by money, read a few of our articles and guests post on budget travel below.
- How to travel World when you don't have the funds – Think you don't have the means to travel? Be inspired by Thailand blogger, Petz who shows that even with limited budget, you can travel the world.
- How to find Free Accommodation Around the World – There are ways to stay for free while you travel. If you are making very little money, this is a great option for saving.
- How to Become a House-Sitter and See the World. It gives all the secrets behind their house-sitting success. They've had 14 jobs in 9 countries, and saved over $50,000 in the cost of accommodations as a result.
How we get Paid to Travel
In the beginning, making money while traveling was really difficult.
Travel Blogging was in its infancy and there were not many companies or destinations willing to test the waters with this new way of marketing.
Traveling long term, writing and sharing our experiences on Social Media seven days a week was what we were doing with hopes of turning our dream into a business.
But people still hadn't figured out how to monetize that.
That led us to our first idea of how to make money traveling. We decided that the best way to get paid to travel at that time was to become spokespeople for different travel brands.
So, we concentrated on raising our online profile so we could become “celebrity” travel bloggers in a sense.
It worked. We ended up working with brands like American Express, Intrepid Travel, and Expedia to name a few on a long term basis.
It was a great way for us to establish ourselves as experts in the industry opened many doors to other ways to make money traveling.
Ways We Make Money in 2020
Since those humble beginnings, we have seen the industry change immensely and there are so many different ways to get paid to travel that it makes easier for someone wanting to get into the travel space.
Our income in 2020 comes from multiple sources. Some are only available to you once you reach a certain traffic threshold but most of them you can apply early on.
1. Affiliate Marketing
This has become a larger part of our income in the past couple of years. You can start this at any time, but its success is dependent on a loyal audience and search traffic.
Basically, when you click on link to a product or service that we recommend and then make a purchase, we receive a small commission.
This is at no cost to you and we always only recommend products and service that we believe in.
This can range from booking websites for hotels like Booking.com or TripAdvisor to products that we like on Amazon or to renting a car at Rentalcars.com.
Income: Monthly affiliate income ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 depending on time of year.
2. Display Advertising
If you are just starting out, Google Adsense is a great place to get your feet wet with display advertising.
It is easy to implement and you get paid a small amount of money each time someone clicks on the ad. It may not be a ton of money at first, but as you build your website it can be quite lucrative.
Once you have built your readership you can apply to work with an ad network where you can get a better price for your ad space
Currently, we work with AdThrive who pays us out by the number of visitors that come to our website and see their banner ads.
We make a fixed dollar amount per 1000 impressions.
Income: With display advertising we make between $10,000 to $15,000 per month
3. Destination Campaigns
This used to be the main way we got paid to travel. We worked destination partnerships when we were on the road full time.
A destination will invite us to visit, cover all of our expenses and pay us a fee to help them promote their destination through social media, creating videos, writing blog posts or creating photography content.
If you are just starting out you may be able to get your trip subsidized or even paid for. But, to charge a fee for your services you need to have built an audience and offer tangible value to the destination.
These contracts are usually anywhere from a one-off social media share, to a one-month long contract.
Income: Destination Campaigns can range anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 per campaign.
But we will do one-off social projects and smaller destination packages from $500 – $5000.
4. Brand Partnerships
We work with brands and tourism companies that we believe in and feel confident recommending.
These are usually year-long contracts where we discuss what the clients needs are and what type of coverage we will give them.
It can include social media coverage, blog posts, videos, T.V. appearances, speaking at conferences, or participating in ad campaigns. You are only limited by your imagination.
These are great if you have a brand or company that already use and want to work with them.
We have worked with brands like Allianz Global Insurance, UnCruise, American Express, Intrepid Travel, and British Airways, to name a few.
Income: Brand Partnerships can range anywhere from $5000 to $50,000 per campaign depending on length and deliverables.
5. Photography Sales
Photography sales have really taken off in recent years.
We license our photos for advertising and editorial use to Destination Marketing Organizations, (DMOs) magazines, books, brands that we have worked with and ones we haven't.
This is always part of our larger packages with brands and when we do destination campaigns.
We also sell prints to the general public. Last year we ventured into Fine Art Prints with our first gallery show that was a success.
I even sell my prints on SmugMug making monthly sales.
Income: Print Sales can account for up to $10,000 per year. Photo and video licensing can range from $300 to $10,000 depending on the terms
6. Public Speaking
Once you build up your authority you can apply to speak at different conferences.
Not all of them pay us but they definitely pay off in authority which in turn allows us to increase our fees for other projects.
We have spoken at industry conferences like TBEX and TravelCon where we have shared our knowledge on blogging and influencer topics.
We have also spoken at public events like the New York Times Travel Show and Toronto Outdoor Show where we share our travel tips and advice.
This is not a main source of income for us but it does provide some money every year.
Income: For Public Speaking we charge between $1000 and $3000 per engagement.
7. Digital Products
Another way we monetize our travel blog is to make and sell your own digital products.
This is something that we just got into last year and it provides great value for our readers which is something that should be at the forefront of your marketing efforts.
Since we get a lot of traffic to different destination pages we decided to make downloadable travel guides for certain destinations.
The creation of these can take a bit of time but it is one of those things that I look at as “passive income”.
Once you make it once, it just needs to be updated once a year and it provides income all year long.
Income: From our City Guides we make $300 to $500 per month.
8. YouTube
Video has become a larger part of our income stream over the past two years and I wish that we focused on it earlier.
While video is always a part of our packages when working with brands and destinations, we also make an income from YouTube and Roku.
It takes a while to see money come in from YouTube, but once we built a solid base and subscribers list, we now make a decent monthly income off of videos.
And, now companies find us on YouTube and offer to purchase video licensing which can add up quickly.
YouTube: $600 – $1000 per month
ROKU – $200 – $400 per month
9. Freelance Writing and Photography
We accept freelance writing contracts a couple of times a year.
It is not high on our radar, but we like to keep our writing muscles flexed and we like to branch out and have our brand recognized across other channels.
These prices can really fluctuate. When working on a branded campaign for a publication we can make thousands of dollars for one project.
But when writing an article for a publication, it can be just a couple of hundred dollars.
We always decide on the value by reach, link juice from the publication and time that it takes to do the project.
We don't normally seek these out and publications usually find us through our website, but as your site grows and you gain expertise, you'll be able to approach publications with confidence and soon, editors will be approaching you.
YouTube: $600 – $1000 per month
ROKU – $200 – $400 per month
How Much do we Really Make?
Let's face it this is what you really want to know right? How much do we actually get paid to travel each year?
If you had asked me this a few years ago I probably would have been offended as it is a very personal question.
But as time has passed and this has become a viable career option we have mellowed a bit and understand that this is a unique career that people are very curious about.
This travel blog makes a good mid-6 figure income each year.
Each year varies, but this amount comes from the diversity of income streams that we have listed above. We never put our eggs in one basket and that has worked well for 10 years.
You have to remember this didn't happen overnight and it is a ton of work. There were some lean years where we barely covered expenses and thought we might have to find a job to subsidize our income.
Luckily we weathered the storm without having to do that.
But we wouldn't have done it any other way. We have learned so much running our own business and the freedom that it affords us is something we could have never imagined in our previous jobs.
I think if you are prepared for the monthly fluctuation in income, love traveling and writing, and are dedicated enough to being your won boss you too can get paid to travel.
Other Travel Jobs to Make You Money
The ways we make money above is certainly not the only ways that you can make money traveling. We know plenty of other bloggers who do other things that we don't.
These are all great ways to add diversity to your income stream.
Teach English Online
I didn't even know this was a thing until I met full-time travelers that were doing just that.
They make an hourly wage from $15-$20 per hour just by letting people practice their English over Skype.
If you are living abroad in a country that is cheap to travel, this is an excellent way to supplement your travels and even live if you are staying in the right place where it is cheap to travel.
Check out QKids and VIPKID to get started.
Creating and Running your own Tours
We have many friends in the travel blogging and photogrpahy world who have designed and run their own tours for their readers.
This can be quite labour intensive at the beginning but it can also be quite lucrative.
The key to making this successful is to be an expert in the area that you want to focus on.
We have not organized our own tours and don't really think it is a fit for us but if you like showing people around, or teaching people something – this is something you should pursue.
In today's world, the possibilities of getting paid to travel are endless.
Once upon a time National Geographic Photographers and Lonely Planet or Travel and Leisure writers were the only people that could get paid to travel the world.
Now you can take the business into your own hands and make money and travel in many ways. The question is, what's the right way for you?
Do you know of another way to make money from traveling?
We'd love you to share your ideas in the comments.
Disclaimer: We do receive an affiliate commission from the books and courses mentioned. If you click through there is no extra cost to you.
Shedi says
I’ve been following your blog since 2017. Over the years, you blog gain lot’s of fame. No doubt you’ve guys have done the hard work. It’s not easy to achieve what you have done. I also received so many inquires on my blog but mostly asking for free links >))P
desert safari dubai says
Thanks for sharing the information and that is good idea to earn the money.
digital marketing agency says
goodness, you visited awesome places everywhere throughout the world, I truly need to travel all around the globe.
Fort Charless says
I do agree with Dave Statment
Fort says
Agreed on Dave and Deb Statement.
Mariayh Umaymah says
If you are passioned about about to Travel Around the world, You’ll never lose hope and Try to Do something different than others. hey The PlanetD Team you guys are really awesome in sharing such great photos. Thanks
Regards,
Umaymah
Alex says
Hey Dave and Deb,
Great post about how travel bloggers make money through blogging. The point you make about earning huge amount of money through travel blogging resonates well, because it details that bloggers can earn profit in their travels through advertisement, photography, content writing, and even public speaking.
Recently, we wrote something similar: https://www.museuly.com/blog/highest-paid-travel-bloggers/
DNN says
Making money online is a beautiful labor of love, especially if you’re doing something that’s passionate to your heart. 🙂
Ann Stokman says
Outstanding article…Hope to get paid to travel someday as well….
maxx says
wow, i wish the same to be paid of my travel by others . btw nice article thanks
Rachael says
Wow! There’s so much to take in here! I think this is going to take a few sessions to digest. Thanks so much for the information though, so helpful xx
Ashish ranjan says
Thank for sharing this type of tips, really it was very helpfull to us .
Nisar khan says
well planet D you have done the right job at the right time well written article thanks for sharing with us
Desert Safari says
An amazing detailed article, you guys are amazing. Love from Dubai.
Dubai Desert Safari says
Very helpful guide for people who want to become a real travel blogger!!!
Morning desert safari in Dubai says
wow, you visited wonderful places all over the world, I really want to travel all around the world.
Monika says
Hi Dave & Deb, great tips! Thankfully more and more companies realize nowadays that remote working can be a huge advantage, and there are sites like Upwork or Fiverr where people can easily find any type of freelance work.
Keep up the awesome work with this blog! 😉
Carla says
Thanks a lot for sharing such valuable information!
Carla says
Blog is perfect! Very good pic.
Simppy patni says
I always follow your articles, and you write terrific but this post get paid to travel is fantastic. Keep writing like this, keep working keep going
I also have an excellent blog about travels and mystery lovers.
trip says
What an amazing compilation of tips! This is really good post for everybody starting an online business and a life of travel to realize it is possible to achieve dreams! Dream travels!
Agha Sohail says
Travel blogging has become a very hot profession these days. What could be better than making some good money while staying in 5-star hotels, enjoying food, having best local tours? Very nice insights.
Imran says
Hi Dave and deb, we will glag to offer yoy free desert safari trip whenever you visit to Dubai.
thanks
Dubai Adventures
Julia Martin says
So much information about traveling the world and getting paid for that on a single page.
It has been a great pleasure to read your story and the videos and pics are excellent……
I hope someday I will be able to travel the world the way you have been travelling…
very very inspirational indeed
Desert says
This is very comprehensive list having great ideas.
Jane Dempster-Smith says
Great article guys. It does take time and we are slowly getting there. It is great to know that we are on the right track. Look forward to seeing and listening to you at #TBEXEurop2017. You guys are such an inspiration.
Caught In The Middle says
Do what you know and perception is converted into character.
Aslam says
You guys clearly haven’t heard of the world’s coolest travel club. It also gives the opportunity to travel and get paid. After reading this, i’m more convinced that what i’m doing is the best way to get paid by traveling, ever.
Dave and Deb says
We haven’t heard of the coolest travel club. But I am so glad that you have found a way to travel and get paid for it! 🙂
Aisha says
Very good way to deliver the ideas.
Thank you
waiz says
good article.
Tamal Karmakar says
Thank you. It was awesome, I get to know lot of new things through this article. You guys are really doing a great job by sharing your personal experiences.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks Tamal! All the best to you.
Lynn says
Great Post! It was very knowledgeable for me.
Thanks for sharing.
Alex says
Very useful tips. Excellent for the beginners.
Arnold says
That’s a full-blown list of possibilities to earn money whilst traveling. And they do work, I can imagine.
I was wondering if the travel on itself is considered as a holiday, working whilst on holiday is gonna be hard. It mainly depends on the mindset of course. It would get boring if every day was spent traveling only. And it would be tricky to travel without money later on, so eventually, the mind-shift should happen.
Thanks for sharing the great ways to earn money whilst traveling. Have a wonderful time. Hopefully, it’s not raining where you are right now.
property istanbul says
New social networks becoming progressively more prominent. In short, you’re open to a lot of opportunities that I didn’t have
ILHAM says
Very good advice, I have been dreaming of being a full-time blogger since long, just did not get anough coarage to start it. The main reason is my day job is very strict in timing and I became exhausted by the tie I finish it and do not have much energy to work at home. But in the other hand I am not sure will it ok to quit my day job first as I have Kid and wife that depending on me.
Ali Abbasi says
Overall its good advice, I have a blog also and i am getting good value through.
You guys are awesome 🙂
etravos says
thanks for sharing this information.and it was the great opportunity for travel lovers
John says
Hire me!!! Lol I want to travel and work more then anything
Pirate Compass says
Very interesting read.. .thanks for sharing..
Jacqueline La Cumber says
I was lucky enough to work in the travel industry for various airlines, for 25 years +, which was a great way to see the world for free or low cost. There are still good travel concessions to be had if you work in the airline/travel industry, and there are lots of opportunities apart from being a flight attendant. I am still learning my trade as a travel blogger though, as no internet media existed when I first started travelling. I guess that means I have to re-visit lots of countries, which is great, and I am beginning to do that.
Priyanka Pradeep says
Thanks Dave and Deb. All my questions got answered. Wonderful and informative article.
Dalila says
My God!!! This blog is perfect! All happiness in the world!
I love to travel
Jason says
Ohhhh this blog is perfect for the trip lovers, yours trips it´s very very crazy….I´m love trip.
Shaun says
Great list of info a resources! I think what is lost on most people searching this topic is, no matter what route you go, it boils down to putting in the work.
Shaun
beauvais to disneyland transfer says
very intresting post! very helpful, thanks for share with us
Dave and Deb says
Glad we could help! Cheers.
Taxis in Paris says
As a travel lover person I always used to think about I can get such money. truely, I was also very depressed at the present time. But this tips are really great for me and for the persons like me. Thanks for the great help.
Abdullah Akbar says
Well thanks alot for these great tips, One of the biggest problem is how to make all the money for exploring the world, It would be best if we start earning while travelling, what a great advice, Thanks alot …
Stacey Venzel says
thanks for all the tips! very helpful, detailed & informative. happy travels!
Johnny Jet says
Love it! You two are good!!
Tammy says
I’ve been going through your blog, FANTASTIC! What you two are doing is exsctly what my husband and I are working towards. I just started our blog and am SO inspired by you. Thank you!
I traveled overseas as a child and have been missing it terribly, is been a growing hunger in my heart and soul. My best friend is my better half, we work together (he owns his own sign company), lately we’ve been in that rut and getting out and leaving is becoming more of a necessity for our sanity. I so glad to have found your blog and all your inspiration to push us along in our goals. We’ve been using kids and material things as excuses to hold us back from doing what we REALLY want to do with our lives. I will be signing up for the travel blog success courses and following you more closely (now that I’ve found my inspiration). Once again thank you, I hope to meet you both some day and exchange stories and laughter.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks Tammy, so glad we could inspire you. Before we started ThePlanetD we were constantly scouring the Internet and magazines for inspiration, so I’m glad to see that we are doing our job of keeping the inspiration going. It’s great to see another couple that works together. If you already do that at home, you will settle nicely into blogging together. Plus it sounds like you are already quite artistic with running a sign company. I’m sure we will meet one day, you’d be surprised at how many people we’ve talked to online and then met somewhere out there in the world. In the 21st century, the earth is very small. Thanks for the comment and all the best to you!
Sharon says
Just wanting to let your readers know that they can find out what their rate of pay would be in Australia, if they are considering working while travelling to this part of the world. Thank you.
http://www.workinaustralia101.com/2015/07/what-would-your-pay-rate-be-in-australia.html
Safe travels, Sharon
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for sharing, that’s some valuable information that I’m happy to leave on here 🙂
Frank says
We saved $40,000 last year – just by 1) renting our Montreal condo, 2) Spanky continuing her job from a distance, 3) living overseas. And we got to ‘live’ in the Czech Republic, Thailand, and Croatia with lots of little side trips.
And it wasn’t just about saving the money. It was about breaking that 9-5 home-work routine that drains the life out of everyone. It also made us realize just how darn expensive Canada is.
We’ve spent the last month in Montreal catching up on admin stuff and will be leaving in a couple of weeks for Year 2 of our travels.
Frank (bbqboy)
Bella Mare Corfu says
Very good job you always write very interesting articles and we can admiral amazing photos and video.
Iris says
I really admire you for quiting your job, traveling and making money. I believe that this is what we all want to do, but very few of us have your courage to do it. Great post! Thanks for sharing.
Aurora says
Thank you for your tips. I have a question… I have a 7 year old son but I would still like to have a job traveling. How often do you come across someone with a small child with them in their adventures?
Tajirul Haque says
I like most of your ideas …… my feeling is like in all these occasions, the initial days are going to be the most challenging ….. i think travel blogging, freelance writing and looking for part time jobs while traveling are the best ways to do it…
Vince says
Have you encountered any stories/problems with your carry-on luggage during all your travels?
Dave and Deb says
Not really no.
Gaurav Bhatnagar says
Thank you for such a wonderful post. Your stunning photos and informative posts keep on bringing me back to your blog again and again. All the best for upcoming journeys. By the way, another way of making money while travelling is to draw and paint your way across the world 🙂 (Candace Rose Rardon). Opportunities are endless. ~Gaurav (India)
Dave and Deb says
Thank you for the kind words. Thanks for mentioning Candace! We know her and I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. I appreciate you sharing. And you are so right, the possibilities are endless!
Renuka says
I love reading such posts where we talk about money-making to be able to travel. It’s always encouraging and helps us to think as to how we can spread our wings and look for newer ways to make money. Thanks so much for this post!
Dave and Deb says
Thanks Renuka. It’s great to share stuff like this to help get the creative juices flowing. We always need a little motivation ourselves. Even we are always searching for something new to try. Thanks for the comment!
Nicola says
It’s my first time here and I love your blog!! and thanks so much for sharing your hints and tips on managing a travel blog :):) I’ve been working as a wedding photographer for the last few years and have fallen out of love with weddings! I’ve recently (in the last few weeks) started a travel and lifestyle blog as I love shooting travel photography and have travelled quite a bit over the last 20 years and have a 6 month trip to SE Asia coming up in November so seizing the moment. I have a VERY long way to go yet though until I gain some interest! Keep up the amazing work and happy travels 🙂
Dave and Deb says
Best of luck to you Nicola. You are going to love South East Asia, it is a photographer’s paradise. Keep us posted on how things go!
Scott Herder says
@Shane, yes! Thank you, will look at this with my gf when she gets back to the room! Excited just to read about it!
Reshma says
Thanks a lot for sharing such valuable information!
I’ve just started blogging and working out my ways to facilitate both traveling and making money.Posts like these throw the light and show the ways to newbie’s like me!
Way to go! Bookmarking it NOW
Dave and Deb says
Thank you Reshma, and glad we could give you some resources. Sometimes all we need are a few suggestions to get the creative juices flowing.
Shane says
@Scott This isn’t a mega yacht but this yacht captain sent us this ad last week: http://www.jobsabroadbulletin.co.uk/cookhousekeeper-deckhand-for-luxury-private-motor-yacht/. The position is a volunteer one but it might be a way to get some experience along with a free cruise around the Greek islands.
One another of our sites we interviewed a superyacht stewardess: http://www.the-working-traveller.com/worldwideworker-katie-wilter-superyacht-stewardess/, while these agencies might also help with your research: Dovaston Crew, Silver Swan Recruitment, Super Yacht Crew, YPI Crew, Camper & Nicholsons International, Luxury Yacht Group, Bluewater, WilsonHalligan, Northrop and Johnson.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for sharing Shane, that’s really valuable information. I appreciate it!
Charles Rahm says
Dear Deb and Dave,
Sorry to be a bit negative, but why is erverybody always sharing those absurdly coloured, filtered pictures on Instagram? I find them horrible. Am I the only one?
I hope, I didn’t offend you. But if a great picture on Instagram means to apply such a filter on a before normal picture … Well then, I might have lost touch with this world. 🙂
Maybe I should register for a therapy until I like such pictures?
Best regards, Charles
Dave and Deb says
No worries Charles, it’s definitely not for everyone. Our Instagram photos are quite different from what we post on our website. I look at Instagram as a form of artistic impression. I love looking at saturated colours and seeing what creative ideas and concepts people come up with. That’s the great thing about art and photography, it’s subjective. But you are right, we don’t put our Instagram shots on our website. Our photos on ThePlanetD are more true to life, crisp and real to the eye. But we like playing with both. And no, you haven’t lost touch with the world. I think it’s the people that bury their noses in their cell phones 24/7 liking and commenting on Instagram are the ones that have lost touch with the world…literally. They need to look up and explore the beauty around them, not only the things happening on the screens of their iPads and phones.
Marta Kulesza says
Being an au pair is a great way to not only travel the world but to completely immerse into other cultures. I spent 2 years in the US and 1 year in Germany. Thanks to that I could slowly discover the countries and cultures and not worry about paying bills or renting a house. I could definitely recommend it to anyone! My brother actually became an au pair too, because he got jealous of all the travelling I’ve done wiith my host families and friends.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for sharing Marta. Yet another way to get paid to travel. I love it! I had heard about that, what an amazing way to travel. And I am assuming that the people who can afford an Au Pair are quite wealthy, so you most likely get to travel and live in style!
Scott Herder says
@Noel – It’s definitely a win if you can make money in your home currency. @judykarwacki – Whaaaaat? I wanna work on a MegaYacht!
I think the crazy thing is like @shane said, there are so many opportunities and the more you travel the more you discover them. It’s a bit liberating to realize travel isn’t super expensive, and there are becoming more and more abundant opportunities. Again MegaYacht – will research this!
Dave and Deb says
You are so right, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many ways to make money while traveling now. It’s an exciting time to explore the world. Good luck with the MegaYacht research.
noel says
Great ideas, I think if you can take a profession that can travel abroad in the currency you make, then that really works well to your favor, along with scaling back or downsizing to afford this type of lifestyle.
Dave and Deb says
That’s a great point too. Living remotely does offer that opportunity. A lot of people can be paid in their own currency while working abroad. Put that money into a lower cost of living and it’s win win! Thanks for sharing Noel.
Travel Philippines says
Thank you for the wonderful ideas. I will follow some of the tips but others may not be applicable to mine. I have travelled 13 countries already but still I am using my own money for the travel expenses. I wish I can do what you have done. More travel to you soon.
Dave and Deb says
Best of luck to you! It sounds like you are well on your way to a great travel career. Dave and I didn’t start really getting into travel until our 30’s, you’re probably well ahead of us already!
George Diamond says
What an amazing place. It would be perfect to take my luxury car rental company over there
Katja of Skimbaco says
Thank you for the shout-out! Essential oils really changed my life, although I had been traveling 17 years before that. I think if there is a will to travel, there is always a way to make the money to do it.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for the inspiration at TBEX Katja, You looked so happy and content. Wow! 17 years of traveling amazing! I guess what I meant was that you weren’t focusing on a travel blog like us, you had an entirely different business model and made it work. It’s impressive! And I forgot to mention that Tom Cruise featured your product on Oprah. I must go and add that in!
kach says
thanks deb and dave as always! before we’ce learned about travel blogging my fiance and i are doing massage therapy and english teaching from asia to latin america.. would love to share story or tips on how to be a massage therapist on the road.. can i guest post on planetd since you’ve already mentioned it above!:)
Dave and Deb says
Definitely send us an email. We’d love to share your story of how it goes!
Shayne | lemisstache.com says
these are all great tips! thanks for sharing! im thinking of freelance writing just dont know when to take the leap!
Dave and Deb says
Good luck to you. Take it from me the sooner the better. As someone who didn’t know what I wanted to do for a very long time, I wish I figured it out earlier. But at the same time, you have to take the leap when you are ready, too soon can be overwhelming. Just follow your instincts.
Anne says
Hi Deb and Dave,
This is good. Really good…..
I’ve been doing research on travel blogging and I love the suggestions you’ve provided on generating revenue.
I clicked the link for the inspiration series but the content of the page doesn’t load. https://theplanetd.com/inspiration-series/ Maybe it’s just an issue with the browser I’m using.
Again, thanks!
Anne
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for the heads up, I’ll see what’s happening. I noticed it’s not loading either. We’ll get that fixed lickety split!
Dave and Deb says
It’s working now, Cheers!
Dave | Jones Around The World says
This is such a great and informative post. I’ve been working on getting more into freelance stuff, and eventually want to try out a couple more of these methods! Thanks for putting it all together
Dave and Deb says
Thanks Dave, best of luck with your freelancing! There is still lots of work out there. I actually think there is more work than ever with the Internet opening up. It’s not a closed door mentality anymore. It used to be overwhelming trying to figure out how to get published, now there are many opportunities! Cheers!
Gloria @NomadicChica says
What an amazing compilation of tips! This is really good post for everybody starting an online bussiness and a life of travel to realize it is possible to achieve dreams! Happy travels!
Mariellen Ward says
Thanks again for another instructive post Dave and Deb!
Travel bloggers who make a name for themselves can also become brand ambassadors, do consulting work for destinations and brands, attract sponsors, etc. There’s a variety of other ways to make money, especially if you become known for your niche. I always recommend that newbie bloggers develop a niche. Otherwise, it’s much harder to rise above the noise. Cheers, see you tonight!
Judy Karwacki says
I worked on a yachting tourism study in Antigua a couple of years ago and learned about a dream travel job that I wish existed when I was in my teens/20s. It is working on megayachts. It’s better than cruise ships because they are small so you work with a family and small group. A lot of the work is around supporting the guests in recreation such as snorkeling, SUP, fishing, picnicing, etc. Long hours but very good pay, especially tips, and lots of time off. The people I met were having a ball doing it. Caribbean during the North American winters and Mediterrean postings during the summers. Hiring generally occurs in Florida.
Dave and Deb says
I can’t believe I didn’t include that! We have a friend of ours that is working on a Mega Yacht right now! We met Bobby in Nepal in 2010 and he is still travelling the world and working on yachts. Excellent advice, thanks Judy!
Shane says
There are so many ways to get paid to travel: DJing in the Alps, managing a campsite in France, guest clergy onboard cruise ships, immersive English teaching in Germany or Spain, sea kayaking instructor jobs in Alaska, crewing a private motor yacht around the Greek islands, cleaning and readying a canal boat in the UK, becoming a dive instructor, holiday rep, airport transfer driver, or artist in residence, leading school tours or gap year programmes, driving an overland truck through Africa, looking after disabled holidaymakers, working for summer camps in America or winter camps in Switzerland, enticing customers into bars in Kavos, waiting tables in an Amsterdam comedy club, hairdressing on Europe’s waterways, volunteer surf instruction in Nicaragua, working in expat bars, picking strawberries in Denmark, advising holidaymakers on the best methods to avoid sunburn in Spain, kitchen jobs in Portugal, tour leading in Vietnam, catering stewards in Dubai, managing a hotel in the Falkland Islands…
Thanks for helping to spread the world about working abroad. I highly recommend a book called Work Your Way Around the World (written by a Canadian). I never did any of the things listed above, instead finding my own way to afford to travel, but this book helped me to realise it was possible to travel even when you have little money.
Dave and Deb says
Thanks for sharing Shane. You are right, the possibilities are endless. People just need a little nudge to start thinking outside the box. So many people think that they can’t get paid to travel and yet, you can do anything.
Prasad Np says
Dear Dave and Deb: Always wonderful to learn from your experience, and appreciate that you are always willing to share your secrets. Wishing you the best for future travels. .. Prasad from India
Dave and Deb says
Thanks Prasad. We thought it was a good idea to give people a one stop shop to build their travel careers.
VIP desert safari says
also thanks for sharing and giving the response