“Generating Income on the Go: A Traveler’s Guide (Part 2)”

Continuing from last week’s post about managing income while traveling, here’s more on how I navigate this lifestyle.

After graduating college, I spent a year traveling the world on a shoestring budget. When that year ended, I realized I wasn’t ready to settle down. I started job hunting abroad and although I was in Australia at the time, I found a job in Guatemala. I worked there for three years, initially as a hotel manager and later in business development for a major law firm. Then, I moved to Barcelona to start a green building and energy-saving business with a friend. This was followed by a stint in the UK, where I spent three years in IT. During this period, my weekends were filled with exploring nearby towns and countries, benefiting from jobs that aligned with my degree and paid well.

While in the UK, a friend asked if I wanted to contribute travel articles to his website. I jumped at the chance, finding it incredibly rewarding. I wrote after work and on weekends, traveling to gather information and photos. Eventually, another opportunity arose when someone else discovered my work and hired me to write for them as well. My friend’s website grew internationally, and I began translating my articles into other languages. This side gig started to turn into a substantial income.

I decided to leave my job in the UK and move to Morocco, which offered a sunny and affordable lifestyle. I continued writing and enjoyed a great life there. Morocco’s beauty, combined with its proximity to my hometown of Paris, made it an ideal location. But soon, the travel bug bit me again. I returned to Guatemala where I met my partner, and together we embarked on a six-month motorcycle trip to Alaska. Although we never made it to Alaska, we journeyed from Guatemala to Seattle and then to Washington DC. Last summer, after a seven-month break in Guatemala, we toured Europe. My writing income supported all this travel, and my aggressive saving habits allowed me to invest in various ventures. During my time in the UK, I bought another property, sold my French studio flat, and purchased land in Guatemala with plans to start a guesthouse and possibly a cattle farm.

Traveling without a steady income isn’t daunting if you’ve saved enough beforehand. Jobs in Europe or Australia can provide good wages, and freelancing is always an option if you have skills in writing, web design, translation, or other marketable online services. Platforms like Elance and Taskrabbit are excellent starting points.

If you’re interested in working internationally, consider volunteering in exchange for accommodation and meals. NGOs, or organizations like WOOF that place volunteers on organic farms, offer great opportunities to rest while traveling and immerse yourself in local cultures, which is often cheaper than constant travel.

Your travel expenses will vary based on your comfort level and travel goals, but you’re likely to spend less than you would on rent, car insurance, and phone bills in the US. Ultimately, you’ll realize that wealth isn’t a prerequisite for seeing the world.

Have you thought about or already have a location-independent career?