Working on the Road
- Can it be done?
- How can I earn money while traveling?
- Is it possible to over-plan?
- Will I need visas?
- Can I get by speaking only English?
- Should I buy guidebooks?
Can it be done?
Yes, it definitely can be done, but in some cases it might not really be worth it. This is a huge subject and there has been a lot written about it including various threads on our message boards.
There are two major categories within this subject. Many people set out on long-term travel and then stop in one place for a long time while working there. Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is the easiest and most common job one can acquire in a foreign country and many travelers are spread all over the world doing it right now. Some stay in a place for a few months and others spend years in one place.
But most RTW travelers are more interested in picking up a bit of work for a couple days up to a couple of months, in order to fund the next segment of their journey. If you are between the ages of 18 and 25 (or 30 in some cases), there are programs set up where you can get temporary jobs in certain countries with certain restrictions. Citizens of Commonwealth countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have it easier working in other member nations. There are programs set up Americans can take advantage of, but they are more limited.
Casual work
Many people don't even want to bother with any official and restricted program. In some areas it's not too difficult to get temporary work "off the books." The most popular jobs in this form are as bartenders and waiting tables. If you've got experience at this back home you might be able to find a place that will take you on temporarily for off-the-books cash payment. Most bars and restaurants maintain a stable local staff, but finding places that will employ travelers is not impossible if you look around. Irish pubs in any city are usually a great source of information if not for actual jobs themselves. For specific tips on this check out our message boards.
Quite a few hostels will employ travelers as a major part of their day-to-day staffing. This sort of work is not too difficult to get, but the pay tends to be a certain number of hours in exchange for a free dorm bed and often meals as well. This can help cut the cost of staying in one place for a while, but obviously won't be much help in saving up money for future exploits.
Other travelers have reported being able to pick up construction or agriculture (picking fruit etc.) work while on the road. But unless you've got a special skill this means you'll be competing with the bottom levels of the local labor pools. In other words, you'd likely be working long hours for limited pay, and if that's the situation you have to ask yourself if there is any point in doing it at all. In order to save up much money you'd have to live the most frugal imaginable lifestyle while working. It might make more sense to delay your trip for another few months while you have a reasonable job at home and save up more money that way. But some people definitely do this and to them it's worth it.
WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is another way to stem the flow of outgoing cash. In return for volunteering to work on an organic farm, you will receive room & board. You won't be making any money, but you won't be spending a whole lot either. It's also a great way to meet people and experience a part of a country definitely off-the-beaten-path. Opportunities exist worldwide.
How else can I earn money while traveling?
More and more jobs can be performed from home instead of the office, and many of these jobs can be performed from anywhere you have a computer and internet access. Of course, the main problem with that is you don't want to be working a 40-hour week while traveling from place to place, and the traveling itself will take up much of your time anyway. But along these lines, if you are thinking about trying to earn some money while traveling it might be best to think in terms of developing freelancing skills well in advance.
We've heard of successful internet entrepreneurs who set up one or more commercial sites that take very little maintenance, and then with a few hours here and there they have an income that allows them to travel with a laptop and do their work wherever they are. But this is easier said than done. More realistically for most of us, is developing skills such as writing, copyediting, web design, and graphic design. There are quite a few jobs that can be done remotely on a laptop if you use your imagination.
One major advantage of this is you can earn money for a skill in your home currency so if you are traveling in a cheaper place you can stay well ahead of the game with far less effort than you would by waiting tables in that same place. So if your trip is far enough out you even have time to develop this at home before you leave. But again, this is a little easier said than done.
Just because you have the skills to build web sites doesn't mean you and your laptop can hit the road and the jobs will find you. Learning how to build web sites and getting people to pay you to do it are separate skills that are both important. If you are considering this strategy you'll want to get some clients and build your business before you leave. It's not easy, but it can be done if you are committed to it.
Working this way also has another hidden advantage in that working 5 or 10 or 15 hours a week on the road helps you avoid travel burnout. By building a bit of work time into your schedule it breaks up the routine of waking up and sightseeing every day. And if you've got to work four hours in the morning before going on that brewery tour it makes the beer taste a bit sweeter when you finally get there, and you feel more like you deserve it.
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