Traveling can be an expensive hobby and if you are out and about spending without anything coming in, your bank account ends up being the biggest loser. With the rise of the online gig economy and volunteering sites such as Workaway gaining popularity, spending more time adventuring and less time at home is something that a lot of people are considering. The biggest issue is, how can you make enough money while on the road to keep the adventure going without becoming a full-on digital nomad?

Well, you are in luck, because today we will be diving into this new trend of mixing travel with a bit of money-making, to help you subsidize some of those pricey travel expenses.

Become a Travel Content Creator
We live in a world where content is king, and travel content creators are in high demand. If you have a knack for storytelling, photography, or videography, then you might want to consider getting into travel content creation to supplement your income while traveling. I will admit that this method of earning while you travel is best done as a full-time gig, but there are travel creators who do it part-time and manage to make a bit of money out of it.

The problem with going this route is that you will need to build up a following and then try to earn money with your uploads. This can take a lot of time to get right, but for those with a passion for traveling, it can be a great hobby or even a full-time occupation. The main 3 avenues that travel content creators use to share their stories are:


Writing: Starting a travel blog, sharing travel guides, writing an eBook, etc. Here money is usually made via affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and selling digital products like eBooks.

Videos: Uploading captivating travel videos for sites like YouTube and TikTok. These are monetized through ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Images: Share stunning travel photos on sites like Instagram. This is made profitable through collaborations with brands for sponsored posts, affiliate partnerships, etc.

The best way to get started with becoming a travel content creator is by joining a travel creator club or Facebook group to get some of the latest insights and be a part of a community of other travelers all on the same journey.

Sell Your Travel Photos and Videos
It doesn't take a whole lot of gear to capture a good photo or record a few seconds of video that someone online might be willing to pay for. These days you can sell your work on stock photo and video websites with just a few clicks. Platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images allow you to upload and sell your high-quality images and footage to individuals and businesses around the world with minimal effort.

This is a great little money-maker that also comes with some longevity built in, as you can keep getting small royalty payments from the moment that you do your upload and there is no time limit for how long you can keep earning from the content. If you are looking for a more passive-style monetization opportunity, this one might be for you.

Find a Job
Sometimes the best way to make some money while traveling is simply to do some work wherever you might be. Teaching English is a favorite for JetBlack many travelers who want to spend some more time in a country and you can usually find a school looking to hire a foreign teacher for an extended period or a few students looking to improve their English for private classes.

Traveling and working can be a great way to save up some money for the next leg of your trip, as you get to travel more comfortably and often learn a few new skills along the way. If you are not too fond of teaching, working in a hostel or bar might be more up your alley. Bar work might bring in some tips and give you free drinks, while hostels usually provide a free bed and sometimes also a few pennies for your pocket.

If you want a bit more adventure, working as a tour guide or helping out in a dive shop might be your best option. Tour guides usually earn some decent tips and get a percentage of any activities booked through them. For those hoping to work at a dive shop, you might make a few dollars from helping out on the boat and cleaning gear, etc., but you often get to do free dives and work towards a diving certificate or two.

Sell Some Merch
Be it pencil sketches you draw on the fly for a few bucks or designing cool t-shirts from your travel pics and selling them on Etsy, selling things can bring in a few dollars to help fund your travel adventure. Things like cool stickers can usually be bought for cheap online and you can sell some while traveling. If you are skilled at something like carving or bead-making, you can always be making things and selling them, be it online or in person.

Write a Travel Book
This one can be an awesome little supplementary form of income but don't expect to get rich from it. If you can manage to put some time and effort into documenting some of your travels, it is easy to self-publish through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and then just tell people about your book while traveling. Sure, you won't get rich doing it, but you will sell a few copies here and there.




Bartering
Okay, this is not making money directly, but bartering while you travel can be a great way of saving some money. Let's say that you have a skill like fire-spinning. A 30-minute fire-spinning show can easily be traded for a few nights of accommodation at a hostel. You spend half an hour entertaining the hostel guests and sleeping for free, not a bad deal.

This bartering for travel thing can of course be applied to many other situations. Say for instance that you have some skills in Photoshop, then you might be able to barter a deal where you design a flyer for a local bar, and in exchange, they give you some free drinks for your work. There are plenty of opportunities to barter, but most people never think of it, even though it is a great way of saving some money while traveling

Conclusion
Using some of these methods to monetize your travels is not only a great way to fund your adventures but also an opportunity to turn your passion for travel into a somewhat sustainable income stream. This new trend of making money while exploring the world brings a lot of creative ideas to the table, and while you probably won't grow rich from it, every penny counts. Right?








I am a long-time digital nomad with plenty of experience working on different things while traveling the world. Today I strive to help those who are interested in working in the travel industry by providing useful insights into what it takes to be a full-time traveller. There is also a great community of travel content creators that I work with called Travel Creators Club. They get together to share ideas and help each other shape solution-centric ways of becoming better at what they do. There are regular content creator meetups and free training sessions to help all those interested in getting more involved in the travel creation industry.