This post is continued from last week’s post No income while traveling? No problem! as a small series answering a reader’s question about how I manage my income while traveling the world.
I spent the first year after graduating college traveling around the world, and backpacking on a tight budget.
What I did after a year of traveling was different. I did not want to come back. So I started looking for a job abroad. I was in Australia at the time, but landed a job in Guatemala. I worked there for three years. I was a hotel manager, and then worked in business development for a big law firm. I then moved to Barcelona, where I started a business in green building and energy saving with a friend. And to the UK where I worked in IT for another three years. All that time while working abroad I enjoyed most weekend discovering the surrounding towns or even countries, and appreciated the fact that I was working in fields somehow related to my degree, and making much more than $1 per hour.
During my last years in the UK, a friend asked if I wanted to write travel articles on his website. I jumped at the occasion! How come had I now thought about it sooner? It was the perfect job! I did it after work, and during weekends. I spent all my free time writing about travel, or traveling to get more pictures and information. And then one day, another guy found me on that website, and asked if I would like to write for him too. Then my friend expanded internationally and I started translating my own articles to other languages. I was getting to a point where that side income was becoming a real income.
I quit my job in the UK and relocated to sunny (and cheap!) Morocco. I was writing and living a perfect life. Morocco is a beautiful country, you can live well and Paris, my hometown, was a 3 hours flight away. Then the travel bug bit me again, and I went back to Guatemala. I met BF and he asked if I would like to join him on a 6 months motorcycle trip to Alaska. I said yes! I could keep writing my travel articles and see the world. We never made it to Alaska but went from Guatemala to Seattle and then to Washington DC. And last summer we toured Europe, after resting for 7 months in Guatemala. My writing income has allowed me to do all that. And I have also been saving aggressively for years, which allows me to invest that money and try to create passive income. I bought another property in the UK while working there. I just sold my French studio flat and bought some land in Guatemala, where I plan on starting a guest house and maybe a cattle farm.
Not having an income when traveling is not the end of the world if you have saved enough before you take off. You can work in Europe or Australia for a good wage, or look at freelancing, if you have some writing, web designing, translating skills, or anything that you could market online really. Elance and Taskrabbit are good places to start.
If you would enjoy an international working experience, I recommend you try volunteering for roof and shelter, in an NGO that you are willing to help, or through WOOF, the volunteer organization that places you in organic farms. It can be a great way to rest on the road while getting acquainted with locals and living their lives (which is much cheaper than a traveling life).
How much you spend while traveling depends on your level on comfort, how much you want to see, etc. But it is likely that you will spend less than living in the US, paying rent, car insurance and a smartphone bill every month, and realize eventually that you do not need to be rich to travel the world.
Have you ever considered a location-independent career? Have one already?
I would love to have income that is not location-dependent. It would totally open up traveling possibilities. It’s awesome that you were able to live in Morocco!
Morocco was an awesome experience! Being location independent is difficult for some fields but you can always get creative and work in something different.
That water looks amazing! I hope that you are having a great time!
This is Baja California, off to see some sea lions last winter. Having an amazing time in Guatemala!
Like DC, I think it would be awesome to be able to be able to work doing something that didn’t mean having to show up at the office everyday. Unfortunately, having kids kind of ties us down to a certain spot. It isn’t that we couldn’t live abroad or work while traveling. We just don’t want to uproot our kids too often. They need some stability.
I have seen many nomad families trailing 2, 3, even 5 kids, I wonder how they turn out once they reach 18. I was always happy to come back home and see my friends, my room, my family after a few weeks holiday as a kid. I would consider taking off for a year as a family if/when I have kids, but probably not make it a lifestyle.
That’s awesome Pauline. You’ve been able to experience so much of the world, and it’s great you’ve been able to do it through (partially) making good financial decisions. My younger brother, who has traveled pretty extensively, is looking to do something through some organization. He has a real heart for third world countries and is looking at a couple of different organizations as we speak. I’ll pass these on to him.
Tell him to be careful when choosing. Some “non profits” ask you to pay to register, board, transport and other (sometimes strange) fees. A friend of mine paid about $5000 to volunteer three weeks in Africa. I think she could have done a safari for less money. Do your research and talk to previous volunteers.
Wow that’s awesome that you are able to achieve that kind of lifestyle! I’ve never worked while travelling, and I think I’m too tied to my home town to spend long periods of time away, but I’m glad I read this just the same.
It is a way of life many people wouldn’t be comfortable with. But it can apply if you have kids one day and want to have more freedom in your work schedule too, or take long breaks at a time.
I’ve been hearing about woof from a few different sources now and we’re seriously thinking of having a go at it. We are sticking around for at least another year or two though – I only just started at my latest job and we’d like to enjoy our new condo for a bit before we pack up again!
I never tried it myself, but I tried and it was quite difficult to find a place (summer, Europe, probably not that hard in winter in the middle of nowhere). It looks like a great was to learn and have a different experience.
I love reading about your travels and others like you. I’ve noticed a few bloggers that are travel writers and are having a blast.
As well many IT people are working from anywhere in the world as they are location independent.
Our work right now could easily be location independent and yes we talk about it all the time. It is cold and expensive to live where we are. (10 inches of snow today)
Our hold up is our 2 kitty cats. We love them dearly and they wouldn’t travel well.
There are many people who manage to be location independent, or at least free up a few months per year to travel. I met a guy who was a professional poker player and made a living off it!
If you are really talking about traveling for a while, you could look into two things with animals. A home exchange where you get to spend a few months somewhere and people stay at your place, you can fly with the cats (just one flight involved) or getting a RV and go South. Don’t know what the cats would say about that one though.
You are seriously my hero! I am so impressed! I could never do it solely for one reason. I’m a homebody. I like to feel settled. Even when I travel for vacation, 2 weeks is enough for me on the road before I start to need my creature comforts of home. I’m always impressed with people who are so carefree like you are. I’m glad you are able to combine work with your passion!
I like having a home now, and have been longing for a place to call home since I left the UK three years ago, so I know what you feel. But for me a home is a place I have arranged to my taste, where I feel safe and start a routine, generally friends and social life just follow. My family is in France and coming back twice a year to see them is fine, when we were all in Paris we didn’t see each other that much because everyone is so busy, so when I am in town everybody makes time for me, I feel like a queen!
I did not pick the correct career for traveling and working around the world, but I hope it will eventually make enough money for me that investments can provide passive income. I don’t ever see us traveling for a year at a time, but it would be nice to take a couple of months here and there.
It would be awesome. I have some friends who take all their kids’ holidays, so about three month a year, and don’t work on Wednesday when the kids are off school too. It is a nice balance.
This is absolutely amazing! I had no idea you were so much of an adrenaline junkie… I like you even more now!!
Let me know when your guest house is ready so we can come and visit!
Thank you 🙂 I hope to be ready by Christmas 2013 for the guest house, unless the world ends in a month…
Oh, my gosh, I would so love to do this. I’d have to hone my travel writing skills, though. Haha. Hope the world doesn’t end in a month. But if it does it sounds like you’ve been living life to the fullest!
If it does, well, no regrets! Have a great weekend!
I find it amazing that you are able to live the life that you want and still make income plus have some to save.
I’ll bet you could write a very successful book based on your life. So many people are chained to careers that they hate. And you’re able to do what you want and travel.
I think anyone is able to live my life if they make my choices too. I had no house until last month. I have owned a car for less than a year in my life. I don’t have kids. I live very frugally and invest most of my income. Many are not prepared to sacrifice that much. Even better than a book I made a blog 🙂 with pictures and everything!
Interesting post! I have been traveling myself as well, and always had a hard time earning money while being on the road. While I hitchhiked through Australia I worked on farms and I have worked a while as an english teacher in Thailand as well.. Now I have also found a way to earn a passive income:
Now I earn money with a blog about my travel-adventures! 😀 You can read my blog here, and read how you could make one yourself as well and earn money with it: If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
I enjoy reading through your websites. Many thanks!
thanks Kenny!