Do you dream of embarking on exciting travel adventures but find your bank account a little lacking? Don’t worry! With a little creativity and spare time, you can boost your travel fund and make that trip to Europe, Asia – wherever! – possible.
So, here are 8 fun and innovative methods for how to make money while traveling. From house sitting to using the Robinhood stocks app and freelancing, these methods will not only help you save money for traveling but some of them make it possible to travel for free. Bonus!
Note: Some of the links below contain affiliate links. This doesn’t increase the cost of any item to you, but simply means that I’ll receive a small commission of any sales from those links. But don’t worry — I only share products that I love and trust!
How to Make Extra Money to Travel
Traveling doesn’t have to be as hard on the bank as you think. If you really want to travel… if there’s a will, there’s a way (as the saying goes). Check out some of my tips to save money to get started. From there, let’s dive into some ways to really make money to travel and while traveling! Here are 12 ways to earn extra income.
House Sitting: Save money while traveling
House sitting is a fantastic way to save money while exploring new destinations. By taking care of someone’s home and/or pets in exchange for FREE accommodation, you can significantly cut down your travel expenses. While it’s not exactly how to make money while traveling, it’s how to travel for free.
I recommend Trusted Housesitters. It’s one of the best pet sitting house sitting platforms available, and it’s one of the best ways to save money while traveling. The site connects pet/house sitters with homeowners worldwide, providing an excellent opportunity to experience different cultures without breaking the bank.
Robinhood: Invest and grow your travel fund
Robinhood is one of the most popular stocks and crypto apps on the market! And it’s the one I personally use to generate extra income to travel.
The app offers a great opportunity to invest your money and potentially grow your travel fund. Start by researching and learning the basics of stock market/crypto investing. Then, with the app’s user-friendly interface, you can buy and sell stocks and cryptocurrencies with ease. Begin with small investments and gradually expand your portfolio, keeping an eye on potential gains that can fuel your travel adventures.
Freelancing is a great way to earn extra money for travel
Put your skills to work by freelancing in your area of expertise. Whether you’re a writer, graphic designer, programmer, or translator, numerous online platforms like Upwork, Fiverr (with Fiverr I generate an extra $500 a month), and Freelancer connect freelancers with clients worldwide.
You just need to set your rates, create a compelling profile, and start offering your services to earn extra income that can fund your travel adventures before and during your trip!
Try online teaching to make money
If you have expertise in a particular subject or language (especially if you’re a native English teacher), consider online teaching or tutoring. Platforms like VIPKid, iTalki, and Palfish connect language learners with qualified teachers or tutors. Utilize your skills to teach English, provide academic support, or offer specialized knowledge, all while earning money that can contribute to your travel fund.
I taught with VIPKid for many years and generated $1k-2.5k a month! I could teach when I wanted and work from home. It was so much fun, too! And the beauty of it is is that you can be just about ANYWHERE in the world with a solid interent connection and be able to teach these classes.
Sell handcrafted goods or artwork
Take your hobby and make some money from it! Platforms like Etsy, Shopify, or even your own website enable you to showcase and sell your handcrafted products to a global audience.
You can sell crochet coasters, DIY earrings, paintings, knitted sweaters, digital art, and SO much more!
Pet sitting or dog walking
For animal lovers, pet sitting and dog walking can be an enjoyable way to earn money or save money while you’re traveling!
Use HouseCarers.com to find pet sitting opportunities while you travel or platforms like Rover to connect with pet owners in need of reliable pet sitters or dogwalkers in your area. It’s a fun, healthy, and great way to make extra money easily!
Affiliate Marketing: Promote products/services and earn commissions
Affiliate marketing offers an excellent opportunity to earn extra income while promoting products or services you love. Many companies have affiliate programs that allow you to earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link.
Start by identifying products or services that align with your interests or niche. Join affiliate networks like Amazon Associates, Shopify Collabs, Booking.com and more to find a wide range of products/opportunities to promote.
You’ll then need to create engaging content, such as blog posts or social media posts (Instagram, TikTok, etc) that can promote these producs or services in a not-so salesy way.
As your content attracts an audience, incorporate your affiliate links strategically. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. With effective marketing techniques, consistency, and building a loyal audience, affiliate marketing can become a lucrative income stream to fund your travel adventures.
Remember to disclose your affiliate partnerships transparently and provide genuine recommendations to maintain trust with your audience.
Check out this affiliate marketing training portal to help generate passive income!
Participate in online surveys
Participating in online surveys or user testing can be a simple way to earn extra money in your spare time. Websites like Survey Junkie, UserTesting, and Zap Surveys offer opportunities to share your opinions, test products or websites, and get compensated for your time and feedback. While it may not make you rich overnight, it can provide a a small stream of income to support your travel plans!
Solitaire Cash
Ok, hear me out. This is a fun one if you like to play Solitaire and want a way to capital on your skills! I regularly make an extra $20 playing games on Solitare Cash. So, give it a go (just don’t put too much money into it) and have fun! They also give a lot of freebie cash out, allowing you to play games for free and still earn money. Fun!
Find online/remote jobs
Maybe it’s time to switch things up and take on a remote job, if that sounds good to you, it’s time to spruce up your LinkedIn profile! Every day, thousands of jobs are added to LinkedIn and since 2020, we’ve seen an uptick in remote working. So, now’s the time to score a job that isn’t tied to one place.
Get a serving or bartending job
The service industry is hands down one of the fastest and best ways for how to make extra money. You can take home tips every night and quickly save money for travel.
Heck, in a lot of countries, you can get a part time serving job and generate income while abroad! But seriously, when I was a server and bartender throughout college, I made a LOT. I saved well over $10k for my year-long study abroad in just a short handful of months. That was on top of ALL my bills and living expenses as I was fully independent.
Do odd jobs for people you know
Call up your grandpa, your aunt, your sister, etc and ask them if there’s anything you can help them with. Maybe they’ll put you on babysitting duty, have you clean out their garage, or mow their lawn… Whatever it may be, it’s a great way to make extra money! Just call them up and say “Hey, I’m planning on traveling to [insert destination name here], and I really want to make some extra money before I go. I was wondering if you needed help with anything around the house.” And go from there!
