How to Make Money While Traveling

I have been working and making money while traveling since 2017, and I’ve done all kinds of juggling with jobs along the way. From working remotely and taking client Zoom calls at 1:00 am in Indonesia to being paid to travel and hike through Patagonia, I can say my resume for traveling and working is quite extensive. 

I know what you’re thinking; it sounds like a dream. And you’re right. Even through exhausting work schedules, bad days, and stressful travel, I’ll never complain about my job. It’s what most people spend their life dreaming of, wondering if it’s possible, and I’ll never take that for granted. 

And to those of you dreaming, it IS possible. And it’s likely easier than you think. It just takes a little bit of courage. 

How to Make Money While Traveling in 2025 

1. Work Remotely 

It’s 2025, which means about 20% of all jobs are remote. This will be the easiest and most comfortable way to make money while traveling if remote jobs are typical in your industry. If you are currently working remotely, it's even easier! Book the ticket and go. Research time zones beforehand so you know what hours you’ll be working and how to prepare. If working U.S. hours, I always loved working from Europe because the work hours are typically in the evening. So, as long as you don’t mind pulling lateish nights, you’ll have all day to explore, and you can start work around 6 pm.

Even if no one you are working with ever takes advantage of traveling and working, GO! Trust me, your colleagues will be envious and ask about your travels often. Chances are, they’re dreaming of doing the same thing. I worked for years at digital marketing agencies and magazines, where I was the only one who had ever traveled and worked. It was always a running joke that I would pop into meetings from random places around the world. Too many people don’t take advantage of traveling with their remote jobs because it still seems taboo. Don’t be afraid to be different! 

Need a new job? Working Nomads specializes in posting remote jobs that are meant for nomadic travelers. It includes all types of jobs, from customer service to engineers. 

2. Start Freelancing 

If you don’t have a job that can easily turn remote, that doesn’t mean you can’t make money and travel. We live in 2025, which means there are no rules for your employment. You can do anything you want, even if that means it looks different from a typical job. If you have many different talents or are interested in a wide range of jobs, freelancing is for you! You can freelance in so many industries. Here are just some examples: tutoring, writing, graphic design, IT, teaching English, virtual assistant, etc. 

Even if the jobs aren’t high paying, it’s important to know that traveling and working is often cheaper than paying rent or a mortgage to live in one place. This is especially true when traveling in places like Thailand, Indonesia, Morocco, or even Italy. 

3. Content Creation 

Post the video! Start the YouTube channel! Ever wanted to be a content creator but be afraid of judgment? Who cares!! Everyone has dreams like this, but most are afraid to ever pursue it. It’s not a sure-fire way that you’ll become a mega influencer with endless money to travel the world, but you never know what could happen! Consistently posting on Tiktok and Instagram is the key to growing a following. Post once a day on Instagram and 4-7 times a day on TikTok. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need millions of followers to make money and get partnerships on social media. 

If social media isn’t your thing, try learning SEO and starting a blog (like this one!). Although I do have an OK following on social media, I am horrible at it. I rarely find the inspiration to post, and the pressure that comes with social media partnerships gives me a lot of anxiety. I started this blog in 2014, and this blog has not only gotten me every job I’ve ever had (most that I didn’t even apply to!), but it is ½ my job. I mix content creation with freelancing and boom - I get to make money while traveling all the time! 

If I could give one piece of advice to someone looking to change the trajectory of their life…it would be to start a blog and post often. It’s overlooked because of social media, but it can change your life! 

4. Work Odd-Jobs 

If the above options seem too far out of reach or too scary, take a deep breath. I wasn’t ready for any of those a decade ago, either. I probably would’ve read them and felt immediately overwhelmed. 

The first time I ever traveled, I had saved some money and set out without any income. It was great for a while…until it wasn’t Nothing like living out of a shitty Craigslist van across the country with $1,100 to your name. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to make money here and there by working day jobs, temporary jobs, or seasonal jobs. It may not be the best money or the most exciting gig, but hey! Money is money, and it’s worth every cent to be able to travel. Find temporary staffing job sites, like ATN Staffing or GigSmart, that hire short-term staff for events or day gigs around the country. 

5. Work for a Travel Company 

There are so many travel companies out there that need good employees. The best part? They are travel companies, meaning they either NEED you to travel or encourage you to travel and work. Many of these jobs include working remotely as a customer service representative or on the ground as a tour guide. 

6. Work in Hostels or Farms 

This isn’t so much a “make money while traveling” tip as it is a “make your money last longer while traveling.” If you’re someone who has some money saved up and just wants to say “f*ck it” and travel the world for a bit, do it! And you can make your money last longer by doing travel trades. 

For example, some hostels allow you to work the front desk for weeks or months at a time in exchange for free room & board. In countries like New Zealand or Peru, WOOFing is common, which allows you to work and help out on farmlands in exchange for room and board. 

If you like pet sitting or house sitting, sign up for Trusted Housesitters to apply to housesit for people around the world for free in exchange for staying at their place. 

7. Seasonal Work 

Pick up Seasonal work and plan your travels based on where you can work and when. For example, Europe needs seasonal workers during the holiday season. Certain farms need fruit pickers during the harvest. Almost everywhere in the world, English-speaking tour guides are needed during peak tourist seasons. You don’t need any experience for any of these jobs, just the courage to step out and try them! 

Want to spend the summer in Canyonlands? Call up local tour companies and ask if they needs guides or drivers! 

Dreaming of running away to New Zealand? Look up local farm work! 

How I Make Money and Travel in 2025 

Now you may be wondering, how do I travel and make money these days? And it's a valid question! Here has been a little of my journey so far and how I currently make money and travel:

2014: I started this travel blog, Shalee Wanders, on a random weeknight with no idea what I was doing.

2017: I make my first bit of money off the blog

2017: I became a waitress and started looking to take my blog more seriously. After a few months, I was hired as a full-time social media manager for a marketing company. My blog got me the job.

2017-2023: Worked as a marketing director at the same company, balancing full-time remote work and traveling. On the side, I worked to build my career freelancing & continued scaling my blog. It was many years of working numerous jobs, but I was being paid to travel and had a full-time job that encouraged it.

2023: My blogging, freelancing, and a full-time job were too much. I was hosting group trips around the world and taking marketing calls at 1:00 am in random countries. I was burnt out and constantly working, which made it hard actually to enjoy the traveling part. I knew something had to shift.

2024: Full-time freelance. I run a handful of digital marketing/SEO programs for clients looking to increase their visibility on search engines. I freelance for digital and print publications. I work in content creation & partnerships through my travel blogs, mostly with photography and blog collaborations. I also host a handful of group trips around the world every year.

Getting to the point of traveling and making money takes patience, hard work, and a lot of believing in yourself. When you start, there will likely be a whole lot of people judging you. But give it a few years, and instead, they will envy you.

You can do it! Diverse yourself in different job fields, start hustling on the side, and work for companies that encourage traveling and working.