Fund your travel by working on the road.

Let’s face it: some people are just not good at saving up for things, especially for long-term multi-national trips.

Don’t fear! This is no reason for giving up on your dream! If you can´t save, then: why not work while you travel? It might take some preparation work in the chosen field, but once your little one-person enterprise is up and running you are free to break the norms and combine business with pleasure!

First, think very hard: which skill do you have that you can exploit/sell? And don’t think dirty.

1. Languages

Are you fluent in more than one? Then why not become a freelance translator!? Start by building your little niche around your city of residence. First, you will have to look for them: the translation companies. Once you gain a good reputation for reliability and accuracy, you are free to work from wherever because the tables will turn and the companies will be the ones chasing after you. Even if you start charging at a very bad rate of 5 cents a word or 20 euro a page, it would take you 20 pages of translation work a month to live it up in India. Not bad. What if you only speak your own language? Then no problem! Translation agencies are always looking for good and efficient native speakers of many languages to do proof-reading and editing. It doesn’t pay as much as translating, but it is a good option if you don’t mind reading and you are fond of your native grammar.

2. Is it writing?

Then become a travel writer! All you have to do is start off now and build yourself a nice reputation by getting your articles published everywhere you can, even if you don’t get paid. Eventually, after you gain some experience and you are a bit known in the travel-sphere, you can start submitting to the more prestigious websites and magazines- and finally getting paid for it! If you happen to be extremely good at your job, they will actually pay you and send you on trips. Life sorted!

Tip: A good way to start yourself up is by setting up a blog, this in itself can produce writing samples for potential future jobs, and can get you into the routine of writing.

3. Is it web developing?

If you’re willing to carry a hardy laptop with you throughout your travels, you can become a freelance web developer and work anywhere: from the Atacama desert to the Australian outback. As with the other options, to be sure you will receive work while you’re away follow these easy steps: build yourself a good client database in your home area, a nice fancy website advertising your talented self, and then you are set to roam around the world at your heart’s content!

Or… maybe you are not a skilled web developer, but you have an affinity for the world wide web plus a great idea. Then set up a website! There are many cheap options out there that for a few cents a day you can have a decent website, customize it with stupid-proof (read: non-webpage-design-savvy) tools and even set up advertising on your website which generates you an income that, if you do it right, can be significant. All you have to do is keep up with it and update it regularly, have an idea that attracts people to your site, and promote it- done!

4. Do you have an uncanny talent for… anything?

Sell yourself to others. Yes, I mean it. If you have some ridiculous talent, sell it to big companies that might agree to partially finance your trip in order for you to act the fool in obscure corners of the world. See example.You might have to think about a serious proposal, but investigate target companies that have brands that “go” with you. So, if you’re a guy, don’t send a proposal to the producers of Carefree pantyliners. If you’re a girl, you are better off avoiding sending proposals to the makers of Trojan condoms- unless you have a great spin on that one. If you are a group of crazy adventure types wanting to cross the Sahara, then perhaps you should think about hassling the producers of 4×4’s for a free car to “test”. First think about what you can offer, who would want it and how it could possibly increase their sales in such a way that it would be worth for them to finance or sponsor your trip. Then write up a nice business proposal in which they agree to pay for your trip, and you agree to give them your persona and your unique talent so that they can somehow use it to advertise their products and hopefully, increase their sales.

Keep in mind that these options are definitely not get-rich-quick options. You have to work hard, first to sell yourself, and then for the potential targets (clients or sponsors) to trust you- and all of this before your departure date. Just then, after you overcome these initial challenges, will you be able to make a significantly decent amount of money (read: enough to travel with) while you are off roaming the world!

Whichever road/job you chose, don’t forget to take advantage of your travels and your networking to promote yourself every step of the way! You never know who will need your skills, so don’t miss the chance to drop your name (and why not a business card?) into conversations with your new foreign friends and acquaintances.

And, think networking: if it works so well in a business environment, it will also work well at a beach in Rio de Janeiro over some caipirinhas.