It’s a lot of people’s dream, right? To travel the world, explore new places, meet new people, and get paid to do so. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but if it’s something you’re aspiring towards then hopefully this selection of do-able and definitely-not-out-of-reach ideas will help you figure out a plan of action to start living the life you want. This post is part of the Quit Your Job to Travel series. I’m well aware that not everyone wants to up sticks, quit their job, and mosey around the world, but if it is for you, there are a number of ways you can make it a reality. Other people have, so why can’t you?! Other posts in the series:

• Quit Your Job to Travel: Is it the Right Thing For You?
• Quit Your Job to Travel: How to Save Money Fast With These Secret Tips
• How and When to Quit Your Job to Travel

Now, whilst researching this post, I came across a load of articles that highlighted obscure, once-in-a-lifetime and pretty unachievable (for most people) jobs that will foot the bill whilst you travel. I’m talking about things like delivering luxury yachts, giving academic talks on cruises, and trading speciality goods.

I don’t know about you, but my new life goal is to learn how to drive a yacht so I can become that person who delivers luxury vessels to beautiful places like the Bahamas.

Anyway, the aim of this post is instead to offer a few ideas that are relatively cheap and easy to start and that pretty much anyone can do with a bit of gusto and drive. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can get paid to travel.

Sign up for Ski Seasons

If you’re a keen skier and don’t mind spending your days padded out in thick layers and crunching through snow then consider becoming a ski instructor.

What’s the job?

You’ll get to spend a season in high altitude climates teaching ski lessons and generally being a dogsbody around resorts. You’ll have lots of time to perfect your tricks too, with plenty of opportunity to hit the slopes in your spare time. But even if you’re not a pro skier or have never even hit the slopes before, you can still get a job in a ski resort as hospitality staff – you can work in the bars, restaurants, and chalets that pepper the mountains in pretty much every skiing hotspot.

Teach English Abroad

Teaching English abroad is a hugely popular job for many new graduates and people who are looking to flit from one place to the next making a bit of dough as they go. You can actually make quite a lot of money from teaching if you know where to go. The pay is particularly good in Asian countries, but you can also find well-paying gigs in Europe, too.

What’s the job?

Well, you’ll basically be teaching English to children, adults, and anyone else. For the most part, you’ll be working a normal Monday to Friday week, so you’ll likely have the weekends free to explore as you will. If you’re looking to go into teaching English, you’ll probably need some kind of TEFL qualification. Whilst they’re not always cheap (and it pays to go for the slightly more expensive courses where you have practical modules), you can pick one up in a month or so before you go, or even work towards one on the road.

Au Pair

One of the articles I was reading whilst researching this post mentioned au pairing for celebrities. I mean, that’s great, but there are far more non-celeb families looking for someone to mind their little ones. The best part is that a lot of families are looking for native English speakers to look after their kids in order to expose them to the language.

What’s the job?

Basically you’ll be looking after kids in a foreign country. Usually you’ll stay with the family so you won’t have to fork out for accommodation, and on your days off you’re free to explore and mosey around as you wish. It helps if you like kids or have some kind of experience working with them.

Dive or Surf Instructor

If you have a skill that is needed everywhere, then put it to use! Dive and surf instructors are in demand all over the world (but, I have to say, mostly in beachside destinations… You know, because of the sea).

What’s the job?

You’ll get to spend your days at the beach or on a boat doing something you love – what’s not to like? The lifestyle of these jobs is pretty laidback, too, and there’s plenty of opportunity to travel around in your time off.

Cruise Line Employee

If you can’t deliver luxury yachts from one glitzy destination to another then why not work aboard a cruise liner instead? I mean, they’re not really comparable, but you’ll still get to be surrounded by the ocean and have tons of fun whilst you’re at it.

What’s the job?

There are loads of jobs available on cruise liners, from hospitality staff, to cleaners, to photographers, to entertainers. The world is your oyster or, more precisely, the ship is your oyster. You’ll get to explore port destinations on your days off, too.

Flight Attendant

If you love flying and people then being a flight attendant might just be the perfect job for you. Imagine waking up in one place, having lunch in another, and then going to bed in yet another. That’s pretty much the life of a flight attendant.

What’s the job?

Becoming a flight attendant isn’t easy – there’s lots of rigorous training to go through, but once you’ve passed all the necessaries you’re free to peruse the world from the safety of a steel tube in the sky. The airline you work for is hugely important and will dictate which places you’ll get to visit and for how long, but you’ll also have large chunks of time off of work, which means you’ll have plenty of time to travel independently and see family.

Get Online

This is probably one of the harder and less reliable options because you’re technically employed by yourself which means your income relies completely on you. It can be a scary thought, but once you’ve built up a client base it’s so rewarding to set your own schedules and your own goals.

What’s the job?

The online world is huge and there are so many niches that you can slip into. Work out what skills you have and how you can market them and go from there. You could be a graphic designer, a web developer, a photographer, or a writer. I might dedicate an entire post to this in the coming weeks, so let me know if you have any questions about taking your business or your work online.

Pull Pints or Work in Hospitality

So many places around the world specifically look for native English speakers to work in pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels. If you have experience in the hospitality industry then this could be the ideal option for you.

What’s the job?

Well, pulling pints, serving tables, answering calls in a hotel reception – basically anything that falls into the hospitality industry. It will often help if you can speak a dash of the local language, but this isn’t always mandatory.

Find a Job that Fits Your Lifestyle

If you love to travel but don’t necessarily want to live on the road, then there are plenty of jobs you can do from home that will give you way more travel time than others. Think of jobs like a travel agent, where you’ll get to regularly go on FAM trips to suss out destinations, or apply for a job at an international company which holds conferences all over the world. There are so many ways to get paid to travel, you just have to find something that you enjoy, that works for you, and that allows you to travel in the style that you want. The options above aren’t the only ones either – in fact, there are so, so many options out there. Just have a little research around and I guarantee the world will open up right in front of your very eyes! You can mix and match jobs, too. No one’s saying you have to pick a job and stick with it. Try out a few and find which one works best for you. And remember, a lifetime of travel is not for everyone, so don’t force yourself to live a life on the road if you don’t want to. The beauty of the world is that everyone’s different, and that’s one of the most exciting things!

Tell me, do you work on the road? If yes, what do you do and how did you get into it? If not, would you consider any of the jobs above?