14 Tips on How to Travel Longer

Have you ever been on a trip where you asked yourself: “If only I could stay longer”? As it so happens, not only is it a very common thought but also something you can actually do. In fact, it usually comes down to finding interesting ways to save money or work on the road.

To help keep you traveling, here are some tips on how to travel longer.

1. Change Your Travel Lifestyle

It’s easy to travel around cheap countries, believe you’re royalty, and spend money like there’s no tomorrow. However, you’ll quickly realize that the bills soon add up. Continuing such haphazard spending will cause you to cut the trip short.

So if your trip mainly consists of expensive resorts, fancy cocktails, and luxurious tours, you might want to take a step back. Consider staying in dormitories, drinking cheap beer, and finding free activities until you sort out your finances.

2. Work in Hostels

Hostel jobs are usually the easiest ones to get and the most fun. Most of the time, working in hostels involves either reception or housekeeping jobs. Sometimes, they might need tour guides, bartenders, and even chefs.

Some hostels reserve a specific room for staff at cheaper rates. These savings mean more money for you in the long run.

3. Plan in Advance

While it can be freeing to travel with no plans and just let fate decide your next destination, it can also go against your interests. During the high season or local festivals, accommodation and flights can be a real nightmare.

To avoid that, you should have a rough idea of your itinerary. On top of that, always check if there are any important holidays around the time you intend to visit a certain destination.

4. Farm Work

Farm jobs are available all over the world. As part of these jobs, travelers work on projects, learn about sustainability, and receive room and board in return. So, if you’re willing to face the hard work, you may end up having an extremely rewarding experience.

Countries like New Zealand and Australia are famous for an abundance of farm jobs, which are popular with backpackers. If you need help finding farm work, WWOOF connects farmers with travelers.

5. Choose Inexpensive Destinations

This may sound like an obvious statement, but the money you spend staying a week in Paris can probably last three to four weeks in Southeast Asia. So, if you want to extend your round-the-world trip, you should stay away from pricey countries.

You should start by avoiding North America and Western Europe. That alone will save you tons of money. South America is way cheaper, but Asia is the cheapest. It’s hard to beat five-dollar rooms and one-dollar meals!

6. Consider Volunteering

Volunteering seems to give you the best of both worlds. You get to carry on traveling while helping local communities at the same time.

There are plenty of opportunities around the globe. It’s just a matter of picking what you like.

Classic positions involve teaching English, educating children in kindergarten, or helping with construction work. But if you have specialized knowledge, you can work as a nurse, engineer, or wildlife researcher.

7. Study Something New

Studying abroad is probably one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in another culture while learning something new. But you don’t need to be a college student to do study abroad.

If you have a passion for Tango, there’s nothing stopping you from visiting Buenos Aires for a couple of months and learning from the experts. Or maybe doing a beer brewing course in Belgium? The possibilities are endless.

8. Work on a Cruise

Working on a cruise can be a fantastic way to travel and save lots of money along the way. The contracts usually last for four to six months. Considering you’re constantly at sea, all the income you earn tends to be completely tax-free.

There are plenty of different positions available such as waiting staff, casino jobs, childcare, photography, and tour guides. Plus, when the ship stops at the ports, you can leave and explore new cities.

9. Do Some House or Pet Sitting

One form of “travel job” that’s becoming super popular nowadays is taking care of someone’s pets or house while they’re away traveling. House and pet sitting is a win-win situation as the sitters get accommodation for free, while the owners know their house is safe and their pets are taken care of.

Because there’s no money involved, this is the type of job you can do anywhere in the world — no visas required. There are travelers who manage to jump from one house sit to another. They effectively spend a whole year without ever paying for accommodation.

10. Find Work Online

As the world becomes more and more globalized, it’s becoming harder to find a place without Internet access. Many people nowadays take advantage of this fact by taking an online job, so they can travel and work at the same time.

While a doctor can’t perform surgery online, there are dozens of careers that can be easily done digitally. While most of them are in media and coding, you can also find language teachers, life coaches, entrepreneurs, and many others.

11. Travel Slowly

One of the easiest ways to save money on your trips is to spend longer periods in each destination. In that way, you’ll spend considerably less on transportation, and get monthly discounts on your accommodation.

Another benefit is that the longer you stay, the better you know the place you’re visiting. This knowledge can lead to spending your money wisely. For instance, instead of eating at an overpriced tourist spot, you’ll probably buy your groceries from the farmers market and cook it fresh at home.

12. Teach English Abroad

In the traveling community, teaching English abroad is arguably one of the most popular jobs. While native speakers with college degrees will get the best opportunities, anyone who’s fluent in English can probably succeed in the industry.

The best course of action is taking one of the many teaching courses, then start applying for jobs all over the world. There’s a strong demand in Asian countries. Also, it’s possible to teach online.

13. Stay with Family or Friends

The more you travel, the more people you meet. Consequently, the more beds you have at your disposal.

Ideally, you shouldn’t be visiting someone just to stay for free. However, if you happen to be traveling around a friend’s town, why not meet them and reminisce about your trips?

Just let them know well in advance and make sure to not overstay your welcome. You should obviously contribute with the food bills, try to be an awesome guest, and invite them to stay with you once you’re back home.

14. Work as an Au Pair

Another interesting option to visit and explore a new country is working as an au pair. This job basically involves childcare and housekeeping in exchange for room, board, and a salary. There are seasonal and yearly contracts, and some families even pay for the flight tickets.

It’s important to talk to the family before committing to anything, so you know whether they are the right fit for you. Once you get the job, do it well, travel a lot, and you never know, it may eventually lead to a permanent residency visa.

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