Looking for ways to stay backpacking long term? Check out some of the most popular ways to earn money while backpacking across Canada and beyond.
Teaching English
This has been a go-to travel job for decades and is still in demand all around the world today. Popular (and lucrative) opportunities center around Europe, East and Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East. Some organizations will require an English teaching certificate (you can usually get one with a 20-hour course and a couple of hundred bucks) or a university degree, but there are many places who will take and train any native English speaker. In fact, sometimes actual teaching isn’t even required – I had several friends in China who were getting paid $30-$40 an hour just to sit and talk to a kid for an hour! There are endless opportunities in this area, limited only by your enthusiasm to go out and find them. Get started by looking into obtaining a TEFL certificate if you want a full-time role, and start perusing the schools in the countries you want to visit/move to. I-to-i is a popular option. Dave’s ESL Cafe is a good resource, and STA travel also has placements if you need some guidance. Many people have succeeded in finding work independently.
Cruise jobs
Cruise ships need staff. They need bar staff, managerial staff, tour guides, waitresses, trainers for the gym, reception and clerks, musicians for the jazz night, nannies for the kid’s club. Those staff gets paid. Do you know what else that staff does? Travel to a crapload of different countries! Most cruise ship jobs are contract-based and offer a monthly salary which includes accommodation and food (that means you get to save pretty much everything). The lifestyle is also interesting, with a lot of guest interaction and a diverse staff on board that you’ll have as workmates. All cruise lines need staff! Just inquire and apply. All Cruise Jobs is a specialist site that might be helpful.
Digital money
It is easy to earn money through new online casinos provided you go by the tricks. There are different kinds of casino games and you can earn money by knowing the skills required in all of them.
The different kinds of skill-based games are poker, blackjack, and roulette. Even just trying to make money online may be a life-changing experience. However, to hit the jackpot or best-winning hands, there must be a clear game selection and a game plan. In other words, you need to know what you’re doing.
I’ve met several backpackers who make a good portion of their living playing blackjack or online poker. There are a bunch of great ones out there that also use cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash, which is truly borderless money. This makes it a great method of payment if you travel frequently.
Online Freelance
Today, there are ever-increasing options for people to make money on various platforms that allow them to do it. There’s a desire for almost everything in the online world, so chances are you’ve got a skill that someone is willing to pay for.
Write articles, become a virtual assistant, translate, do graphic design, sell your travel images online — if you have skills that you can offer over the Internet, you can freelance online.
On your travels, you may need to transfer money internationally (especially if work between different locations). Many services can help you with that, check out our guide on international money transfers to find the right one for you.
