How To Travel The World With No Money

When I was in my 20’s and as far back as I can remember, all I wanted to do was travel the world. I was a bartending in NYC just making enough to cover my rent and pay my phone bill. I would live through my foreign co-workers in the bar talking about where they’re from and what their country is like! Then I came up with a plan…. How I could actually travel the world without having any money. Here’s some tips on how to do it!

Ways to make money for the trip:

Work in a Restaurant 

Working in a restaurant in America is a sure-fire way to make quick cash. The average pay is 150$-400$ a shift in tips depending where you work. You also save a lot of money on food since most places will feed you a shift meal when you’re working. Bartenders make more so read up on some cocktail menus and watch a few YouTube videos to start practicing your mixing skills! Fake it till you make it kids.

Rent Your Apartment on Airbnb

When I was 24, I lived in a small two-bedroom apt in downtown Manhattan and I had no money. I paid less than $1000 a month for my share of the rent and was bartending to do so. I knew there were a lot of Europeans wanting to come and spend one month in New York City so I rented my room on Craigslist for $1500.  The rental money not only covered my months rent, but also paid for my round trip ticket to Brazil. (This was before Airbnb existed) Thanks to Airbnb everyone in NYC was renting out their apartments and livin the dream. Like all good things, this too came to an end. If Airbnb is now illegal in your city, there are ways around that. There are private Facebook groups you can join, put a post on your social media, or good ol’ Craigslist, are all ways to find people to rent your space.

Swap Homes for a Month

If you are so fortunate to have a home that’s paid for, look into a house swap. There are people who will trade homes with you for a month of living in your city. This is a great way to live in a nice house for free for a month. NYC and top global city apartments hold a good card and may get you an entire house in some beautiful rural town. You can look on Craigslist.org, Homeexchange.com, or if you are young and adventurous, you can stay on someone’s couch for free on Couchsurfing.com.

What to Do When You’re Abroad for Money

Teach English

This is an oldie but goodie, you can always teach English and make enough for your travels along the way. The best countries to do this are China, Japan, South America, and Italy. There are local schools and Facebook pages advertising for teachers or you can simply go and look for work directly to the English schools. Private lessons are where you will make better money. Word of mouth or flyers around the area. Everybody needs to learn English.

Local Tour Guide

Most touristic countries, especially in Europe, are always looking for tour guides speaking perfect English. Look up all the tour companies in that area, learn the top local sights and cool things to do there, and sign yourself up as a guide. Advertising yourself as a private guide, especially in port towns when people stop off the cruise ship for the day, will make you a better days pay.

Teach Yoga

Yoga has become extremely popular all over the world. By becoming a yoga teacher, you can have a really cool gypset life experience which can make you a decent living in almost every country. Remember a yoga class in NYC is $15-$25- and exactly the same price for a yoga class in Bali. Ten students minus the studio fee in NYC will make you around $100 per day, not a good living-$100 a day in Bali, will allow you to live like a king. Teaching Yoga to tourists in a cheap country is an ideal job. Look at the local studios or make your own class with a “suggested donation” in a public park or on the beach.

Teach a Skill in a Foreign Country

You can freely teach anything, from piano lessons to surfing. If you can do it, you can teach it! Personal training can make you a good buck if you stay in the same place for a little bit of time and get your name around. If you have a skill, make some flyers and put them around the neighborhood or on local sharing websites. Be creative: cooking lessons, foreign languages, guitar lessons, jewelry making… the list goes on and on. Believe in yourself and others will want to learn from you.

Super Cheap Amazing Countries to Travel to with No Money

When you are on a budget and don’t have much money to spend, don’t head to Dubai or Sydney, but instead try one of these awesome countries:

Peru, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Albania, Morocco, India– just to name a few. Mostly anywhere in Southeast Asia, South America, and Central America will give you a good bang for your buck.

Traveling is a way of life. I had traveled to 30 countries before I was 30 years old, all without much money using these exact tips I listed above. There is no excuse not to travel and see the world. The only regrets you will have are the trips that you didn’t take. The hardest part is buying the ticket. (And packing lol)

Love,

L