Traveling for a few days or even a few weeks is nice, but it’s not quite the same as being able to be free to travel as long as you want. The truth is that not everyone is lucky enough to have a job that allows them the luxury of traveling for as long as they please.
But with a little bit of action and investment of your time, you can start a side hustle that allows you to travel longer. Here’s our list of the top 5 side-hustles you can do while traveling (long-term!).
Side Hustle #1: Airbnb Hosting
Airbnb hosting as a side-hustle is a possibility for more people than you might imagine: homeowners, yes, but also renters, or neither! Depending on how much time you want to invest into this, your revenue potential can range from a couple hundred a month to thousands.
If you’re one of the lucky people who own a home, you have little regulations holding you back from renting out your home while you travel. But even if you don’t own a home, you have a couple options:
- Talk to your roommate about renting out your room while you travel (and their room while they’re gone — you can split the profit)
- Talk to your landlord about renting out the flat (it’s a delicate conversation but you can also offer them a profit incentive)
- Do neither and manage other people’s properties on Airbnb
If you set up the right systems, you can have this working for you while you travel. It is also perfectly possible to manage other people’s property on Airbnb if you don’t own real estate, although that entails you dealing with all the problems that hosts might have. If customer service runs in your blood, then you could turn this into a full-time position.
Similarly, if you’re planning to be out of town for an extended period of time and you have a garage, car park or even driveway going unused while you travel, consider listing it on Parkhound. Parkhound hosts earn up to $400 a month by renting out their unused space. Not only is it great for some extra spending money, it’s also super easy to manage while you’re travelling.
Side Hustle #2: Buying Domains
They say domain names are the real estate of the internet. You can buy them and flip them just like people do with houses. Although domain flipping isn’t as profitable as it once was, it’s still something that can bring you considerable side income if you’re willing to put in the legwork.
There are two ways you can do this:
- Domain parking: you just buy domains without building a site around them.
- Domain investment: you buy domains, build a website and content around them and bring traffic to them. This is the equivalent of buying a house, fixing it up and then flipping it.
You just need to do some research for domain names that have keywords. This is something that pays off long-term, not short-term. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
The good thing is that it’s 100% digital and you don’t need to be tied to a location for this.
Side Hustle #3: House Sitting
Regardless of whether you’re paying rent back at home or if you’re not, you’ll save money on hostels and Airbnbs by house sitting. You can find these jobs on Facebook groups or websites like Trusted House Sitters. Not all of them are paid, but even in those cases, it’s a fantastic way to keep traveling even if you’re lacking funds.
House sitting, most of the time, involves taking care of a pet while the owner is away. You live in the house, take care of the plants, take care and give love to the pets while their loving humans are away.
You get free (or you get paid) lodging in a home and a furry friend to keep you company.
Side Hustle #4: Become a Freelance Writer
There are tons of ways you could make money writing. Many companies need well-written content and don’t have the time to write it themselves. You can learn all the different kinds of writing techniques online and then apply them to get online jobs.
Here are the different kinds of writing you could do to as a side-hustle:
- Content writing
- Sales copy
- Website copywriting
- Email marketing writing
- UX/ microcopy writing
- Blogging
- SEO writing
Each has a different goal and writing technique. You can take courses on Udemy or Coursera to learn how to do them. Then you can set up profiles on platforms like Upwork and or Fiverr and find your first clients.
Side Hustle #5: Become a VA
A lot of entrepreneurs or small companies are looking for people to help them hourly with the small tasks they need to delegate. These things can include:
- Customer support
- Website design
- WordPress maintenance
- Graphic design and layout
- Calendar management
- Travel arrangements
- Content creation
- Editing and proofreading
- Data entry
- Transcription
- Content research
- Social media management
- Keyword research
- Email management
- Bookkeeping
- Creating sales pages
- Managing product launches
- Performing outreach
- Lead generation
- Editing videos
- Project management
- Community management and moderation
It requires a pretty general and wide set of skills, but each virtual assistant’s work scope is different depending on who they’re working for. You’ll have to choose which skills you offer best, but learn a bit of everything.
You can get a higher hourly rate if you work on your skills, build a website and an online presence and get testimonials from your clients. You can find clients by networking online and offline (LinkedIn and Facebook groups) and by marketing yourself.
Side Hustle #6: Tour Guiding
If you’re passionate about the destinations you visit, consider becoming a local tour guide.
Many tourists seek unique and authentic experiences, and your knowledge of the area can be an asset. You can offer personalized tours showcasing hidden gems, local cuisine, and the culture of the place you’re visiting.
Websites and apps like ToursByLocals and Viator can help you connect with potential customers.
Side Hustle #7: Remote Language Tutoring
If you’re bilingual or multilingual, offering language tutoring can be a lucrative side hustle. Platforms like italki and Verbling connect language learners with tutors.
You can provide online lessons and conversation practice to students looking to improve their language skills. This side hustle is both rewarding and flexible, as you can work with students from around the world.
Side Hustle #8: Local Artisan Sales
If you have a flair for craftsmanship or art, consider selling your creations as you travel. You can create and sell handmade jewelry, artwork, clothing, or other unique items inspired by the destinations you visit.
Platforms like Etsy and local craft markets can help you reach potential customers.
This side hustle not only provides income but also allows you to interact with the local culture and community.
Conclusion
So we just saw the top side hustles for travelers.
The world is becoming increasingly digitized, and there is nothing stopping you from making money online, while you travel.
That means you can go for longer trips. Mondays no longer need to be about forcing you back to the office.
Hi! I am George and I am the Content Lead for Stasher.com. I love travel, writing, making music and meeting new and interesting people.