Do you need to be rich to travel the world?

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A lot of people have been asking me how I fund my language-learning travels – did I win the lottery? Do I have really rich parents that pay for everything? Maybe I donate a lot of plasma, sell property or invest in the stock market?

Actually, for many of my travels, I had quite normal jobs that you would rarely associate with a perpetual traveler. I worked as a freelance translator for several years, and here is all info about how to become a location-independent freelance translator!

Later, I began earning money from the blog, but during the many years before that I took all sorts of odd jobs to keep my adventures going.

My wage was quite normal for my level of education and work experience and for someone living in the likes of say, London or Paris. Only, I don't live in London or Paris. Taking western wages and bringing them with you to cheaper countries in Europe, Asia or South America, means that you actually can live very well on the same money! Or even better; work less and enjoy the country and life in general!

A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away with a native speaker for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.

Your laptop can be your office

Many jobs can be done on a computer, so you may be able to agree remote working arrangements with your employer and work from your own office.

You can even take that work somewhere else and travel with it as long as you guarantee the same quality output. Remote work, freelancing or running your own company can all make location independence possible, though each comes with tax, visa and practical constraints.

There are plenty of challenges of course, so there is a certain risk to it. I consider a life stuck in a job that you dislike and always wondering “what if” to be much more risky to your health and stress levels than actually attempting to live your life the way you want to!

Of course, plenty of jobs still need you on site. If your work is hands-on, you may be able to find work in your field abroad, but you need to check local qualifications and work-permit rules first.

Some families also make long-term travel and remote work fit their circumstances, but that does not make the same choice practical for everyone.

At the time I wrote this, I had worked online for several years, but before that I found work after arriving in several different countries. I worked in a youth hostel in Rome, ran a yoga shop in California, interned as an Electronic Engineer in Paris and of course taught plenty of English pretty much everywhere else! Arriving in the country without much money and looking for work was hard every time, but with the right attitude and approach, and some imagination, it's quite possible; even during tough economic climates.

I was happier in that location-independent situation because it took away the need to look for a new job each time. But even forgetting the advantages you can have from earning in Euro and spending in rupees/Czech crowns/Brazilian reais/Hungarian Forint, etc., you can still focus on not spending as much with the money you do have.

Instead of earning more, learn to spend less!

If you give up expensive addictions like smoking, and drink less, and are generally wiser with how you spend your money, you don't need to earn that much. I'm also a vegetarian, and cook at home whenever possible so no expensive meat (especially in Europe) makes a big difference in my weekly shopping budget.

Flights can be cheaper when you book ahead or find a genuine offer. Your own budget also needs to cover accommodation, food, local transport, visas where required, and suitable travel or health insurance.

In my days of being on a tighter budget, all I would need to save up for would be the next flight and a tiny bit of extra spending money for any other things that really were necessary. My budget has changed since then, although I still make sure that I get the best deals, haggle prices down every chance I get and go through local rather than touristy channels. Speaking the local language makes a huge difference on the price you'll get on almost everything. There are plenty of other ways to save money as you travel!

Accommodation swaps, book exchanges and ridesharing can cut costs, but check fees, insurance, local laws and safety before relying on any of them.

If you have any other ideas for finding work abroad or saving money to fund travels and language learning projects, please do share! 🙂 Don't forget to share this post with your friends if you think the ideas are interesting!