Traveling can be any experience you make it and whether or not you’re looking for a way to travel for less (or free) there are in fact ways to help you do just that. Not only can working abroad be a great experience, but it’s possible to cover parts of your trip or even make money while traveling. To say the least quite a few the options can lead to some of the most enriching travel experiences and adventures.
Get Paid to Ski
Get paid to ski by taking part in seasonal work at mountain ski resorts. You don’t even have to know how to ski, which is great because if you ever wanted to learn, this is your chance to do it and get a free mountain pass.
Ski resorts hire nationals from all over the world to fill positions from ski lift operators, hotel and restaurant staff as long as a temporary work visa can be obtained. Popular spots for seasonal work at ski resorts are New Zealand, Mammoth, California or Vail, Colorado. Even if you want to work domestically, it’s a great chance to live in some of the most beautiful places in the world and get away from city hustle-and-bustle. There are many resort options, but make sure to apply early to ensure a spot before the season starts. To find these positions you can start with a Google search or check out NZSki.com for vacancies in New Zealand.
Volunteer to Speak English for Free Room and Board
If you speak English fluently, you can sign up for a work exchange experience that requires you to have conversations with students in English who want to improve their language skills. Usually companies will send their employees to these programs so they can hone their conversation skills to better communicate with their clients. Though some people sign up as students just to improve their English in general. Throughout the week you’re engaging in conversations and getting to familiarize yourself with people of different cultural backgrounds.
In return for speaking with the students in English, you can receive free room and board for the entire time you are volunteering. Diverbo is a program that does just that and accepts English speaking volunteers for their sites in Germany and Spain and provides volunteers with full room and board as well as transportation to the site.
Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
Earning airline miles from generous credit card offers is quickly becoming more popular and one of the easiest ways to travel in luxury for pennies on the dollar. Banks often offer sign-up bonuses to lure customers to using their cards in hopes of gaining a loyal customer. With just one 50,000 mile sign-up bonus you could be on your way for free to Europe, making it an incredible way to save money on travel. Some credit card offers require you to meet a minimum spending amount, while with others such as the 40,000 mile US Airways credit card offer it’s as simple as buying a cup of coffee.
On top of that there are many ways to to maximize your miles like adding free stopovers in cities along the way, so you can visit more than one destination or even continent on the same ticket.
WWOOF -Work exchange on organic and sustainable properties
Can you picture yourself working on a vineyard in Tuscany? Or a pineapple farm in Costa Rica? WWOOF is an opportunity to work on organic farms around the world in exchange for free housing and food. As a participant, you’re expected to put in around four to six hours of work per day for at least two days with anything that needs to be done. Once your shift is over you are free to explore the village, trails or nearby cities as you please.
CouchSurfing
CouchSurfing is a website that allows you to connect with local hosts while you’re traveling to stay in their home for free, likely with someone who has a few things in common with you. For a night, two or even three you could stay on a couch, your own room or even a yurt out back for free. One aspect of CouchSurfing that people find appealing is that you are able to get to experience an area with a local. Another aspect of CouchSurfing that people find appealing is that hosts and couch surfers have profiles and reviews from past guests and their hosts so you can get a general feel for the person before contacting them.
Teach English Abroad
There are opportunities for fluent English speakers to teach English abroad in elementary and high schools even if you do not have teaching credentials. Most opportunities require that instructors are TEFL certified which is earned after a series of coursework is completed to become an affective English Second Language instructor. Salary for teaching abroad is based on the living standards of where you are teaching, but depending on the program you go through, some of your living expenses like free housing. In countries like the Middle East such as Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates as well as Japan and South Korea, the salary rate for TEFL teachers is known to offer the best paid TEFL Instructor salaries.
Join a Family and become an Au Pair
For travelers who love working with young children, there are families who are looking for Au Pairs to help take care of their children. Families may look for an English speaking nanny so that their children can improve their English-skills. As an Au Pair you should expect to receive free room and board as well as some payment. The company Au Pair World helps connect host families with potential Au Pairs through profiles which you can browse through by country and gets you in touch with a potential match. What you would get out of it is essentially an opportunity to immerse yourself within the culture and community and learn the customs and traditions.
Hitchhike the Globe
In some parts of the world, even in some areas within the US hitchhiking is common, accepted and generally safe. In Armenia, for example, it’s common for locals to hitch a ride so it would not be odd. To flag down a ride the universal sign of hitchhiking is to stand on the side of the road in the direction that you want to go and stick out your thumb. Always use good judgement when accepting a ride. If the vehicle or its occupants give you a bad vibe, then do not accept the ride. To get a feel for which countries hitchhiking is acceptable in and considered safe you can refer to Hitchwiki which is user-compiled and breaks down the unofficial rules and tips of hitchhiking by country.
Diaspora Youth Programs
Birthright programs are usually synonymous with the young Jewish community through Birthright Israel in which for 10 days 18-26 year olds from all over the world get an all expense paid trip to Israel to connect with the Israel. However, for those who are not of the Jewish faith, there are programs geared towards other cultures such as Birthright Armenia which reimburses travel expenses to Armenia as long as they commit to a minimum of two months to intern or volunteer in various sectors such as news agencies, hospitals, government offices and environments NGOs in Armenia. Through these internships you get valuable experience that you can take back with you for your work resume. Other similar programs include Heritage Greece, ReConnect Hungary, or the Love Boat Study Program for youth of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.
Volunteer at a Hostel or Homestay
If you’re backpacking or traveling for an extended period of time, stumbling across a hostel that you love while traveling is likely to happen more than once. It never hurts to ask if they have any volunteer opportunities for free room and board. This can be a great way to extend a stay while traveling abroad. To find some volunteer experiences that vary from working at a hostel teaching yoga, to helping build a house, check out HelpX which lets users post help wanted ads.
Got skills? Become an instructor
If you are well versed in a sporting activity—surfing, rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking—you may be able to land a job abroad teaching other people the ropes. If you speak several languages it may also be a huge plus since most tourism agencies rely on their instructors to communicate with many international customers. Adventure Work is a great place to start looking for potential instructor jobs around the world.
See the World for Less through House Sitting
Believe it or not, homeowners around the world are looking for house sitters, and you’d be surprised as to how many opportunities are out there. You would also be surprised as to how many people are doing it and with multiple established websites it’s easy to get started. The options are varied, but for pet sitting or gardening, you can be staying for free. A benefit of house sitting, is that not only are you living rent free, but you get to spend time in one place for a longer than you may have if you had to pay for accommodations and get to know community.
Free Walking Tours
If you are traveling to a country you know a lot about, especially the significance of monuments within a particular area, historical moments and are well versed in the culture, why not take a dabble at being a walking tour guide. Many of the guided tours are free, but basically you work for tips. While the tips may not be very much money, it can very well cover the cost of your meals for an entire week.
Show Off Your Talent with Resort Entertainment
If you have the talent to entertain, whether your forte is dancing, singing or even magic tricks, you may find positions available with cruise ships around the world. Working with a cruise line comes with a salary, free accommodation and the chance to travel along. You of course have to audition, but if you have a special talent that you would like to let shine and you get the position, you will get to paid to do what you love, travel and perform. Backstage.com which offers a list of casting calls for various cruise lines is a great way to get started.
Teach in the US with AmeriCorps
While you may not be able to travel outside the US with AmeriCorps, you will be placed in a new city to work as an educator and role model under one of its programs. AmeriCorps members depending on the program usually serve in low-income communities, working with children in different aspects like homework help and tutoring. Some programs go as far as doing environmental field research like surveying salmon counts and analyzing watersheds. In addition to helping out communities who may be in need, members can have their university loans deferred, receive a monthly stipend, and a grant to help pay for grad school.