10 Methods We have Paid for Our Lifetime of Journey (+How You Can Too!)

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It’s onerous to consider, however it’s been 15 years (nearly to the day on the time of penning this) since Nick and I offered our possessions, give up our jobs, and set off touring the world. However, how have we been in a position to afford a lifetime of full-time journey and residing overseas? Discover out precisely how we do it on this article.

On this submit, I’m not going to checklist methods we’ve managed to save cash, downsize, or tackle additional work. That is strictly about how we earn an earnings on-line, and on the highway, and the way we receives a commission to journey.

10 Methods We’ve Paid For Our Lifetime of Journey Over the Years

Hopefully, this checklist beneath provides you some inspiration and concepts for a way you can also begin to earn cash on-line, whereas touring and residing overseas.

Today, we generate profits solely via our web sites and digital merchandise, however the money-making concepts on the checklist beneath had been wonderful stepping stones for us, and I extremely advocate them!

1. Creating Advertising and marketing Movies

drone view of raja ampat islands
A drone’s eye view of the FAM islands in Raja Ampat

Nick’s nice at video modifying and through the years, he’s change into expert at working a drone. Due to this, we’ve acquired gives to movie and edit advertising movies for corporations, and in trade, they’ve paid us for the finished video.

Most likely the best one was for Dive Grenada, a scuba firm in Grenada, or the one we did for a resort whereas touring in Raja Ampat (pictured above).

We’ve had a drone since 2014, again after they had been cumbersome, heavy, and glitchy. Our first drone was the DJI Phantom 2 and it was so huge that it had its personal backpack! Fortunately, we’ve upgraded drones since then.

dji drone with backpack
Our first drone was so huge it had its personal backpack!

Should you’re thinking about filming and modifying, begin honing your abilities and attain out to native companies in your area of interest or space of curiosity. Today, the brand new iPhones take wonderful cinematic-style movies, GoPro is nice for underwater or motion footage, and naturally, having a drone will get some superb aerial photographs.

2. Educating English in China

teaching in myanmar
Volunteer educating in our makeshift classroom in rural Myanmar – among the finest weeks of our lives.

This was the primary yr that we made an earnings whereas on the highway. It was 2012 and at this level, we had accomplished some volunteer educating in Laos and Myanmar, however knew of some individuals who had been making good cash educating in locations like South Korea, China and Japan.

We had been planning on touring to China anyway so whereas we had been there we determined to contact some colleges. We searched on-line, and likewise went to many cafes and hostels and located job boards with “Lecturers Needed” adverts. We then referred to as and emailed our resumes.

We didn’t anticipate to listen to from many (any?) of the colleges as we had no official prior expertise (solely volunteer work), however we had been unsuitable. Many colleges had been ! So, we took our time siphoning via the choices and located an organization that we resonated with and ended up signing a one-year contract.

Inside a month, we had been residing and dealing at Shane English Faculty in Yangzhou China, educating college students in several lessons from the ages of 4 to 16. We labored 20 hours per week and earned round $1,400 per thirty days every. Ultimately, we reached our purpose of saving $20,000 which was put in direction of our epic 5-month journey round Central Asia.

china teaching students
Having enjoyable with a few of my college students in school in Yangzhou, China

So far, a few of our greatest recollections are from that yr in China. Today, nonetheless, you don’t have to maneuver overseas to show, you are able to do it on-line from the consolation of house in the event you select. You possibly can learn extra about educating English overseas in our full information right here, or within the articles beneath.

Learn Extra About Educating English:
8 Finest On-line TEFL Programs This Yr
How To Select a TEFL Course (10 Tricks to Assist You Determine)
10 Finest Locations to Train English Overseas
12 Finest On-line English Educating Corporations

3. Home Sitting and Pet Sitting

In 2013, we heard of one thing referred to as home sitting and pet sitting and although the idea of receiving free lodging in trade for taking good care of a furry good friend appeared too good to be true, we signed up for the Trusted Housesitters platform.

After being a member for round a month, we acquired a suggestion!

Not solely did the house owner attain out to us (reasonably than us pitching them), however it was to maintain a candy canine within the Caribbean on the island of Grenada. We had no thought the place that was on the time, however in the event you’ve been following us for some time, you’ll know that Grenada grew to become our house for a few years, and although we don’t reside there anymore, it nonetheless appears like house.

Over time, we pet-sat at 5 completely different properties in locations like Grenada, Barbados, and Costa Rica. Whereas simply one of many householders additionally paid us a wage, others provided to help with flight prices. With all of them, we acquired a car for our use.

pet sitting a dog in the caribbean
Our first pet sitting job was to maintain this candy boy, Spare Canine

Home and pet sitting was a tremendous method to complement our earnings. By not paying for lodging, we had been in a position to afford to reside and work in stunning locations and meet a few of the finest canines on this planet.

Make certain to learn our full information to accommodate sitting and pet sitting, and try the articles beneath for extra info on the right way to get began.

Learn Extra About Home Sitting and Pet Sitting:
10 Finest Home Sitting Web sites to Discover a Job
Methods to Put together for Your Home Sitting Interview (and Nail It!)
Inquiries to Ask Earlier than Accepting a Home Sitting/Pet Sitting Job
Methods to Grow to be a Home Sitter and Pet Sitter (Full Information)

4. Freelance Writing Work

working on blogging on my laptop on website
The extra articles you’re in a position to bang out a month, the extra money you’ll earn as a contract author

At one level, this was an enormous earnings earner for us. It was one of many high methods we initially made cash on-line, whereas on the highway. Once we had been home sitting and our weblog was nonetheless rising, we reached out to a bunch of publications and pitched our article concepts.

Some stated no, however many others stated sure!

We had full-time columns with two on-line publications and acquired just a few one-offs every so often as properly. At one level, between the 2 of us, we had been persistently writing 30 articles per thirty days!

Freelance writing was and is a good way to generate profits. There’s cash to be made when you have the dedication and motivation to write down high quality articles. The extra articles you possibly can produce, the extra money you can also make.

Professional Blog Working
We beloved freelance writing from right here…however didn’t final lengthy when the shade moved and the solar got here out!

Today, we pay a big workforce of skilled freelance writers to create content material for our web sites. A lot of them write 3 articles per week, for a complete of 12 articles a month every. Those self same writers additionally produce other writing gigs…that means they’re making an excellent month-to-month wage for certain. Excessive-quality, human-written content material remains to be very a lot in demand.

To get began freelance writing, you possibly can attain out to colleagues in your area of interest to see if they’re searching for writers. Different choices are to enroll in platforms like Strong Gigs (which sends you one of the best writing gigs to your inbox every week), or FlexJobs and Upwork.

Learn Extra About Freelance Writing:
10 Finest Freelance Writing Programs
10 Freelance Writing Abilities You Have to Succeed
15 Execs and Cons of Being a Freelance Author
Methods to Get Freelance Writing Jobs for Freshmen

5. Promoting Video Clips

Whereas we had been filming movies from world wide for our YouTube channel, we by no means thought of the truth that somebody may need to purchase a few of the clips.

At some point, whereas we had been touring, Nick’s brother in Canada messaged: “This man from Korea retains calling and leaving messages about wanting a video of yours from Mongolia. I’ve hung up on him just a few instances and I’ve ignored him, because it’s in all probability spam, however he’s referred to as so much so now I’m letting you recognize”

We thought it was bizarre as properly. However, we referred to as the man.

Because it seems, it wasn’t spam. A Korean advertising firm wished a 10-second clip that we had made out of our travels round Mongolia…at a price of $100 per second. That’s probably the most cash we’ve ever made in 10 seconds!

Should you take nice video clips along with your digital camera, cellphone, or drone, you possibly can promote them to platforms like Artgrid, Shutterstock, and Adobe Inventory. Or, possibly a international media firm will contact you too!

6. Social Media and Content material Administration

social media manager

For a few years, again in 2014 and 2015, we had just a few purchasers who paid us a month-to-month payment to handle their social media accounts and to create content material for his or her weblog.

We’d find out about their model and targets, and in flip write content material that was a match for them (on this case, it was monetary and life-style which was proper up our alley).

We’d submit participating content material on their Fb, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and at one level, we had been even operating Pinterest accounts. This was an excellent gig because it assured us a constant earnings each month.

Should you’re thinking about changing into a social media supervisor, attain out to companies in your area of interest on locations like Fb, Instagram, or LinkedIn and see in the event that they want any assist.

Learn Extra About Social Media Administration:
Methods to Make Cash as a Freelance Social Media Supervisor
15 Finest Instruments for Social Media Managers

7. Journey Running a blog

FAM trips for bloggers
Us with the press journey crew in Chicago. Influencers from Mexico, Brazil, and Australia. Plus the PR reps for the resort we stayed at.

That is the principle approach we’ve earned cash as digital nomads and is our present (and most favourite) money-making technique. Listed here are just a few of the highest methods journey bloggers make an earnings.

Paid Press Journeys

As our weblog grew and we acquired extra guests to our web site, YouTube channel, and social media accounts, we began to obtain gives for paid press journeys from numerous manufacturers.

As journey bloggers, we’ve acquired quite a few emails from tourism boards, lodges, and tour corporations providing us free journeys overseas, plus a wage. This is likely one of the coolest elements about being within the journey area. We’ve met some superb folks, skilled some epic issues, and earned an excellent earnings alongside the best way.

Getting paid to soak in a Japanese tub in Tokyo, plot new trekking routes in Jyrgalan, Kyrgyzstan, and go swimming with pigs within the Bahamas are a few of our most memorable press journeys.

how to swim with pigs in the bahamas.heic
Picture Bomb! Swimming with the pigs was a lot enjoyable

As your engagement in your social accounts grows, or because the visitors to your web site will increase, you’ll begin to see gives coming in as properly. You could be tempted to say “sure” to every little thing, however don’t. Solely conform to work with corporations that you simply resonate with, and that you would be able to truthfully advocate.

In-Content material Advertisements

One other main earnings earner via our web site is from in-content promoting. We’ve all seen them, all of us don’t like them, however there are advertisements in every single place lately.

There are completely different ranges of advertisements that web site homeowners can select from and we have now ours turned approach down. We might be incomes extra, however we don’t need to annoy our readers too a lot!

As soon as our web site visitors reached 50,000 customers per thirty days, we had been in a position to be a part of Mediavine which is likely one of the finest advert corporations round.

Advertisements might be obtrusive, however they assist to help our web site and we’re in a position to earn cash from our in any other case free content material that we create. When you attain 50,000 customers per thirty days, I like to recommend becoming a member of Mediavine (they’ve an excellent group). You merely press a button and advertisements shall be turned on in your web site. You’ll be earning money very quickly.

Affiliate Advertising and marketing

The ultimate main approach we earn cash via our web site is thru online marketing partnerships. We advocate merchandise that we use, like, and know are respected. While you buy one thing utilizing our hyperlink, we obtain a small fee — and we thanks in your sort help!

A number of the high associates that we promote and love are journey corporations like Get Your Information, Viator, Uncover Vehicles, and Reserving.com. We additionally share one of the best digital nomad corporations for TEFL, freelance writing, proofreading, and running a blog.

Learn Extra About Journey Running a blog:
Methods to Make Cash With a Journey Weblog
5 Methods Journey Bloggers Are Making Extra Cash Than Ever
Methods to Select a Journey Weblog Title
10 Causes to Begin a Weblog

8. Constructing Authority Area of interest Web sites

Fly Fishing in Lake District Argentina Patagonia
Create an internet site round a subject you’re passionate and knowledgable about

Goats On The Street is our child, and we’ve been operating it since 2012. However, lots of you in all probability don’t know that we have now 3 different web sites!

One is within the outside sports activities area of interest, one is in music, and one other one is destination-specific. We now have groups serving to to run these websites, and whereas Nick works fairly a bit on the sports activities web site, we have now specialists writing on the opposite matters. These smaller web sites aren’t our important earners, however an honest sum of money trickles in every month from them.

Gone are the times of making spammy, get-rich-quick, web sites the place the writers and homeowners are nameless (fortunately!). However it’s nonetheless doable to begin small authority websites round a subject that you simply’re educated and keen about and create a helpful useful resource in your readers.

Learn extra About Creating Area of interest Web sites:
101 Area of interest Web site Concepts to Get You Began
10 Causes to Begin a Second Weblog
Our New Web site: An In-Depth Progress Report After 2 Months
How To Construct a 6-Determine Weblog in One Yr

9. Talking Gigs

Speaking Travel conferences to find fam trips
Nick talking as regards to journey bloggers working with manufacturers on the World Tourism Discussion board in Istanbul

Over time, our model grew and we began to change into referred to as specialists in our area of interest. We’ve been invited to talk on numerous running a blog, digital nomad, and journey matters. A few of them have been in-person talking gigs in locations like Turkey and the USA, whereas others have been paid on-line summits.

We at all times love sharing our data and are nonetheless engaged on being assured talking in entrance of individuals! Making a prerecorded product for a web based convention, or becoming a member of a reside summit on-line is one factor, however standing on stage in entrance of a whole lot of individuals is kind of nervewracking.

When you begin to change into acknowledged as an knowledgeable in your subject, you’ll in all probability be requested to share your knowledge with others. Say sure! You by no means know who you’ll meet, or the place that path will lead you.

10. Creating and Promoting Digital Programs

SEO Course Graphic

The ultimate important approach that we’ve supported our travels and life-style over the previous 15 years is by creating and promoting digital merchandise and programs on the Teachable platform.

With our Journey Weblog Kickstarter Course, we’ve helped greater than 1,000 folks begin and develop web sites in a wide range of niches! That is one thing we’re happy with as we consider that proudly owning your individual enterprise via running a blog is one of the best factor ever.

Positive, there are professionals and cons of running a blog (as with every little thing), however there’s no different job we’d reasonably do.

On high of serving to our college students create web sites from scratch, we even have a sophisticated blogger course referred to as web optimization Made Easy with round 300 enrolled college students. Quickly, we’re planning on popping out with a brand new, extra private teaching expertise as properly. If there’s one factor we love, it’s participating with our superb group and we’re stoked for the brand new enterprise.

If there’s a subject that you simply’re educated about and one thing that you simply consider you possibly can train others to do, why not create a course? With platforms like Skillshare, Teachable, YouTube, or creating your individual web site, there are numerous methods you possibly can share your recommendation with the world.

Learn Extra About Digital Programs:
Free Journey Weblog Kickstarter Course (if you begin a weblog via us!)
Free 1-Hour web optimization Coaching Video
web optimization Made Easy: Superior Blogger Course
7 Finest Platforms to Promote On-line Programs

That’s it!

Goats On The Road nick and dariece
Thanks for studying and completely happy digital nomadism!

To this point, we’ve been to greater than 75 international locations on 5 continents and have been in a position to help our touring behavior through the years utilizing the ten methods I shared above. The primary factor we’ve realized is the significance of diversifying our earnings streams and that it’s okay to attempt (and fail) at new issues.

I hope you discovered this checklist helpful and inspirational! If that’s the case, please share it with your pals on social media, WhatsApp, or e-mail 🙂

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