While the majority of folks are pretty much grounded right now because of the pandemic,
Covid will likely be gone eventually and we'll be able to start traveling the world once
again. Cross your fingers that that day will be sooner rather than later.
But perhaps you're a bit concerned that you won't be able to afford to travel after everything
that's happened in the last year a half. This pandemic business has been a wild ride for
sure, and not all of our bank accounts are quite as flush as they used to be.
But fortunately, there is some good news. Several companies will help you travel the
world for free. Yes, you heard us correctly – FREE. Some companies, in fact, will even
pay you to travel. What more could you ask for?
Keep in mind though, there are very few things in life that are truly free. Most of the time,
even if you don't have to shell out a bunch of money for something, you'll still have
to put in a bit of work to get the reward. For instance, several companies will provide
you with a stipend or even a salary for traveling but you might have to promote their products
and services or put in some physical labor while you're on your trip.
A word for the wise. If you are planning on visiting any of the places mentioned in this
video, you should remember that travel during the pandemic might be restricted or difficult
in some of these locations. Make sure you check local regulations wherever your travels
take you and take all the needed precautions to protect yourself and others.
Keep watching to learn all about the companies out there that are willing to help you travel
for free and the few that will even pay you to travel.
Get Seasonal Work
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a beach bum or hitting the slopes on the daily? Then
the website coolworks.com just might be what you are looking for. The site lists cool jobs
that can be landed in all sorts of great locations, whether it's working at a ski resort in mountainous
Colorado, or at a beach hotel in sunny Florida, or at a national park somewhere, seasonal
work is available around the globe that just might be able to finance your travels.
Some jobs are temporary positions for vacationers looking for a free trip, while others are
more fleshed out full-time gigs. Many of these jobs include room and board, food, activities,
and even a modest stipend. Other companies that offer similar resources for seasonal
work include Resortjobs.com, SeasonWorkers, and AdventureWork.
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And don't go anywhere just yet. Keep watching to learn all the different ways you can travel
around the world for free.
Find A Volunteer Job
With Workaway and Workx, you can not only travel at no cost but sometimes you can actually
get paid for the volunteer work that you do. Imagine immersing yourself in the local culture
while getting the chance to give back to the communities that you visit at the same time.
So here's how it all works. A bunch of companies looking for workers ranging from hotels to
NGOs to even private families post what they are needing on the site. They might be looking
for laborers to do charity, construction, language instruction, or farm work. Generally
speaking, you will be expected to put in up to five hours a day in exchange for a room
and basic amenities.
Some hosts might even offer you a paid allowance to make sure that you are at least receiving
the minimum wage in their respective countries.
Travel With Your Skills And Talents
Dotrotter AB, a marketplace where users can publish projects where they need extra help
gives travelers a place to apply to volunteer. The site was started by Nicolas Jurado Allende
after he and a group of his friends spent several weeks in 2016 volunteering at a crumbling
chateau in the Dordogne region in France. In exchange for your labor, you get free accommodations
and food, access to local experiences, and endless ways to improve your resume just by
paying with your talent and gifts.
Work On An Organic Farm
If you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, you can always sign up on the website for
the organization WWOOF, which stands for World Wide Opportunists On Organic Farms. There,
farm owners from across the globe post help-wanted ads searching for volunteers to do everything
from harvesting sugar beets in South Dakota to making cheese in Wisconsin.
You'll work a few hours every day then have time off in the evenings to do your own thing.
In exchange, the farms typically provide you with room and board – although some of them
will also pay you for your services. WWOOF has farming opportunities from Australia to
South America and everywhere in between.
Work To Better The Planet And Its Inhabitants
In 2008, Shannon O'Donnell decided that she was done with keeping up with the rat race,
dropped everything, and committed to traveling around the world for a year. Throughout her
travels, Ms. O'Donnell volunteered to support herself and her lifestyle. During that year
she came up with the idea for the site Grassroots Volunteering, which offers benevolent travelers
easy ways to support their travels by taking part in ethical and sustainable projects that
benefit the planet and humanity at large.
O'Donnell's brainchild helps create meaningful connections between travelers and local causes
and the communities they impact. Many of the companies that use the service to source volunteers
will provide travelers with free room and board in exchange for their hard work and
dedication.
Teach English Overseas
If you are comfortable with and willing to teach English as a second language to non-native
English speakers, then the world is essentially yours for the taking. TEFL.com is just one
of many websites that provides a platform for finding English language teaching jobs
abroad. They offer people access to a unique selection of international teaching jobs around
the world.
Positions typically last anywhere between nine months upwards to two years in length,
so it's an excellent way to have an extended paid vacation if you're looking for that kind
of thing. Beyond English teaching gigs, the site also lists positions available in the
fields of marketing, lecturing, and more.
Another great site for travelers looking to teach English abroad is Dave's ESL Cafe, which
was founded by Dave Spelling. After traveling internationally for several years and earning
his MA in Linguistics in 1995, Dave started his company as a place for ESL and EFL teachers
and students to connect with each other. ESL Cafe has listings pretty much everywhere throughout
the world as well as dedicated job boards for Korea and China.
Take A Road Trip
Have you ever dreamed of taking an epic cross-country road trip? Well if so, you can always consider
signing up with a company like Auto Driveaway, which will actually pay you to transport a
car and other parcels to a specific destination. The car comes with a full tank of gas and
you are given an allotted amount of time to get to the destination. Auto Driveaway is
constantly looking for qualified drivers to move its customer's vehicles throughout the
country and has over 40 locations across the US. Each year, the company pays for tens of
thousands of trips, so if you're a decent driver with a clean record and enjoy the open
road, this might be just the opportunity you've been searching for.
Organize A Group Trip
Here's another lucrative way to score yourself a free vacation. Plan a trip with a group
of your closest friends. Quite a few travel operators will cover your costs if you function
as a trip leader. One company that does just that is Contiki. The company recently launched
a new trip called 'Senior Year Gets A Second Chance (In Greece)' after the pandemic lockdown
put a stop to many graduation trips. If a college grad brings a group of 10 friends
on the trip, then the leader of the outfit can travel for free. Other companies offering
similar promotions to group leaders include YMT Vacations and Grand Circle Cruise Line.
Become A Digital Nomad
When you think about becoming a digital nomad you might picture sitting on your laptop with
a tropical adult beverage in hand behind a backdrop of a gorgeous beach somewhere replete
with palm trees and seagulls. The thought of working with your feet in the sand or while
lounging in a hammock in a tropical locale can certainly be alluring especially if you're
sitting in a cubicle or working from home in your pajamas.
If that's your dream, you can make that happen as long you are skilled enough to provide
a service such as coding, copywriting, blogging, voice acting, translating, content creation,
or graphic design – just to name a few. Sites like Fiverr, Freelancer.com, Guru, Flexjobs,
and Upwork are excellent resources for freelance workers to get in touch with clients. Once
you've established your client base and proven yourself as a reliable worker, you can take
your laptop and mobile connection pretty much anywhere with you to facilitate your new digital
nomad lifestyle.
Become A House Sitter
Here's one last way to get a free place to stay while you're traveling. Take care of
someone else's home or their beloved pet in the location that you're planning on traveling
to. Companies such as Trusted Housesitters and HouseCarers connect travelers and people
in need of sitters all over the globe.
Again, traveling right now given the state of the world and the current impact of the
Coronavirus pandemic is pretty limited, but eventually, that will change. Hopefully, the
world will see a little bit of relief from the ongoing situation sooner rather than later.
But what do you think about all of the options we featured in this video today? Are you interested
in traveling for free by putting in a little bit of footwork to do so? Or are you the kind
of person that prefers to separate their business from their leisure? Either way, let us know
your thoughts in the comments section below. And if you know of any other opportunities
that we left out in this video, feel free to let us know.
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