Whether it’s a long awaited gap year or the holiday of a lifetime, it doesn’t take long for those hard-earned savings to start declining. But don’t panic as the internet can be a backpacker’s best friend when it comes to topping up the travel funds. We’ve got you covered with our four fabulous tactics for affording those pesky rental car fees for your dream road trip or covering that next skydive.
Bitcoin
Everyone’s favourite cryptocurrency has grown rapidly since its introduction and although it won’t necessarily be at such a pace, Bitcoin is still expected to increase in value. This means that by investing in Bitcoins before jetting off on your travels, you could be looking at a timely profit a few months down the line.
Instead of selling them on, you can now spend Bitcoins as you please. In particular, certain major travel companies now accept Bitcoin payments, so you could use them to cover your next flight. You could splash on anything from birthday gifts for those loved ones back at home or even have a bit of fun and use your Bitcoin at online gaming.
Bitcoin, however, is now much more than an opportunity for investment. You can now proactively earn Bitcoin through the internet’s millions of forums, as several contain questions from users that can be solved via a certain company’s product or service. Some of these companies will offer Bitcoin payment if you are willing to promote their products through forum posts and get their word out there.
Freelancing
Skills such as web design, programming, photo/video editing or translation can be the ticket to a juicy online income. By freelancing as you travel and advertising your skills in right places, it isn’t too optimistic to be earning $1000 a month. As you’ll be your own manager it means you can choose to work the hours when you’re at your most productive and balance it all around ticking off the Tripadvisor top to-do’s.
The best thing about freelancing is that you can do it from anywhere; the comfort of your deck chair with the sand between your toes or from your cozy top bunk in your hostel dorm. The internet contains numerous platforms to advertise freelance work and link you up with clients, but don’t be afraid to look offline as well. Hostel message boards can come in handy, as can getting a few adverts up around the local area.
People are always looking to learn English around the globe, so if you’re confident and patient enough then teaching the local residents a thing or two can be rewarding. Preparation and research is key, but if done correctly, freelancing work can upgrade those dingy hostel dorms to swanky hotel rooms.
Online surveys
Those long haul bus journies from country to country can be pretty exhausting affairs, but why not turn them into money-making commutes? If you’re lucky enough to have internet access then taking part in online surveys can be a profitable way to pass the time.
It’s a technique that’s become popular with students to bring in some extra spending money. Although you’re most likely looking at £3-5 for an hour’s worth of surveys, it does all add up and some websites offer other incentives, such as vouchers and prize draws.
Blogging
If you have an interest in a particular sport, fashion, lifestyle or even travel itself, then there are several digital agencies who are always on the hunt for writers. There’s a blog out there on even the most niche of topics, so we can guarantee there’ll be something to fit your passions. It’s the ideal earner, but be sure to be as creative as possible in your writing as you never know who might view your content.
This is a perfect role for the budget traveller as it requires minimal internet access. Once you know what you’re writing about and have done your research online then you’ll only need to pop back on to submit your work in time for the deadline. So get set up in your new found favourite coffee shop, jump on their wi-fi and see what’s out there.