Viable Ways to Finance Your Travels

Most people love to travel, be it for an annual holiday, or for an extended time. It may involve booking a few weeks off work, or even giving up one’s job and heading out into the great unknown.

The problem is, travelling costs money. Some people manage to live on less than $1,000 a month whilst doing this. Whatever the cost, however, the much needed money needs to come from somewhere.

That’s what this article is all about.

Borrowing

If birthdays or Christmas are coming, it’s definitely worth asking people to provide money to go into the travelling pot.

If the trip is for a good cause such as voluntary work overseas, or something really exciting, then Crowdfunding could be an option. People may be happy to donate if they will be included in regular updates and receive information, photos and videos of the experience as it unfolds.

Sometimes people borrow money from friends or family. It’s an avenue to only explore if one can definitely repay the amount quickly once resuming work, when the travelling has finished. It’s not worth risking friendships over unpaid debts!

There are many companies that provide loans that can help with last minute shortfalls. It’s possible to research payday loans online and discover that most loans are between $100 and $1000. Nothing is held as collateral, but this is reflected by there being a higher interest rate. It was interesting to learn that some people are able to take out several of these loans simultaneously, but one must be sure one can repay.

Using Assets

It’s worth looking at all one’s possessions to see if anything could be sold to raise money. It may be a sacrifice, but it depends how important the travelling dream actually is.

Companies like Airbnb help people rent out their spare rooms. The potential loss of privacy may be deemed worthwhile in the long run. If the whole house will be vacant during the travelling excursion, why not rent it out during that time?

Peoples’ cars are great assets, too. Could the family reduce from two cars to one, to raise the money? Alternatively think about using the car as a part-time taxi. Also, most takeaway outlets regularly need drivers who can deliver food.

Teaching Skills

If someone is an experienced teacher they could consider evening work, doing private lessons. Many people teach their native language to other folk all around that world; that’s the beauty of the internet. Translation work may also be of interest to such people.

Other would-be travellers may be competent musicians. They could provide lessons face to face or online, do a money-raising gig or try busking.

Such sites as Udemy or Skillshare help people upload online training courses about their personal area of expertise. There’s also Youtube, where it’s possible to put internet links in the video descriptions, redirecting viewers to sites selling goods or services, or requesting donations.

Hobbies and Interests

If someone has a collection of arts and crafts, they could organise an event to sell them. People who enjoy cooking and hosting could create a dinner party event. Attendees could be asked to wear clothes matching the country you’ll visit, or alternatively it could be a murder-mystery event.

Animal lovers could research dog walking. Why not take several at a time to increase the income? Some people need pet sitters too. Babysitting is another great way to raise cash. With pet sitting and babysitting, it’s possible to do something else at the same time.

Individuals who are competent and experienced at skiing or scuba diving often travel free of charge if they work for companies abroad. That’s a great way of combining work with pleasure!

Office Work

There is money to be made by being a ghost writer, creating content for online companies. Others do proofreading work. More numerate individuals could consider becoming a virtual bookkeeper, helping other people with their regular business accounts.

Blogging is also an interesting option. Why not become a travel blogger, talking of past experiences and providing photo and video footage as well. Sites like Medium.com enable people to make money if they gain an audience. Some successful bloggers use affiliate marketing, where they include links to other people’s products in their blogs. Each time this creates a sale for the other party, a commission is paid.

As we have seen, there are many ways to raise money for a holiday. It pays to budget as early as possible for the event, and to make sure all the funds are in place. Finally, there will be nothing to stop the next exciting chapter becoming an exciting reality.