3 Ways How You Can Travel for Free

Traveling is a very rewarding experience—you learn more about the world and yourself with every journey you embark on. However, travel enthusiasts are familiar with one fact that they have grudgingly accepted: traveling is expensive. From flights, accommodation, food, travel gear, to a ton of other expenses, this vice that we travel lovers decided to embrace with our adventurous hearts can really take a toll on one’s finances.

I have met a lot of people who say that they wish they can travel for free. These are people who work long days or take additional responsibilities at their respective workplaces or scrimp on their daily expenses just to be able to go on a trip to their dream destinations. My answer to these people: yes, you can travel for free. I am quite sure that your reaction is the same as theirs: an eyebrow raised, disbelieving, and saying “really?” in a very cynical tone. Here are the ways you can explore to travel for free or even get paid while you explore more of our beautiful world.

1. Be an au-pair

If you are quite young—say, 18 to 30 years old—and want to immerse yourself in a different culture, then you might want to try working as an au-pair. The term literally translates to “an extra pair of hands,” and often refers to a person who helps out a local family with children or other light chores. As an au-pair, you will live with a local family, who will consider you as a part of their family (and never treated as a slave). Typically, the family you will live with will provide food and accommodation, and a bit of pocket money. There are some families that offer more for their au-pairs, including roundtrip plane tickets, language classes, transportation passes, and everything you might need while living with them.

2. Be a summer camp worker

If you want to travel to or across the United States, then working in a summer camp is the best option for you to travel for free. Every year, during summer, thousands of American children flock to summer camps to have a meaningful, more productive, and fun summer. If you are an American, you can apply as a camp counsellor in one of the hundreds of summer camps in the country. There are also camps that offer positions for foreigners to work with the children. You will be paid and will have no expenses while working at the camp. Warning, though: you would not be paid much, but you will have a great time.

3. Be an English language teacher

Teaching English as a second language is perhaps one of the best ways to travel for free (and be paid for it) if you are a native speaker of English. You would not need fancy degrees (although a fancy degree in English from a renowned university will help jack your rates up)—there are plenty of short courses online or certificates (for a certain amount) that will help you land a teaching job.