Working On The Road - Balancing Work & Travel

You've saved your money (Saving For Travel and Saving For Travel - Part 2) and you have some investments (Growing Your Travel Fund) but it's still not quite enough for the adventures you have in mind. What now? You can either:

• Work a bit longer and save a bit more (very difficult when that travel bug is biting you hard!);

• Go travelling for a shorter period and return back to your 9-5 job to save a bit more. This is a great option if your job allows it;

• Work while travelling, either as an employee or setting up a part-time business that can be run remotely.

And to be fair we've done all 3!

What can you do on the road?

With perpetual travelling and exploring in mind, both Jen and I have thought long and hard, and continue to do so, about other sources of income whilst on the road.

OCCASIONALLY YOU NEED A DRINK BREAK WHEN WORKING ON THE ROAD!

Jen

Apart from our travel blog, Jen does freelance web designing through Jenni & The Cat. This offers the ultimate flexibility as it can be done anywhere and at any time, ensuring it fits into our travel schedule.

As we'll be in Queenstown for awhile, Jen is working part-time for a local company which is also a great way of integrating with the Queenstown community.

MICK

When in Australia or New Zealand, I can work as an optometrist. This has been great because I can pick up short-term contracts, locuming at various places around both countries. It provides plenty of flexibility and an opportunity to visit many out-of-the-way places. In Queenstown, I work part-time, giving me plenty of time to explore what this amazing area has to offer.

I've also leveraged on my knowledge of shares and write call and put options. It has taken me some time to learn how to do this but it's a little extra income to help contribute to the travel piggy bank. And most importantly it can be done anywhere in the world as long as I have a good internet connection!

Bringing it all together

Each source of income (from work or investments), doesn’t make us a fortune but it all adds up and gives us the flexibility to travel and time to enjoy the things we love doing. You’ve got to decide what you like doing, and how it can fit into a nomadic lifestyle.

We live in a very fortunate era and technology offers us a huge amount of flexibility on what can be done away from the traditional 9-5 office environment. If you're thinking about starting a business, keep the end goal in mind, i.e. can it be run from any location in the world?

Once you've decided what you want to do, these part-time gigs or side businesses can be started while working your 9-5 job - a great way to test the waters without going all-in.

Start the plan today and you'll be out there sooner than you think!

What we hope is that you too can one day get out there, discover new places around the world and have the time to enjoy the things you love doing. And we’re guessing that’s plenty of skiing and snowboarding!

Sit down, think about what you want to achieve and start that plan today. It's actually not that daunting - get the plan started and you'll be out there sooner than you thought was possible.

If you have any questions or would like to share ideas on how you can make money of the road, please leave a comment below.

Mick

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