How to Make Money on the Road: 9 Remote Work Ideas

Dreaming of hitting the road as a digital nomad?

It’s a dream that’s become a reality for a ton of women around the world — I’m writing this poolside in Mexico, so I swear I know what I’m talking about.

But before you can head out on to make money on the road, you need to build a steady income. And that income needs to pay any bills you have, and support your traveling lifestyle.

Luckily, if you’re willing to put the work in (and you DO need to put the work in) there are plenty of ways you can do that. The best part is, you’re way more likely to create a career based on something you love. At least, more than that cubicle job.

Whether you want to work remotely for a company while you travel or use your skills and talents to build your own, there is plenty of opportunity. You don’t need to have a fancy degree or a ton of experience to make it happen.

Ready to get started? Let’s dig in!

How to make money on the road

1. Find remote work with companies around the world

It shouldn’t surprise you in 2022 that there are companies all over the world who are looking for talented remote employees. In fact, a study by Owl Labs found that 16% of companies globally are entirely remote.

These are employers that don’t often care where you work from, so long as you have a secure device, access to stable internet, and get your work done. Doesn’t seem that hard, right?

The problem is, there is a ton of competition for remote jobs, and not everyone knows how to go about identify legitimate opportunities that will allow them to travel wherever they want to.

There is a growing trend amongst employers to classify jobs as “remote” opportunities that really aren’t (read those descriptions well!). Not to mention there are A LOT of scammers out there looking to take advantage of you.

As it turns out, finding a remote job isn’t so cut-and-dry. The process can actually be a little complex and frustrating, leaving many people feeling lost, hopeless, and like they’re not qualified to get a remote job.

I’m here to tell you that there’s a remote job out there for everyone — you just might have to put some (read: a lot) of effort into looking. But if the digital nomad life is really for you, it’ll be well worth it.

There are essentially 2 ways to find a remote job:

1. Apply through remote jobs through job boards. I highly recommend focusing on job boards that cater to the remote audience like We Work Remotely, Remote.co, and Remotive.
2. The second, and the one that will probably result in a job you’re truly satisfied with, is to approach companies that you actually want to work with. Not every job out there is posted (though it’s probably not as high as the 70 to 80% “hidden job market” that people tout). More likely though, you’ll have a chance to build a relationship and get notified about future jobs before or as they’re being posted. Then, when you apply, your name will be memorable.

Getting a remote job is a great idea for those of us that are interested in traveling full-time but aren’t interested in running a full on business.

Yes, it sounds glamorous to be an online entrepreneur, but it’s not for everyone. But just because you don’t want to run a blog or find your own clients, doesn’t mean there isn’t a space for you in the digital world… someone has to work for all these companies!

job

2. Offer freelance services

Freelancing is a great way to stretch your entrepreneurial muscles without going into start-up mode.

To be clear: freelancing as a writer, graphic designer, virtual assistant — whatever you choose to do — is running a business. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But it’s not the whole million dollars in seed money and small, overworked team of 3 that you find in the start up world.

It’s a solo business with you as the number one, and one-and-only employee (unless you hire out some help down the line). Which is why it’s an excellent opportunity for digital nomads.

The best part about freelancing is that you can do it with pretty much no money to your name. You’ll need:

• A skill you want to sell — are you great at editing short clips? Manage Tik Tok accounts! Love to whip up 2,000-word blog posts? Freelance writing is for you!
• An industry, niche, or type of client you’re interested in — it’s OK to be a little flexible in the beginning, especially when you’re just finding your footing. But specializing in the long run is more likely to result in higher rates.
• A portfolio of work to show prospective clients — if you don’t have one (and you probably don’t if you’re just starting out) now is the best time to star creating one
• A professional sounding email to start reaching out to clients — emo_grl435@hotmail.com isn’t exactly what prospective clients want to see.
• A plan — you do not have to make some 18-page business plan with an executive summary and an index. But you do want something that can guide you in the future.

With that in place, it’s time to start approaching clients.

As a freelance writer, I like to find and pitch my own clients — that way I get a chance to work on projects that I’m interested in and with people I like. But I admit that it takes a while to get to the point where you’re ready to start cold emailing people.

I started out by applying to opportunities on job boards like Pro Blogger and Freelance Writing. I also had a few clients from Upwork really (really) early on in my business venture. While I don’t recommend either of these for the long haul, they can be a great opportunity to get you business off the ground.

3. Start a blog

I realize that everyone and their dog recommends starting a blog to make money as a digital nomad. And, honestly, it sounds a little far-fetched. But, as someone who makes money blogging, I can confirm it’s a legitimate source of income.

Now, before we get into the obligatory “how to start a blog” content, I want to be clear about two things:

1. You can’t start a blog today and expect to make a full-time income tomorrow. It just doesn’t work that way. Most of us blog for a decent amount of time (months-to-years) before we figure out how the whole blogging thing works. You need to build up an audience and set up monetization channels.
2. Blogs aren’t as passive as some bloggers lead you to believe. There is a passive aspect to them — for example, you might write a post today that brings you a steady income for years. But that steady income takes a while to start trickling in, and if you don’t feed the blogging beast, it goes away.

Essentially, blogging is like any other job. But if you’re like me, and you LOVE writing, creating, and focusing on topics that interest you, it’s a legitimate way to make money.

We have a whole post dedicated to helping you start your blog that I recommend you dig into if blogging is in your future. But for a quick overview of the process, you essentially need to:

1. Pick a topic (we call this a niche)
2. Build the blog itself (get hosting, connect WordPress or another builder, choose a theme, etc.)
3. Create content… lots of content
4. Set up monetization channels like affiliate links and digital products
5. Collect emails for long-term growth
6. Promote your content

That is a wildly simplified “how to start blogging” process, but it is essentially what goes on.

For those who want to go above and beyond blogging, niche website investing is where it’s at. Flipping blogs can be a great source of income for those of us that can’t seem to stick to one topic (guilty!).

4. Become a freelance blogger (blog for someone else!)

I am a freelance blogger. Or, at least, historically, that’s how I’ve made my money.

Technically, this combines two of our above suggestions (freelancing and blogging) into it’s own category. This probably doesn’t deserve it’s own list heading for everyone, but it’s my area of expertise and I LOVE doing it.

You’re currently reading this on my blog — I created this site from scratch and manage it on my own. But it’s not the only blog I work on or manage… in fact, I don’t own all of the blogs I work on.

I started out my online business adventure freelance writing, but it didn’t take me long to realize I wanted to specialize in blogging. Longform written content created for online spaces (that aren’t social media) is simply my favorite content to create.

But once I started freelance blogging, I realized how much opportunity there is. I choose to focus on the strategic aspects — editorial calendars and optimization — but that’s not all there is.

As a freelance blogger you can:

• Create PLR content, which is content you write (or create) once and sell at a low price to many bloggers — they then have the opportunity to change it into something they like and put it on their own blog
• Make your own recipes, document the process, and sell them to food bloggers looking for content — you can sell PLR recipes (recipes sold to as many people who want to buy them) in the $5 to $20 range, semi-exclusive recipes (those sold to 2 – 6 bloggers) in the $20 to $125 range, or exclusive recipes (those sold to a single blogger only) in the $75+ range
• Create content and sell the finished product — as a blogger, I have clients ask for specific content that I then create, but some bloggers do the reverse of this content. They create content they want to, then sell the finished product. I’ve seen it go for as low as $10 for a post but you can sell it as high as you want!
• Manage a full blog from content strategy to publishing, which might include creating a content calendar, editing pieces from writers, and finding affiliate products

Freelance blogging has a ton of opportunity. If you’re interested in writing and blogging, and need to make money from blogging before your blog starts to pay out, this is the way to do it. Learn how to blog and get paid for it!

5. Sell digital or physical products

There are a ton of digital nomads out there that make their money via eCommerce. That is they sell products, digital and/or physical, and that supports their travels.

Digital products

Digital products are going to be the easiest option because they don’t require you to source many physical products, they require you to create one of your own. This is a great opportunity for those who are creative and like to have a little more control.

Examples of digital products include:

• Ebooks
• Printables
• Online courses
• Graphics templates
• Website themes
• Apps
• Plugins

Honestly, anything that can be used or consumed digitally can be sold. Once it’s made, the logistics of selling are relatively easy. You can sell on your own site using tools like Send Owl or Gumroad, or a platform like Etsy. If you’re looking for a “passive income” strategy (though, to be clear, you still have to DO the work), this is a good money road for you to explore.

Physical products

Physical products are a little more challenging because they’re well physical.

As a digital nomad, you’re going to want to skip inventory. You don’t want to have to manage a warehouse, packing, or other parts of the selling process, while you’re on the road. Instead, dropshipping is going to be your bestie.

You can dropship through your own store built on Shopify or WooCommerce (WordPress) or you can sell on Amazon by using their storage solution. There’s plenty of money to be made dropshipping, it’s about what you’re interested in and how you want to sell.

You do not have to have a blog to sell products online, but it doesn’t hurt. In fact, it’s another viable stream of income… the more the merrier!

6. Become an “influencer”

I realize this sounds like a fake job because pretty much everyone treats it like one, but becoming an influencer is no joke. If you do it right, it can be a great way to earn extra money while you’re traveling (and while you’re at home).

Not everyone makes money as an influencer who tries, often because they don’t treat it like a true business endeavor. Instead, they’re focused on posting potentially viral content without a legitimate strategy behind it.

Influencing as a job isn’t about becoming the most famous person in the world — yes there are influencers that most people (in America anyway) know. It’s about becoming really well known in a specific topic (like plus size fashion or romance novels) by a specific audience, building trust and forging relationships with brands that you’re interested in promoting.

Becoming an influencer is a lot more work than most people realize. If you want to grown an audience, you need to put a TON of work into it. We’re not talking posting once a week and sharing a few affiliate links. You need to be there every day putting in the effort and connecting with your audience, and also doing thing to earn extra cash, like affiliate marketing.

If “influencer” is in your future job title, here’s what you’re going to want to do to get started:

1. Find your niche. What topics do you know a lot about? What can you talk about for hours on end? Find a niche and focus your content around that.

2. Create great content. This is one of the most important aspects of becoming an influencer. You need to create content that people want to read, watch, or listen to.

3. Be active on social media. Social media is a great way to connect with your audience and grow your influence. Make sure you’re active on the platforms your audience is using.

4. Collaborate with other influencers. Connecting with other influencers in your niche is a great way to grow your influence. You can collaborate on projects, guest post on each other’s blogs, or even just share each other’s content.

5. Work with brands. Brands are always looking to work with influencers to promote their products or services. You can build relationships with your favorite ones, and start making extra money.

Becoming an influencer is a lot of work, but it can be a great way to make money and connect with people who share your interests. If you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be a great career. Plus of you’re putting together a fan life starter kit for yourself, this should be one of your top ways to earn money.

7. Teach English or another languages online

I fully admit that I’ve never got into teaching a language online, but there are a TON of digital nomads that make part or even all of their income from it. Heck, I even take Spanish classes from someone through iTalki!

Teaching English (or another language) online is a great way to make money on the road as a digital nomad. There are a surprising amount of opportunities, and you can do it from anywhere so long as you have a stable internet connection and a quite space.

The real downside is that it’s not the most lucrative choice, and it’s 100% not a passive income. Digital nomads who go this route usually make between $10 and $40 per hour. While $40 isn’t bad, those who teach through services like VIPKID make $7 to $9 per class to start out. Classes are 25 minutes, so if you manage to get two into an hour you can make between $14 and $18.

What I like most about this option is that it’s highly flexible and perfect for those brand new to working online and running their own schedule. It features a mixture of structure and freedom that helps you set up your ideal digital nomad life.

To get started, you’ll need to find a platform that offers online English classes. There are a lot of options out there, but some of the more popular ones include:

• Preply
• VIPKID
• Magic Ears
• iTalki

I should point out that if you want to get top dollar to teach English online, getting a TEFL certification can make a big difference. It’s also important that you do some vetting and make sure that you’re teaching through a legitimate, reputable platform.

If teaching English online is a goal of yours, I might recommend combining it with some of the above options. Start out your career getting a feel for it through a platform, and when you’re ready start building up a platform of your own.

You could create and sell your own course for more money than teaching a single class. Or you could sell printables or eBooks that could help your students learn their language faster!

8. Work as a virtual assistant

I’ll be honest with you, “virtual assistant” is a little big vague as a job title. But there are legitimate people who do remote work this way (again, so long as they have a stable internet connection).

Also referred to as a VA, these are essentially freelancers who assist in a specific area. Some of the most popular niches for VAs include:

• Social media management (like Pinterest)
• Blogging
• Email marketing and management
• Customer service
• General administration

But honestly, the sky’s the limit. Whatever skills you have (or would like to learn) and are interested in selling, chances are someone needs that service!

Becoming a VA is a great opportunity to build a schedule of your own. But it also requires you to find your own clients, which isn’t ideal for everyone. Like general freelancing, VAs can start out on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork where it’s a little bit easier to connect with clients.

I will say that if you’re planning on offering services in areas like social media or email marketing, I would encourage you to use the term consultant or strategist instead of VA. The word “assistant” tends to give the impression that you have less experience and skill, and thus don’t charge premium rates.

However, there are a ton of people who would disagree with me about that. So, go with whatever you’re comfortable with. It’s your job, you need to pick a title that works best for you — regardless of what that might be.

Setting up your career as a virtual assistant works similar to setting yourself up as a freelancer. You want to:

1. Decide on the services you want to provide and companies and/or people you want to work with
2. Set up your packages and pricing schemes, this gives you somewhere to start with
3. Find and reach out to companies that you’re interested in working with
4. Make a compelling pitch
5. Deliver great work when you’ve got some clients

I’ve you’ve got an idea for something you’d like to offer, becoming a virtual assistant might be the perfect way to earn money on the road for you!

9. Help people with their travel plans

We all know you love travel considering you’re here to learn how to make money on the road while you live out your digital nomad dreams. But what if you could combine that love of travel to pay for travel by helping other people sort out their next adventure?

Travel agents are still a thing. This might come as a shock to you considering deal finding sites like Expedia, Hotwire, and Skyscanner. But travel agents help provide a specific service: they help people avoid the frustrations of travel by helping them design and book their own vacations.

You’ll want to make sure you’re hyper organized to be a trave agent (sadly, this does not describe me). And there are a few ways to go about doing this.

You can freelance as a travel agent, which allows you to set your own rate and focus on vacation destinations that most intrigue you. Or you can get a job (part time or full time) through a travel company.

If you want to work for a company as a travel agent, some of the top companies that hire remotely include:

• ADTRAV Travel Management
• BCD Travel
• Carnival Cruise Lines

I still standby the fact here too that if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, working for yourself is going to be the most fun. That way you can focus on helping people in areas that you’re interested in. Love Disney? Focus on helping families build their first trip. Specialize in planning killer European trips.

Before you get started on your travel agent journey, some of the skills that you’ll need, include:

• Excellent communication skills
• Organizational skills
• The ability to multitask
• Creativity
• Patience
• Problem-solving skills

If you have these skills and are interested in becoming a travel agent, then this could be a great way for you to make money on the road!

Ready to make money on the road?

It doesn’t matter what your talents and interests are, there’s a way to make money on the road as a digital nomad. What’s great about many of these income stream opportunities is the fact that you can tailor them to fit your skills, experience, and the digital nomad life you want.

I’m not going to lie, none of these are going start raking in the cash tomorrow. It can take a while to find a new job or build a small business. But it is possible to make money on the road while living out your digital nomad dreams.

If you are planning on taking your life on the road, one of my top income and budget tips for digital nomads is to focus on more than one stream of income. It’ll take a little bit longer, but then you’ll have a more stable foundation to work with.

How to make money on the road FAQs