7 Tricks to Fund Your Next Adventure

Funding an adventure doesn't have to empty your wallet. The trick is knowing what it takes to get there. Those lifestyle choices and learning opportunities become adventures in themselves, and the work you do to fund travel becomes part of what makes it so meaningful.

By: David Hollerith

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Photo By: Scott Joseph

Photo By: Addie Navarro

Photo By: Scott Joseph

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The most tried-and-true method for funding an adventure is to get a night job. While using full-time job skills in the freelance economy can be lucrative, service industries such as food, hospitality and transportation will offer a better balance after a full day of study or office work.

Downsize Your Life

Cutting back on unnecessary financial spending is a funding trick that requires minimal work. You might not need that extra gym membership. Or that craft cocktail. Take time and space to really think about your priorities, and if travel is one, make a commitment to make it happen.

Bike to Work

Biking to work saves gas money and improves health. It’s also a good method to prepare for travel. You will need to plan ahead yet remain flexible with the weather. Find a safe biking route and for good hygiene, somewhere to shower or clean up once you arrive.

Farm in Another Country

Now as many as 75,000 volunteers per year participate in World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). These agricultural opportunities exist in more than 40 nations, where for at least four hours of work per day, travelers receive room, board and the opportunity to learn how to farm.

Discover more farms where you can work and stay.

Find a Boat

FindACrew is an online network that connects boat owners with people interested in joining their crew. Though experienced sailors are paid, travelers with minimal to no experience can negotiate terms to be trained during a voyage.

Photographer Scott Joseph, shown here, sailed up the coast of Ireland and brought his selfie-stick.

Become an Expatriate

There are countless opportunities to work outside the U.S. The most common are studying abroad, working for the U.S. government, being an Au Pair (as the photographer, Addie Navarro, shown here, did in Vietnam), or teaching English internationally. However, expatriatism is a funding trick that should be planned months before departure.

Apply for a Travel Grant

If your next adventure has a clear goal or agenda, it may hold value for an organization or group of people willing to fund you. To qualify for a travel grant, you will need to be precise about the plan and purpose of your adventure.

Bonus: Find a Cash Cow

A cash cow is a metaphor for an investment that produces a small and steady source of revenue yet requires little maintenance — like buying a dairy cow that produces milk for many years. Creative royalties from songs, books and stock photography, owning rental property, and investing in stocks and bonds are all viable options. Hey, your cash cow might even be an actual cow.

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7 Tricks to Fund Your Next Adventure

Related To:

Shop This Look

Try Moonlighting

Downsize Your Life

Bike to Work

Farm in Another Country

Find a Boat

Become an Expatriate

Apply for a Travel Grant

Bonus: Find a Cash Cow

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