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Last Updated on May 4, 2025 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
How to Make Money On The Road: 50+ Methods For Success
In the constantly evolving digital age, making money while traveling has become increasingly accessible. This discussion explores the various methods and strategies one can employ to generate income while experiencing the thrill of the open road.
Key Takeaways
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- Remote work options are expanding rapidly.
- Blogging/vlogging can monetize travel experiences and insights.
- Advertising, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing generate income.
- Teaching/tutoring offers opportunities based on your skills.
- Language, music, or business consulting are potential areas.
- Stock photography sales can be lucrative for photographers.
- Submit photos to stock image websites for income.
Before you begin your new life on the road, whether you’re living full-time in an RV, living on a boat, or something else, you’ve no doubt got a ton of questions and concerns. One of the most pressing, and maybe even the most important, is how to make money on the road.
It’s a brilliant idea to travel, but if you can’t support yourself while doing so, your trip may be an enormous drain on your savings and cause more stress than it should be.
However, there are ways to make money on the road, some of which can support you indefinitely as you travel around the country.
We’ve put together over 50 methods for making money on the road. Some are more effective than others and may require specific skills and expertise, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to do them before you head off.
If you’re unsure what the difference is between the internet and a web browser, then it’s never too late to learn. Check out some training courses from Udemy that will quickly get you up to speed.
How to Make Money On The Road
1. Offer Digital Services on Fiverr
If you’ve never heard of Fiverr, you’re in for a treat. You can get almost anything done cheaper!
Fiverr is an online platform that allows people to sell services for very reasonable prices, most often around $5, but it’s becoming increasingly popular to charge more. You can buy and sell almost anything, from graphic design and logo creation to nonfiction and fiction writing.
You decide what you want to sell, set your price, upload some examples of your work, and write a blurb to explain your service.
There is a small caveat: competition is fierce. However, if you can produce excellent work at a reasonable price, then you should be able to garner good reviews and slowly increase your visibility.
Plenty of people make six-figure salaries using Fiverr, which makes it a great way to earn money while traveling.
You can check out Fiverr here.
2. Freelance writing
If you have a way with words or like to write, becoming a freelance writer is an excellent option with the possibility of earning consistently. Many websites, including this one, hire freelancers to write some of their content.
Writing is a great way to learn about new things, so if you have a curious mind, freelance writing might be a great fit and allow you to make a healthy income while on the road.
You can start on several websites, including iWriter, Upwork, and Fiverr.
3. Create a Niche Blog
If you need to start earning money quickly, creating a blog is probably not for you.
But if you’re willing to put in the time, learn about keyword research and digital marketing, and spend countless hours writing content, blogging might be the ticket to earning money while on the road.
It can take between 12 and 36 months for a blog to earn the equivalent of a full-time income; even then, there is no guarantee of success. Plenty of people fail for several reasons. But plenty of people also succeed.
Believe in a Budget was started in 2015 and earned just over $60 in its first month (which is excellent for a new blog); more recently, it’s earning as much as $100,000 a month, which is incredible.
For something closer to home, this blog, the one you’re reading right now, is earning roughly $9,000 a month at the time of writing this. So, as you can see, it’s perfectly possible to make money on the road with a blog.
If you want to start a blog, I suggest watching the Income School video series and enrolling in their Project 24 course.
4. Proofread and Edit
If you’ve ever spent time writing articles, you’ll know how easy it is to miss your spelling and grammatical mistakes. It often takes a fresh pair of eyes to spot the errors. This is where a proofreader comes into play, and it’s a job you can perform from anywhere.
You’ll need a firm grasp of grammar and a keen eye for details, but being a proofreader can pay off.
If you know nothing about being a proofreader, I suggest looking at this website, which provides a wealth of information on proofreading and how to get started. You’ll be making money on the road in no time.
5. Become a VA – Virtual Assistant
The virtual assistant marketplace is booming as it allows small businesses to expand their operations without committing to employing someone part-time or full-time.
As a virtual assistant, you might format blog posts, arrange meetings, source contact information, enter data, or even buy presents for someone. It helps to be flexible in your work, highly organized, and willing to try anything.
This blog post lets you learn more about becoming a virtual assistant.
6. Becoming a Transcription Expert
If you’re a fast and accurate typist with a strong tolerance for what can sometimes be tedious work, then a transaction gig might be precisely what you’re looking for.
You don’t even need an internet connection; you need to be able to listen to audio and accurately write down what you hear.
Transcription services are broken down into two types: general and legal. Legal transcribers will often earn more, but prior experience is frequently required.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a transcriptionist (yes, it’s an accurate word), check out this blog post for all the gory details and instructions on how to get started.
Also, you can check out transcription jobs.
7. Use Swagbucks
I debated adding Swagbucks. It won’t make you a lot of money, but it can add a couple of extra dollars to your wallet.
You’ll be paid to watch videos, shop, and complete surveys. The amount of money you’re paid for these activities is tiny, but if you have a few minutes spare a couple of times a day, you can earn a bit of pocket change.
Just be warned: even if you spend all day completing tasks on Swagbucks, you’re unlikely to earn enough money for a meal out. It’s best to relegate this one to something to do when you have nothing else on your plate and you’ll not be able to support yourself on the road with this.
8. Use Rakuten Whenever You Shop Online
Okay, this isn’t a way to make money, but a way to save money whenever you shop online. I do most of my shopping online, so it’s a no-brainer and has saved me a ton of money over the years.
All you need to do is sign up for Rakuten, install an extension in your favorite browser, and then shop as normal. Whenever you begin the checkout process on a website, Rakuten will automatically apply a coupon, and more often than not, you’ll also get cashback. It’s that simple.
You can read more about Rakuten and sign up on their website here.
9. Test Websites
As you’re already familiar with using the internet and have impeccable taste as you read this article, you can put those skills to use and make some extra income.
As a website tester, you’ll be paid to carry out specific tasks on a website, record your activity, and provide your opinions on the user experience.
Each website can be tested in 10 to 20 minutes, and you’ll earn an average of $10 for doing so.
There probably aren’t enough gigs to keep you employed full-time, but it’s a great way of making extra money while on the road.
10. Open Up An Online Store
If you possess an artistic flair or enjoy making things with your hands. Whatever it is you can put together, chances are there’s a market out there looking to buy it.
You can either open up your online store using a platform like Shopify or sell on a well-established platform like Etsy.
Many people are already doing this, and they can make enough money to keep them on the road indefinitely. From selling T-shirts and wallets to lotions and perfumes, there is no end to options for making money on the road.
11. Become a Rep for an Essential Oil Company
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ll have no doubt heard about essential oils, particularly doTerra, the industry’s leaders.
Becoming a rep for doTerra is a straightforward enough process, and you can begin making money immediately.
Like most MLM companies, the best way to make serious money is to recruit others to sell for doTerra, allowing you to cut whatever they make.
If you can recruit enough people, you can quickly increase your revenue by over 1000% without additional work.
We’ll leave the debates about the effectiveness of essential oils and the ethicality of MLM to others to discuss, but it’s possible to make money as you travel with this.
You can read more about doTerra and sign up here.
12. Become an Online English Teacher
In the not-too-distant past, the only way to teach English to children in another country was to hop on a plane and take several months out of your life. This is no longer the case.
Companies such as VIPKID recruit people from all over the US and Canada to provide one-to-one English lessons to children in China.
If you choose to do so, you’ll join the ranks of 30,000 teachers who have already done that. Training is provided, so you won’t be left to your devices.
Depending on experience and other factors, you can expect to earn as much as $25 an hour teaching English online. It’s more than enough to bring in a few extra dollars daily.
To learn more, you can check out the VIPKID website here.
13. Complete Surveys for Some Extra Money
This is another one of those tips that’s unlikely to earn you a ton of money, but it can earn you a bit of extra cash to spend on your travels and is excellent to do when you have nothing else on.
Many companies, such as One Opinion, VIP Voice, I-Say, and many more, allow you to complete online surveys for money.
The amount you make for each survey can vary, ranging from a few cents up to $5 – $10, depending on your demographic and the length of the survey.
You probably won’t make enough money to support yourself while you’re on the road completely, but you’ll probably earn enough to eat out a couple of times a month, depending on how much time you commit.
14. Begin an FBA Business
If you don’t know what FBA stands for, it stands for Fulfilled By Amazon. This means you buy some products, send them to Amazon, and they’ll handle the fulfillment of anything you sell on Amazon.
There’s a lot of competition in the FBA world, and it can become a money sink if you get it wrong. The key to success is significant research on products, profit margins, and your competitors’ sales.
If you get it right, you can make significant amounts of money. It’s not unheard of for FBA businesses to make over six figures a month, which is plenty of money to support you while on the road.
I suggest doing your research and becoming very familiar with the FBA process before diving in. To get started, look at this video.
15. Work on a Campground
There are thousands of campgrounds dotted around the country, and often, not enough people to run them. If you can turn your hand to anything, from gardening to answering the phone, you can secure a job.
Check out this blog post about a couple that has managed to travel around the country while working at campgrounds to support themselves.
16. Check Online for Odd Jobs
We’ve all seen the adverts on Craigslist from people looking for help with all sorts of weird and beautiful things. These jobs range from moving furniture to knocking down a wall or helping organize a wardrobe.
You can generally spot scam jobs from a mile away; anything that seems too good to be true probably is.
Once you’ve sorted through the rubbish, you’re left with potential moneymakers, some of whom might pay well for what turns out to be very little work.
To get started, jump onto Craigslist and check out the gigs section. Make sure you’re in the city you’re in or intend to be in.
17. Rent Your RV
Peer-to-peer RV lending has shaken the RV rental industry to its very core. The dominant forces in the industry are now RVShare and Outdoorsy, each boasting thousands of RV rentals throughout the country.
While I appreciate that if you’re traveling in your RV full time, renting out your RV might not seem like the best way to make money, bear with me here. If you can get a gig house-sitting or pet-sitting, it’s the perfect time to rent out your RV.
You might be surprised at how much you can earn. $100 + a day is quite easily obtainable.
18. Pet Sit or Dog Walk
If you love animals, what better way to make extra money than pet sitting or dog walking? You might be surprised at some of the posh houses you’ll get to stay in.
There are two ways to start your website and business: start your own or use an existing website such as Rover. Rover is probably the easiest one to pull off. You’ll need to make a profile to ensure it’s appealing to pet owners.
You might not be able to make a full-time living doing this, but you can earn a decent amount of money. Check out this blog for some hints, tips, and earning potential.
19. Work in a Seasonal Position
Many retailers take on extra staff during traditionally busy periods such as Christmas. The jobs available are diverse enough to suit various skills and preferences.
So, if serving customers isn’t your thing, then stocking shelves or even being a delivery driver for Amazon might be perfect.
If you prefer something other than the retail industry, consider working at a winter ski resort or a summer campground. It’s a great way to earn extra money while traveling.
20. Become an Airbnb Property Manager
Airbnb is insanely successful and is proving to be a massive wake-up call for the hotel industry. It’s also impacting the property market, with plenty of people buying properties in prime locations to turn a profit by listing them on Airbnb.
The rise of Airbnb has also created a market for property managers who handle tasks that property owners don’t want to do. These can include arranging repairs, hiring cleaners, and being the point of contact for renters.
The beauty is that you don’t necessarily need to be present to do all of it, which makes it a great way to make money on the road.
21. Donate Plasma
This entry deserves a disclaimer: it’s not a way to make a full-time living while on the road, but it can pocket you a few extra dollars.
Plasma makes up around 50% of your blood and can be used for various treatments, from immune disorders to cancer. So, it’s a worthwhile cause even without the money you can earn.
During a plasma donation, you’re hooked up to a machine that draws your blood out, separates the plasma, and then injects the blood back into you.
This is repeated until enough plasma has been gathered. The whole process should take around 45 minutes. You’ll be awarded between $20 and $50 for your troubles, and you can donate plasma every couple of weeks.
You can read more about plasma donations here.
22. Work at a Guest Ranch
If you genuinely love the great outdoors and animals, working at a Guest Ranch (a dude ranch) can be an excellent opportunity to indulge your passions and earn some money.
There are well over 100 guest ranches across America, and many jobs are available. Even if wrangling some cattle isn’t your thing, you might find that an office administrator better suits your skill set.
If you’d like to learn more, look at the Dude Ranchers Association Website, which represents many guest ranches across America.
23. Work in one of the national parks
Most National Parks around the United States look to hire staff for the winter and summer seasons. Everyone has a role, from gardeners and landscapers to IT help and data analytics. If you have a skill, chances are there is a job you can do.
Most of these roles are temporary and will only be available for the season, which is probably good when you’re looking to make the most of your time on the road.
I can’t imagine anything better than getting paid to spend time in a national park for 12 weeks out of the year. If you manage to secure one of these jobs, consider yourself lucky.
24. Sign Up for TaskRabbit
At any one time, there can be dozens, if not hundreds, of tasks on TaskRabbit in your local area waiting for someone to take them on.
Tasks can include everything from knocking down a wall, carrying a couch out of a house, putting a flat pack together, helping someone move to a new home, or viewing a rental property on behalf of someone.
There are a ton of jobs available for people with a variety of skills.
25. Delivery with Postmates
If you fancy yourself as a delivery driver, Postmates will probably be up your street.
Once you’ve signed up with Postmates, you can deliver various items, from restaurant goods to groceries to presents.
The most significant advantage of Postmates is that it allows you to work to your schedule; you can pick which jobs you want and the times you want to work.
Postmates are available in every major city across the United States, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to work wherever you go.
If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to be a Postmates delivery driver, you can read this article.
26. Tutor for a Term
If you plan to park up for a while near a city, it’s the perfect time to consider becoming a tutor. Tutors with a solid education in languages, sciences, maths, and English are in demand, especially if you’re educated at the university level.
Finding a tutoring gig could be as easy as searching Craigslist or posting your ad. You might even consider contacting some schools to see if they know anyone looking for a tutor.
Pay rates vary from state to state, but expect to earn between $60 and $100 an hour.
27. Work in a Bar
You might consider this if you plan to stop somewhere for a season.
What better way to spend a summer than by parking your RV near a beach resort and making mojitos for the rest of the summer? OK, this one might not be for everyone, but you can make a decent income and earn a fair amount through tips.
If you can see yourself as Tom Cruise in Cocktail, why not try?
28. Buy Used Items to Flip on eBay
The golden days of buying flea market items and then selling them on eBay for significant profits have passed.
Most secondhand markets are now relatively savvy and even run their own eBay stores, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good deal if you look hard enough.
If you know how to spot a good deal or see the potential in an item that needs just a bit of TLC, you can still make money flipping items on eBay.
It’s also worthwhile checking out Craigslist’s free sections to see if you can find a bargain that you can then sell.
You can check out this article on getting started flipping items on eBay.
29. Sign up to Be A Campground Host
If you want a free place to park your RV, love interacting with people, and are highly organized, you might consider becoming a campground host.
You won’t become rich doing this job, but it will pay you enough to live off for the season, and you’ll get to park your RV for free.
If this interests you, you should check out this article, which discusses the perks of being a campground host and how best to secure a job.
30. Do Harvesting and Farm Work
More than a few seasonal harvesting and farm jobs are available across the US.
One of the most popular is the Sugar Beet Harvest, where workers can expect to pocket thousands of dollars for a couple of weeks’ worth of work. Competition for these high-paying placements is high, so throwing your hat into the ring early is worth it.
If the Sugar Beet Harvest doesn’t work out for you, there are plenty of other opportunities for fruit picking as well as manual labor.
Check out this website for a range of seasonal farm positions.
31. Trim Marijuana in California
In a few short years, Marijuana has quite literally blossomed into a billion-dollar legal industry, so why not get yourself a cut of the proceeds?
The most accessible and most readily available job is trimming marijuana. You can earn hundreds of dollars daily doing this, and you don’t need any prior experience.
Most of the positions are available in Mendocino County during the fall months. If this interests you, check out Weed Hire, 420Careers, or CannaRecruiter.
32. Put Your Mechanics Skills to Good Use
If you’re especially handy with a spanner and know the difference between a piston and a spark plug, you might consider becoming a traveling mechanic.
You’ve probably encountered plenty of RV travelers who have no clue about how their RV works, which shows that there’s a market for even the most basic types of maintenance.
Many colleges and part-time courses are available to improve your mechanical skills. Once trained, setting up a website or Facebook page could open a world of opportunity, allowing you to travel full-time while making money.
33. Learn a Trade
Can you learn how to be a metalworker, electrician, or woodworker? Perhaps you already are?
There’s a massive market for qualified tradespeople, which means no matter where you go, you should be able to find some work. Using social media, networking, or service websites like Craigslist, you can drum up business anywhere.
From speaking to plenty of people in RV parks, I know that they would love to have someone come to them to help fix any issues they are having with their RV.
34. Get Into Van Conversions
Once you’ve converted one van into a camper, you already have more experience than 99% of the population. Why not put that experience to good use and help others with the van conversion process?
As you do more, your expertise will grow, and you can quickly make a name for yourself.
Working full-time, a van conversion should only take a few weeks, which means it’s unlikely to impact your travels too much. Social media and word of mouth would be excellent ways to drum up business.
35. Become a Restaurant Worker For a Season
As you travel, you’ll find that many employers need extra staff during busy periods, and restaurants are no exception.
The work you might be doing could be washing up, hosting, serving, or cleaning. So, while the work is unlikely to be glamorous, you’ll still earn a living wage.
Short-term positions are unlikely to last long, so it’s a great way to get work for a while before heading off again on your next adventure.
36. Work at Amazon Camperforce
Amazon Camperforce is another seasonal position at Amazon’s warehouses. The job can involve receiving goods, picking, storing, or packing them.
Expect to work long hours, which you will either love or hate.
If you’d like to learn more about working for Amazon and making money on the road, visit Amazon Camperforce.
37. Sign Up for Instacart
Instacart allows busy people to outsource their grocery shopping to others. I can appreciate the appeal of such a service if you’re working throughout the week, you might want to leave your weekends free.
When you sign up to be an Instacart shopper, you will be tasked with completing other people’s grocery shops at places like Whole Foods or Safeway. Once you’ve bought everything, you’ll need to deliver the items and maybe even help unpack.
38. Demonstrate your Musical Talents
If you are musically inclined and don’t mind performing in public, why not earn extra money as a busker? Location and dates are essential to buskers; you must ensure you’re in a good spot with plenty of foot traffic to make money.
You can also expect to earn exponentially more if you’re busking on a public holiday or if you know your crowd and are performing to please them.
Think Irish fiddle music on St Patrick’s Day!
39. Become a Roadside Assistance Salesman
If you’re a natural salesman, consider selling roadside assistance as a full-time income as you travel.
Your biggest market will probably be fellow travelers who want to avoid being stranded on the side of the road.
This work income varies, but depending on how many policies you sell, you can earn as much as $3,000 weekly.
If this interests you, check out TVC marketing for more information.
40. Perform Manual Labor
We’ve all seen the workers hanging around Home Depot, and you might have wondered what they were doing. Some of them are day laborers waiting to be picked for a job.
If you have previous construction experience, there’s no shortage of jobs available if you’re willing to put in the work.
It’s hard labor, but it also pays well.
41. Sponsorships
Before you dismiss this idea, because everyone knows that sponsors are only interested in influencers with millions of followers, realize that plenty of companies are looking for exposure from people doing something different or unique.
For example, Cees and Madison had zero followers, no blog, and just a run-of-the-mill Facebook page. However, they planned to visit every national park for over a year.
They pitched this idea to several outdoor gear and fashion brands, and more than a few agreed to sponsor their trip for the exposure.
You can read more about that story here.
42. Promote Affiliate Products
In case you don’t know, affiliate products are items you can promote, and whenever someone makes a purchase, you will receive a commission for that sale. There are hundreds of affiliate programs, from Amazon and eBay to RV Parks and Rentals.
There are several ways of promoting affiliate products, perhaps some of the easiest being through a blog or a social media platform. But if you get creative, you can promote affiliate products in various ways.
To get started with affiliate marketing, look at this blog post.
43. Online Courses
Platforms that allow users to generate their courses are booming right now. Several websites, such as Teachable and Udemy, offer this functionality.
One of the most significant advantages of such a platform is it allows you to set your price for the course, and the customers are often far cheaper than attending a course from a dedicated website.
So, if you’re an expert on something, such as origami or computer forensics, consider creating an online course that will generate monthly passive income without additional work.
44. Self-Published Books
While writing and publishing a book is a lot of work, once it’s published, it can provide a steady income for months and years without any extra work required.
You can write about a range of topics covering both fiction and non-fiction.
If you’d like to learn more, start with Kindle Self-Publishing.
45. Start Shooting
Before you call the police, we mean shooting with your camera. Even if you’re not an expert photographer, there are plenty of places you can upload your photos and receive a commission whenever they are used.
Check out this blog post for a massive list of websites where you can sell your photos for profit.
46. Start a YouTube Channel
YouTube has allowed everyone to become a video star, and the demand continues to grow.
If you’re traveling full time, documenting your time, high points, low points, struggles, and what you’ve learned could be an invaluable resource for many people considering doing something similar.
You can monetize your videos with ads once you’ve received enough views and subscribers.
47. Gamble Professionally
Are you as cool as a cucumber when the stakes are high? Do you take an analytical approach to everything you do? If this sounds like you, you might be the perfect candidate for a professional poker player.
If you’re playing against human opponents, poker can be a game of science and art, less so gambling. However, know what you’re doing before you blow all your savings.
48. Become a Masseuses
Do you have fingers that can relax even the most knotted of shoulders? Perhaps you can turn your skills into a full-time occupation if you do.
You can complete a massage course in under a day, and then, once you’re armed with carrier oils and towels, you can go out into the world to make some money.
49. Create Works of Art
You don’t need to be a gifted artist to be able to sell your works of art. Create a few pieces for fun and see if you can flog them on Etsy or at the local market. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy them and can sell things for them.
50. Become a Human Guinea Pig
If you’re braver than I and don’t mind trying new things with potentially unknown side effects, then being a Human Guinea Pig might be very appealing.
You can be paid to participate in clinical trials across the US; some pay very little, while others pay a lot. Does the amount of money equal the risk?
51. Model
Use your natural good looks or ‘interesting’ face to earn extra money.
You’ll often find gigs on Craigslist that are looking for models for print or commercial modeling. This isn’t high-end fashion or exotic locations, but you may be required to pose with a stapler while looking interested in a piece of paper.
The amount earned can vary significantly from gig to gig.
52. Act as a Film Extra
If the sitcom Extras has taught us anything, it’s that being a film extra is often the gateway to international stardom.
Anyway, if you fancy being a scared pedestrian in the back of a superhero movie or prefer to be “Office Worker 22” in the latest series on Netflix, being a film extra can be an exciting way to spend a few days.
Gigs can be found through agencies for the more mainstream stuff, while Craigslist is home to the indie filmmaker.
53. Use Your Green Fingers
Getting out onto the streets and knocking on a few doors can bag you some work, such as cleaning, cutting grass, or sweeping up leaves.
If you’d prefer, you can also check Craigslist for anyone looking for some help around the garden, especially during the fall months.
Dropshipping
This type of e-commerce involves selling products online, but the supplier stores, packages, and ships the products on your behalf. You don’t need to keep inventory, which makes it a good option for travelers.
For instance, you can set up an online store selling fitness products, take customer orders, and have the supplier send the products directly.
You might read our other RV how-to articles if you liked this article.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the concept of ‘How to Make Money On The Road’ has evolved significantly with the expansion of remote work options.
Many opportunities exist for individuals to capitalize on their skills and experiences. Blogging or vlogging about one’s travel experiences can be monetized and become a reliable source of income through avenues such as advertising, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.
Moreover, depending on your expertise, teaching or tutoring in various areas, such as language, music, or business consulting, can be profitable. Selling stock photos to image websites can be lucrative for those with a knack for photography.
Therefore, it becomes evident that the road to earning while traveling is paved with diverse opportunities, each tailored to different skill sets and interests. The key is to identify your strength and leverage it in the most effective way possible.
