Seasonal Work Leads to Travel Lifestyle
You don’t have money. I don’t have money. None of us have money. It hasn’t stopped me from traveling to a dozen countries. It doesn’t have to stop you either.
What’s required?
This journey isn’t free. Money isn’t the issue; however, being a maximalist and refusing to relinquish certain freedoms to attain a different type of freedom can limit your ability to travel. I started this journey with $400 and a backpack of clothes and travel-sized toiletries. After I purchased my flight, I think I had 20 bucks. You could acquire everything I had from a month of plasma donations. Maybe have an emergency fund though unlike I did.
The limitation on your ability to travel will significantly depend on your ability to embrace change and to be uncomfortable. Time will change your perspective and these things that initially were difficult you may find you lean towards because your preference has changed.
The journey will be tough, traveling isn’t stress-free despite the illusion that it suggests. Many people decide to embrace this discomfort and in exchange, they get memories that will be cherished for life. Many of my experiences in the last 3 years that I will remember fondly for years couldn't have happened any other way than taking on this approach to travel.
How is this possible?
The world is filled with jobs that people either don’t want to do or are so remote that it requires companies to provide special amenities to attract applicants. As a result, you can benefit from this. Don’t have a college degree? Doesn’t matter. Have no experience because you’re 18 and just out of high school? Again, it doesn’t matter!
How remote are we talking? The odds you’re going to be in a city over 100k is very low. You will likely have some basic options in grocery stores and a few local restaurants. Despite being remote there always seems to be a McDonald’s as well. For example, my last seasonal job was located in a town of 1,662 people.
Options to work in cities do exist but typically these don’t pay in the normal way. You exchange your time for a place to stay. Comment if you would like to know more in another article about this and how to find these places.
What are some of the amenities?
Free or cheap housing… Okay, yes. There is a catch, and for some, it’s big, and for others, it’s not a problem. Generally, these housing situations are dormitory style. The age of the people in these dormitories does range, but it typically favors those between their early twenties and late twenties. However, I have met people in their 60s who live in these dormitories, and it usually works out well.
Free or discounted meals are common. The more remote the job, the higher the odds of free meals. These companies want you to come to work for them, so they make it clear.
Utilities are almost always free. Wi-Fi, water, trash — these things are typically included with the cost of housing, and you don’t even have to worry.
Discounted experiences: The majority of these jobs involve tourism. Ski resorts have a huge presence (especially in Colorado), offering free skiing. You will also see zipline jobs, tour guides, and rafting, which often offer discounted or free experiences so you can better describe the experience being sold with authentic enthusiasm. They want customers to get excited, so they start by getting their employees excited.
Where can I find these jobs?
Answering this can vary in complexity. If you’re interested in learning more, please comment so I can make additional posts about where to find work. This depends on if you are staying inside the US. Here is a simple answer for jobs in the United States:
Coolworks.com — this site is AMAZING. If you’re interested, browse it. You will find jobs all over the U.S. with amazing options. Want to be a reindeer caretaker? It’s an option. Love animals but don’t want to work with reindeer? Well, you could mush dogs in Alaska.
What is the experience like?
The individual decides the experience. My experience was largely dictated by the fact that I am extremely social when I feel the urge and an absolute hermit when I need my space.
Dating is common, and after a few months, relationships will be rampant. The people in this community are generally not there for a commitment but instead want to experience life. A universal, unspoken contract is usually made that the relationships expire at the end of the season. Understandably, this can cause drama.
Religion generally isn’t common, but it is present. Different states offer different levels of exposure to religion. A state like Utah will be a lot different than Colorado, despite they share a border. Understanding the culture in different states and jobs is important when selecting what best fits the individual. Ski resorts in New Hampshire may be challenging for a religious traveler as example.
Politics are present but aren’t typically talked about. Since the majority of people are under 30 and traveling to states they may not be able to vote in, the topic comes up less frequently than in normal life. You will find Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians — all of the above. In my experience, everyone is very respectful of each other’s opinions and will often listen to understand instead of respond.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of us need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” — Mark Twain
I saw this in a hostel years ago. Maybe Mark Twain was on to something.
What is the pay like?
Much like a normal job, this changes, but don’t expect to get rich. It’s important to consider that you will likely not be paying the full cost for your rent, utilities, and possibly food. This affects how your paycheck feels, so even though it’s minimum wage, you might not have recurring expenses outside of a cell plan and Netflix. People who are less impulsive than myself save a lot of money while working these jobs.
Get to the point and tell me the hourly pay! It will probably range from $10 to $20 an hour. $15 an hour is a completely fair expectation. Tour guides and servers can expect to make more depending on the location because of TIPS. When I worked in Utah, I had a friend who was making 1–2k a week in tips working as a Jeep tour guide.
Health insurance? HA, sorry, no. I wish. Most will mention benefits exist on the application, but these health benefits typically require a minimum number of hours worked before they activate, and you probably will never meet it.
How about overtime? Alaska. Overtime laws are fantastic in Alaska, and if you land one of these jobs, you could make 10k in a month. Don’t count on it, though. Stay in seasonal work long enough, and you might meet someone who does it, and that’s your way in. You usually need a reference from someone the company has previously hired.
Lastly, How does traveling translate beyond living somewhere new?
Your mindset will change. Your expenses will shift when you take on this lifestyle. You will be living next to someone, and your perspective on sharing space will evolve. Your approach to travel will likely naturally shift to a more affordable approach. Instead of booking a hotel, you might book a hostel because your exposure to dormitory living will make you realize it’s an opportunity to solo travel(cheap)and meet really interesting people.
Seasonal work funds your next adventures. Hiking the Appalachian Trail for 5 months, moving to Australia on a work holiday visa, and spending 3 months in Europe are all things people frequently do as seasonal workers (obviously not all at once).
It’s an opportunity and it's easier to apply to these jobs than to your local hardware store. Typically all it requires is a resume sent to an email. These are real people running small businesses. No longer will you be filling out your email address 4 times in the same application for a company that isn’t a family despite what their 10-hour mandatory training suggests. Best of luck and thank you for reading!
