Hey y’all — it’s Wander Woman with another blog ✨
Quick note before we start: you’ll probably see links and recommendations on my blog, but I’m not getting paid for writing this. I write mainly as a way to remember my travels, reflect on my personal growth, and document this lifestyle for myself. If it helps or inspires someone else along the way, that’s a beautiful bonus 💫
So… if you landed on this very specific post, let me guess 👀
- You want to travel
- You’re curious how, but without big savings in the bank
- You want to travel but the math is not mathing
- Everyone you see on social media is a digital nomad making money from their laptop and that sounds so good (I too would love making money from my laptop while I sip coffee somewhere cute ☕)…
- …but for whatever reason, you can’t at the moment
And that’s OK.
Why I’m Not a Digital Nomad (And That’s a Personal Choice) ☕🧠
Why I’m Not a Digital Nomad (And That’s a Personal Choice) ☕🧠
Remote work is real work — and I’m not here to invalidate it. It simply requires structure, schedules, and mental consistency even while traveling, and that’s where it stops working for me.
I’ve realized that kind of structure while constantly moving doesn’t suit me. I like to travel and work separately. When I travel, I want to wander without responsibilities. When it’s working season, I want to be fully focused and hyper-fixated on that.
I like my working periods to be intense, focused, and structured — and my traveling periods to be completely responsibility-free. No deadlines, no calls, no “quick message” energy.
So instead of forcing a lifestyle that doesn’t fit me, I want to show alternative ways to make money while traveling — without a laptop, without Wi-Fi dependency, and without pretending one way is better than the other.
A Little About Me (So You Get the Context) 🌪️✨
I’m 31+, introverted, queer, a woman, traveling solo — and I have ADHD (aka chaotic energy people weirdly love).
I’m not career-oriented. I’m experience-oriented — I want to experience as many different types of work as I can.
Neurospicy people will get it 🌶️🧠
My pattern usually looks like this:
- Month 1: I’m obsessed, this is my calling
- Month 2: I will become the best at this
- Month 3: Emotionally detaching and planning my next trip
✨ My magic formula ✨
3 months working → 3–4 months traveling (depending on the country & goals)
Why This Lifestyle Works for Me 🛠️🌍
1️⃣ Travel and work are separate
When I travel, I want to wander.
When I work, I want to focus.
Separating the two makes me appreciate both more.
2️⃣ Less bureaucracy, fewer visas
By working and traveling at different times, I avoid visa stress.
And let me tell you — I really don’t like bureaucracy or researching it 😅
(Note: this comes from an EU resident perspective, which helps a lot.)
3️⃣ Skills = future security
I’ve worked in:
- Hospitality
- Bars (waitress & barista)
- Seasonal hotel animation
- Office jobs
- Warehouse work
So honestly? The future doesn’t scare me.
I can picture myself:
- Living on a farm with chickens 🐓
- Or opening a hostel one day 🏡
- Or doing something completely different again
So, What Kind of Work Can You Actually Do While Traveling? 🤔
Before we start, let me remind you: don’t let people scare you who haven’t done it. Live it, experience it, and if it’s not your cup of tea, you can always go back ☕
Also note: this comes from an EU resident perspective, which helps a lot.
Dishwasher in the Netherlands 🇳🇱🍽️
My first long stay was in The Hague, Netherlands.
I was volunteering with Worldpackers, which meant €0 spent on accommodation.
👉 Volunteer with Worldpackers here
👉 Read about my Worldpackers experience in detail
Starting in expensive countries and volunteering can save you a lot of money before you even start.
After 3 months in The Hague, I wanted to work because it’s an expensive country and cigarettes here range from €20–30 per pack 🚬💀
So I got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant for 2 months:
- Easy to get hired
- No experience needed
- Good pay
- I worked part-time and still saved money
That job helped me stay 6 months total in the Netherlands and still have savings for my next job in Croatia.
Kids’ Animation Team in Croatia 🇭🇷🎤🏖️
After my stay in the Netherlands, I got a job offer in Croatia for a summer season as an entertainer for kids and adults in a campground/hotel.
In simple words, your job is to entertain guests — from aqua aerobics to kids club (where you dance with them… yes, Baby Shark doo doo doo is still engraved in my mind 🦈), tournaments (football, volleyball, etc.), treasure hunts, pirate days, and themed activities.
✨ The best part:
- 3 meals per day
- Free accommodation
- No previous experience needed
- Languages help but aren’t mandatory
There are many recruiter agencies hiring for this — just apply months before summer. You can do this in Croatia, Greece, Spain, Italy, and other hotspot destinations.
I worked for 3 months, and with that money I traveled to Mexico for 4 months 🌮🇲🇽
So many tacos and street food were paid for with that money, and for that I am very grateful hehe.
And If the Money Runs Out… 🌮🍻
This lifestyle isn’t all-or-nothing.
In Mexico, I volunteered at a hostel and i got some shifts as a barwoman. I didn’t get a salary, but I got tips — and once again, that money covered daily expenses like cigarettes or, more importantly, more tacosssss 🌮😂
👉 Volunteer with Worldpackers (get accommodation for free)
Budget Travel & What’s Next ✈️💸
Full transparency: I like budget traveling.
That means when I travel, I prioritize food and budget-friendly activities.
My next big trip is Japan, and for me that simply means working one or two extra months beforehand, so I can slow travel without stressing about money. I really want to emphasize this so it doesn’t sound like you need to work for a year — this lifestyle is very much about seasonal work.
And if money ever runs out? As I said — you can always go back, earn more and travel again.
Wonder. Explore. Live.
Till next time,
💫 Wander Woman Quest
