Making money and travelling seem like oxymorons. However, it’s actually very possible to explore Italy and increase your bank balance at the same time. Sounds too good to be true? Well, in this article I’m going to break down the 5 unique ways to make money while travelling in Italy.
My name is Kat and I run a YouTube channel.
Ways to make money while travelling in Italy
by Kat Sullivan
1. Au Pair
Becoming an Au Pair in Italy has many benefits. One of these being that they will not only pay you every month but they will also provide free accommodation and food during your contract period. Many families will also offer to show you around the local area or bring you on day trips to various cities. So if you’ve ever wanted to visit cities such as Milan, Verona, Bologna or Rome, then stay with a family who live in or near the city and you might get the opportunity to visit it for free.
2. Digital Nomad
Starting a blog or YouTube channel is a great way to make money online while travelling. You will get the opportunity to decide your working hours to fit into your travel schedule. Even though starting a blog or YouTube channel is relatively easy, creating a successful one is much more difficult. This is why it’s important to work on your blog/YouTube channel before you financially rely on it.
If you plan to be a digital nomad in Italy, I would recommend staying in the north of Italy. While overall the south is cheaper, the wifi is generally a little less reliable compared to the north, however this changes city to city. I personally have never had a problem with wifi so working online is definitely an option is Italy.
3. English Summer Camps
Similar to being an Au Pair, working as an English teacher at English summer camps usually gives you free accommodation and monthly/weekly pay. There are lots of English summer camps that are run all across Italy for the purpose of helping Italian children learn English. You can find these summer camp companies by researching ‘English summer camps in Italy’ or through a TEFL provider.
Some of these English summer camps require a TEFL qualification however, there are many that don’t. I personally worked for a company which included 1 week of training (in Sanremo). This training focused on teaching us the songs and actions that would need to be recited during the camps, as well as how to teach English as a foreign language to children.
4. Online Tutoring
Becoming an online tutor is another way to work during the hours that fit YOUR travel schedule. You can either do your own marketing to find students or you can sign up to an online tutoring website. There are various advantages and disadvantages to these options – receiving direct students will allow you to take 100% of the profit, however using a tutoring website will give you direct access to new students without doing a lot of work to find them.
If you would like to be more immersed in Italy, then you can choose to only teach Italian students. A good way to find Italian students is by advertising your online tutoring services in local Italian Facebook groups. Another way you could do this is by telling the Italians that you meet about your service so that they can help spread the word.
5. Freelancing
The last way on this list in which you can make money while travelling in Italy is becoming a freelancer. Similarly to online tutoring, there are 2 options of how to find new clients. Working as a freelancer while travelling gives you the opportunity to make money from what you’re talented at. Maybe you enjoy video editing? Recording voiceovers? Painting? There are so many options when being a freelancer!
I’ve been doing paid voiceover work as a freelancer for a few years now and even though I don’t do it full time, it provides me additional money every month which is always nice. I have come across many unique ways to do my freelance work successfully, while travelling in Italy. One of them being that I record the voiceovers in a wardrobe stuffed with duvets! It definitely makes the experience more interesting.
Making money while travelling in Italy is very possible, however it’s not always easy. By ensuring that you keep a close eye on your budget and knowing beforehand how much things will cost travelling in Italy, you can plan ahead to ensure you have the best trip. I personally have loved travelling around Italy and have enjoyed my work and life balance and I believe you can do the same!
This article was published in September 2020.
Read more on summer in Italy!