If you want to do Work and Travel and you are still in school or university, you might ask yourself how to finance Work and Travel. After all, there are several fixed costs of Work and Travel that you need to have enough money for. Here you can find some tips on how to finance Work and Travel.
What are the costs of Work and Travel??
Before you start thinking about how to finance work and travel, you first need an overview of what kind of costs you'll be facing in the first place. There are some fixed costs that come with Work and Travel, no matter what country you want to travel to:
- There is a fee for the working holiday visa.
- Then you need an international health insurance for work and travel, which is valid for the entire stay.
- You have to pay for your plane tickets.
- For equipment like a backpack or suitcase etc. you also have to plan money in case you have to buy it before the trip.
- Finally, each work-and-travel country requires that you have a certain amount of money to show when you enter the country.
These costs vary depending on the country. How high they are in individual cases, you can read in the article "What costs Work and Travel".
Financing Work and Travel with part-time jobs
Of course, your parents can finance your work and travel. But why this is not the best option, you can read below. The best way to get the money for a working holiday is to work. If you are still at school or university, now is the time to start thinking about where you could work.
In order to get paid for your job, you need to have a bank account. If you don't already have one, here is an overview of free checking accounts with credit cards. The latter can also be used to pay and withdraw money abroad.
Working in the gastronomy on the weekends
While you are still going to school or university, you can work on weekends or evenings, for example in the catering industry. There are countless waitress jobs etc. on a 450€ basis, which can be combined well with school. Other possibilities are mini-jobs in supermarkets, cinemas, etc. It always depends on what you can do, what you are interested in and what offers are available in your area. Just check job portals and your local newspaper for job offers.
Jobbing during the vacations and after graduation
If your weekends are sacred to you, you may want to consider a full-time or part-time job during the vacations or after graduation.
There are many possibilities for vacation jobs. Here you can also find something in the catering industry. Especially in the summer or semester breaks, large companies in the industry often offer jobs for students and pupils. Most of the time you will work in production or in the warehouse, but often you will earn very good money. As a letter carrier or parcel delivery person you will also often find jobs during the vacations.
After graduating from school or university, you will have more time to apply for jobs that are not as short term as vacation jobs. Here you have practically all possibilities and it depends on what interests you and where your strengths lie.
Work location independent and earn money on the side
Another option is to work independently of location. The advantage of this is that you can work from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. It doesn't matter if you live in a big city or in the countryside. You always have the same job options.
You can either work as an employee or as a freelancer. Self-employed. The good thing about this type of job is that you can continue working even during your trip. After all, location-independent means that you can work from anywhere in the world.
If you want to get an overview of the job opportunities, here is an overview of the best jobs for location-independent work.
How I saved my money for Work and Travel
I used to work on a 450€ basis in a cinema on Friday and Saturday evenings during my time at school. Since I was still living with my parents, I was able to save all the money for my trip and already apply for the visa and buy airline tickets.
After graduating from school, I worked in the same movie theater full time for a few months until I flew to New Zealand. Thus, I have not only worked out the necessary costs for work and travel, but even had a small financial cushion and could start my stay in New Zealand relaxed, without stress to have to find a job immediately.
My work experience from Germany brought me even more than just the money for the trip: Thanks to my experience I found a job in a cinema in Auckland relatively easy in New Zealand.
Why your parents should not finance Work and Travel for you
Of course, it probably seems easiest to you if your parents would pay Work and Travel. But in my opinion this is not the best option. Here are my reasons:
If your parents pay for Work and Travel, you lack the work experience before your stay. You then have no idea how it feels to work, nor can you indicate to your future employer abroad that you have experience in certain areas. Work experience is more important than certificates and a resume when looking for a job in Work and Travel.
Also, by taking a job before your work-and-travel trip, you'll learn how to manage the money you earn. An important point that you absolutely need on your trip. Jobbing at home is practically like a dress rehearsal and makes you more independent, self-confident and responsible. These are the best conditions to make your working holiday successful and fun.