How To Travel With A Full Time Job

The travel community talks a lot about how the best way to travel and see the world is by quitting your 9-5 job and finding flexible work environments through remote freelance jobs. It is a great way to pursue your passion for travel, however, it is not a viable solution for everyone. It’s easy to say: ‘you should quit your job and travel’ without thinking about the struggles of not knowing when you will receive your next paycheque. Truthfully, while 9-5 jobs aren’t always fun, most of us need the security and financial stability they provide. However, this does not mean that full-time work prevents you from travelling, and in fact, last year, I managed to travel every month with a full time job. 

I think the biggest assumption people have when you say you travel every month is that you are exploring faraway lands and glamorous destinations. This is fair considering what we see all over Instagram and other social networks every day – but it is far from the truth.

Travelling every month does not mean visiting Jamaica one month and New Zealand the next. It means finding balance and appreciating what’s close. If you live in the UK, for example, you already have four countries at your disposal and hundreds of cities filled with attractions without having to go far. 

So how exactly can you travel every month with a full-time job?

Three Tips For Travelling With A Full Time Job

Seek A Blend Of Local and International Destinations

First things first, the best way to take a trip every month is by accepting that you are not going to be able to fly out to different countries. Instead, find a healthy balance between exploring a few new countries with several local cities that are a short train ride away. 

Find local cities that can work as day trips or weekend getaways so you are not using up PTO on these places, and are also spending a lot less than going abroad.

Make Sure Most International Travel Is A Short Flight Away

The greatest thing about being based in the UK is having countries like Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and Austria at your doorstep. The close-knit nature of this part of the world means you don’t have to waste an entire day in an airport and you have most, if not all, European nations less than 5 hours away.

However even if you live outside of the UK the same is true. Explore your neighbouring countries because finding places that are near means that you can easily explore one or two cities in four days or less. 

Night Flights And Bank Holidays Are Your Best Friend

The UK averages 25 days of annual PTO, which is great compared to other parts of the world (looking at you USA), but this still might not be enough if you like long vacations. 

If you want to travel further  – say you want to take a trip to Canada – booking a night flight around a bank holiday weekend should be your goal. Flying out on a Friday night if you have a Monday bank holiday will give you nine days of holiday while only using four days of PTO! Night flights also help combat jet lag because they force you to sleep regardless of the time zone, which means not wasting time catching up on sleep when you should be out discovering new adventures. 

The one thing to keep in mind is that flights around bank holidays can get crazy expensive, so you need to plan and book such a trip well in advance. 

You can download my guide for booking cheap flights in the side bar or by following this link.

My 2022 Breakdown For Travel Inspiration

Generally speaking, I believe it is completely possible to book a different trip every month if you remain financially responsible, keep an open mind, and find a work-life balance. Remember that there is no point to let your PTO go to waste because while your job is important, so is finding time to enjoy your life.

Here is a breakdown of where I travelled every month in 2022 with a full time job to help you see that it may not be as difficult a goal to fulfil, and maybe a few destinations can inspire your travel calendar for 2023:

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A post shared by Sanika l London-based Kenyan Travel Blogger (@saunterwithsanika)

January: Liverpool (weekend trip), Bristol (weekend trip), and Bath (day trip)

February: Northampton (day trip)

March: Baden-Baden (3 days)

April: Barcelona (4 days)

May: Cambridge (day trip) and Venice (4 days)

June: London – typical for airlines in the summer, my June plans fell apart due to flight cancellations, so I decided to explore where I live and engage in activities I otherwise might never have done.

July: Turkey – Istanbul, Pamukkale and Cappadocia (9 days)

August: Copenhagen (3 days)

September: Gloucester (day trip), Margate and Botany Bay (day trip), and Castle Combe (day trip)

October: York (day trip)

November: Rochester (day trip)

December: Cardiff (2 days)

So, that’s how I did it. I followed every tip I have shared with you in this blog post and managed to create one of the most memorable years of my life – without uprooting myself and leaving my full-time job behind. 

Do any of these places feel worthy of your bucket list? Let me know in the comments below!