“I Earn a Living Giving Tips to Solo Travelers!”

We’re well into summer and traveling is in full swing. The good news is, you can put some of that cash you spent on the trip back into your wallet. These women have found creative ways to cash in as they’re exploring new destinations. Learn their secrets for how to make money while traveling so you can start earning too!

“I bring in up to $10,000 a year renting out space in my home!”

“I travel a lot for work and for fun, and since I have a basement apartment, I decided to rent it out so my home wouldn’t be unattended while I was away and I could make some extra cash. I did some research and discovered Silvernest (Silvernest.com), an online home-sharing platform that also vets people. I knew it would be the perfect opportunity.

“I simply created a profile, included a detailed description of my property and posted photos. I can customize my profile settings to find people who don’t have pets, for example. Silvernest’s algorithms then find potential tenant matches and give me information on how to pick the best one and questions to ask, plus run background checks and give me tools to prepare my lease. The platform can also manage automatic rent payments and get liability and property insurance for 5 percent of the monthly rent.

“I like to meet potential clients at a public place, like a coffee shop. If I think they’re a fit, I then give them a tour of my home and communicate my non-negotiableterms, including smoking and drug use.

“I’ve had tenants stay for six months, up to a year and a half — I’m even still friends with my first tenant! Each month varies, but I make about $10,000 a year — money that’s saved for emergencies and retirement and is donated to charity.” — Olimpia Sandoval, 53, Denver

“I make up to $5,500 per photo I shoot!”

“Photography has been a hobby of mine since I was a child. About 10 years ago, our family took a trip to Turks and Caicos, and loved it so much, we continued to vacation there. I started to shoot photos of the beach and the waves and I was shooting so much, I decided to sell my photos and turn it into a business in the U.S. So in 2017, I started Sand Dollar Images (SandDollarImages.com).

“I created a website, found a printer, and started an Instagram account — where people often repost my photos — a Facebook page and donated to charitable events and youth art fundraisers to market the business. In the beginning, a lot of my business was word-of-mouth referrals — I talked to everyone I could about it! I targeted interior designers in both Turks and Caicos and the US, as well as other vacationers who wanted photos for their homes.

“I sell photos of the beaches, waves, sunsets, animals and underwater shots, which are so much fun to do! My photos are simple but have a big impact. People can purchase large prints, such as 40 inch by 60 inch and 48 inch by 96 inch, create photo installations in their homes or buy small acrylic boxes for a desk. They purchase the photos I have available, but every order is custom. For example, folks will give me the size of a wall in their house or a certain color tone, and I’ll choose photos that fit the bill. Recently, a publisher approached me about using my images for a book project!

“Depending on the size of the photo, I make between $90 and $5,500 — money that goes back into the business and is saved for a longterm house we’re building in Turks and Caicos! The best part is that I can be barefoot on the beach or on a boat and make money doing what I love.” — Sharon Weil Hornstein, 56, Wayland, MA, and Providenciales Turks and Caicos

“I earn a living giving tips to solo travelers!”

“Our family used to travel a lot, but when my husband passed away, I realized I was going to be traveling alone. I knew that there must be other women in the same boat as me, but when I searched for information about solo travel, there wasn’t a lot available. So I started Solo Traveler World (SoloTravelerWorld.com), a site dedicated to traveling alone.

“I began by writing and sharing my articles on social media. As readers started to share my content and leave comments, I realized there, indeed, was a market for the business, and it took off from there! The site focuses mostly on destinations, and I share tips based on my own travels, like how to plan a road trip and how to dine out. This year, I’m planning an RV trip through North America and a trip to France and Quebec. Readers submit articles about their travels to be published on the site too. I have a list of 54,000 subscribers.

“I make money with advertisers, I sell a list of cruises and tour companies that offer a low or no single supplement (a surcharge companies charge solo travelers) and I offer a course called Wits and Wonder Travel.

“I love running this business and giving people confidence to explore the world alone. I make six figures a year — money that pays the bills and for more travel!” — Janice Waugh, 65, Toronto, Ontario

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, First For Women.