How to Afford Worldschooling: Income Strategies for Families

by Elizabeth | May 4, 2025 | make money online, remote work, travel

One of the first things people ask us when they find out we’re traveling the world with our kids isn’t “how?” or “where?” — it’s:

“But… how do you afford it?”

Totally fair question.

Because truthfully? This life didn’t fall into our laps.
We built it — piece by piece, dollar by dollar, decision by decision.

In this post, I’ll break down exactly how we’re funding our worldschooling lifestyle, what our income streams look like, and how you can start creating freedom too — even if you’re starting from scratch.Stop second-guessing every step of your move. The Vault takes the guesswork out with country comparisons, visa info, housing resources, and realistic cost-of-living breakdowns — so you can finally take action on your dream life abroad.

💡 First, We Got Clear On Our “Enough”

You don’t need six figures to travel full time.

What you do need is clarity:

• How much do you really need each month to feel secure?
• What expenses can you ditch?
• Where is your money actually going?

For us, realizing that we didn’t need a big house, new clothes, or constant Amazon packages was the first step to freedom. We wanted time and experiences, not things.

💸 Our Income Streams (Real Talk)

Right now, we’re funding our travels through a mix of passive income, remote work, and digital products:

1. Real Estate Income

We own 2 properties in the US that we rent long term while we travel. We use a service called Turbo Tenant that screens and manages our application processes. We do leases remotely and have been lucky to have wonderful reliable tenants. Turbo tenant helps with this process. We have a handyman in the states that provides maintenance and we keep open communication with our tenants and address any issues they have promptly. This brings in consistent monthly income without needing to Airbnb every weekend. Our rentals include some utilities and trash pick up so we don’t need to worry about our homes falling into disrepair and our tenants have an easier time just paying a single payment.

✅ Pro tip: Use sites like Furnished Finder, Zillow, and Turbo Tenant or even direct networking in Facebook groups for traveling professionals.

2. Digital Products

We sell:

• A $27 The VauLT in our all in one move abroad guide
• 1:1 Consultations for families looking to live a similar lifestyle
• A comprehensive branding course with affiliate commissions

These products live on autopilot and bring in income while we sleep (or explore a market in Oaxaca).

Don’t waste another month scrolling for answers. The Move Abroad Vault includes visa breakdowns, remote income resources, housing tips, and transition tools — everything you need to plan your move abroad in half the time.

3. Affiliate Marketing

We earn a commission when people buy tools, resources, or courses we genuinely love and use — like our worldschool planner, booking platforms, or tools to build online income. We also partner with several travel companies, like Booking.com, Get Transfer and Charles Schwab so if someone clicks our affiliate link and makes a purchase we earn a small commission. We also offer several courses created by other creators that teach valuable skills so people can brand and market themselves online. Again, when someone makes a purchase, we earn a small commission.

✅ Example: We’re affiliates for travel gear, booking platforms, and digital education tools.

4. Content Creation

We’re building our travel blog and YouTube channel, which will become income streams through:

• Ad revenue
• Sponsored content
• Brand deals
• UGC packages

(Yes, it takes time — but it pays off long-term.) Please subscribe to follow our journey!!

🧠 Other Income Ideas for Worldschooling Families

Even if you’re not in real estate or the online biz world, you have options. Some of our worldschooling friends make money by:

• Teaching English online
• Freelancing (writing, design, virtual assistance)
• Coaching or consulting
• Selling printables, ebooks, or travel guides
• Working remotely for companies (yes, even part-time!)

🧳 Travel Costs: It’s Probably Cheaper Than You Think

One of the biggest myths is that full-time travel is wildly expensive.

But when you’re not paying for:

• A big mortgage
• School fees
• Gas, utilities, and commuting
• Target runs you don’t remember making…

You realize that life abroad — especially in places like Mexico, Portugal, or Southeast Asia — is often cheaper than life at home.

🧾 Our current budget? We’re aiming for ~$3,000/month for our family of four — and that includes lodging, food, travel, and fun.

✨ Final Thoughts

We didn’t win the lottery.
We didn’t get handed a trust fund.

We just got really clear on what we wanted — and built a life that supports it.

If you’ve ever looked at worldschooling families and thought, “I could never afford that” — I’m here to tell you: you can.

It starts small.
One income stream.
One mindset shift.
One step toward freedom.

🎁 Want to Start Building Your Freedom Plan?

Grab our FREE GUIDE to leaving the US in 6 months packed with practical steps, budgeting tips, mindset shifts, and everything you need to take action.

👉 Download it now and start building your version of “enough.”

Tired of spending hours piecing together visa info, housing options, and remote job ideas? The Move Abroad Vault gives you everything in one place — checklists, country guides, and proven tools to take you from dreaming to departure without the stress.

If you know that this is your dream but you want a customized plan tailored for your family specifically, all while having someone in your corner, holding you accountable for taking the action, schedule a 1:1 Consultation and we will get you from plan to booking your flights over the course of 4 in depth calls!

Looking forward to connecting you to your journey abroad!

XO – Liz , VIBE Living Travel