Get Paid to Travel
Depending on how you look at it, I am in an enviable or undesirable position of getting paid to travel for work. There aren’t a lot of places in the country that would make one jump at the opportunity to leave Hawaii for a long term assignment. I’ll be honest, I took the opportunity for the money.
Get Paid to Travel: Pros
First the positives, I’ll get paid for any OT worked. All flights, rental cars, and gas paid. All food and hotel paid for under GSA Per Diem rates. The potential plus to this is as long as I don’t go over the daily rate for meals, I pocket the difference. This plus the OT pay could greatly accelerate our debt payoff plans if we play our cards right. I’m also crediting all my stays to a single hotel brand and will reach Hyatt Globalist by the end of my assignment without a single penny coming out of my pocket. Opportunities like this could help you achieve top tier loyalty status with airlines and hotels all while earning points and perks that could be used for future personal travel at no cost to you. Reaching these loyalty tiers would typically cost you thousands of dollars in spend. Another positive is you get to put all of that travel spend on your own credit card and earn additional personal points to use however you would like.
Get Paid to Travel: Cons
These perks come with a cost. Travel-friendly jobs that pay well typically require specialized training, time commitment, and talent. OT was mentioned for a reason. My schedule is 10-hour days, Monday to Saturday, from 4 PM to 2 AM in not the most glamorous setting. I always get asked how it’s going or if I’m enjoying exploring a new area. To be honest there isn’t a lot of exploring going around. By the time I get off and when I’m mostly awake, everything is closed. During the day and early afternoon I’m asleep, and on Sunday’s my only day off I’m usually doing laundry and preparing for the following week. Not to mention living in a hotel for months on end means you probably don’t have a kitchen or microwave, and are eating out for all of your meals. Without proper planning and discipline, working odd hours and eating out at places that are open during those times can be detrimental to your health. These are just the individual issues I’ve come across. The toll it takes on your relationships and loved ones is another article in itself.
For me personally, the jury is still out on whether the extra money is worth it. I’m halfway through my assignment and this lifestyle is starting to get a little long in the tooth. I feel like I live at the hotel, I’ve been there long enough that the whole staff recognize and greet me by name. I’ll reflect back on this post in a couple of months when I’m back in Hawaii and report my findings. For what it’s worth, my job is a Civil Engineer.