MoneyMigo was created by a cruise industry recruiter who has seen firsthand what happens when crew members have — and don't have — a financial plan.
That means he has seen hundreds of people leave home with a dream, earn real USD at sea — and watched some build life-changing savings while others returned with nothing. MoneyMigo exists because the financial guidance was always missing from the recruitment process.
In my work at Selective Crew, I've placed hundreds of Latin American workers on cruise ships — NCL, Royal Caribbean, MSC, and others. The contracts are real. The salaries are good. The opportunity to save is genuinely extraordinary.
But here's what I kept seeing: crew members earning $1,500–$2,500 per month with zero expenses — no rent, no food costs, no commute — and coming home 6 months later with almost nothing saved. Not because they were irresponsible. Because nobody had ever taught them what to do with the money.
"A cook I placed on NCL was earning $1,800 a month — more than he'd ever made. Six months later, he came back with $800. He'd spent it at the crew bar, on port day shopping, sending money home with high-fee transfers. The opportunity was there. The plan wasn't. That's the gap MoneyMigo fills."
I started writing these guides because every crew member deserves to know what to do with their first real paycheck. How to save the maximum in a contract. How to send money home without losing 8% in fees. What to do with $10,000 when the ship docks. How to build something permanent from temporary work abroad.
That's MoneyMigo. Not generic finance advice rephrased for a new audience — but financial guidance written specifically for the Latin American worker who earns in dollars and builds in pesos, soles, or quetzales.
Save the maximum every contract. Avoid the traps. Come home with real money.
Remittances, transfer fees, and the best ways to send USD home to Latin America.
Build a budget that works whether you're at sea or on land between contracts.
Turn contract savings into long-term wealth — starting with whatever you have.
Not generic advice. Content built for Latin Americans working abroad.
Whether it's your first contract or your tenth — you're in the right place.
Every guide, article and tool on MoneyMigo is completely free.
Everything on MoneyMigo is based on real experience working with Latin American crew members and well-established personal finance principles. I'm not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing here is personalised financial advice. Every article is educational — designed to give you the knowledge to make better decisions. For major financial decisions, please consult a qualified professional.
Start with the guide that's changed how crew members think about their money at sea.
How to Save $10,000 on a Cruise Ship →En mi trabajo en Selective Crew, he colocado a cientos de trabajadores latinoamericanos en cruceros — NCL, Royal Caribbean, MSC y otros. Los contratos son reales. Los salarios son buenos. La oportunidad de ahorrar es genuinamente extraordinaria.
Pero esto es lo que seguía viendo: tripulantes ganando $1.500–$2.500 al mes sin gastos — sin arriendo, sin costo de comida, sin transporte — y regresando a casa 6 meses después con casi nada ahorrado. No porque fueran irresponsables. Porque nadie les había enseñado qué hacer con el dinero.
"Un cocinero que coloqué en NCL ganaba $1.800 al mes — más de lo que había ganado nunca. Seis meses después, regresó con $800. Lo había gastado en el bar de tripulación, en compras en días de puerto, enviando dinero a casa con transferencias de altas comisiones. La oportunidad estaba ahí. El plan no. Esa es la brecha que llena MoneyMigo."
Empecé a escribir estas guías porque cada tripulante merece saber qué hacer con su primer salario real en dólares. Cómo ahorrar el máximo en un contrato. Cómo enviar dinero a casa sin perder el 8% en comisiones. Qué hacer con $10.000 cuando el barco atraca. Cómo construir algo permanente con trabajo temporal en el exterior.
Ahorra el máximo en cada contrato. Evita las trampas. Regresa a casa con dinero real.
Remesas, comisiones de transferencia y las mejores formas de enviar dólares a Latinoamérica.
Construye un presupuesto que funcione tanto en el mar como en tierra entre contratos.
Convierte los ahorros del contrato en riqueza a largo plazo — empezando con lo que tengas.
No consejos genéricos. Contenido construido para latinos que trabajan en el exterior.
Ya sea tu primer contrato o tu décimo — estás en el lugar correcto.
Cada guía, artículo y herramienta en MoneyMigo es completamente gratuita.
Empieza con la guía que ha cambiado cómo los tripulantes piensan sobre su dinero en el mar.
Cómo ahorrar $10.000 en un crucero →