Are you getting itchy feet at home? Perhaps you are bored of your day to day life and relish the thought of adventure? Whatever the case, living life on the road and being able to support yourself while you travel from one country to the next is a very real and achievable lifestyle. In fact, there are many people doing exactly that today and they are called digital nomads.
So, how does one become a digital nomad and live a comfortable and sustainable life on the road? Here’s everything you need to know…
1. Pick a speciality
There are many ways to earn online and before you can give any serious thought to becoming a digital nomad, you first need to think carefully about what kind of work you are well suited to.
Here are some examples of ways to earn online:
- Digital marketing expert
- Copy / content writer
- Lifestyle coach
- Graphic designer
- Vlogger / YouTube creator
- Travel blogger / photographer
- Web developer
- App developer
- Programmer
- Podcast host
- Virtual assistant
- Online teacher
These are just a handful of the opportunities out there, but as you can see, the majority of the jobs available for digital nomads are centred around tech and creativity. So, where do you sit? How are your writing capabilities? Do you think you could hack it as an online teacher? Do you have any experience with programming?
Once you have settled on a job, go all in and start researching what you need to know to get started. There are plenty of free resources and paid courses out there that you can consume – and a number of websites that can facilitate picking up new clients and work opportunities as well. We recommend starting with LinkedIn and following similar creators for inspiration!
How to sustain yourself comfortably when on the road
- Travel light: you should sell what you don’t need and pack only the essentials. So long as you have clothes, work equipment, and any other essential items you cannot live without, you’ll have everything you need.
- Use eco-friendly, multi-purpose items: packing items like reusable grocery bags and water bottles can help you reduce your consumption of single-use items while travelling, while always having some essential items to fall back on.
- Don’t rush your travels: when getting started as a digital nomad, we recommend getting set up in a new location and staying for at least three to six months. You’ll find plenty of short to long term accommodation in places like Bangkok. See Supalai Veranada Rama 9 for an example of the quality of accommodation you can enjoy for less than you’d pay in your home country. Your main priority should be focusing on your work – then you can start moving around more often when you have the money and security to fund your adventures comfortably.
- Eat locally and with intention: as most digital nomads tend to have to eat out most evenings, you should eat locally. You can’t rely on fast food and expensive restaurants – it’s not sustainable.
- Always be hustling: you should focus on your new career, while trying to set up as many side hustles as possible. The key to being a digital nomad is having multiple passive income streams. You’ll likely fail a lot, but once something takes off, you may just be set for life!
Remember that home will always be where you left it
One very important aspect of getting started as a digital nomad is simply taking a risk and going for it! It might feel scary at first, but once you find yourself in paradise, sustaining yourself, you’ll never look back. Not only that, but when you throw yourself into the deep end, you will do the work required to succeed. Good luck and bon voyage.
