We all love to travel; it’s one of life’s greatest privileges and joys. Some people are lucky enough to travel constantly, enjoying a digital nomad lifestyle. While it may seem like it could only be a daydream, there are steps you can take to leading a more nomadic lifestyle, traveling more, and feeling freer than you’ve ever felt. In fact, you don’t even have to be childless to live this life of freedom – plenty of families enjoy the digital nomad lifestyle too. Let’s look at some of the steps you’ll have to take to achieve your dream of more travel and more freedom.
Start Decluttering
The first step towards selling your home or being able to become nomadic when your lease is up is to declutter your possessions. If you’re already living a minimalist lifestyle, this step won’t apply to you. But, your worldly possessions and creature comforts can’t fit into your carry-on while you’re bouncing from Bali to Barcelona, so make sure you’re pairing down to only the essentials. You can try selling on Instagram or other online selling platforms with items that have value, even using Craigslist. Donate the rest or give it to friends and family members.
Decide To Sell Or Rent
If you own your home, you need to decide if you’d like to sell it for a flush of savings you can have on your journeys or if you’d like to rent it for passive income while you’re seeing the world. Neither is the right or wrong choice; you’ll have to consider whether you’ve already achieved financial freedom through your savings or not, whether you can be a landlord from afar or even want to be, and other variables. With the sale of your possessions and home, you, at this point, have enough savings that you’ll be able to live as a digital nomad comfortably and without stress.
Become A Freelancer
This might be step one for you, but it’s essential. If your job isn’t already remote, you’ll need to figure out which skills you can leverage to find a job that allows you to work remotely. For many people, the answer is freelancing work. Common careers that can be done as freelancers are computer engineering, writing, graphic design, or marketing. Many of us already work in these fields, so this transition is easy. If you don’t already have this type of job, identify which skills of yours will parlay into these types of assignments – talking to people in those industries is a great way to determine this.
Pick Your Destination
Whether you’re a family of five that has turned an old school bus into an RV, or you’re going to be renting Airbnb on your journey, you’ll want to pick your destination. With this great, big world to decide from, your possibilities are virtually limitless. Still, you’ll need to carefully consider what you and your family need in a location to be happy and thrive. Sure, you may dream of going to Paris, but it’s a high-cost location, and you’re not financially secure enough to start there. Take into account your savings and lifestyle when determining your location. Then, Bon Voyage!
Have Plans & Budgets In Place
Sticking to your plans and budgets is critical to not just leading a nomadic lifestyle but remaining happy while doing so. You are freelancing or working remotely, so you have a steady income stream, but live within your means and keep your savings healthy so you’re prepared for any emergencies that may arise – similar to a traditional lifestyle. You’ll want to grow your business as much as you can continue generating extra income. Many digital nomads document their travels on popular apps like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, which can become great revenue generators if you create content that gains traction and a lot of views. Sticking to plan and living within a budget is essential until you’re living very comfortably, and even then should be adhered to.
The digital nomad lifestyle is enticing and seems carefree, but it does take a lot of discipline and planning – especially in its initial stages. If you’re not going it alone, make sure everyone is realistic in their expectations and ready for adventure and sometimes uncertainty. This lifestyle allows you to experience so much culture and joy in all the experiences awaiting you. Happy Trails!
