How to Become a Digital Nomad
- Written by Thomas Raynott
Since modern tools and technology have taken our lives to a great extent, the concept of becoming a 'digital nomad' is also becoming highly popular worldwide. It got a significant boost after the global pandemic due to the wide-scale adoption of remote working.
Being a digital nomad allows you to travel around the world and make great friends while relying on technology for remote working and making money. Many people are intrigued by this type of lifestyle, but they are not familiar with the steps they have to take to become a digital nomad.
In this article, you will learn all about what it means to be a digital nomad and how you can become one.
Let’s start with some basics.
What is a Digital Nomad?
Digital nomads rely on modern technology to make money while living in various locations. They have careers or jobs that are completely remote. As a result, digital nomads have the luxury of being full-time travelers as long as they are able to get access to the internet and complete their work.
The option of working from anywhere in the world has allowed people to create a lifestyle of their own choice. It helps them in striking the perfect work-life balance and enjoy life without worrying about going to a traditional 9 to 5 job. There are multiple ways you can earn money online while travelling, actually, there is a million ways to do it. If you are interested in knowing more about how to make money online, check out this article.
Tips to Become A Digital Nomad
There are no specific steps involved in becoming a digital nomad, but you can make this process easier and quicker by relying on the following tips and tricks:
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Find a Digital Nomad Community
It is important for you to find a community of digital nomads and connect with them at the very beginning. Some of the cities around the world, like Mexico, Colombia, Medellin, and Bali, have well-established digital nomad communities. Conduct thorough research before traveling to a place and connect with people via social media like a Facebook group.
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Manage Your Finances Efficiently
Personal financial management is crucial for every person, but it has become even more important for digital nomads. You do not want to get stuck in a country without any access to your finances and funds.
Therefore, it is critical that you choose a suitable bank with worldwide coverage and efficient digital banking options. A lot of banks nowadays offer a travel credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, so you should get this credit card as well.
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Manage Your Stuff
Becoming a digital nomad means that you are unlikely to see your stuff for a long period as you will be traveling. Therefore, you should consider finishing the apartment lease and storing the stuff with your family or at a storage facility.
Similarly, if you are a house owner, you should consider renting out the property for a long term or hiring someone to manage the home-sharing process through Airbnb. It will help you minimize the overhead costs and eventually make profits.
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Consider Your Working Hours
Whether you are working as a remote employee or have a thriving freelancing career, you must consider the working hours before traveling to any destination. If your job is US-based or you have clients from the US, you should travel to areas in which the time zones overlap with the US.
Otherwise, if you travel to other destinations like Asia, your routine will be greatly disturbed since the time zone gap of 10 to 12 hours will take you a lot of time to adjust, and you will not be able to have a healthy work-life balance.
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Get Travel Insurance
Every country has its own set of rules and regulations related to the healthcare industry. It is highly possible that if you are traveling from the USA, you will see that healthcare is relatively inexpensive in other countries.
Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to get travel insurance or travel medical insurance to ensure you are able to get the best healthcare in case of an emergency.
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Fulfill Your Technology Requirements
SIM card is an integral part of becoming a digital nomad since you are likely to be using the mobile internet for working when you are traveling. If you choose to use the SIM card of your home country and turn on roaming, you are likely to pay a large amount of money in bills.
Therefore, you should consider buying a local prepaid SIM card and rely on it to get uninterrupted access to the internet at a cheaper rate. Constantly searching for a Wi-Fi network is not a sustainable solution for digital nomads, so you must pay attention to getting the right SIM card.
Furthermore, when you are traveling abroad, you should consider buying a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It will help you in accessing all websites, including Netflix and other streaming services that might not be available in the country you are visiting.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that becoming a digital nomad can be a highly fulfilling and enjoyable experience if you do it with proper planning and following the tips and tricks discussed in this article.
Author - Thomas Raynott
6 figures Entrepreneur and owner of the Finance blog thomasraynott.com
