If you’re anything like me, you’re probably big on wanderlust which has brought you on to your search on how to become a digital nomad.

I mean – why would you be here if you weren’t, right? You’re the kind of person who’s always looking for the next adventure, seeking travel through exotic places, immersing yourself in different cultures and exploring far-off destinations. And that’s why you’re trying to figure out how to become a digital nomad.

The nomadic lifestyle definitely sounds appealing. Contrary to getting paid to travel specifically, being a digital nomad means location independence is a main pillar of your life and no job will ever tie you down to one place.

It opens up a whole new world to you: you can live wherever you want in the world and still make the same (if not more) amount of money you’d make with a full-time job.

Luckily for you too, most industries are slowly embracing remote work. It has become a rapidly rising trend – and it’s for all you savvy internet people out there. This article will let you know exactly everything you need to know about how to become a digital nomad, what digital nomad jobs will work for you and what to do to prepare for that lifestyle.

First things first – what is a digital nomad?

So you’re not confused between being a digital nomad vs. getting paid to travel, let’s start off by talking about what a digital nomad is.

Thanks to globalization and the growing power of technology in all industries, being a digital nomad has never been easier.

You’ll basically be a remote worker who can provide value from anywhere around the world simply because you’re connected. That’s how you become a digital nomad.

But let me be honest with you – being a digital nomad definitely has its perks but it’s not easy. It isn’t the type of job for anybody, and it takes really specific personality types to be open to the unexpected experiences that come with a nomadic lifestyle.

Being a digital nomad entails two things:

• Making money online.
• Traveling around as you do so.

So just because you have a remote job doesn’t mean you’re immediately a digital nomad. You need to have the full flexibility and opportunity to travel as you do so.

And let me shed light on a little secret for you:

We don’t work on the beach with our laptops open. Those pictures are just for the ‘gram. The sun and the heat make it almost impossible to actually work.

What we do though is we work from the most eccentric places.

A quick throwback to me running social media accounts from the shores of tropical Costa Brava and continuing to work somewhere while we were stranded in the middle of a highway in Valencia.

I mean – I am literally on a plane right now coming back from Dubai. You get the point.

The Ups of Being a Digital Nomad

Work literally from wherever you want, whenever you want.

You want to wake up at 6 pm, grab a cup of coffee and work from on top of a cliff? Want to spend your Monday on an island instead of working? Think you can work from the inside of a bar while mingling with internationals?

Be my guest! You will be 100% location independent and if you’re researching into how to become a digital nomad, you need to know that you’ll spending weeks, months or even years exploring the world while you work in parallel.

Most digital nomad jobs are either related to freelance work or entrepreneurial efforts.

You’ll enjoy a lot more of your life.

What made me start the digital nomad life was how much I felt like I was wasting my life before. Did I really want to wake up every day and do the same exact thing for the rest of my life?

Being location-independent really helped me add spice to my life – even if I wasn’t traveling. I could take work breaks to do yoga, I could spend more time with my family and friends, and I had the luxury of packing my bags up and leaving at any point in time.

That naturally means that you’ll always be more motivated to work. At least for me, nothing demotivates me more than being stuck right in the middle of four walls and knowing I can’t leave for a few more hours (hello 9-to-5 jobs, you are not missed.)

More motivation to work = more money.

Let me bless you with a little equation right here:
More time for yourself + more location independence + increased happiness = more productivity.

More productivity = more money.
What I am trying to say here is that being stuck in a rut is very hard as a freelancer.

The Downs of Being a Digital Nomad.

In case you haven’t noticed yet, being a digital nomad is most definitely not for everyone. I know people who dread the idea of not having a stable routine in their life that regulates their day-to-day activities. And that’s completely fine!

Now let’s take a look at the downsides of being a digital nomad:

Instability.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that your life is probably going to be extremely unstable. Most digital nomad jobs rarely have any long-term or permanent contracts and more often than not your income is not guaranteed on a monthly basis.

You’ll constantly be hunting for newer jobs, better opportunities, new places to live, better ways to budget and new ways to meet people.

If you know you can handle this, then you’re good to go!

What is that social life you speak of?

Yes – traveling around the world is so much fun and you will meet an innumerable amount of new people. But more often than not, the chances of actually meeting people who will remain permanent parts of your life is very close to none. Everyone you’ll meet will also be traveling, and it’ll be very hard to make actual friends.

Not to mention – unless you’re a master at keeping in touch with your friends and family back home, your social life will suffer back there too. You’ll miss out on big events, you won’t be up to date with the latest news and you might stray away from the closest people because they get more used to you not being there.

How to save money for travel before you become a digital nomad.

Wait, what? Doesn’t being a digital nomad mean I get paid while I travel?

Yes. You do.

But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a few savings before you travel. Trust me on this one. Things never go according to plan!

• Keep your expenses to a minimum 6 months before you travel.
  Bid farewell to those complex Starbucks drinks and get ready to save a lot of money six months before you travel abroad.
• Sell any assets you don’t need.
  You’ll suddenly find yourself turning into one of those people who sell their car to travel around the world. Welcome to the nomadic lifestyle friend.
• Rent out your spare bedroom or rent our your house while you travel.
  Renting out a room or your entire house while you travel or before is an incredible source of passive income that you need to invest in as soon as possible!
• Pay off your debts.
  You’ll travel much more lightly if you don’t have any debts. Consider working really hard to pay off that debt.

Steps to take before you start on your journey

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, what next steps will you need to take to start on your digital nomad journey?

Step 1: Desperation my friend.

You have to be dying to get away. You might look at this and think to yourself: “Yup, I hate my job, I need to get away.”

That is not enough.

You need to really, really, really hate your job and be yearning to get away. Without that extreme need to get away and make a drastic change in your life, you’ll chicken out from the first hardship (and you will face a lot of hardships).

Step 2: Start preparing yourself for that nomadic lifestyle.

Don’t just quit your job and leave. This is how a lot of digital nomads fail and come back. Of course – in your daydreams, your nomadic lifestyle is sunny, filled with azure beaches and tropical destinations.

And while that is partially true, the digital nomad lifestyle isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

• Start your own side job with a side income. Whether that is freelancing, starting your own business or running an affiliate program – all of that works.
• Do a trial run. Travel for a week or two and try working while you’re on that vacation. Can you do it? Were you able to be productive? What hardships did you experience?
• Guarantee yourself a remote job that will at least cover your basic expenses as a start.

Step 3: Evaluate.

Is the nomadic lifestyle really right for you? How did you feel after your trial run? What are your biggest fears when it comes to becoming a digital nomad? How do you plan on addressing them?

Best Digital Nomad Jobs

• Corporate Remote Worker
  You can start it the easy way and start your first few months adjusting as a corporate remote worker. The pros are obvious: benefits, set contract, stability, with the flexibility of remote work.
• Computer Programmer
  Definitely, the number one digital nomad job you should choose if you want to make a decent amount of money while you travel. You can easily make $150k+ a year.
• Business Owner/Entrepreneur
  Starting your own business it not easy but it definitely gives you the most flexibility when it comes to becoming a digital nomad. Dropshipping, a Shopify store, an Instagram page, a restaurant chain – you name it!
• Virtual Assistant
  You can earn up to $75 an hour by being a virtual assistant. This solely depends on your skills and your references, but it also is a great digital nomad job.
• Freelance Writer
  You can always opt for freelancing your skills. Graphic design, digital marketing, writing, and translation are some of the highest searched for jobs and you’re bound to find at least one job going on at a time. Freelancing and being a digital nomad both together will need a lot of discipline from you, though.
• Web Developer/Wordpress Developer
  Building websites is one of the most profitable digital nomad jobs out there. If you’re interested, you can also attend an intensive coding boot camp abroad.
• Travel Blogger
  This is definitely one of the most popular digital nomad jobs. This could even be what inspired you to learn how to become a digital nomad. Travel blogging takes a lot of work – specifically when it comes to building an audience and having a consistent income stream, but the benefits are hard to compete with. You’ll be able to make money from ad networks, affiliate marketing, content creation, sales, and press trips.
• Digital Marketing Specialist
  If you know your way around social media, then you’re in luck! Whether it’s content strategies, social media management, content creation or SEO – you can pretty much do any of this on the go.

The Top 10 Tips that You’ll Need As a Digital Nomad

Before You Travel

• Start with a shorter vacation.
  As mentioned above, start with a short vacation that’s not really a vacation. Think of it as a work-cation and your trial run.
• Take your trial run a further step ahead and start off by studying/interning/working abroad.
  If the sheer thought of packing your bags and venturing off to travel the world with no structure terrifies you, you can always start off by enrolling in an international program to help you get acquainted with travel and the risk of failure is close to none.
• Have a steady stream of income before you travel.
  We’ll go into more details into the types of digital nomad jobs out there, but you need to make sure you start that job before you travel and have a steady stream of income. It will evidently be up to you when it comes to how much work you want to put in.
• Put that living out of a suitcase lifestyle into practice.
  Backpack around Europe, travel around Southeast Asia, go camping in Abu Dhabi – you name it. Just make sure that you’re about that life!
• Have your finances in order.
  Learn all about taxes, insurance, savings and debts before you travel.
• Acquire the business skills you’ll need before you travel.
  A lot of digital nomad jobs require certain skills that you need to excel at: self-promotion should be on top of that list. Digital marketing, networking, being able to run a business, all the digital savvy tips, and tricks….etc.
• End all contracts back home.
  Make sure you have no lingering contracts.
• Figure out your housing situation.
  Make sure you have your first accommodation set up and figure out your housing situation back home.

While You’re There

• Network, network, and network some more.
  Join some social groups on Facebook and other social media platforms. This will help you when it comes to meetups, coworking spaces, making new friends and having sort of a community when you travel.
• Create strict schedules for yourself.
  A nomadic lifestyle means you live by your own rules. To become a digital nomad, you need to find time to successfully run your own work. This requires tracking your habits, to-do lists, schedules, and proper time-management.

How much does it really cost to travel the world as a digital nomad?

It could cost almost nothing or your entire savings. It’s all about how you manage it. Here are some factors you need to consider:

Where will you go?
Naturally, the more affordable the place you travel to is, the better chance you have of saving money. Places like Thailand, Bali, and Vietnam are major digital nomad hubs that are affordable. This guarantees a low cost of living and better exchange rates.

Staying in one place vs. many places.
It is no secret that staying in one place for longer periods of time instead of quickly moving from one place to another is better financially. The more stable you are, the more you’re likely going to start living like a local and saving up.

Budgeting well.
You need to create a realistic budget for yourself and follow it.

How to Connect with Like-Minded Digital Nomads When You Travel

Digital Nomad Hubs
You’ll find plenty of places that house other digital nomads. They’re usually in the forms of cafes, co-working spaces, resorts or hostels. Most of them have great internet connections and services that cater specifically to the digital nomad.

Coworking Spaces.
Shared offices that almost always have other digital nomads.

Digital nomad programs and retreats.
Want to become a digital nomad but the thought of being alone just terrifies you? Join a program with other digital nomads – from freelancers to entrepreneurs – and travel together.

Online communities.
Thanks to social media, it has become easier than ever to connect with like-minded digital nomads to share tips, make friends and ask for advice.

How to Get Hired

Make sure you:

• Get the right training and certificates to stay competitive.
• Develop your own personal brand on all your social media platforms.
• Build your Linkedin profile.
• Always contact the companies/organizations you’re interested in working with.
• Network!

Best Countries to Live in as a Digital Nomad

So how do you choose where to go? Well:

• Ask yourself first what place would make you happy.
• What’s your favorite weather like?
• What’s your economic status like?
• What do you want out of this trip?
• The cost of living in each place.
• What sort of activities do you want to do?
• Do you want to be surrounded by like-minded people or mingle with locals?
• Do you fancy safety over fun, or high internet speeds over cleanliness?

Now that you’ve spent time asking yourself these questions, here are some of the best countries to live in as a digital nomad:

• Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam – major digital nomad hubs with plenty of things to do and affordable costs of living.
• Germany – the hub for all entrepreneurs and startups in Europe.
• Prague – Cheap, exciting and in a strategic location.
• Spain – endless sunny days, siestas, fiestas, low costs of living compared to the rest of Europe and friendly locals.
• Mexico – an all-around exotic destination that won’t feel too isolated.

If you think you’re overwhelmed with information now, wait until you have to actually plan your trip. Honestly, being a digital nomad is a dream to a lot of people but it doesn’t come without its own hardships and cons, but still – SO worth it!