Just to make it clear, digital nomads are people who use telecommunication devices to earn their daily bread and do not have a fixed residence. A lot of people feel the pull of adventure and the fact that with a digital nomad life, travels are not all about spending money but they also get to make some during their sojourn. This paints the picture of paradise on earth.
Very few people can say that at no point in their lives have they dreamt about a life free from the routine and drudge of conventional living, a life where flexibility, travel and new experiences abound. Many people would like to work from an island sprinkled with seawater and clothed in palm trees or drink coffee on aa scenic, cobbled street of old Europe. But these people do not chase after these dreams because, where do they begin?
This article deals with the 7 steps you need to take to get ready for your journey into the unknown. Of course, there are always surprise complications that might be peculiar to your story but we intend to help you sort out some of the more obvious ones while trying our best to cover all likelihoods.
7 Steps to Prepare Your Digital Nomad Life
1. The Right Job
There are 3 kinds of jobs a person can have in the modern world, each with their merits and demerits. The first job is quite easy and repetitive. It does not take too long to get the hang of it, from here no real difficulties occur while performing it. This first job takes place in an office because you are not fond of manual labor.
You get a steady stream of income and the people at work to become your friends even though you keep them at arms-length. You get promoted in about 2 years and have people under you. Your days seem like one and become quite dull but you are all about stability so you stick with this job.
The second job needs a lot of physical exertion to accomplish tasks but you are more of a manual labor person than someone who stays on his butt all day under the glare of artificial lighting. The work is usually fun but largely depends on the project. Your coworkers are there for the daily banter and completion of a job fills you with a sense of achievement.
The pay is decent and you don’t care much about all the weight being a boss renders and are perfectly satisfied with remaining an employee. Though the paychecks are steady, the hours are not consistent and you may have to go out on weekends but that is not something you pull your hair out about. The job does not seem like a forever thing, you get a lot of body aches and your diet has taken a turn for the worse with junk food, beer, and sugary drinks being your main source of nutrition. Yet you are content with life for the time being because you are great at it and it keeps you alive.
The third option is one where you need to learn completely new skills and you are unlikely to have someone guiding you through this phase or motivating you to pick up those skills. Your paycheck will be erratic and you would probably experience highs and lows during the onset. Once you are through with this onset, you will begin earning more and each skill you learn comes with new titles.
Your schedule will be almost all on your own terms and locations where you complete your projects are up to you. You get to be your own boss and a few hours of work a month that earns you enough for expenses and travel. You will find that you can live and work instead of working to live or living to work.
It possibly makes you wonder why the first two options even exist if the third job is so great but remember, we live in a world where certainty and immediacy are given precedence over most others. There are a lot of obstacles to the nomadic way of life but nothing you can’t overcome if you apply the right mindset. Many people love the idea of financial freedom but many people are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to be successful in this manner because of the amount of associated uncertainty.
Deciding to be a freelancer or digital nomad is the first step.
2. Prepare for the Digital Nomad Life Financially
The road is not often trodden but it has been enough to give us an idea of the expenditure you may need to make. Your best bet to minimize difficulties is to straighten up your finances with a foolproof budget.
You are obviously going to need your travel fares, vaccinations, equipment like a laptop. Recurrent expenditure like accommodation, transportation, feeding, etc. Keep 25% of your budget as a net, in case of emergencies. You might need money for health care or to buy new equipment. Also, try to get yourself debt-free or reduce it as much as possible and sensible, the last thing you want to worry about during your new, crazy life is debts.
When you save up enough money to keep you alive and well for 4 to 6 months then you can hit the road. To save up efficiently, you must cut down on current expenditure and sell what you do not need. Sometimes you should let go of all your own instead of storing some of it and getting the money is a plus.
3. End your Commitments
The first two steps completed, the next is to pull out of your commitments. Of course, there are minor ones like gym memberships, insurances or magazines but the bigger ones are your job and apartment. Give in a polite notice that you are resigning so that there’s a chance of a renewed employment if you decide that the digital nomad lifestyle is a wrong fit.
If you own a house you could rent it out but if you stay in an apartment, talk to your landlord about subletting the place. You need a very responsible person to sublet to since you will not be around. If your landlord does not agree, you may have to forfeit the apartment.
Start quitting with enough time left between your trip in case there are subscriptions and the rest that require certain periods of notice.
4. Choose your First Location
Most people already have in mind the places they will like to dip into during their international cruise. The first location choice is crucial and must be perfect as you will have the hardest phase of your journey within its confines. There are some things you must consider:
- Visa: getting a long-term visa can be a difficult or easy process depending on your passport. For some locations, you might not need a visa but your visa-less stay is limited to a few weeks or months.
- Cost of Living: As a newbie nomad who does not have a large onset fund, consider places in Southeast Asia or Eastern Europe that a budget-friendly.
- Internet: These days, there is almost nowhere in the world that you wouldn’t get a decent internet connection but there are still some places with very expensive and unreliable services. Reach out to other digital nomads or research via web articles to find out where to avoid.
- Climate & Season: What do you prefer? Summer or Winter? This should factor into the location you choose. Also, know if the place is tropical or temperate so you can decide if that is a good fit. Get an idea of the rains, heatwaves, etc.
5. Brace for Impact
Becoming a digital nomad will have a big impact on not just your life but on those around you, those that care about you. Being a digital nomad makes you unconventional and this might give the people in your life a hard time understanding your choice. Your parents or grandparents may have an especially difficult time processing what a digital nomad is and not worrying about your safety and future prospects. If your parents are supportive that would be a great boost for your journey morale but people rarely take to new ways of living, so don’t beat yourself up if they aren’t.
Friends and lovers also come in. They might bring negativity into your headspace but it’s okay, they are unlikely to want to see you leave and all that. Letting go of a romantic relationship might be difficult and it would be unfair and almost impossible to convince a partner who doesn’t have the same amount of wanderlust to accompany you. Do take it gently and if you think it makes sense, a long-distance relationship might be sustainable.
Prepare for the worst while breaking news that you want to be a digital nomad to loved ones. Managing your expectations is a key facet of your success story.
6. Get Taxes and International Health Insurance in Order
People assume that when you are away from your home country they can no more tax you but that is false. Check the taxation laws for your country because there vary between nations. Some countries will stop taxing you if you do not own a house or have a job there anymore while others will make sure you are paying taxes in another country before taxation cessation.
Also, check out the tax rules of the country you are headed for. A lot of countries use the 183-day rule that states that it is only until you have stayed up to 183 days that you become a resident and are required to pay tax, some will make you once you land and others are not concerned about foreign income and would not tax you during your stay.
In regards to health insurance, many nomads skip it to maximize cash but not prioritizing your health is never a good idea. Accidents don’t care where you are, neither do sicknesses. Get yourself covered with international health insurance so that no matter where you are in the world, you have access to medical care.
Finalize
This involves straightening out the last major details. You will need an unlocked phone as anyone who has traveled before will testify. If you didn’t purchase a phone outright, it has likely restricted to a carrier and this means you can’t use a SIM card from an international carrier. Change your phone or replace it to circumvent this.
Credit cards usually have international charges for purchases and withdrawals. Get a credit card that does not have such fees so that you can avoid paying huge sums for your money. Some countries don’t really use the whole credit card system, so a debit card might be necessary.
There are several online digital nomad communities and you should link up with people that can share their experience on the move with you. Also networking with nomads in the location you are headed for can provide you firsthand info Google can’t. They might even help you secure housing before you arrive at your destination. Be it an AirBnB or something more long-term. It is usually best to pick something temporary in case you end up not liking the area.
By now, I hope that you have gotten some motivation and confidence to go down this path of endless possibilities. If you follow these steps before you become a digital nomad, you would save yourself a whole lot of stress and anxiety. Even if you have been a freelancer for a long time, the call of nomadism is that you will view the world from a wider perspective.
If you have chosen to embark on this journey, make sure you try to learn as much as possible about cheap flights, the culture of the country you are headed for, penny-pinching techniques and all sorts of clever ways to keep your path smooth.
