Become a digital nomad

How To
Become A Digital Nomad
One of the most common questions people present themselves with is how
to be a digital nomad. People see pictures on social media of remote
workers sitting on a white sand beach, laptop in hand, making an income
and immediately wonder how they can do that too. So, here’s a rough
guideline to help you find ways to be location independent.
Remote work isn’t as simple as sitting by the pool with a computer on your
lap while you work on your tan. It requires hard work to get the right income
stream going, and even more dedication to keep it going. It’s easy to skip
out on work to go explore instead, so you’ll need to be focused and
disciplined to hit your deadlines and stay on track.
Since you may be living in remote areas or countries without a strong
infrastructure, you’ll also need to get creative when it comes to the things

you need to work. While the reality of remote work can be less glamorous
than some of those pictures, the lifestyle is extremely rewarding, even
when you do have to track down a dark, dingy café that’s the only place on
the island with Internet.
The thing with the digital nomad lifestyle is that there isn’t exactly one
blueprint for everyone to follow. Everyone has a slightly different set of
skills and varying degrees of professional or career experience so some of
you might be able to skip a few steps, while some may need to do a little
extra legwork at the beginning.
So while there isn’t one specific path to take, this guide will focus on
beginners or people just starting to get interested in the location
independent movement.
What Exactly Is A Digital Nomad?
Let’s start by defining what being a digital nomad really means. The term
digital nomad is used as a descriptor for many different types of location
independent workers from people who have passive income streams to
those who work in the gig economy as they move about. You can learn
more about the location independent movement here and get an
in-depth look at how modern nomads came to be.
The characteristic that all digital nomads have in common is that they
usually spend several months abroad each year, are constantly on the
move, and earn an income while working online. A digital nomad can easily
make an income of $12,000 per year and live a nice, cushy lifestyle in
countries like Thailand or Bali in South East Asia. Take that same digital
nomad to London, Paris, or Sydney, and that’s not going to work out so
well. Location independence means nomads have true freedom thanks to
healthy incomes that allow them to run their business from any city on the
planet, even from the most expensive ones.

Whatever income level you can muster from remote work, the goal here is
to become a digital nomad so you can have the freedom to work and travel
across the globe. The Location Indie community offers a plethora of
resources and tips from fellow nomads, that can help guide you through the
process of building your location independent life and give you tips on how
to achieve higher levels of location independence.
First, let’s break down the steps to becoming a digital nomad.
How To Be A Digital Nomad: 9 Steps
Again, there isn’t one specific path to becoming a digital nomad, so the
following steps are designed as loose guidelines to help you along the way.

You may find that you can skip a few steps or have to start over a few
times, but with a little patience and dedication, you can make it happen!
1. Start to Reduce Location Ties and Expenses
The first step on the road to digital nomadism is to start recognizing which
things in your life are tying you to one specific location. Long-term leases
on apartments or vehicles are often the first things that need to be
addressed. You’ll also want to start eliminating expenses like gym
memberships and subscription services to free up your income for the
things you really need when you’re on the road. Being a digital nomad
usually means travelling light so you’ll want to get rid of junk and material
things that don’t serve an important purpose in your life.
Now is also the time to pay down or set up payment plans for any debts
you may have. Credit card debt should be eliminated as soon as possible
because of the high interest rates. If you have student loan debt, you can
set up a payment plan or open a special account for your payments so you
don’t have to stress if you start digging into savings when you’re travelling.
If you have a car, think about selling it. Remember, you won’t be using it in
the long term, and you’ll also save more money in the short term by not
having to pay for gas, maintenance, registration or insurance.

2. Join A Digital Nomad Community
At Location Indie, a digital nomad community is a great resource for
getting started as a digital nomad or taking your online business to new
heights. Forums and Facebook groups make it easy to contact groups of
nomads or specific ones that you may admire to get advice or feedback.
You get access to like-minded individuals who are ready to kick ass and
take the world by storm. The community is here to congratulate you when
you make progress and to pick you up if you encounter any setbacks along
the way.
Joining Location Indie means you’ll have a built-in support group and
wealth of knowledge as you navigate the waters of digital nomadism. You
can learn new skills from community members or get tips for working online
or selecting a new home base.

3. Identify Your Skills
The first thing you need to do is figure out what skills you possess that you
can monetize online. You’ll obviously need to be able to type and use a
computer as well as the Internet. The good news is that in today’s day and
age, that’s a skill most people already have. You can increase the chances
of landing higher-paying remote work by building on knowledge and skills
from things you’ve studied or worked on in the past.
Common remote work skills include things like writing, marketing, and
computer design or engineering. If you’re a developer, you’ll want to look
for jobs building out the front or back end of websites. Teaching English
online is another great option for native English speakers and companies
like VIPKID make it easier than ever to find clients and become a digital
nomad. With enough hours and repeat clients, you can even turn teaching
English into a full-time job.
Most digital nomads start off by finding remote work jobs or freelance gigs
that allow them to start earning a small income. Once you secure your first
source of income, you’ll need to decide whether you will develop that
income stream into a larger business or if you will simply find several
similar jobs to cobble together to make more money. Again, since there is
no specific path to digital nomadism, your situation will vary depending on
your skills, knowledge, and also on how willing you are to put yourself out
there, take risks, and even maybe fail.

4. Become A Freelancer
Once you’ve figured out what skills you have that will enable you to work
remotely, you need to find a job. Arguably the easiest way to do this is to
scour remote specific job sites. Luckily, there are now tons of sites online
like We Work Remotely and RemoteOk that post only jobs that are
remote or location independent. Check out UpWork, formerly known as
ODesk, to find freelance gigs for everything from virtual assistants and
photographers to accountants and consultants.
These sites allow you to search by industry or skill and, while the most
common jobs are often technology-focused, like programming and design,
you can also find loads of customer service and support jobs. Writing,
editing and transcribing positions are also ideal for people who may not
have solid technical skills, but are great communicators.

5. Alternatively, Start By Working or Studying Abroad
If you feel overwhelmed navigating the remote work industry, you can start
by finding a location-based job or enroll at a university abroad. This path
offers more structure and a safety net in case you decide digital nomadism
isn’t right for you. The risk of failure with this path is much lower than
becoming a freelancer, but it also means that your road to becoming a
digital nomad can take longer. If you choose this method, you’ll need to
secure a visa or resident permit. Countries like Canada and Australia offer
working holiday visas so you can try out Vancouver or Perth while getting
used to living abroad.
You can also try convincing your boss to let you take your current job on
the road. To be successful with this approach, you’ll need to do some
advance preparation: draft a proposal that addresses all of the important
aspects of your job and how you’ll transition them to a remote position
without losing momentum. Make sure to outline any areas of concern and
take a look at remote management tools like Slack that can make
communicating with your colleagues easier. These days, many office jobs
can be performed remotely with the right planning, communication, and
trust between employees and managers.

6. Build Your Business
Once you’ve been a freelancer for a bit, you can start building out your
business. If you do a good job, it’ll be easy to get referrals for new clients
and your income streams will grow. You can also consider creating your
own website and business cards to market your business and increase
your reach and reputation. Remember to keep in mind that you may be
working from different parts of the globe, so you’ll want to make sure you
schedule work and gigs in the right time zones.
If you are a writer or have expertise on social media, you can build a
marketing business that helps business and blogs get larger audiences and
more customers. Copywriter jobs are prevalent online and can be a great
place to start as you create content for blog posts. Once you develop your
skillset, you can turn your skills into a full-service marketing business by
creating content, promoting it online through social media channels and
driving advertising revenue.
If you already have a freelance business or a remote gig that generates
passive income, you can skip those first few steps and just take your work
on the road. Alternatively, if you have some cash saved up, you can buy an
established online business and get a jump-start. Websites like Flippa
make it easy to find online businesses that are for sale and how much
revenue they generate. Successful digital nomads are a diverse group
consisting of both people who own their own companies and others who
seek out potential clients online or work random jobs on the road as they
move around.

7. Decide On Your First Destination
Now that you have an income stream set up, it’s time to escape the rat race
and set out toward your first destination. From America and Europe to Asia,
Africa and Latin America, the possibilities are endless, and deciding on one
can be overwhelming. You’ll need to be honest with yourself about the
things you need from a location to be happy. If you’re realistic about your
income and needs, you’ll find a great place to live. Remember that since
you are a digital nomad, you can always change your mind if you don’t like
where you’ve landed, or just need a change of scenery.
The first thing you can do to narrow down your list of destinations is to
figure out the cost of living in each place. You’ll need to be able to afford
everything from rent to food and entertainment so you want to be realistic
when it comes to your income relative to the cost of living in possible
destinations. Low cost locations mean you can live larger than in higher
cost areas, so you also want to keep in mind what activities and adventures
you want to partake in as a digital nomad.

You can also head out to digital nomad hubs like Chiang Mai, if you want to
be surrounded by like-minded individuals. NomadList is a great resource
to identify trending destinations and offers scores based on Internet speed,
fun, safety and cost to help you identify where you want to go. You can go
more in depth by searching for specific climates, activities, or health
markers to help you make your decision.
8. Figure Out How You Want to Live
Once you find a destination, you’ll need to secure housing or at the very
least, figure out what kind of accommodations you want. If you’re a social
butterfly and worried about setting out and being lonely, you can start off by
living in a hostel or co-op where you can easily make new friends. Maybe
you prefer having solitude or a quiet place to retreat to. In that case,
Airbnb is a great option since you can rent entire apartments for one
month or a set period of time and feel like you have your own place.

If you want to have the benefits of added services, hotels and homestays
are a great way to go. Hotels may offer laundry and meal service so you
can focus on a difficult project or just ease into your new surroundings. You
will also have an easy time finding locals to guide you with tips and tricks
on your new home. Whatever you decide to do, remember that you now
have true freedom so you can mix it up and change your accommodations
whenever you need a change.
9. Create A Plan and Stick to It
As a digital nomad, it is especially important to set goals and plans and
follow through with them. For the nomadic lifestyle to work, you need to be
clear on what you want, where you want to go, how long you may want to
stay and what you need to do to make it happen.
When asked for one piece of advice she would give to new nomads,
Location Indie member Rachel Story of GratefulGypsies.com said, “Get
organized and have a to-do list! Make a plan! As repulsive as a ‘routine’

may seem, it’s essential for getting sh*t done. The good part is that you can
choose your own routine. Want to go for a run mid-morning, no worries!
Take a long lunch to catch up with a friend? Do it! You’re still ticking things
off your list!”
Having backup plans or alternative passive income streams is also a good
idea in case you fail at one path and need a safety net while you reset your
plans.
Keep in mind that plans shouldn’t only revolve around your income as a
remote worker. You also want to address everyday aspects of healthy living
such as healthcare, insurance and local laws and regulations. Since you’ll
be living in foreign countries, you’ll need to do some research to make sure
you understand any new rules and ensure you have the right support if you
get sick or injured while exploring.
Final Thoughts

If you really want to be a digital nomad or become location independent,
the first thing you need to do is start working toward that goal. You can get
started much faster than you think. With hard work and a little luck, you can
get started in just a few weeks and have a full-fledged business in one or
two years.
With Location Indie’s digital nomad community and online remote work job
sites, you have all the resources you need to get started and start
adventuring. You have so little to lose and so much to gain, so get out there
and start chasing your dreams.

Become a digital nomad

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