Insight into digital nomads

[People>Cash]

I tried searching for a thread that looked into what it's like to be a digital nomad but couldn't find a great one (I could be mistaken).

I've researched a lot about being a digital nomad and the basic pros and cons of doing it.

I'm leaning towards making it happen but I would like to hear any opinions from current or previous digital nomads.

Thanks for all the help!

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[People>Cash]

The pros that I see are:
-new experiences constantly
-get to travel the world
-same price or cheaper than my current living expenses
-constantly meet new people especially in the digital nomad sphere

The cons that I see are:
-don't spend as much time with loved ones and friends
-no home base
-become jaded to your new relationships with people because of the constant turnover of people in your life

 

[GlobalWealth]

I just wrote this article recently:

http://www.globalwealthprotection.com/go-paperless-as-a-digital-nomad/

 

[People>Cash]

Thanks for the article global. There are a couple of services that you mentioned that seem to really make things easy.

Are you a digital nomad currently?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[GlobalWealth]

Yes. I have been for many years.

 

[People>Cash]

Do you find the pros and cons I listed to be your experience or do you have other advice?

 

[GlobalWealth]

I wouldn't live any other way

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[JasonR]

I've just started traveling, thanks in part to @GlobalWealth and some other friends. It has been nothing short of amazing.

I'm actually traveling with 2 buddies, so you definitely can have travel buddies and life long friendships.

Not to mention, I can see my friends once a year and it would be no different if I saw them once a month.

If you can do it, try it, absolutely. You may fall in love with it.

I feel like there's a new adventure almost every day, and you'll run into all sorts of new and interesting people.

Screw waiting until "retirement" to travel.

 

[twdavis]

I'm aware that there alot of traveling entreprenuers in places like Thailand as well; Chiang Mai etc.


Ran across this sweet vid recently from the Stack That Money 2014 meetup, made me wanna hop to Thailand

-I'm not in danger, I AM the Danger

 

[People>Cash]

@JasonR

Thanks for the response and words of encouragement.

I bought tickets to Europe in September for a trial run.

Would you suggest working/living at a hostel for free or renting a flat?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[SlowlaneJay]

Headed to Thailand in June, myself! Goodbye cruel winters!!

 

[Ninjakid]

There's a big, wide, beautiful world out there. And it's easier to explore it than ever before. You don't have to sail for months and have half your crew die along the way. You just hop on a plane and off you go.
My advice is take advantage of being born in the 21st century!

 

[Achilles]

Are you guys selling products or publishing or affiliate marketing?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[GuestUser113]

Are you guys selling products or publishing or affiliate marketing?

 

[biophase]

I got just back home after traveling overseas for 2 months. The biggest downside of travel is that you lose your ability to stay on a routine.

The biggest issue for me was eating healthy and exercise. At home, you pretty much know what and when you are going to eat. You know where the gym is. While traveling I would get one good meal, one shitty meal. Every time I moved I had to find a different gym to go to.

In terms of getting work done. I personally need 2 monitors, working on a laptop decreases my productivity. I missed having a nice powerful desktop.

Or course, the upside is you are somewhere new all the time. But I've found that I can only be gone for about 4 weeks, then I want to come back home.

 

[People>Cash]

Thank you @biophase !!!!

This is exactly what I am looking for. Real experiences besides the usual articles out there.

Out of curiousity, how long did you stay in a place before moving onto the next?

I'm looking to stay in either one or two places for my month trip with weekend trips to other sites I want to see.

Would love your feedback.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Achilles]

Yer killin me smalls

 

[DrkSide]

I like the idea of traveling but it seems like if I go away from home for as little as a week it throws me off. Almost any kind of traveling throws me off my normal routine and seems to make me less productive.

I have always been a "home body" that likes the comfort of my own house and surroundings. Besides if we leave for more than a couple days I have to have someone tend to my plants.

 

[GuestUser116]

if we leave for more than a couple days I have to have someone tend to my plants.

The things you owe end up owing you; plants and comfort.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[JasonR]

I bought tickets to Europe in September for a trial run.

Would you suggest working/living at a hostel for free or renting a flat?

Depends on your budget. I prefer staying in an apartment or Air BNB - and I'm also traveling with 2 friends. We have a large work area here, which is nice. Staying in a hostel is a little more challenging but much cheaper.

I can echo what @biophase has said - it's tough to be in a routine while traveling, especially with food/eating. We do have a pretty nice gym and pool where we're staying, and I find I can get work done on my Macbook Pro just fine. I've been toying with the idea of picking up another monitor though - they aren't expensive.

To the guy who said he can't travel because he has plants...come on really dude!? You're going to let that stop you?

Digital nomads run all sorts of businesses - online, affiliate marketing, etc. That's a really open ended question. You'll find all sorts of people doing all sorts of things.

 

[GlobalWealth]

I have been working virtually for almost 10 years now. And even before when I had an office I rarely went in (maybe once a week for company meetings) and worked at home or on the road.

Like @Ninjakid said, we are lucky to live in the 21st century. Today's technology make it so much easier.

I work solely from a laptop and smart phone. When home I do use 2 monitors, which is nice, but you can get used to working without it if you are willing to accept the tradeoffs.

In the past few months I have been to Panama, St Maartin, Anguilla, Paraguay, Portugal, France, Italy, Brazil, Croatia, Holland, Estonia, Lithuania, US, UK and a few others I cannot remember.

For me, travel is a way of life. When I am "home" after 1-2 weeks I get really anxious and feel the need to be somewhere else.

So the tradeoff for me is to give up some of the easier things like having my 2nd monitor for the ability to work on a Caribbean beach, a villa in Croatia, or an old town apartment in Estonia.

As for food, I spent the past 39 years of my life eating poorly (I'm 40). In the past year I have made big changes to my diet and have found it to be fairly easy when traveling.

Of course when traveling you will eat at restaurants more often, but I have taken a different view. Restaurants are just someone else's kitchen. So if I don't see something that suits my diet, I ask. Since I never eat at big chain restaurants, I have never had a request refused. Small, family owned restaurants around the world are basically the same - they are proud of their food and want happy customers. So if I ask for fresh instead of grilled vegetables, they always oblige.

In addition to restaurants, I always go shopping after I arrive in a new city if I am staying for more than 2 days.

As for lodging, I use airbnb almost exclusively now unless I am in a city for a conference, in that case I stay at the hotel of the event venue.

If you read my other post about living rent free (https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/live-rent-free-in-multiple-countries.59964) - I am a huge believer in airbnb, both as a guest and as a host.

I have used airbnb in dozens of countries as a guest. When traveling I prefer to have an apartment all to myself, not a hotel room. It is more cozy and you have a full kitchen and more living space. And it is almost always cheaper than a 3/4+ star hotel. Recently in London I payed eur110/night for a 1br apartment in a great location. If you've ever been to London, you know that eur110/n won't even buy you a "red roof inn" room by the airport.

Many people on airbnb also give big discounts for weekly or monthly rentals (I do for my apartments I rent on there) as it minimizes their management costs. And you can always make a lower offer and see what happens. Just in my city in just the very center of old town there are 88 apartments for rent on airbnb. Soon to be 89...

If you are under 25, you may consider the hostel route as it may be cheaper (although airbnb can be close in price for longer stays) and you may have people to socialize with "in house". In my experience though, if you are over around 25, this option will annoy you. You will also find it hard to get any work done in a hostel.

Another point to consider. Pack light. Then when you think you have packed as light as you can, throw out half your stuff and pack again.

If you are traveling a lot, you REALLY don't want to check bags or carry around big luggage. A large backpack or carryone case will suffice. It takes some planning, but you really don't need more than 4-5 days of clothes, esp if you are staying in apartments with a washing machine. It took me a few years to whittle it down, but I NEVER check bags anymore. EVER. And I travel for weeks or months at a time sometimes.

My view is that if I REALLY need something, I can always buy it when traveling. There are stores in every town.

Being a digital nomad is hugely rewarding and a lot of fun. Give it a shot.

 

[GlobalWealth]

The pros that I see are:
-new experiences constantly
-get to travel the world
-same price or cheaper than my current living expenses
-constantly meet new people especially in the digital nomad sphere

Yes, yes, yes, yes

The cons that I see are:
-don't spend as much time with loved ones and friends
-no home base
-become jaded to your new relationships with people because of the constant turnover of people in your life

No, because when I travel I see my friends in those places so I spend time with people in my travels.

Actually, I do have a home base that I make money from when I travel (see my rent free post)

Disagree, I am quite selective with new relationships. Just because I don't see them for coffee at the local starbucks every Tuesday to discuss politics doesn't mean they aren't still friends. And I see the ones that matter in my travels anyway.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[GlobalWealth]

I've just started traveling, thanks in part to @GlobalWealth and some other friends. It has been nothing short of amazing.

And I fully expect to see you for a month at the end of the summer in Latvia after your Thai adventure...

 

[GlobalWealth]

Are you guys selling products or publishing or affiliate marketing?

I run a couple of businesses.

1- US corporate services - registering LLC's etc
2- offshore corporate services - registering LLC's, IBC's, etc
3- offshore trust company - trust administration and fiduciary services
4- membership site and live events

With the trust company, we have an office in the Caribbean for admin staff. Otherwise we are completely virtual. Our team works and lives all over the world.

 

[GlobalWealth]

I'm looking to stay in either one or two places for my month trip with weekend trips to other sites I want to see.

If you are only doing a month long trip, I would encourage you to stay in that place. That way you learn to live like a local, not like a tourist. If you are basing there but visiting other places, you are still living as a tourist.

Take the time to explore the place you have chosen. Get to know the locals. The lady selling apples at the market. The guy making coffee at the cafe. Make friends with the cute bartender.

I hear people say they want to take a month to test, but then try to see everything in that month. That mentality shows that you think you may never do it again. Don't be Clark Griswold and try to see everything there is to see in a short time.

Enjoy the area. Find the hidden streets. It's not a vacation. It's a lifestyle.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DrkSide]

The things you owe end up owing you; plants and comfort.

It's funny, when I first read the comment I was taken a bit back. This is such a trivial item I don't consider it to own me. Yes it needs my input to survive but it is not anything I would think twice about giving away if need be. However, I enjoy the plants and some provide food for me.

This brings me to another point. Remember we are all on different journeys here. The end goal for many to be free and travel is not the end goal for all. In fact mine is much different than most on here.

 

[biophase]

Thank you @biophase !!!!

Out of curiousity, how long did you stay in a place before moving onto the next?

I stayed a month at the first place and then 2 weeks at the other places. I've found that I like to stay about 1 month and then I feel that I should move somewhere else. I definitely do not do the touristy thing. I live there like its my home. There's no hurry to go out and see all the sites in the first week.

As for dual monitors, I have so many old monitors at home that I just bring one in my luggage and leave it there when I leave. I do alot of spreadsheets and graphic based work so a small laptop monitor just doesn't cut it.

Another tough part for me is the bills. I have set everything on autopay but haven't gone paperless yet for some things. I always come home to a 2 foot stack of mail.

 

[GlobalWealth]

Another tough part for me is the bills. I have set everything on autopay but haven't gone paperless yet for some things. I always come home to a 2 foot stack of mail.

Kenric,
Get it all on paperless asap. Get it all on autopay to a credit card so that you only have 1 bill to pay. Then get a maildrop address like travelingmailbox(dot)com for anything else.

They will scan and email your mail, or shred it as you wish. Or even forward any hard copy to any address in the world you want.

It really is a great service for anyone who travels.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[People>Cash]

Thank you to everyone who posted especially @GlobalWealth @JasonR @biophase

Your contributions have really helped me out and I appreciate that.

I plan on taking my school backpack with 3-4 days of clothes and just my laptop.

I do have friends over in Europe so I think I will visit them first for a couple days then move to my home base city.

I still may do 1 weekend trip somewhere because even when switching over to traveling I enjoy seeing other cities even for a couple days (did this when I was in Australia for 6 months).

Now I need to focus more on my online business to get enough income generation.

Thanks everyone and hope to see you guys soon

 

[Lathan]

Any of you guys used this?