8 Tips to Travel as a Digital Nomad
The Digital Nomad Lifestyle
In the age of the Internet, a new brand of job has grown into a robust field. Learning to travel as a digital nomad or remote worker has become a lifestyle choice for many people.
Working as a digital nomad is a huge benefit to travelers. It allows for continuous financial support and earnings from anywhere in the world with a WIFI connection. It has the additional advantage of matching currency with the country of work, rather than the country a person is currently residing in.
There are plenty of ways to become a digital nomad, especially for beginning travelers.
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Blogger
Average Yearly Salary: $42,618
The first and most common type of digital nomad are those who own a website, blog or have a strong presence on social media. People who do well generating internet traffic through their website can expect monetary compensation through advertisements, product sales, entertainment deals and more. Though this is generally something that requires a lot of initial legwork, working online as a website owner or blogger has allowed many digital nomads to become full time travelers.
Digital ESL Teacher
Average Yearly Salary: $40,303
Teaching English as a Second Language has traditionally been one of the best methods for young people to see the world. A person might head to a foriegn country and begin work as a teacher, working in their native English.
With the advancement of technology, much of this industry has moved online. Digital teachers are now common and very sought after. Though the Teaching English industry is one of the easiest to break into, people can teach virtually anything online. Working as a life coach, specialized subject professor and more are all online teaching options.
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Copyediting and Copywriting
Average Yearly Salary: $62,599
The digital world is starving for more and more content everyday. More content generally means more relevance which attracts more web traffic for websites.
Blogs, companies, agencies and freelancers all hire teams of copywriters to generate content at a rapid pace. These companies also hire a considerable number of editors to refine work and ensure it’s high-quality enough for publication.
This work is entirely remote, making it a useful industry to have experience in for travelers.
Virtual Assistant
Average Hourly Earnings : $19.46
Virtual assistants are an interesting field. They work to help businesses function remotely by performing a wide range of tasks. Schedule management, team communication, administrative coordinating, arranging travel and organizing emails are a few of the basic tasks virtual assistants perform.
A virtual assistant is an entirely remote job. Though it requires an individual to stay on a schedule regardless of current time zone, the field is easy to get started in and can generate considerable income while traveling.
Graphic Designer
Average Yearly Salary: $53,380
Graphic designers are people who create logos, design advertisements and provide visual and creative imagery for consumers. The graphic design field generally requires a strong understanding of the marketplace and working knowledge of visual-artistic and design programs.
Though this field requires a level of artistic ability, it is an excellent field to work in remotely.
Programmer
Average Yearly Salary: $93,000
Programmers, or those who write code for computer software, are among the most well-paid individuals on this list. Programmers require considerable expertise when coding, but their skills are in constant demand. They are extremely well compensated for their efforts and this remains one of the most lucrative remote-jobs out there.
Photographer and Videographer
Average Yearly Salary: $55,160
Some jobs many people are passionate about is photography and videography. For travelers, this field means taking videos and photos of many destinations, building a large amount of content independently or for companies.
Skilled camera expertise is in high demand. People who travel as a digital nomad photographer generally have to carefully balance the weight and bulk of equipment with the ability to go from place to place.
Trading, Sales and Stocks
Average Yearly Salary (Day Trader): $12,265 to $328,665 , with a median salary of $59,038
Another very potentially lucrative remote job is rooted in investments, trading and sales. This field can be done from anywhere and earnings are highly dependent on practice, skills and research.
This field generally has a large learning curve. Like anything else, learning how to trade takes a bit of time, and most beginners will lose money initially. However, for people who can persevere, there are substantial earnings.
Social Media Manager
Average Yearly Salary: $71,917
Social Media, for better or worse, has taken over a significant segment of the world. The potential earnings through sponsorships, ads and promotions are undeniable.
However, Social Media is a large, multi-platform beast. It takes considerable time to manage several accounts while promoting regular content updates during peak hours.
Many jobs involve people with this expertise. A social media manager can work from anywhere in the world to promote content, handle feedback and sort information.
Advertising
Average Yearly Salary: $63,002
Advertising agencies have gradually moved online as the years have gone by. Powerful digital tools for ad creation have become available on individual computers, allowing experts to work remotely. Advertising is an industry defined by online work with different teams, making time zones and remote meetings important.
Advertising is an excellent way to ensure regular income while still having the option to travel as a digital nomad.
Product Tester
Average Yearly Salary: $87,750 per year or up to $45 per hour
Most products require substantial “stress testing” before they enter the market. People who run the beta tests on these products are generally called product testers.
Product testers might work online testing software and applications, or they might be required to review games and content for errors. Product testers are commonly told to “test to break.” This means that unusual activities are cycled through in the hopes of finding errors which programmers or product creators can correct. Product testers also might be asked to rate products on usability and functional intuitiveness.
Travel as a Digital Nomad with Any Job
In reality, almost every job in the world has an online equivalent where remote work is possible. The internet has evolved into a powerful economic and financial tool allowing for a person to take their career online at any time.
Doctors can provide online consultations, physical fitness trainers can create workout videos, MMA fighters can move into podcasts and engineers can shift to digital schematics.
For travelers, remote work is a godsend. It allows for a constant inflow of cash while still maintaining a vagabond lifestyle.
Keep up with life as a digital nomad by reading the Leftfade Trails Travel Blog
Working as a digital nomad means ensuring your data, files and work is backed up in a secure space. I started working remotely while living in Asia, and losing important documents, files and company property would have been catastrophic. I purchased the portable Seagate 5TB Hard Drive. It functions with USB ports, packs easily and has plenty of space. There are various options and prices depending on the user’s personal and professional needs. For travelers wishing to secure their remote work, this hard drive is an excellent option.
Another piece of equipment I’ve come to rely on as a digital nomad is the iClever Foldable Keyboard. Often, when traveling, desk space isn’t always available. Work has to be done near poorly-placed power outlets or while lounging in a lakeside hammock. Having this lightweight, Bluetooth connective and rechargeable keyboard has made my life far easier. The keyboard folds up quite small, making it easy to pack. But it also comes with braced hinges, making it sturdy when being used. I’ve hooked mine up to write reports on my phone, laptop and a reading tablet. While not a strict necessity of the digital nomad lifestyle, it’s made my life of digital work far more pleasant.
Stay safe while working as a digital nomad with recommended travel-security resources and free, helpful applications: