Have you ever dreamed of becoming a digital nomad? Working and travelling around the world sounds amazing, but it’s not something everyone can do. Unless you have a trust fund or plenty of savings you’ll probably need some ways of earning an income. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad to earn money anywhere.
Jobs you can do as a digital nomad
Personally, I would be a digital nomad if I didn’t have kids. But it’s definitely a plan for the future. At the very least I try to get as much travel as I can in and as a writer and web designer I have the flexibility to pack up and leave whenever I want. No boss to ask permission from.
A lot of people ask me how to get started working online. Whether you want the job because of travel or just so you can work at home with your kids, you need things with flexibility. Online teaching, for example, is great but you can’t do that from an airport bar.
What is a digital nomad?
Before I suggest some jobs you can do as a digital nomad I better explain what it is. A digital nomad is someone who travels around often for weeks, months, or even years at a time while still working. That might mean living and working in Thailand for 3 months or spending a year travelling around Europe working at various destinations.
Because the work is done online, digital nomads are able to work from anywhere without having to worry about specific work visas.
Here’s some jobs you can do as a digital nomad so you can travel and work:
Professional writer
This is definitely one of the most versatile jobs. You just need a laptop and you’re good to go. Depending on the type of writing you do you might not even need steady internet access, which is perfect for travel. Especially if you’re visiting places with less than optimal infrastructure.
A professional writer can come in many forms: you might write novels, or maybe you write articles for certain websites. Even technical writers might find the flexibility to become a digital nomad!
Blogger
This is a given, but it still has merit to talk about. Being a blogger doesn’t earn money overnight but with some steady work you definitely can make some money blogging. Depending on your lifestyle, blog’s success, and existing savings it could be more than enough to live the digital nomad lifestyle.
What’s better, blogging about being a digital nomad can make your adventures more fun!
Online tutor or professor (asynchronous)
If you have some kind of education and experience combination that could qualify you as an online tutor or teacher, there are ways to do this from anywhere. One would be getting a job at an online school or university that operates asynchronously. That means you don’t have to do live lectures and can grade assignments from a laptop anywhere in the world.
You’ll probably have to set up some office hours in the timezone of where your school is based, but these don’t have to be every day (at least in my experience taking online classes). You’ll also need phone access during that time and mostly regular internet access.
Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants perform all kinds of jobs from the comfort of their homes so it makes sense that you could do this job from anywhere. Popular tasks are uploading content to blogs, managing social media, and sending in dropship store orders.
Virtual assistants often find work on Facebook groups but you can also set up your own website/resume to sell yourself.
Dropshipper
Dropshipping is touted as a get rich quick option with low investment but that’s really not true. Still, if you already have a successful store or you know a thing or two about marketing it can be something that earns a good income from anywhere.
The great thing about dropshipping is there is minimal investment upfront and you products ship from the suppliers so no need to carry any inventory. Perfect for a digital nomad lifestyle.
Web or graphic designer
This is the other half to my professional writing that earns me a good living. My clients are already located all over the country so it really doesn’t matter where you are when it comes to creating digital content.
This isn’t an industry you can just jump into with no skills but it is something you can scale to a nomadic lifestyle if it’s something you’re skilled at.
Photographer jobs you can do as a digital nomad
Being a digital nomad and photographer can be interesting for sure. Photography is universal – no matter where you go you can probably line up some gigs. Especially once you get a decent portfolio going and some clout.
Another way photographers can become digital nomads is if they do travel photography. Either they can sell their own photos (licensed or prints) or do commissions for clients.
Digital marketing and SEO consulting
If you’re already experienced in either of these fields then you know that the work is all done online. Sometimes you can luck out with jobs and get something that allows remote work. Usually you’ll be tied to office hours, but not always.
You can also start a freelance business and take on marketing clients. That way you’re able to set your own schedule and work from anywhere in the world.
Influencer
When I was in Cuba recently I saw a young woman taking a series of photos and videos of herself in the ocean. She was working alone with a tripod and spent the better part of the morning trying to get some perfect shots. Make no mistake, being an influencer is work.
If you have a social media following you can use that to secure paid sponsorships and other deals with companies. They’ll pay you to promote their products and you can use that income to keep growing your following thanks to a digital nomad lifestlye.
Combine jobs you can do as a digital nomad
More than likely you’ll have to do a few of these, especially at first, to be able to quit your day job to travel the world. Many of them go hand in hand anyway and it is possible to grow a successful internet business even if you don’t have any formal education.
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