Have you ever wondered what a digital nomad is? In this article you’ll find out, and might even be inspired to become one yourself..

Have you ever wondered what a digital nomad is? The word gets banded around a lot these days, but lots of people still don’t really understand what the term means. Interestingly, when a lot of people do understand what a digital nomad is, they often aspire to lead a similar lifestyle. It’s not right for everyone, but it might just be right for you.

Let’s take a closer look at what a digital nomad is and, how you could become one:

What is A Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad is a person who works remotely online. They could be managing a drop-shipping business, writing, working as a consultant or even a remote teacher. As long as the job can be done with an internet connection, it works for this kind of lifestyle.

The nomad part of the title comes from the lifestyle of the person working remotely. Because there is the freedom to work from anywhere with an internet connection, digital nomads tend to move around, working from different locations and combining travel with their work.

In addition, the nomad part of the title suggests the person does not have a home through choice. Often they may have minimal belongings on their person enabling them to move from place to place whenever they want with ease. Of course, they may have a cheap self storage unit with more substantial things held securely, but that cheap self storage unit could remain untouched for long periods of time as they travel around freely.

For The Love Of Travel

Many people don’t just work remotely, but operate as a digital nomad for the love of travel. That is where the amazing Instagram images of people working on a beach or with mountain ranges in the background come from. When you can work online you can work anywhere with good WIFI or internet connection. In addition, when you’re not working you have all the time you want to explore the place you have travelled to. You may well choose your own working hours so the freedom you have to explore and lead the kind of life you have always dreamed of is extensive.

Becoming A Digital Nomad

Do you fancy the digital nomad life? If the kind of lifestyle where you travel around working online and having adventures tickles your fancy, why not make it happen? If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that life is too short not to do the things we want to do.

To get there you’ll need to figure out how your life would need to change. For some people who already work remotely, it could be as simple as chucking everything into cheap self storage and getting on a plane. For others, there may be a career change, lifestyle change and other important moves to make to get to a digital nomad lifestyle. If permanent digital nomad life isn’t possible, there’s always the chance of a temporary hiatus from your current situation. A gap between careers perhaps? A temporary remote position taken on holiday maybe?

The key to making digital nomadism happen for you is having a view to problem solve. How can you work around the hurdles that prevent you getting where you want?

For more information on the ‘settler vs digital nomad’ life checkout this informative Youtube video.

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure, self-determined, self-motivated, often risky, forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world.” – Mark Jenkins

Whether you fancy becoming a digital nomad or not, their lifestyles can certainly inspire us all to nurture the kind of life we want, because life overall, really is too short not to.

 

 

6 Tips To Help You Become A Digital Nomad

 

Become a digital nomad, find out the best approaches to working a life as a free from the constraints of location or a normal 9-5

 

 

Becoming a digital nomad means living a life where you can live anywhere you want, working solely on the internet.

Removing the constraints of a traditional 9-5 really is living the dream for many people. However, it doesn’t just happen. For most of us, there’s a lot of work involved to get to the point of being a digital nomad. We can’t do the hard work for you, but we do have 10 tips to help you understand what is needed to gain this incredible lifestyle.

Here are our top 6 tips to help you become a digital nomad:

1. Make A Career Plan

A digital nomad career cannot involve a commitment to a certain time and place if you want the freedom to travel. Making a career plan that gets you to that place of only needing the internet to work is key to accessing this kind of lifestyle.

2. Start Cutting Down On Stuff

Freedom to work from anywhere means freeing yourself of ‘stuff’. Most digital nomads only carry a backpack or small case with them from country to country. Belongings really can weigh you down in more ways than one. Start decluttering and minimizing what you own. If you don’t want to get rid of everything, cheap self storage could be a great solution.

3. Ensure Your Online Kit Is Sound

As your online access is your livelihood it makes sense that your online kit has to be really good. Look for these features when sorting out your online kit:

• Travel-suitable
• Easily replaced
• Not so flashy it attracts thieves
• Lightweight
• Easy to get in and out of a bag
• Fits in a standard backpack
• Reliable internet connection
• Easy to use in any setting

4. Truly Consider What Is Involved

The digital nomad life is something that can be thought of as a holiday by those who have not tried it out. It is so important to recognise that it is not always easy. There are many hardships, sacrifices and downsides to consider before you commit to this kind of life. A really great way to try it out is to chuck your things into cheap self storage and give it a go for a few months. This kind of non-commital approach is a really good idea if you’re unsure if you could hack a life living on the road.

5. Get Dreaming

Something as huge as becoming a digital nomad is not going to happen without hard work. Although you should think about the practicalities in detail, you should also get dreaming. Having big dreams and goals will help you push yourself towards the result you really want.

6. Stay Open-Minded

There are many paths to success, not just one. Stay open minded about opportunities that can help you get where you want to go when it comes to being a digital nomad. Maybe you work on an internship abroad for a year leading on to freelance work. Perhaps you work in a country that isn’t your ideal choice for a while, because it is cheaper. Maybe you start being a digital nomad in the UK before travelling abroad is possible. Stay open minded, and experience the journey, rather than constantly seeking the destination.

Hopefully these 6 tips have helped you think more about your digital nomad dream. It is more than possible for many people with many professions to work online and to work from anywhere.

Your dreams can come true, but first, make plans and start your journey. The sooner you start doing something, the sooner you stop doing nothing.

 

5 Ways To Save Money In London As A Digital Nomad

Working as a digital nomad in London? These tips will help you save money in this beautiful but expensive city.

Over 9 million people live in London, and for good reason. It has culture, history, a fantastic foodie scene, a great nightlife, phenomenal architecture and a thriving economy. As a digital nomad location it’s kind of perfect…with one downside – it can be super expensive.

The good news is that there are ways to make the most of this great remote worker location without having to splash the cash, here’s how;

1. Be Accommodation Savvy

Renting a home in London can be incredibly expensive with landlords sometimes asking for thousands of pounds in advance rent and fees up front. The closer to the middle of London you want to live, the more expensive it gets, too. There are options like hotels, hostels and Airbnb’s but in reality you will still have to pay a premium. Instead, the cheapest option is to rent a room. There are an abundance of short term contracts available in all different areas too. It’s cost effective to live this way, especially if you move your stuff into self storage in London so you don’t need much space to live comfortably.

2. Eat Cheaply

There are some amazing places to eat in London, but doing this day to day can be really expensive. Instead try to do a ‘big shop’ at cheaper supermarkets (think Aldi not Wholefoods). You can also take advantage of apps like OLIO and Too Good To Go which offer a huge range of yummy foods for free or cheap, with the most options available to those who are not fussy eaters.

3. Always Opt For Happy Hour!

It can cost a lot of money for a night out in London. Think upwards of £10 a pint or cocktail in some areas. Instead, checkout where all the best happy hour offers are and plan your night around those. There are cheap nights out to be had in London, but at the expense of doing some research beforehand.

4. Love Eco Transport

You can get an Oyster card to travel cheaply on buses or the underground in London. However, the cheapest way to travel in Central London is with walking or cycling. Everything is closer than you might think. So if you want to save your wallet and the planet whilst burning calories, this is the way to do it. No room to house a bike at home? Keep it in self storage in London instead.

5. Find Working Spaces

There are hot desks and offices to hire in London but the rates aren’t as cheap as in other cities. Instead, consider working from home and then going out for meetings or fun only. Alternatively if you are willing to travel a little out of the main areas you can find good cafes to work in. Just remember to top up your drink every now and again to keep it fair – especially if you’re using an independent coffee shop and not a chain cafe.

Hopefully you’re feeling a little more optimistic about your chance of living for less as a digital nomad in London. It is an expensive city compared to others in Europe. However, with the right approach it can cost less, whilst you still enjoy everything it has to offer.