1) Remote work 🏖️
Of course, one way - and the easiest way - to do it is to simply be employed by a company that lets you work from anywhere. This is an ideal situation, as you get to keep your financial stability and perks like paid vacation days or sick leave. This scenario becomes more and more popular, especially after the pandemic changed the way we work all over the world. The only issue you may encounter when navigating working from anywhere is the time difference, so maybe keep that in mind when choosing your dream destination. Doesn’t sound like something that you can do? No worries, there are plenty of other ways!
2) Start your own business 🤵
Yes, yes, easier said than done - but in the long run, this is a great way to sustain a lifestyle as a digital nomad. At the end of the day, you get to be your own boss, decide your own hours, preferred time zones and enjoy the freedom of having your own business. In the beginning, you’ll probably need alternative sources of income. Consider freelancing, an actual physical job in your host country or renting your property back home if you own one. Having your own business or freelancing is no easy task and saving time is crucial, so check out this article to find out what to look for in a business bank account.
3) Blogging💻
One of the main rising stars of the digital world, blogging can now be a full time career and you can make a lot of money through it. Granted, the competition is fierce, but if you find a good niche and learn the magic of telling stories that people love to read...you may just be the lucky one! You can start by taking a couple of online courses that teach you the basics of blogging, storytelling and standing out from the crowd. It will probably take a while for your blog to have a dedicated audience that you can really influence, but with patience and persistence...everything is possible. A great benefit of having your own blog is that it brings so many opportunities for making money, like…
4) Affiliate marketing📈
This is the process by which an affiliate (you) earns a commission for marketing another person's or company's products. If your blog is popular enough, brands will want to be mentioned in your stories, or place a banner on your pages. Every time your readers click on their link or make a purchase, you get a percentage / fixed amount for that. Sweet, isn’t it? Of course, before you become the next Oprah, you can contact the brands yourself and get your foot in the door already!
5) Translations📚
No remote working opportunity, not starting your own business and not great at blogging? No worries, we’re just starting out. Freelancing is a very popular way of making money for digital nomads. You could start by offering your services for translations regarding projects in a language you’re fluent in. Some projects may require professional skills or knowledge in a certain industry, but there are plenty of opportunities out there that require just that: knowing 2 languages very well.
6) SEO services☝️
SEO is a trendy, shiny topic for anyone that needs to market their product, but few understand it or even want to deal with it. If you’re not an SEO expert, there are many affordable or even free courses online that can help you get there! Even Google offers one. The good part about this path is that the skills needed can be developed regardless of “talent”, something that blogging, for example requires.
7) Coaching or teaching online🧑🏫
If you’re thinking “but I don’t have anything to teach”, there’s a 99% chance that’s not true. You probably have more skills than you’re aware of, and there’s someone out there who’d love to learn. When evaluating your skills, don’t only think about your previous jobs, but also consider transferable skills that you may have learnt along the way. Nowadays there are plenty of coaching platforms available, or you could do 1 on 1 online classes with your clients. Another thing to consider is creating courses that you can sell online. This takes some time and effort (filming, editing, uploading, etc), but you only have to do it once and then...spread the word!
8) Resume creation📝
This is another freelancing opportunity that you can develop skills for (if you don’t already have them) and transform them into a money making opportunity from anywhere. Offering your services as a resume creator means that people who don’t really know how to put together their work experience and skills come to you. They’re hoping you can create a resume that stands out, focuses on their strengths and helps them land that next dream job. In other words, you’re really impacting someone’s future!
9) Data entry📑
Data entry may not be your dream gig, but while you build skills for something else or simply looking for your first way to make money as a digital nomad, this is a good start. It doesn’t take specific knowledge and there are no courses you need to attend in advance - simply put in some time and focus, and you may just get your first digital income!
10) Graphic designer or video editor🎨
We’re not gonna lie, these ones take some serious skills and talent, but if you’re one of the lucky ones that can master it, it’s an amazing freelance opportunity to work from anywhere. It’s creative, it’s in demand and it’s very transferable between industries. A simple search for “freelance graphic designer” will show you that the world is your oyster as long as you’ve got what it takes! Moreover, you can use these skills later if you ever want to start your own business or launch your own digital nomad blog.
There you go! 10 ways digital nomads make money🌈
Is this something you’d like to do? Wherever you end up, make sure you have a that as international as you are.
