How I Work Remotely and Travel as a Part Time Digital Nomad
We’ve all dreamed about it at some point… lying on a beach in a tropical destination, sipping a cold-pressed juice out of a coconut while earning money from a laptop without worry. This idea (though not entirely accurate for many digital nomads) is what drew me to pursue the digital nomad lifestyle. After nearly 3 years of working remotely and traveling to different cities around the world, I feel like I can confidently say that I’ve experienced the benefits of being a digital nomad, as well as some of the hardships. No two people are the same, and no two digital nomad journeys are the same either. What works for others won’t work for everyone. I’ve had to assess my interests and priorities to figure out how to balance my need for stability with my thirst for adventure, and ultimately determine what travel style works best for me. I now brand myself as a “part time digital nomad” and it works incredibly well for me and my lifestyle constraints. Nowadays, there are tons of great opportunities and digital nomad jobs for beginners, you just have to know what works for you and why before you take the leap.
In this blog post, I will dive deeper into what it means to be a part time digital nomad, as well as share how I make an income while traveling the country and the world. Plus, I’ll also highlight some of the resources I wish I would have known about when starting my remote work journey like SafetyWing Nomad Insurance and Airalo eSims!
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My Life as a Part Time Digital Nomad
When I was younger, I watched docuseries episodes and films from the great travelers of my generation: Samantha Brown, Anthony Bourdain, among others. I watched them in awe as a young girl. How did they get to make travel such a prominent part of their lives, and how can I do that, too? Then, as a teenager I became enthralled with the YouTube travel vloggers who visited destinations from my dreams and made it seem so easy.
Now, as a young woman with a bit more life experience under her belt, I can decisively say that it doesn’t come easy. Making travel a prominent part of your everyday life takes hard work and dedication. Even Samantha Brown and Nomadic Matt had their challenges in the beginning (and likely still run into roadblocks sometimes). Expecting the digital nomad lifestyle to be easy and carefree is naive, especially if you come from a family or culture who might not understand it. That being said, I knew I ultimately wanted to pursue digital nomadism to a certain degree while I was completing my undergraduate program.
My goal was to travel and experience the wonders of the world while still making enough money to support myself financially. Originally, my plan for post-grad life was to either pursue a Fulbright Scholarship, join the Peace Corp, or attend a master’s program abroad. Then, a year before graduating the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everyone’s lives got turned upside down. The fully and partially funded international academic programs that I was considering stopped accepting applications, travel was obviously a no-go, and my degree program transitioned to being fully remote/online.
By the time I actually graduated, I was forced to reconsider my post-grad plans because the world was still very much dealing with the fall out of COVID. Thus, I pursued a remote job as an advertising account manager. Little did I know, I would find remote work and my experience as an account manager incredibly fulfilling.
Over the next 3 years, I bounced back and forth between being a full time digital nomad and a part time digital nomad as I explored my options. I found full time digital nomad life to be a lot of fun but I stepped into that space too quickly without doing much research or planning. After about 5 months of being a full time digital nomad in 2022, I decided to return back to the hybrid digital nomad lifestyle.
In my time so far as a digital nomad over the last several years, I’ve worked remotely from locations such as Honolulu, Hawaii ; Paris, France ; Palm Beach, Florida ; Kampala, Uganda ; Juneau, Alaska ; and many other awesome places!
What is a Part Time Digital Nomad?
Technically, there are several definitions and interpretations of being a part time digital nomad. One explanation is that a part time digital nomad is someone who travels and works remotely part of the year but still has a home base to return to. This is the camp I happen to fall into, and I love it! My home base is in Seattle, WA, and I work a full-time remote role in the tech industry while simultaneously running my travel blog and working on freelance writing projects. This arrangement allows me to travel freely when I want to while still maintaining consistent income and having my own space where I feel comfortable and secure. As long as I have my laptop with me and a strong WiFi connection, I can work from just about anywhere!
Another possible definition of a part time digital nomad is someone who travels year-round and makes a living in part by working digitally, as well as by working an in-person part-time gig wherever they’re located. A lot of part time digital nomads who pursue this path often find jobs working in hospitality or entertainment in their destination of choice, but not always. There are also other options for someone interested in pursuing this path like house sitting, nannying, service industry positions, conducting research, among many other possibilities.
A third definition of a part time digital nomad is someone who works part of the year in an in-person job, but then spends the other part of the year traveling full time while only working remotely. This is common among travel nurses, contract workers in various fields, and other temp roles that only last for a specified duration.
Digital nomad jobs for beginners
The biggest mistake I made while diving into the full time digital nomad scene was that I didn’t do enough research into the variety of job prospects available to me as a beginner. I had a very narrow frame of reference in terms of how someone could make a living and travel the world at the same time. Mostly, I thought I just needed to become an influencer and someone would magically pay me to go wherever I wanted. Spoiler alert: that’s not how it works.
To my defense, I grew up during the rise of the influencer generation with YouTubers and Instagrammers showcasing the luxuries of brand trips, international travel, exotic experiences, and more nonstop everyday. How was I supposed to know about all of these other job opportunities that didn’t involve standing in the spotlight hoping someone would notice me?
Over the last couple years, I’ve learned about some awesome digital nomad jobs for beginners that I previously had never heard of! I want to share those here with you so that you can save yourself a little bit of time in your own research process.
Here are some great jobs that you could pursue to become a digital nomad:
- Work a Remote Job in Any Field (bonus points if it allows you to work flexible hours!)
- Become a Social Media Manager or Social Media Marketer
- Start Freelancing (Writing, Graphic Design, Videography, etc.)
- Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
- Start a Blog – longer term option
- Provide a Digital Service Remotely (SEO Consulting, Content Creation/UGC, Virtual Assistant, etc.)
Some other jobs that allow you to travel (and also work digitally/virtually) include:
- Work at a Hostel
- Lead Group Tours
- House Sit
- Do an Exchange-Based Program
- Become an Au Pair
Digital nomad advantages and disadvantages
There are so many upsides to being a digital nomad, but it’s not all sunshine and roses depending on the work you do and what your arrangement is.
In my opinion, some of the main benefits of being a digital nomad are:
- Freedom to travel the world on your own schedule
- Opportunity to work from anywhere (a beach, a jungle, a boat, etc!)
- Meet new people and experience different cultures
- Usually better work/life balance
- Pursue your passions more intentionally
However, some of the main disadvantages of digital nomad life include:
- Possible lack of consistent income (depending on your working arrangement)
- Travel fatigue / no home base
- Visa requirements and renewals
- General lack of stability (in several areas of your life: relationships, housing, etc.)
- Unknown working conditions/unreliable WiFi
How I Make Money as a Part Time Digital Nomad
Everybody’s circumstances and arrangements are different, and every digital nomad (regardless of if you’re a part time digital nomad or a full time digital nomad) has a unique way of earning a living. I’d posit that many digital nomads have multiple income streams (I have 4 separate income streams/side gigs!) or work side gigs/side hustles that provide additional money.
Speaking for myself, I have several ways of making money as a part time digital nomad. As mentioned earlier, I have a full time remote job. This arrangement allows me to travel when I want while still earning a consistent, regular paycheck each week. Plus, I love my full-time job and I love the work I do. I’m in a customer support focused role but I work back-of-house on the operations/process side of things. Admittedly, I doubt I’ll ever revert back to an in-office working arrangement unless the company/pay/culture checks all of my boxes.
In addition to my remote job, I also have a travel blog (the one you’re reading right now!). I started this blog in 2022 but became somewhat inconsistent with it for a few months here and there when life would get in the way. Right now, the blog does generate revenue through various income streams. Mainly, I earn money through affiliate marketing, ads, and sponsored partnerships. This is great supplemental income that allows me to travel and share my passions with the world!
Another source of income for me as a part time digital nomad is freelance travel writing. I do a few gigs and projects each quarter that allow me to refine my professional writing skills AND get paid for it! Plus, it’s great exposure and lends itself to my general credibility as a travel writer. The pay for these types of projects varies drastically, and the work is generally pretty inconsistent if I’m not pitching to editors and publications regularly. However, it’s a nice option to be able to pick up a piece when I want a little bit of extra exposure or money in my pocket! Here is a piece I wrote for Matador Network titled, “7 Best Places to Get Coffee in Seattle that Aren’t Starbucks“!
One of my other side gigs that’s totally unrelated to travel writing/blogging that gives me an easy stream of income is survey taking and data annotation work! I learned about this from TikTok, actually, and it’s been a fun way to earn a few hundred dollars here and there when I need it. It certainly isn’t passive income but it’s relatively easy work that can be done in small batches whenever you have spare time. I specifically use the platforms Prolific and Remotasks, though I don’t do it as often anymore now that my other side gigs have picked up steam.
Make sure to check out my favorite remote work / digital nomad essentials on Amazon!
Resources for Digital Nomads
If you’re a digital nomad or if you’re thinking about becoming a digital nomad, you’ll want to know of some key resources that will help you in your digital nomad journey.
The first and arguably the most important resource you’ll need as a digital nomad is travel medical insurance. Long-term travelers and digital nomads should absolutely have an insurance policy that combines travel insurance with medical insurance to ensure they’re protected against anything that could go wrong. My personal recommendation for a travel medical insurance policy is undoubtedly SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. It’s hands down the best option available for digital nomads looking for the full package. I explain all of the details you need to know about SafetyWing Nomad Insurance in this blog post, so be sure to reference that post in your search for a travel medical insurance policy. You can also learn more about SafetyWing Nomad Insurance on their website!
Another key resource to have as a digital nomad is an eSim provider. I’ve loved using Airalo when I travel internationally as a digital nomad because their eSims are inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to reload for more data access! For reference, I spent 8 days in France this past summer and bought 5 GB of data for less than $20 USD. I didn’t even need that much considering access to WiFi was solid. You can read more about Airalo eSims by checking out their website, or you can download the Airalo app here!
If you’re looking for budget accommodations, I always recommend using Hostelworld. It’s such an easy platform to navigate and it makes finding affordable accommodations fun. Plus, the filters you can use to narrow down your search are perfect for digital nomads who can’t waiver on certain amenities such as free WiFi, communal working space, and long-term stay options.
Final Thoughts: Lifestyle and Benefits of being a digital nomad
In my opinion, the benefits of being a digital nomad far outweigh the costs but every traveler has a different set of priorities and interests. For me, being a part time digital nomad allows me to fulfill certain passions and priorities while still earning a consistent paycheck and developing a full-time career in my industry.
I love working remotely because it gives me the freedom to travel and have an incredible work/life balance. If you’re just starting to think about becoming a digital nomad, make sure to do your research on digital nomad jobs for beginners before you set off on your adventure. But mostly, remember that your life is only lived once and that the digital nomad lifestyle can offer incredible opportunities for personal and professional growth if you find the right fit for you. Happy traveling digital nomads!
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