How to Become a Digital Nomad With No Experience (7 steps)
My life fits into a suitcase and a few odd bags. I mostly buy one-way tickets, have friends across the globe and work out of cafes while traveling. This is a snapshot of my life. I’m a digital nomad and I love it.
So if you’re looking to join me by making travel a key part of your life, then you’re in the right place. This is how to become a digital nomad (with no experience necessary).
Because here’s the truth, anyone can become a digital nomad and it doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing pursuit. Few things in life are this binary.
So with that, let’s do this!
Table of Contents Show
What’s A Digital Nomad?
A digital nomad is someone who works remotely while traveling at least part-time. They usually have location flexibility and only need an internet connection to make money.
Making laptop money is becoming increasingly common and easier than ever before. You can even make a living with just your smartphone! But I recommend grabbing a laptop to make life easier and expand your options.
Benefits of Being a Digital Nomad
See the world, experience cultures and travel more
Meet amazing people who are like-minded
Improve your discipline and resilience
Location flexibility and freedom
Live in more affordable areas and save money
Improve your life-work balance
Downsides of the Digital Nomad Life
It’s not always easy or comfortable
You need a flexible life
You often need to plan multiple trips ahead of time
Taxes get trickier
Understanding work vs. tourist visas is nuanced
Need work that’s beyond remote (e.g., different time zones is hard for meetings)
How to Become a Digital Nomad With no Experience (7 steps)
1. Know Your ‘Why’
Your why is your motivation, your North Star. Clarifying this is essential because it’s what pushes you through all the difficult parts of being a digital nomad.
When you ground yourself with your why, you can make decisions quicker and are less influenced by struggles or doubts.
Here are some things that help me find clarity:
Your expectations
Your goals
Your inspirations
Your experiences
Your motivations
Your lifestyle
Explore More:
➤ How to Define Your Freaking Why
2. Find Flexible Remote Work
Money, work — these are two things that can either make or break your digital nomad hopes and dreams. So let’s get things figured out!
Luckily, it’s modern life and making money while you travel is more possible than ever before.
And if you’re not sure where to start, follow the quote from above’s advice: use the knowledge, tools and connections you already have. When trying to build an online income, tap into any existing resources you have to make things easier.
Also think about how much you’ll need to cover your expenses. You may end up needing less than your home country (especially if you choose somewhere affordable like Southeast Asia).
Here are some popular ways to earn money as a digital nomad:
Do freelance work
Try the Amazon Influencer Program
Find a flexible job
Start a remote business
Offer your expertise through consulting
Sell digital products
If you’re struggling to find work, you can research other options too, such as volunteering abroad (with someone like WWOOF), looking for hostel exchange work or housesitting (through somewhere like Trusted House Sitters).
Also, there are more options to get into this life — but more on that below (tips 5 & 6).
Explore More:
➤ Best Remote Jobs for Travelers
3. Research Destinations
As a digital nomad, you have the freedom to go wherever you feel like (more or less). Still, a little research and planning helps.
So, where do you want to travel to and explore? Do you prefer staying in one place for many months or hopping around many locations more quickly? How about the type of destination — do you prefer adventurous places full of nature or living in the city?
What type of traveler are you?
These are all important things to consider. While it’s good to experience new things outside of your comfort zones, it’s also smart to start with something familiar or easy.
The digital nomad life is already uniquely challenging, so picking the right places will make your life easier. For example, some destinations are just set up better for remote work and foreign residents or visitors.
Here are a few popular destinations for digital nomads:
Bali
Portugal
Spain
Japan
Thailand
Costa Rica
4. Prepare (digital nomad checklist)
The digital nomad life requires preparation. So getting good at planning helps.
Things like travel visas, taxes, budgeting and destination research are important elements to think about before leaving. While I support spontaneous travel, some stuff can’t be left to chance.
So here’s a checklist of things you should prepare before embarking on your digital nomad life:
Research entry requirements for your destinations
Apply for a digital nomad visa if you need one
Create a budget and plan for extra
Get long-term travel insurance before you leave
Book accommodations — I like to stay in share houses
Remember to file taxes in your home country
Figure out logistics (selling your stuff, banking, getting paid, travel credit card)
Get a virtual mailbox if you need one
Double check your travel essentials before you leave
Plan your next stops and buy those tickets ahead of time
*You need proof of onward travel as a tourist overseas
Explore More:
➤ Stuck Abroad With no Money? (what to do)
5. Start Slow
You don’t need to go all in, all at once. You can live a more flexible, part-time digital nomad life too — this is what I do a lot of actually.
For example, you can spend three month overseas and then a couple months back home before heading out again to your next destination. This lets you maintain a home base, a somewhat ‘normal’ life balance and can even save some money too.
But it’s also a great way to try the digital nomad lifestyle before committing fully. It’s like test-driving the car before you buy it.
You can even start by just working remotely and taking more vacations nearby. Get a taste for cafe offices and working out of different rooms and cities.
The more you push yourself, the better you’ll get and the more you’ll learn about yourself. So when you do hop on a plane for a longer-term situation, it should go a lot smoother.
6. Consider the Alternatives (become an expat)
An expat is someone who lives and works or studies outside of their home country.
While this isn’t technically becoming a digital nomad, it’s still a great way to live the nomadic lifestyle and something that can segue into digital nomadism quite easily.
This is actually how I started my digital nomad life.
I started my travel life as an English teacher overseas, before finding remote work and eventually going full-time with this jazz.
Working abroad will get you a visa but it also requires that you stay and live in one specific country. Still, working abroad will give you more travel opportunities than most.
Here are a few ways to become an expat:
Teach English abroad
Find work in tech
Study abroad
Attend a language school
Applying for a digital nomad visa
Work in hospitality
Marry someone from overseas
Start a business overseas
Moving abroad segues into a lot of travel opportunities. So if you’re struggling to find sustainable remote work, this can often be another entry point into the nomadic lifestyle.
Explore More:
➤ How to Move to Japan
7. Have a Routine
A routine makes the digital nomad life more sustainable. This is especially true if you’re working remotely and have things you need to do. For me, my routine is pretty typical — I wake up slow and do most of my client work in the afternoons. I try to save evenings and weekends for my personal projects and social stuff.
But if you’re living a digital nomad life, chances are you can stay more flexible and just do whatever works best for you.
So here are a few tips for creating a routine as a digital nomad:
Use workflows and systems
Make your routine realistic and easy to follow
Attach your daily tasks to larger goals and projects
Make time for free time and relaxing
Bonus (have a travel project)
I always have a travel project. This adds more intention, meaning and purpose to all my exploring. It makes travel life that much more engaging and fulfilling.
This blog is a travel project. My music is a travel proejct. And all the photos and videos I take for my unpopular socials, those are projects too.
This last step is optional, but I totally recommend it. Maybe I’m biased (as an artist person), but it makes travel feel more inspiring and deeper.
So get creative. And go make something. Or at least try it out.
(you’ll thank me)
Explore More:
➤ Have Travel Projects (traveling with a purpose)
Later ✌️
Anyone can become a digital nomad — and no experience needed! It just requires a leap of faith and the right strategy.
The biggest hurdle is figuring out money and work logistics. Luckily, making money online is more accessible than ever before. So I like to start with this logistical detail first (as well as clarifying my ‘why’).
From there, researching destinations and proper planning is essential. The digital nomad life comes with extra nuances that require attention (taxes, visa planning, buying tickets for proof onward travel, etc.).
But it’s far from impossible. And you can always start slow or become a part-time digital nomad first.
A life of travel is a fun one. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it!
FAQs
-
Technically, yes. If you're staying in another country and working/making money, you should have a digital nomad visa. Of course, there are plenty of digital nomads blurring the lines and grey areas abound! So it's best to check with a visa professional for more guidance.
-
It depends on your lifestyle, needs and location. But I always like to over-budget and have a contingency fund in case I need to buy a ticket quickly or have an unexpected expense. For me (staying in Japan as a budget traveler and single dude with around $600 in bills back home), I can get by comfortably with around $2,000 USD/month.
-
Yes and no. It's simple to do, but harder to execute. It takes some confidence to step into the unknown. And building a sustainable income online can take some time. But if you stick with it, anyone can become a digital nomad.
-
Any remote work that has location and time flexibility is perfect. It depends on your skills, experience and preferences. Here are some examples:
Freelancing
Consulting or coaching
Starting a blog or becoming an influencer
Selling products online (digital, ecom)
-
There are many countries that are great for digital nomads. Here are some tips to choose the best one for you:
See if they have a digital nomad visa
Make sure there's good internet there
Check for safety
Look for good infrastructure (transportation, water, healthcare, etc.)
Go to places that are foreigner-friendly
-
Insurance is super important while traveling. Because things happen!
I always use SafetyWing travel insurance. This covers major things or medical emergencies.
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.