How to Become a Digital Nomad - Start With a Side Hustle

So, you've got dreams of one day leaving your desk behind, gallivanting around the globe and earning money at the same time. Welcome to the club. Stepping away from the comfort and security of a full time job to step out into the unknown, however, can be extremely daunting, stressful and (at times) unrealistic. So, what can you do to start living that digital nomad lifestyle you crave when it seems the most impossible or unlikely time to do it? Well, dear reader, you can start living that lifestyle anyways. Just do it on the side. And do as much as you are able to do.

Becoming a digital nomad on a part time basis or treating it as a side hustle is great because it not only keeps your mind in the travelling zone when you're stuck at your 9 to 5 job, but also allows you to start your digital nomad life small, and scale from there. The good news, too, is it's relatively inexpensive (or even free) to start living the digital nomad lifestyle. You can honestly start by creating an Instagram page, posting old travel photos and building a following to start generating income. All that requires is a bit of your time and dedication. That's it.

So, if you've got a bit of free time and really want a taste of that digital nomad culture, then go for it. It's totally doable when you have a full time job. All you need to do is start small, and scale from there. Don't know where to start? Here are a few ideas to get you going:

Start a Travel Blog

One of the easiest ways to hop into the digital nomad sphere on a part time basis is to start a travel blog (or any blog for that matter). That's because they're relatively easy to start, fairly inexpensive, and can be worked on whenever you have time. Some people's schedules may allow them to write an article every day. Some people may only be able to write an article once a month. It doesn't matter. The beauty of the blog is that it's yours, and you can attend to it whenever and however you see fit.

Once you do start building a bit of a following, you may want to do some affiliate marketing with other travel brands, or even do some sponsored posts to help produce a bit of a side income (this is an article about being a digital nomad after all)! There are limitless ways to monetize your blog, so get crafting some articles, and then get creative on how you make money from your writing efforts.

Build Your Social Networks

As mentioned briefly in the intro, building up your social networks (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.) is free. That makes it one of the most cost-effective ways to start a side hustle digital nomad gig. All you need to do is put in a bit of effort to gain new followers and build your travel community. Once you've built up your following, you can then do sponsored posts to start generating a bit of side income.

Additionally, as your digital nomad side hustle grows, you will be able to promote other digital nomad side hustle ideas, such as a potential travel blog for all of your followers to read (see above).

Sell a Service

Now, if posting selfies all day long or writing articles isn't your thing, you could always take a look at the kinds of services you can provide, and then sell them to customers either locally or internationally. Think about skills like writing, photography and graphic design. Lots of companies and brands are always looking for individuals that can provide this work for them.

You've probably seen some people have the title "Content Creator" in their Instagram bio. That literally just means that they sell the service of literally making content for their potential customer's websites and social media pages. That's it. If other digital nomads can sell that, surely there is a skill that you have that you can sell as well.

Write an eBook

If you've done a fair amount of travelling during your vacations from work, why not write an eBook about some of your journeys? Writing an eBook can be a great way to make some side cash when working at a full time job. You can literally chip away at it whenever you feel like it. And, if you already have a fair amount of travel under your belt, you can easily turn those stories into adventure books.

Or, even better, you could create some travel guides about some of the places you've gone to help other travelers out there plan their trips. There will always be like-minded travelers out there looking for advice on specific places or just on traveling in general, so let them in on some of your nomad knowledge by making it available in a user friendly eBook format.It's also never been easier to publish an eBook. Sites like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and Blurb allow you to easily upload your manuscript and start selling on their markets within minutes. All you need to do is write / edit your book, upload the contents, and sit back while the money rolls in, and by sit back, I mean market your book on your blog and social channels. That book won't sell itself!

Create Custom Trip Itineraries

Chances are you know some people that want to travel, but have no idea where to go, or what to do once they get there. A lot of the time, these people probably ask you for advice, since you are (presumably since you're reading this article) the travel type, so why not work as a trip consultant and create a custom itinerary for a fee? You probably know how to find the best flight, hotel, and excursion deals, and you probably enjoy researching new places, so make some money while doing it. Just try not to get too sad when you realize that you're not the one that will be going on the trip. You will, however, have a perfect trip itinerary to reference back to if you do ever decide to go to the places you research.

So, living the digital nomad life on a part time basis is totally possible, even if you spend the majority of your time at a full time job. Whether you write a blog article from time to time, or chip away at an eBook, all of the avenues above can lead to some extra side income. And that side income feels really, really good. Especially considering it's associated with traveling. And who knows. Maybe one day your digital nomad side hustle will grow and grow and grow, and you'll be a full on, world travelling, highly successful, full time digital nomad.

To learn more about how you can set yourself up for the digital nomad lifestyle of your dreams, follow me on Instagram or sign up to my mailing list.