How digital nomads can build wealth

How digital nomads can build wealth

Many people believe that you must choose between a life rich in travel and one abundant in wealth. But here’s the good news: you can truly have both!

With the upsurge in remote working, lots of people can now work from virtually anywhere that has an internet connection – even if it’s on the other side of the world from their employer. Digital nomads relish the opportunity to explore and, if they manage their resources wisely, they can also save up a substantial amount for when they decide to settle down. In this post, we’ll delve into some of the most effective strategies to achieve this lifestyle.

Automate savings

It’s easy to spend, spend, spend as a digital nomad. After all, there are a million things to do in the world’s best digital nomad destinations, and while this lifestyle isn’t exactly a permanent holiday, it can certainly feel close to it. A fantastic method to ensure you don’t touch the money you should be saving for the future is by automating your savings. This strategy enables you to increase your savings without noticing any impact on your bank account. Simply set it up and let it work its magic!

Live in affordable locations

Want to be a digital nomad in New York City? While this is altogether possible, it’s probably not the smartest decision if you also have eyes on building wealth. You’ll end up spending a small fortune on rent, food and nights out on the town. In contrast, living in affordable digital nomad locations will allow you to keep your expenses as low as possible, which means you can divert more money towards your savings accounts and other investments. It’s much easier to grow your bank balance when you’re spending £250 a month on rent rather than £2,500.

Invest your money

It’s a good idea to have about 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses saved up in an easily accessible savings account for emergencies. Any extra money you save beyond that should be put to work for you. Keeping your funds in a high-interest savings account is definitely a smarter move than just letting it sit in your day-to-day bank account. You can also consider investing in index funds or buying property with an Airbnb mortgage; that’ll allow you to earn passive income through Airbnb rentals, while also giving you a place to call home when you’re not travelling. The key point is that you should put any extra money to work by investing it wisely, instead of just allowing it wallow in your bank account.

Diversify your income streams

Finally, look at diversifying your income streams. This can be an excellent method to increase your wealth, as any additional money you make beyond your primary job can be saved or invested.

There are numerous fantastic options for diversifying your income, such as providing consulting services in your area of expertise, developing online courses or even embarking on a side hustle that brings in passive income. With just a few clever strategies, you can effortlessly enhance your earnings!

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Friday Folks: Simon and Erin, Never Ending Voyage

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Simon Fairbairn & Erin McNeany of Never Ending Voyage

The subjects of this Friday Folks instalment are just a bit different to the artists, craftspeople and creative business owners we normally feature. Simon & Erin, founders of Never Ending Voyage, are a couple who are almost 3 years into a lifetime of travel – they are the epitome of the term “free spirits”.

Adelle & Erin met when they worked together for a few years at Community Arts North West in Manchester. We’ve been following the blog she writes (and the gorgeous photos she takes) from the very start – it fills us with pangs of wanderlust of our own!

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Who are you & what do you do?

We are Erin McNeaney and Simon Fairbairn a digital nomad couple who sold everything we owned and left the UK in March 2010 to travel the world forever. Since then we’ve travelled to South America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, working online as we go.

We fund our travels through our travel blog, Never Ending Voyage and through our web design & development business. Recently we’ve moved away from client work and have begun to create our own digital products. Our first iPhone app will be out soon – it’s called Trail Wallet and helps travellers track their travel expenses easily and quickly.

Simon & Erin floating in the Dead Sea

How did you plan for and continue to maintain a life of long term travelling?

We cut our expenses right down and saved enough money to keep us going for the first year while we got the business off the ground. We sold almost everything we owned except for a few personal items like photo albums that we left with Simon’s mum, and what we could fit into a carry-on size backpack each.

We didn’t really get the business started until we’d left the UK. We started our travel blog 10 days before we left and it took about 18 months of regular updating and marketing through social media, guest posts etc before we made a regular income from it through advertising and affiliate commissions.

Simon started out doing web design & development projects for family & friends and got more jobs through word of mouth. We also had a lot of clients find us through our travel blog.

Simon & Erin with their rucksacks on their backs

Who or what inspires you?

We’ve been travelling for two years and eight months now and our travels continue to inspire us. We love learning about different cultures, trying new food and enjoying amazing landscapes.

Simon & Erin outside a monastery in Petra

What has been your greatest success?

Taking command of our own lives and taking the step to sell everything and travel permanently. And that through writing about it on Never Ending Voyage we’ve inspired others to travel too.

Simon & Erin launching a paper lantern in Yee Peng, Thailand

Have you got any advice for someone wanting to do the same?

Cut down your expenses, get out of debt and start saving. Figure out the skills you have that you could do online – writers, designers and developers are the most obvious digital nomad friendly careers but we know people who teach, consult and coach online.

We’d recommend doing what we didn’t do and getting your business up & running before you start travelling. It’s hard to balance work & travel and if you’ve already got some income coming in from your business it’ll make things easier.