MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS I GET AS A DIGITAL NOMAD:
So wait…you have NO home base? Like…where do you keep all your things? Where does your mail go? How do you pull off this lifestyle? I get the same questions asked every time I explain that I am a full time digital nomad. I love these questions because it reminds me what I am doing is unique and even terrifying to most. But not to me. Here are the most FAQ’s I get asked as a digital nomad and of course, my answers:)
1.Where does your mail go?
The truth is…what mail? Ever since I have given up a permanent residence in the states, I no longer receive mail like bills or checks or pesky junk mail from my bank or retail offers. Pretty much everything has moved online and I no longer need to check the mail for anything important. I do however, keep an active address in Miami where I send important items to if ned be. This address belongs to trustworthy friends of mine who are always notified when to expect something from me (which is super rare). I opted out of paper mail with my banks, I receive all of my payments online and if I do online shopping of anykind, I usually send it to wherever I am in the world. If you’re going nomad but you still expect to receive mail, you can send it to a friend OR use an virtual mailbox service. I found a list here: https://thinkremote.com/virtual-mailbox/
2.How do you handle banking?
I bank with JP Morgan Chase in Miami and I kept it that way since I’ve become a digital nomad. I also get asked about banking abroad or if I have opened up bank accounts in other parts of the world. The short answer to that is: No. I found it to be too much of a hassle and since all of my clients are USA based and need to pay a USA account, I kept my Chase account active and use it to fund my life. Opening up a bank account abroad is really a personal decision and depends on your financial preferences as well as your legalities. I am strongly considering opening up an account with Revolut so that I can have a back up account as well as avoid foreign transaction fees. This is a common service used by digital nomads.
3.How do you decide where you’re going next?
There are many deciding factors that help me make this decision, but I really like to go with the wind. I don’t believe in booking too far in advance as I am a master at changing my mind and I live by the ethos of “you never know what could happen”. However, I generally pick where I am going next based on these deciding factors:
-the weather or the season
-social aspect
-affordability
-possibility for new adventures
-the chance to see a new country
-safety
-If I have been before and really want to return
I usually start worrying about where I am going next about 30 or so days ahead of time. If I am absolutely sure, then I will book something sooner.
4.Where are you keeping all of your things?
If you really want to be a nomad, minimizing is the name of the game. I sold/got rid of 70% of my belongings and kept my valuables in Canada at my parents house. Why pay for a storage unit if you’ve got friends and family you trust? I dwindled a fully furnished one bedroom apartment down to 3 suitcases and called it my life. Now here’s the tricky part. As you travel, you accumulate stuff and eventually it becomes extremely pricey and nearly impossible to travel with all of your life’s possessions. So I keep things in different countries that I know I am returning to. Of course I never leave behind anything precious or valuable, but once you become a nomad, you become unattached to pretty much everything.
5.How do you afford to permanently travel?
Let me make this clear. No sugar daddy. No only fans account. No “sponsors”. I am a self funded solo traveler purely through my online business and online work and I am fucking proud of that fact. Let me also blow your mind a second: this is actually a VERY affordable lifestyle and maybe even more affordable than living a stationary life in a country like the USA or Canda. Let’s do some math together. My monthly expenses in Miami alone where:
Rent -$1800-$2200/month
Utility bills – $200 /month
Food costs- $1500/month (not because I eat like a horse but because Miami is stupid expensive)
Uber – $600/month
Personal shopping – $500/month
Entertainment – $800/month
Rough total: $5000-$6000
Imagine adding all of your fixed monthly costs up. Now imagine letting all of those things go and having that money free to travel…
When I was paying for my lifestyle in Miami on top of traveling, I found myself ridden with financial anxiety. Once I realized how much more affordable other parts of the world are, my eyes opened up to the possibility of not having to slave away to make ends meet….
6.Do you keep changing sim cards in every country?
NOPE! Thank god. In fact I highly recommend the T Mobile Simple Global Plan (link other article here)
What do you do about medical emergencies and doctor visits?
Where do you file your taxes?
