Title: The All Encompassing Guide to Living a Modern Nomadic Lifestyle
Meta description: Have you ever wanted to give it all up and roam the world? If so, then the nomadic lifestyle may be your calling! Learn all about it in our guide!
The All Encompassing Guide to Living a Modern Nomadic Lifestyle
Keywords to optimize the article for: nomadic lifestyle
The American dream isn’t what it used to be. People used to strive to find a job to work 40 to 60 hours a week for 40 or more years. This dream typically included a big home, a white picket fence, and massive amounts of debt. For some people, this life seems more like a prison sentence. You work 50 weeks out of the year so you can go on vacation for 14 days? Something isn’t right here. People are waking and realizing that they don’t have to accept this way of life. More and more, people are led to a nomadic lifestyle that offers freedom, flexibility, and adventure.
If you’re ready to leave it all behind and pick up a nomadic life, we can help. Keep reading for a complete guide on how to transition to the modern nomadic lifestyle.
Do Your Research
First, don’t make any impulse decisions. Spend time researching the different types of nomadic lifestyles.
There is no shortage of options. For example, you can:
Travel in a converted van
Travel in a converted school bus
Buy an RV or tow-behind camper
Travel from campsite to campsite in a regular vehicle
Fly from location to location
Live and travel in a boat
And more
Which nomadic way of life is the most attractive to you? How much do the varying lifestyles cost? For more information and inspiration, search the internet and social media to find out how other people are successfully living a nomadic lifestyle. However, try to find transparent accounts.
Nomadic life isn’t always easy, you need to know about the disadvantages as well as all the perks. You need to know what you’re getting into.
Determine the Type of Nomadic Lifestyle That’s Best for You
Next, think about your goals. Why do you want to transition to a nomadic lifestyle? Common reasons include:
Traveling and seeing new places (foreign and/or domestic)
Living a more cost-effective lifestyle
Cutting roots
Being free
Having adventures
Meeting new people
What are your goals? Which modern nomadic lifestyle will help you accomplish them?
Think About Your Other Needs
While you can downsize some aspects of your life, there may be some things you’re not willing to sacrifice. You must find a nomadic way of life that allows you to incorporate these things. Common non-negotiables include:
Children – How can you provide a suitable life for them on the road?
Working out – How will you exercise while on the road?
Pets – Do you have the means to bring your pet(s) with you?
Dietary restrictions – If you adhere to a special diet, will your nomad lifestyle support it?
Medical issues – Do you have any medical concerns that must be addressed?
If you use cannabis for medical or recreational reasons, you must also plan to ensure you’re using these products legally. Find out where cannabis is legal and what will happen if you get caught driving through an area where it isn’t.
Trial Your New Life Before Diving in Headfirst
We recommend trying out your potential nomadic life before committing to it fully. You need to understand the realities of your chosen way of life, rather than trusting the accuracy of the idea you’ve created in your head. For example, if you’re thinking about living on the road, rent an RV or camper and try it out for a few months. Get used to moving around all the time and parking in unfamiliar places. Tons of people spend a lot of time and money converting vans and school buses. Then, after a few months, they decide the nomadic life isn’t for them. They cut their losses, and reinvest in a regular house. This back-and-forth transition can cost tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
International Travel
If the nomadic life you want involves visa-hopping from one country to the next every few months, spend some time traveling in foreign places before you commit. Bounce around a few countries while trying to work and maintain some consistency in your life. Then, decide if it’s something you want to do full-time. Remember, if you choose this life and sell your home, you won’t have a home-base to come back to.
Identify Your Costs
Once you decide which modern nomadic lifestyle is right for you, start digging into your research to determine the costs. It may take a while for you to save up enough money to fund your dream. However, you also need to think about your long-term finances and security.
How Much Do You Need to Get Started?
First, let’s talk about your initial costs. How much do you need to begin this new lifestyle?
If you’re planning on living life on the road, you have four primary options:
RVs
Fifth-Wheels (tow-behind campers)
Vans
School bus conversions
RVs and fifth-wheels are manufactured by legitimate companies, come with warranties, and are designed for travel. However, these are also the most expensive options. You can buy used, but the older the RV/camper, the more maintenance, repairs, and renovations it will need. Alternatively, you can choose to convert a school bus or van on your own to save money. However, you must exercise caution here, as minor errors in the electrical system and heating system can lead to devastating fires. This option also requires a lot of time, research, and hard work.
What Are the Cost to Maintain This Lifestyle?
Once you’ve paid for the initial cost for your nomadic way of life, how much money do you need to keep that lifestyle going? This is a complicated question, as the answer can vary greatly depending on your choices, your connections, and your job. For example, if you were to travel from country to country, staying in hotels would become quite costly. However, if you operated a popular blog or became a social media influencer, you could probably get your lodging comped in exchange for featuring the hotel in your content. If you’re living life on the road, it’s possible to spend more on gas and RV parks than on a mortgage and all your other bills. However, if you boondock (camping at undeveloped sites) on BLM land and stay in one place for weeks at a time, it would be relatively inexpensive.
Part of your research should include learning how to save money while traveling internationally or while on the road. Learning simple tips and tricks can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. It may even mean the difference between being able to afford the nomadic lifestyle and choosing a different way of life.
Figure Out How You’re Going to Keep Money Coming In
One of the most important and practical questions you need to answer is how you’re going to make money as a nomad. Fortunately, digital nomads from around the world have paved the way for you, proving that making money can be done to great effect.
Ultimately, it comes down to your skills, experience, willingness, and flexibility. You might be fortunate enough to already have a job that allows you to work remotely. If not, you can start searching online for remote jobs.
Remote Jobs
There are plenty of opportunities out there if you’re looking to get into a new line of remote work. For example, you could:
Write content (blog articles) for small business
Manage social media profiles for small businesses
Become a website designer/developer
Become an English tutor for foreign children
Get into graphic designing
Become a copyeditor
Invest in your skills as a photographer
These are just a few suggestions. Rest assured, we have barely brushed the surface.
Entrepreneurship
However, if you’re looking for something that you already have experience in, there might be consulting options out there. These types of jobs include:
Counselor
Life coach
Nutritionist/Dietitian
Fitness trainer
Academic tutor
Teacher
Tarot reader
Looking into these options will allow you to work for yourself, set your own schedule and define your own rates. However, becoming an online entrepreneur can be difficult. You must learn how to market your services and maximize your visibility online to be successful.
You could also create a retail store where you use dropshippers to sell clothing you’ve personally designed. Some nomads make and sell edibles on the road, which can be quite popular (and profitable) in nomadic societies.
Passive Income
If you’re lucky and work hard for it, you can develop a passive income stream to fund your nomadic lifestyle. Much of this depends on what you did in your former life. However, if you have money to invest, here are some options for developing a passive income:
Investing in rental properties
Investing in stocks and bonds
Becoming a silent business owner (from a previous business or a new one)
Advertising on a successful blog
Affiliate marketing
Earning a passive income is the ultimate dream. However, it generally takes a lot of work upfront. However, there’s no reason you can’t work now while establishing a source of passive income for the future.
Commit
Doubt and fear are perhaps the biggest reasons people never achieve their dreams. They worry that they won’t be able to do it, or procrastinate because they can’t take that final step. If you’ve done the reach and know the nomadic way of life is right for you, commit to it.
Save enough money to get started on the road, start looking for a way to make money remotely, and start transitioning your life. A major part of this process is learning how to let go of material possessions.
Downsize Your Belongings
No matter what nomadic lifestyle you choose, you’re going to have to minimize your possessions. Whether you’re living out of a suitcase, in a van, or an RV, you’re going to be limited on space.
There are several options for getting rid of your unwanted stuff. You can:
Host a giant yardsale
Sell stuff online
Pawn your items
Donate your stuff
We realize that you won’t want to sell everything that won’t fit in your suitcase, van, RV, or school bus. For these items, seek long-term storage solutions through friends, family, or commercial storage units.
Figure Out What to Do with Your House
However, it’s not just your clothes and knick-knacks you need to downsize. Selling your home is an essential step in becoming a nomad. It can be both saddening and liberating. However, selling your home might also grant you the funds you need to get started and/or maintain your life on the go.
Alternatively, if you own a home, consider holding onto the property and renting it out for a passive income. However, understand that if you don’t have renters, you will be carrying the entire mortgage payment on your own.
Reach Out to Other Nomads
Living the modern nomadic lifestyle comes with perks. There is a massive online community where nomads can find one another, communicate, and support each other. Use Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to find other nomads.
Not only will you meet lifelong friends, but you can also gain valuable insight about the best places to stay, how to make money, how to fix problems with your vehicle, and more. Some nomads choose to caravan together for months at a time, forming strong bonds and reliable friendships.
Document Your Journey
Finally, remember to document your journey from day one. This includes the process of renovating your van or school bus (if you went this route). Take videos and pictures of your journey and write about your experiences. This content can be vital for creating a successful blog or establishing a large social media following. If you don’t have any ulterior agendas or motives, you should still document everything for your own benefit. You may not live a nomadic lifestyle all your life, it will be nice to be able to look back on your adventures in the future.
Are You Planning for a Nomadic Lifestyle?
If you’re planning on changing everything about your life to be more free, flexible, and adventurous, we could not be more excited for you. Few people are bold enough to live outside the norms of society. We wish you the best of luck with your nomadic lifestyle. Before you go, take a look through our shop for apparel, accessories, and hemp-derived CBD products. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact us today and let us know.
