Our Favorite Tips for Traveling while Freelancing this Summer
Looking to take your business on the go this summer?
We’re sharing our top tips on how to travel while freelancing so you can keep your business running smoothly while you run around the world:
Get smart with your finances
Taking care of your finances while traveling is crucial to enjoying your time away from home. Before you take off, set up recurring bills on autopay so that you don’t get hit with late fees while you’re exploring the world and keep your budget software, like Quickbooks, up to date with your purchases and income. Bonus points for setting a Money Date with yourself each month to assess your finances, ensure that you’re spending & saving as you should, and seeing what your budget for your next travel destination will be.
Beyond that, get a good travel credit card, to rack up points that you can use for flights, hotels, and more while being a digital nomad. This little perk can help save hundreds on your adventures just by earning points on things you’re already buying. Many offer up to 75,000 bonus points for new members, which can cover 1 or 2 flights depending on your destination!
Lastly, make sure you have an emergency fund that can help you out in case there is trouble on the road. When it comes to traveling, you can’t always expect trouble, extra fees, or other high-dollar things that might occur. Get real with your budget and try to think ahead for any expenses that might see just how far you can stretch a dollar when it comes to being a digital nomad.
Figure out how you work best and find that in whatever city you go
Do you need another monitor? Are all of your websites and programs accessible in another country or will you need to download a VPN? Is your laptop charger easy to purchase in another country if anything were to happen? Do you have an outlet converter?
Take advantage of coworking spaces that are starting to pop up all over the world! These spaces are perfect for networking, have everything you need for a day in the office, and many offer day passes to make it easy for you to pop in and accomplish your daily tasks. Make sure you know and have exactly what you need to succeed on the go. If you can’t take everything you need, make a plan to downsize and adjust your work routine to fit your new lifestyle. It’s not easy to work at the same capacity on the go compared to a home office, but with the right attitude and supplies, you can get the job done!
Build a community as you go
Solo-traveling can be one of the best times of your life, but it can often get lonely if you feel too alone or isolated during your adventure. Continue to build a community as you go by putting yourself out there no matter where you are.
Staying in hostels with good wifi is a great way to stay connected with other digital nomads as these accommodations typically have events and mixers designed to help every one mingle while keeping up with your workload. Don’t be afraid to make friends! You might even find the perfect connection to network with - you never know who you’ll meet on the road that could help you on your freelancing journey.
Find the balance between exploring and working
Keep up with meetings and book your adventures around them. Stay ahead of deadlines by getting anything that can be done early accomplished. It’s easy to get caught up in the adventure and forget what day it is - but by staying organized and on top of your responsibilities you can find the balance.
Make sure the time difference between you and your team is taken into consideration when planning adventures to ensure you don’t get behind or miss a meeting. Figure out which times you work best in your new destination and block out time to get work done, especially if those you’re traveling with are using PTO and not working themselves. Don’t be afraid to say ‘No’ while traveling to ensure you get your duties done - you have the pay for the trip somehow!
It’s time to take advantage of the flexible schedule and lifestyle that freelancing can offer with this digital nomad success guide. If you’ve got the time, money, and energy to travel while freelancing then start packing, ladies!