5 Tips For Becoming A Nomadic Family
It is strange to think that before we were slow traveling around the world, I was sitting in an office building pulling my hair out over project proposals and budgets. Our life as a nomadic family now is far different from that lifestyle of the past.
These days, my life still involves full-time work, but it also involves spending time with the family and experiencing new to us places around the world. It's a huge change from my life prior to becoming digital nomads!
This post was updated on June 16, 2021.
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You don’t need to be rich to be a nomadic family
In the past, families who wanted to travel around the world would need to save up hundreds of thousands of dollars to support their family travels.
This was the conventional way of doing things. And even our family fell into the trap of thinking that affordable world travel is not possible for families. But after talking to families who are nomadic, we know that we can support our travels by working remotely.
Getting ready for to travel around the world? Check out my family gap year posts.
1. Determine how you’ll make money on the road
One of the biggest questions families have before embarking on a family gap year is how to make money while traveling. Both my husband and I are blessed with skills that make remote work possible. But even considering that option was a big step for us.
For our family, answering the question of how to make money while traveling involved a bit of soul searching and self-assessment. There are plenty of options for families to make money while on the road: selling a product online, consulting and freelance work, or getting remote working jobs.
The possibilities are endless for families who want to become a nomadic family! The first step is identifying what your skillset is.
Ready for a change? Take the first step to living a life of full time travel.
2. Find remote jobs that can support a nomadic family
When we first left to travel full-time, I decided to quit my job for a variety of reasons. One reason was that I wasn't sure how our schedules would be like traveling. But once we got into a good routine of being on the road, I felt more comfortable working again. These days, I work remotely full-time for a company, which affords us flexibility in terms of schedule, and peace of mind in terms of finances.
For my husband, his company offered him the option to stay on remotely. This was a godsend for our nomadic family, especially in the early years. My husband's employment afforded us a steady stream of income as we considered other options for making money on the road.
Finding remote working jobs is a great gig for those who want to turn their family into a nomadic family. FlexJobs posts hundreds of jobs that can be done remotely. And joining only costs $14.95 a month, or $49.95 a year. Consider the skills that you have. And then figure out a way that you can do it remotely.
3. Don’t be afraid to start your own business as a nomadic family
One perk of being a nomadic family is that you have the freedom to pursue your own business. Rather than finding remote working jobs, you can essentially create your own digital nomad jobs!
Besides our full-time gigs, my husband and I both supplement our income with our side businesses.
During our travels in 2020, we started an award-winning card game during our travels called Stack The Scoops, which we sell online.
Whatever your skills and talents, consider how you can turn it into a business. It may not be as profitable as making money with an employer, but it will certainly be meaningful remote work to bring you money while you travel.
4. Tap into resources for families wanting to become a nomadic family
For families who are interested in this kind lifestyle, having access to resources is extremely helpful. One of the easiest ways to learn more about how to become a nomadic family is to join one of the many Facebook groups available online.
I like the group, Digital Nomad Families, which is specific to families. But I also like Digital Nomads Around The World. This group is more generally targeted to people who are location independent.
In terms of books, Tim Ferris' book, The 4-Hour Work Week is a good one to read. His book will get you started on thinking about what a location independent lifestyle might look. Daniel Prince's book, Choose Life, is also popular among families who are working nomads (although I haven't read this book yet). Taking a read through these books can give you ideas of how to redesign your life towards a more remote-based lifestyle.
5. Connect with other families
The most important part of our journey to becoming a nomadic family has been connecting with other digital nomad families. I love seeing how they make their work life fit their travel lifestyle.
During our trip, we have spent time with friends in Utah, Colorado, France, Mexico, and Indonesia. They have all found ways to be working nomads in their respective fields. The work varies - graphic design, web development, online marketing, blogging, freelance writing. But these friends of ours have all been able to use their talents to create digital nomad jobs and live like a nomadic family.
Learn about all the places in the world you can travel with kids.
Making our nomadic family dream a reality
As we continue to figure out how to make money while traveling, creating connections with other digital nomad families will continue to be important. Networking and community building is such an important part of the travel experience. And I'm sure it will also be important in helping us connect as a nomadic family in the future.
If you need an in-depth and guided look at how to prepare for a life of nomadic travel, take a look at this 12 week worldschooling course from Trailblazing Families, led by fellow veteran worldschooling mom, Lizz Quain:
How To Travel Extensively and Worldschool Course
Do you have a talent or skill that lends itself to remote work? How are you using it to help you towards your travel goals?
Ready to take a leap into nomadic family life? Use my ebook, Hey Kids, Let’s Go Travel! as a resource for tools, advice, and action steps for planning your trip.
Need help thinking through how to budget for a family trip? My Travel Budget Worksheet is just the tool you need! Click here to receive your free copy by signing up for my newsletter.
Want to connect with me on social media? Find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. And for those of you who are dedicated to traveling more responsibly, sustainably, and ethically, join over 450 like-minded families on my Facebook group, Responsible Family Travel.
