As a nomad, the whole point is moving around without committing to a permanent job while still supporting yourself financially. Which, yes, can feel pretty scary and uncertain when you’ve been raised to believe you should stay in one place for almost your entire life. Most people relocate only a few times in their lives, enjoying the comfort and security of the familiar, but some feel the call of the open road and spend much of their lives moving from place to place.

I felt that pull later in life, after making all the dependable, practical choices, and I’ve managed to live a partially nomadic lifestyle by combining several of these income sources. Expectations from what you see online from people who have been doing this for years are different from the reality once you are in it. Some require only a laptop and a reliable internet connection, while others require you to be ready to do physical work on site. A few may require upfront costs for equipment, software, and skill development. Make sure you have enough of a financial safety net for at least 3 months in case of any emergency.

It doesn’t matter which you choose, but all of them help make traveling more affordable so you can be a nomad as long as you want. While you won’t earn a very high salary and may worry about what your retirement will look like, it’s enough to live on without dipping into your savings as you travel the country.

How Much Does a Nomad Life Cost?

You’ll be surprised how much your budget changes when you go from nomad to a traditional home life. Will you be a campervan nomad or a digital nomad? Will this be full-time, or will you try it for roughly 6 months to see if you like it? Are you more comfortable in a budget living situation, or do you want something more? Will you travel slowly to save costs, or will you be constantly on the go? These costs still depend on your comfort level, so be prepared to adjust as you go.

For a nomad in a campervan or RV, you need to factor in the following expenses:

• Fuel
• Groceries and occasional restaurants
• Campervan insurance
• Health insurance and medical costs
• Camping and overnight parking
• Phone and internet
• Maintenance and repairs fund
• Laundry, showers, propane, and water
• Entertainment and miscellaneous

Digital nomad costs are slightly different. Expenses to consider include:

• Accommodation
• Food and groceries
• Local transportation
• Flights and intercity travel
• Internet and phone
• Travel health insurance
• Coworking space
• Activities and entertainment
• Laundry and miscellaneous

Also prepare for one-off costs as you get started, plus taxes, retirement contributions, and emergency savings. A rough monthly budget for a campervan nomad is $1,000 to $3,000, while a digital nomad’s is $1,500 to $3,500.

Types of Nomad Work

Remote Employment

The best way to support your nomad adventures is to find a stable company that lets you work 100% from anywhere. We learned this was possible during COVID, when nearly everything shifted from the office to home. Depending on your profession, this can be easy or very difficult to find now. Industry and technological changes constantly shift how we work, and companies are still trying to bring people back into an office environment. But if you can find one, or can convince your bosses you can complete your job responsibilities anywhere, it’s worth it.

The only restriction you may face is still being required to stay in the time zone of your job’s normal operating hours. So no flying across the world and adjusting for the time difference. The positives are a steadier income and continued employee benefits such as 401(k)s and medical coverage, which makes life easier than worrying about finding your next job.

Some choose to own and operate their own businesses as a side hustle while working full-time remotely, or dive into it completely to be their own boss. Many nomads I have seen enjoy becoming travel advisors part-time on travel agency platforms like Fora, which help train you and provide a platform to build a thriving business. Others build niche businesses to serve the online space or specific industries. A few reliable clients on a monthly retainer can do wonders for your budget.

Temporary Work

As a nomad, temporary work has usually been my go-to way to find an office job, given my previous education and work experience. Companies are constantly looking for someone to fill in for many reasons, from covering someone on medical or sick leave to filling a temporary staffing shortage. It’s the best way to work from anywhere for a few weeks to a few months. Save some money, and when the position ends, head to the next job or take a break and enjoy yourself with a side trip.

You may even end up loving the job, which could lead to a permanent offer. Maybe you’ve decided that it’s time to take an extended break from nomad life and want a longer stay in one place, so it could work out nicely for you. Sometimes it’s unpredictable, since you never know when a recruiter might reach out about an application, and you may have already accepted a position elsewhere.

Staffing agencies like Robert Half, Adecco, and Randstad are top choices nationwide for finding temporary work in many fields. They do the heavy lifting by finding job openings, setting up interviews, and handling payroll and taxes. All you need to do is set up an account and upload your current resume. When looking for your next position, decide first whether the job and pay matter more than the destination, and how long you want to stay.

With them, I worked 5 months in California doing basic data entry for a company that needed extra staff, plus 2 1/2 months in Las Vegas in inventory receiving to cover a staff member on medical leave. I’m constantly on the lookout for my next opportunity, so who knows where I’ll end up next.

Seasonal Work

Another type of employment many first-time and veteran nomads like is seasonal work. With location flexibility, you can schedule your year around different destinations. This work can last at least 3 months and can run 7-10 months at the longest, depending on your needs.

CoolWorks is the best place to browse hundreds of available seasonal positions across the country, and you can narrow the field by season or state. Find yourself at a ski resort in the Colorado winter or a camp in the North Carolina summer. You can even take the long journey up to Alaska to work for cruise lines and tourism companies.

These places are always looking to fill entry-level positions when the business is in demand. The training is minimal, and you can learn different skills that help you in the nomad life (I worked at a summer camp in the Midwest as a cook, and now I feel confident I have the basic skills to work again in a restaurant kitchen or on a food truck).

Annual seasonal work caters specifically to nomad workers. Most veteran nomads recommend applying to the Unbeetable Beet Harvest in the fall in Minnesota and North Dakota to help you get ready to relax down south. Find the date of your state’s annual fair and see whether they are hiring event staff. Local food and art festivals may also be looking for help if you haven’t missed the application deadline.

One drawback to seasonal work is the pay. Most offer a lower wage than you might be used to, depending on the state. The smaller paycheck is offset by free or discounted room and board, rental equipment and activities, and other local benefits. You may also receive an additional bonus at the end of the season if you complete the contract. So if you’re okay with possibly living paycheck to paycheck for a season, this could be a good fit.

Freelance Travel Writer

As you can already tell by being on this site, writing is kind of my jam. And I did it without having a background in journalism or English. I started a travel blog as my passion project. It later expanded into freelance writing.

Many publications cover different topics, so you can find a niche you are particularly interested in. They are constantly looking for written content for their readers. Connect with freelance writers and editors on sites like LinkedIn, where they consistently seek new talent to join their groups. Sign up for Substack newsletters to receive a list of potential job openings.

With this kind of fluctuating work, you can earn anywhere between $50 and $2,000, depending on the publication and project. Thanks to A.I. and a larger freelancer pool driven by industry and economic shifts, publications tend to be more selective. So be ready to pitch your idea strongly.

If you choose to have your own website instead, you can create additional income sources through affiliate commissions, sponsored advertising, and potential consulting. This travel blog pretty much pays for itself now. Besides writing for my own site, I’ve written content and been quoted in other articles for fellow travel bloggers and publications.

This is what I chose. If you feel writing isn’t your strength, find the type of freelance work that fits your interests and skills. Maybe it’s photography or graphic design for the more artistic, or you might be a builder who wants to focus on web or software development. Use platforms like Upwork and Fiver to find the market that works for you. Build a strong portfolio to showcase your work to potential clients so you can stay location-independent.

Online Tutoring

Are you an expert in a particular academic subject, know a second language, have developed a professional skill, or have prior educational experience? Teaching what you know online is another beneficial income source for digital nomads. The work can be flexible, as most people do it part-time, and it doesn’t require much upfront cost.

Some add a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate or something similar for other popular languages to gain a basic understanding and training for teaching foreign students of multiple ages. Thanks to the global customer base you can reach through online tutor apps like Preply, you can scale this type of business from anywhere.

It can be very competitive, especially because of currency exchange rates and so many people choosing this as an alternative income stream alongside their full-time work. Why pay a tutor $25/hour USD if you can find someone with similar experience who charges $5/hour in Thai Baht?

Just don’t feel the stress and pressure to undersell yourself. This also coincides with the time zone difference you will have to adjust to with your students. Living in New York but having a class in Europe, or vice versa, could change your schedule going forward. This kind of work should help support your nomad lifestyle, not hinder it.

Workamping

For those who really enjoy the outdoors, this is a much better choice if you want to stay on the road for an extended period. This kind of work focuses more on national parks and private campgrounds. After a certain number of hours, you’re guaranteed a spot at the campground with utilities covered. Some also offer an hourly wage after that, so you can leave with a little extra money in your pocket. You’ll do a little bit of everything to keep the place running. This includes running the front desk, cleaning up common areas afterward, organizing fun recreation activities, and even doing some general maintenance.

On your own time, you can explore the beautiful outdoor destination in many different ways. Thanks to your work, you will have easy access to activities like hiking, fishing, boating, biking, and more. Those located by the entrances of National and State Parks are especially popular.

KOA is a great place to start as a campground host and gain experience. Plenty of Facebook groups post when private campgrounds are hiring. Stock up on what you need, as some of these places can be way in the sticks, where the nearest small town could be an hour or more away and a major city even farther. Just do your due diligence and make sure the destination and work agreement are right for you.

Content Creator

Everyone goes into this kind of industry hoping to become a viral sensation and make it your sole source of income. But a lot of behind-the-scenes work goes into developing your brand, including digital marketing, sales, photography, videography, and curating sponsorships and products, to name a few. Get used to stiff competition from others trying to accomplish the same goals: getting your niche in front of the masses. Some will say it’s too late to start now compared to a decade ago, but it never hurts to try. Think of it less as being an “influencer” and more like having a social media business.

Start small, set reasonable expectations, and stay consistent. You don’t need millions of followers or even hundreds of thousands to be successful. I have less than 10k combined across all my accounts. But connecting my social media brand with my travel blog has given me some great opportunities, including traveling to the Canary Islands and Mexico on PR (Public Relations) trips and reviewing food tours across the country. It definitely helps you get the word out in every way possible, as long as you keep it authentic.

Random TaskRabbit Jobs

Maybe you’ve decided it’s time to take a break from working full-time or part-time while being a nomad, but you still want to make a little extra cash on the side and stay productive. Freelance apps like TaskRabbit are a great way to find short-term project work that won’t take up your whole day.

Older people are always looking for help with simple physical tasks, errands, and basic handyman work that they can’t do themselves or need extra assistance with. That’s what an app like this is for. You can help clean out someone’s garage or storage unit, do yard work, make deliveries, or even just wait in line (I once got paid to wait 3 hours in line for someone else on a Saturday morning so they could see a celebrity appearance at their drink endorsement).

If you have a skill that is in demand (this has been widely used for IKEA furniture assembly), you can find consistent work anywhere you go. Choose when you want to work, map the area you are willing to work in, and set your own hourly wages. Just remember to be friendly and accommodating. Top-rated workers appear higher in the tasker search.

House and Pet Sitting

After weeks or months in a campervan or RV, you may need a break and want to return to the comfort of a house with a proper bed, kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Or you may be a digital nomad looking for reasonable accommodations but don’t want to pay the cost, even for a few days. With a little responsibility and care, you can bring travel costs down with the house-sitting option.

Decide where you want to stay by checking sites like TrustedHousesitters, which list locations in multiple countries. They’ll verify both your and the homeowners’ profiles before you connect. You get the experience of living like a local in a friendly neighborhood, perfect for the slow traveler. Just make sure you understand the care requirements of both the house and the pets.

Work Exchange Programs

I’ve found work exchange programs more popular in parts of Europe, but there are some in the U.S. worth exploring. This is more about the social impact you can have. Mostly a volunteer opportunity, it lets you get away from the usual tourist attractions, be a local, and learn about your destination’s culture through this kind of program.

For a few hours of work, you get accommodation, food, weekly transportation, free activities, and other fringe benefits that make it worth considering. Once you finish your work, use your free time however you like.

World Packers is the go-to site with the most opportunities, with organic farms, homestays, and eco-friendly projects looking for workers to harvest crops, care for animals, do simple gardening, and handle general labor in building and repair. Hostels look for housekeeping help and front desk reception work. Others are more spiritual and holistic, where you can join free yoga and Bikram classes led by certified professionals.

These, though, can have tight living quarters with shared dorms, communal living spaces, and group meals in the kitchen. Embrace the simplicity and enjoy the rewards of the social impact you’re making.

Conclusion

It’s all about knowing your strengths and weaknesses when you decide to transition to this new way of life. Finding the balance between freedom and financial security can be difficult, and the first few years can feel stressful, like you made the wrong choice by leaving your comfort zone.

Set your goals, be flexible, and put in the time to figure things out. Sometimes the work just isn’t that glamorous, as I have discovered, and you can find yourself in another routine that is repetitive and boring, which is the exact thing you were trying to get away from in the first place.