Do you wanna travel and make money while doing it?

By now, you might have seen a blogger, YouTuber, or even a colleague quit their 9 to 5 job to travel the world.

All they need is an internet connection and a laptop to generate consistent income.

People who belong to this growing segment of the population are known as “digital nomads.” I’ve met many throughout my travels and I also belong to this select group of people.

As a blogger, I can work from wherever I want without having to worry about clocking into an office job. My website produces income all hours of the day (even when I’m sleeping).

At first, this *magic money* kind of went to my head. I was very arrogant, egotistical, and a little bit of an asshole. Deep down, I think that I felt like I was better than other people or something.

Over a series of life-changing experiences (like this one), I’ve come to approach life with much more humility and graciousness. Rather than isolating myself, I’ve sought out and connected with other people that are on the same path.

Below, I’m going to share my REAL findings with you when it comes to how to actually make money as a digital nomad. You’ll see exactly where my income is coming from, and just how easy it is to join this micro-community yourself.

1. Freelancing and Virtual Work

Trading your time for money is the quickest way in the book to start to earn cash abroad. You can use a website like Upwork to find clients that want to pay for your expertise. I actually use Upwork myself to hire freelancers (if you’re good at video editing, hit me up).

This strategy works well if the countries you’re traveling to have a low standard of living. I’m referring to the cost of housing, food, transportation, and fun. You’ll be earning money in American dollars and spending money at a much lower rate.

2. Start a Blog

Ever wonder why there are so many successful travel bloggers? It’s because it works!

You can use a blog to earn money from advertisements, affiliate marketing, digital products, coaching, and more. This will build up multiple income streams that support your lifestyle.

This is the best decision you can make if you want a long-term career as a digital nomad. The sooner you get started, the better.

You can set up your blog for less than $3 per month.

I love blogging because it lets me connect with people, share my experiences, and of course, earn good money.

3. Launch a YouTube Channel

There are a growing number of travel-related YouTubers that are killing it with their vlogs and educational videos. These creative types travel the world, film it, and share it with the world.

YouTube is different from blogging. You gotta learn how to edit video, speak to the camera, and capture the moments around you. In the long run, I want to get better at this. Recently, on my trip to El Salvador, I put together some tips for aspiring digital nomads.

Personally, I’m only making about $200 per month from ads on YouTube, but I also see sales of my other products, like my books and courses. This towers over my earnings from just ads.

4. Travel Photography and Videography

High quality photographers and videographers are always in demand. By building up your portfolio, Instagram profile, and starting to showcase your work, you’ll put yourself in a good position to get gigs.

A new way to earn money in this niche is to license your photography on websites like Stocksy, iStockPhoto or Shutterstock. You’ll earn passive income when people purchase one of your images.

5. Teach English

A common way to earn some extra cash while traveling is to teach english at local schools or as a part of other programs. Technically, this isn’t a “digital nomad” strategy, because it’s more hands-on (unless it’s virtually).

However, this can be used in conjunction with some of the other strategies mentioned above to round out your monthly income. I would not recommend it as a long-term strategy, because you’ll be earning local wages.

6. Start a Shopify Store

You can use Shopify to sell almost anything online, whether that’s products you’ve made or items that you’re purchasing and re-selling through a drop shipping model.

Basically, you can easily run an retail store online that is open 24-7. You just need to have the supply chain worked out.

You can start a free trial of Shopify here.

7. Coaching and Consulting Services

Lastly, there are many digital nomads who offer coaching and consulting services to their clients through video calls.

Usually, these coaches also have other products to diversify their income, like ebooks and online courses. They might also recommend certain tools and make money from affiliate marketing.

The bare minimum requirement for this strategy is a well-designed website that commands authority. Once you begin to get some regular clients, you’ll be able to branch out to other areas, raise your prices, or just travel more.