@gigigriffis

I am nomad from past 1 year and i always find very difficult to find travel buddy. Local people i meet have jobs and are free on weekends only. How you guys find travel buddy or how you meet local people?

I was wondering what systems/apps etc people use for tracking their living expenses? I try to keep records but find that some months I prepay for a lot of future expenses (eg. Airbnb, flights etc) while other months I spend little because everything has already been made.

I guess what I need to know is my actual spending in a month, regardless of when I actually spent the money but also the cash flow for each month.

We’re researching places to use as a home base next year, and are leaning towards Mexico or Panama for 10 months (with 1 week “vacations” to explore surrounding countries)

But, I want to settle some place where the infrastructure is good enough for fast, reliable internet - fast enough to run live webinars without worrying that I’ll be S.O.L due to internet issues when it’s time to go live.

And ideally, I’d like to be on the coast… I like to have ocean/beach access without the need for a drive.

And not in a malaria zone (just saying, since Panama in particular has many areas that I’d rule out simply due to the need for malaria prevention meds)… it’s one thing to take that stuff for a few weeks long trip, but I don’t want to take it for months on end.

Thoughts?

Thanks for reading all

Looking to spend around 6 weeks somewhere in Europe this winter skiing and working. Don’t need a big tech community but care more about it being affordable and having at least half decent skiing.

So far I have heard good things about Les Deux Alpes, France and Bansko, Bulgaria.

Any recommendations for a few weeks stay in a small, quiet town or village somewhere in Italy/France during summer ? Open to any setting, by the seaside, in the mountains or the countryside - I’d like to get a feel for local life (outside the cities) in a charming place.
Having hiking routes available nearby would be a bonus, but not required.
Internet speed will not be very important, so that does not need to be taken into consideration.
I’ll likely be doing both Italy and France, so suggestions for both would be great.

Hi all!

I will be moving to Switzerland a bit earlier than expected and would love to stay in the Swiss Alps for 2-3 weeks. Any of you have any recommendations for a solo traveler that wants to ski in the morning and work on my computer in the afternoon? I need to be mindful of my budget, although I don’t have to live super cheap. Anyone want to join me?

Hi all, need some help with schengen fuzziness… I’m a US citizen.

Does any know if the 90 day rule applies inside of Croatia. I’m seeing that Croatia isn’t part of schengen but adopts the same visa aquis. This isn’t clear to me.

If someone has a definitive answer please let me know as I’m approaching the 90 day rule in my travel plans and I want to hit Croatia and not have it count.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Guys! I’m planing to kick start my Nomad Life style in July, and I’m researching cities in Europe that can provide three things:

1. Low cost (I’m earning money in Brazilian Real, not Dollars). Especially regarding rent.
2. Some kind of Digital Nomad community and Co-working spaces.
3. Security. Low criminality.

All other characteristics (Weather, english speaking), are not as important as the ones above.
=D

Where can I find locally sourced, organic (or at least non-GMO) and also be able to work with strong internet?
I did a search but didn’t find much info. We love Bali and the food here is amazing, we are just looking to try somewhere else out (preferably somewhere in Europe) after a long time in Asia. We also loved the Northern Rivers area in Australia and want to find similar food offerings and compare our options!

Hello. We’re a couple looking for a flat with great wi-fi for the month of October in Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon or other city in southern Europe. Ideally, the place would have great wifi, be somewhat centrally-located, near public transport, have a few shops nearby, and not be on the 3rd floor or higher (unless there’s a lift). We’re looking to spend no more than €1000 for the month. Dates are somewhat flexible. A whole private apartment would be nice, though we are open to shares and coliving. Available places left on AirBnB are pricey, and we’re casting a wide net, so would consider many different locations. Thanks!

Hi I’m Japanese<>English Translator/Blogger currently lives in Leipzig,Germany.

I was wondering if any of you know any websites/services for refugees and immigrants that support them to be a Digital Nomad? Like, seminars, courses, lectures, guides, e-book in their language (Arabic,Albanian,Serbian,Kurdish,Pashto,Dari, etc…)?

I know some platforms for refugees to find a job online, but these jobs are not mainly location free works. I’m wondering how realistic it is for refugees to work remotely? I am thinking to list up the Upwork type of online job platforms on my blog, and accordingly do some seminars ; how to get jobs, how to monetize your blog and so on…

I’m asking this because lots of refugees I meet here are all complaining how hard for them to get a physical job in Germany, especially my area Leipzig has less job opportunities in general. (Thus, cost of living is amazing for DN like me.) So, I think going DN could be a good solution for them. What do you think?

Hi fellow DN’s
I’m searching for a DN “last minute” type website / service out there?
Maybe something similar to travelzoo.com and skyscanner.com or tripalertz.com but with more focus for DN’s ? What I mean is I don’t really care about the location - if I go to Mexico, Canada or Shanghai. If there is a good deal I might be seriously interested.
Maybe there is nothing like this yet in that case it would be something interesting to create.
Best Y

Hello,

I’m an Australian, on a tourist visa in the UK. I work as a freelance graphic designer but get paid into my Aussie bank account and pay Australian tax. Being on a tourist visa in the UK allows me 6 months here… but what are the implications on working and earning money based on that.

Is anyone doing similar?

Is it the same story for places like Canada and the US?

Thanks to the forum and many hours’ worth of reading, I have a number of puzzle pieces, but am having some difficulty putting them all together as a cohesive plan.

This was evolving into an epic post (of heroes and dragons), but I think the crux of the thing is: everything basically requires a physical/street address somewhere in the US, correct? How are you doing this now, given current conditions/requirements?

For business formation, for a business checking account, and even for a personal account, it’s all about the physical address. For example, I believe I’ve read here that Charles Schwab (often recommended) may no longer be accepting addresses from mailing services such as Earth Class Mail and Traveling Mailbox, street-based or not. Correct? And that’s simply for a personal account–business stuff is always more complicated.

Assuming a “friends and family plan” is not an option, what to do?

One thing I think would work is to rent a cheap room or apartment in some state and use that as a base, but that’s an added cost/pain, and I don’t believe that’s what most people are doing.

This also has me wondering if it isn’t better to simply find a cheap domestic location and give up on the international plan. (But that sux.)

Hi - I’m looking for a good place to stay for a few weeks, work, have a beach, a bit to see… has anybody been to Cartagena and can say something about cost of living, scene, beach, Wifi (reliable??), safety. Or is somebody there right now? I plan to go in about 4 weeks! Thanks!

I have been interested in traveling to the balkans for a while, and the cities I’ve been delving most into are Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split, and Sarajevo (also Prague and Budapest). I’m interested in hearing about these places from anyone who has travelled there, especially to multiple of the cities, or to any other place in the region.

In particular, I’m interested in pros and cons of the cities vis-a-vis each other, and interested in tidbits about the vibe of the cities, the culture of the people, and any other first-hand things that are hard to pick up by reading (I already know the sizes of the cities, that they each have beautiful architecture, that Split has the beach, etc. ). How youthful do the cities feel? How walkable are they? How friendly are the locals? How likely would a 26 year old digital nomad be to meet his bride there ;)? What are the biggest unique things that stand out about each place?

We spend a ton of time in the tropics and are craving a little bit of winter. There was a thread about ski towns: What are good ski towns for digital nomads? but I’m actually wondering about non-ski towns.

• On the cheaper side
• Reasonable internet and/or coworking
• Has good public transit
• Has snow without being mind numbingly cold

Anywhere on the planet is of interest from Bulgaria to New Zealand, from Harbin to Matroosberg… i don’t really care where on the planet it is, just that it’s not to hard to get to/from.

Hello,

I’m planning to fly to Mexico mid October for 1 month. I’m working on my laptop (like many others I guess) so I need a reliable wifi connection.
My budget is about $1500/month.
I was looking at Playa Del Carmen and renting a flat through Airbnb is not too expensive since I get a major discount for staying a month.
I don’t really care about nightlife. I want a place with good vibes and I want a place near the ocean or with nature around me.
Does anyone have any thoughts about Playa Del Carmen? and Maybe suggestions of other place in Mexico?

Thank you!

I currently live in California, and work remotely for a company in Philly. I am considering moving to CZ but keep my job here, get paid here, and pay taxes here. I am dual citizen of USA and Poland (EU member), so I know that residency won’t be a problem, but I am interested in paying taxes. If my company keeps paying me to my account in USA, and taxes in California, do I have to pay taxes is CZ as well? This company doesn’t have a post in CZ.

Not sure if this should be here. Admins may move this.

I came across FireRTC that allows anyone to call a US number from their computers for free. The number can be easily changed, but the drawback is that one cannot receive calls on that number.

I have gone through some of the recommendations in the other threads
https://ringplus.net/
https://voip.ms/
http://www.rebtel.com/
https://www.twilio.com/

After that has someone discovered a solution thats as simple as calling or receiving calls on a mobile phone? (To be more specific, a lot of these might not work for/ from India.)

I’m thinking of doing some bike touring around China and then later Taiwan. However, I would then like to go to Chiang Mai and Southeast Asia WITHOUT the bike, rack and paniers. What do you guys recommend?

I currently have a bike in the US and love biking around but don’t always want to be biking. Sometimes it’s nice to just buy a motorbike and then sell it when I’m done. However a touring bike is very big possession and it would get expensive to keep buying and selling it.

I’m just curious as to other nomad’s lifestyles.

Most nomads seem to work constantly (either for others or themselves) and I was curious as to whether anyone works for a few months and then travels for a few months without working.

That would be my ideal schedule, just curious as to what you do and who you are!

Small towns with:

1. beautiful nature (mountains or sea)
2. progressive (clean energy, digital, social justice, etc)
3. laid back attitude
4. affordable
5. good startup community
   It seems to me that if 2 and 5 then it’s hard to have 1 and 3. e.g. Berlin for startups is too big, not great nature, a bit too cold. Am I asking too much?

So far, everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve been able to book an apartment in advance on Craigslist or Airbnb. Sometimes I’ll even reach out on the #nomads Slack group, on Couchsurfing, or contact the owner of a local coworking space to see if anyone knows a landlord in need of a tenant. This works great for larger towns and cities.

I’m beginning to look into living in smaller, more remote towns. Does anyone have advice about showing up in a country without a home and tracking one down?

What non technical career paths are appealing for digital nomads ?

Hi, hoping seasoned travellers can help!

I’m leaving Toronto for Lisbon, Portugal in 3 weeks. “Winter” weather there is described as Average 12-15 degrees. Spring "15-18 degrees, and summer 20 degrees up to 28.

Since I have one suitcase and a small luggage allowance - what do you suggest? I know that Lisbon has been warmer than usual in recent weeks!

Advice from Nomads in Portugal specifically welcomed.

Cheers

Hi guys,
I’ve decided I want to take a break from my way of living and go nomad for a few months (at least). I do music so WiFi is not my main concern, all I need is good inspiration and nice people around me.

I am looking for a mid-cheap / safe place, preferably having a nice beach around. I’d also like to socialize with people from different cultures. Meet and make new friends.
I got sick from living in Europe/US, so I’d rather be far away from these continents.

My choices have come down do Costa Rica, but I’m reading some good stuff about Medellin, Mexico, Panama. I’ve spend quite some time in Asia traveling as well (I love Bali and Koh Lanta), but I’ve never been to South America, so I’d rather go in that direction.

What would you suggest?

Hey everybody!

The questions… How do you deal with stuff you have to buy but won’t carry? Is there a better way that you already apply for you?

And here is the context to help you answering those…

I usually get semi-furnished apartments where I’m staying and I often have to buy stuff like kitchen utensils, some bed sheets and even pillows sometimes. All things that I have to leave behind what I cannot sell in time so I just got used to count these expenses as part of my stay (e.g. if I bought 200 USD of stuff and will stay 4 months then this adds 50 USD/month of expenses). But I think that is very inneficient. The problem clearly summarizes in: There’s stuff I need to use almot all the time I’m staying in the place, can’t sell it too much before leaving but won’t carry the stuff with me.

Thank you and have good travels!

Does anyone have any advice for Barcelona in terms of places to live that are dog friendly? Does anyone even travel with pets? Or even in a campervan? I plan to do lots of Europe first and foremost spending 1-2 months at a time in different cities/countries/places.

Hey guys, I officially became a nomad in February, moving to HCMC in Vietnam. Now I’m living in Chiang Mai.

I used to suffer from really bad anxiety and depression, and have a blog that helps people who deal with them.

I wondered: could becoming a digital nomad help with these mental issues?

For the pro-side, you get to travel, meet so many people, see more things than many could hope to see in their entire life…

On the against-side, you have stress of sometimes not having money if you’re just starting out, loneliness/isolation, problem with integrating into a new culture, etc.

Wanted to get you guys’ opinions and thoughts. Do you think this lifestyle can help or hurt? Why or why not?

We are seriously considering to quit our current job and travel the world for (at least) 1 year… Beside the financial part (we still have a lot of unanswered questions…), one of our main concerns is our 5 year old Sphynx cat, Pixie…

We love her so much, that we couldn’t leave without her… I know, it will complicate things, but it’s either that or not leaving at all…
Does anyone in here have experience with traveling with cats (or dogs)?
I hope I can get some advice from you guys!

Regards

Robbie

I have been travelling and working from quite a few of the common places in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America over the past two years and I’m looking for areas that are a little more off the common path of DNs.

Two years ago I was supposed to go to Mongolia for some trip, I already had my visa ready, but then I ended up not going because of some other incident. Since then Mongolia is a place that I really wanted to go to, and basically do some of the things I’ve planned to do two years ago:).

I don’t care much about the pollution in the city or (some people say) high crime rate, but I’m quite worried about the quality of the internet connections there. The speed of the connection is not that important for me, but the reliability is, so I would be very interested in hearing experiences of people who have tried to work from there.

Has anybody here tried working from Ulaanbaatar before?

I’m a 25 year old Australian girl, newly single, working remotely for a SF startup. I’m looking for a location to settle for the next 6 months, starting in May. All countries are on the table (although stable wifi is required).

I’d love to be by a beach & somewhere that has a relatively bustling vibe, restaurants etc. Bonus points for surf or a gym.

Logistically, I have a visa to be able to stay in the Schengen zone for 4 years so Europe is doable. I guess I’m concerned about it being high season?

I’d love to hear any suggestions.

I’m talking about residency visas in EU countries that don’t give access to the labor market, don’t require family, don’t require you to study, etc.

Spain’s is called the “Non-Lucrative Residence Visa”, and Austria’s is “Settlement Permit - Gainful Employment Excepted”.

I’m planning on applying to Austria’s, and would like to hear others’ experiences for Austria or any EU country.

I’ve come across a new term “destination entrepreneur”. I have a strong desire to settle down somewhere in Asia, but need to get away from English teaching (which I have done for over 2 years).

The “dream” so to speak would be to learn the language of the people and interact more directly with their culture in more of a technical or business sense.

The main businesses I’m leaning towards are:
Sourcing Business
Exporting/Importing Business

I’d really like to see if there are any other “destination entrepreneurs” here that have started other businesses that interact more personally with people that you live on the ground with, or know of any success stories.

I am used to travel with my backpack. A logic choice when you also walk trails and such.
But while traveling for a few months now in South America, I do not walk a lot with my backpack while living as a DN.

So the question came up: Backpack or suitcase for the next travels?
The walk from hostel to the bus terminal is no problem. And a case is so much more accessible to live out… I think.

The case to go for me would be a Rimowa, thé topnotch aluminum one.

What is you experience with a case vs. a bag?

I am wanting to work abroad as a freelance programmer . I’m seeking a low tax jurisdiction , preferably in Europe . What countries offer a 1 - 2 year freelance visa ? I would prefer to complete and obtain my visa before leaving the States . What are my options ?

I hope to be a digital nomad in the not too distant future and plan to start saving now, but how do you work out how much you need to save? Are there any good resources out there to help me? The issue I am having is that, as it is my first nomad adventure, I don’t want to plan too much in advance but then I don’t want to miss out on activities as I didn’t save enough. Any advice?

Hey y’all. My girlfriend and I are in Austria and we have bed bugs. We stayed at a hostel and when they moved us to a new room it was crawling with them and my girlfriend got bit about 60 times. We tried our best to nuke our stuff in a dryer and get rid of them but seems like we still have them. Does not bother me but my gf is super allergic and it is destroying her.

From all the research I have done the best solution is a product called Diatomaceous Earth (DE) which is a powder that contains tiny sharp crystals which compromise the exoskeleton of insects and kills them very effectively and is non toxic. From all reviews I have read, this is the ultimate tool against bed bugs. I am trying right now to buy some but it is pretty hard to get some ordered quickly.

Link to a DE product in Europe: http://www.diatomretail.co.uk/collections/diatompest

Wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem and what types of things can be done to treat it and avoid being infested in the future. Thank you!

From what I see, many countries don’t easily issue work visas unless you have a sponsor in the country, so I wonder how legal being a “working nomad” is.

I feel that working for overseas on visa-waiver programs is sort of in a gray area but I doubt that the people at the customs would easily let you in if they knew you were technically going to work in their country.

How do you handle this? Do you get a work visa for every country you visit?
What if at the port of entry they ask you “what were you doing for three months in Country X without a visa?” “Uhm… vacation… and I’m going to be on vacation for three more months here.”

I’m thinking of spending the next three months in the US and this possible questioning is worrisome.

My rough and likely to change itinerary is Istanbul, Split, Budapest, Prague - for about a month each, doing a couple short weekend trips to other cities/sites along the way.

Some background:
This will be my first solo international trip is a remote worker.
I’d love to get a taste for the culture of the cities I visit, meet some fellow travellers and nomads along the way, explore nature / hike (and of course, get work done).

Would be great to hear what some of you would do (or have done), and why?

My girlfriend and I are looking to find a place to stay in the USA for a few months this winter.

What are our options for finding a reliable place to stay for when we arrive?

I tried AirBNB, but got stopped at the verification stage, as I don’t have social media accounts (what a stupid requirement).

Craigslist has places, but I know that this is just asking to be scammed by doing it online.

VRBO seems expensive compared to AirBNB, but I suppose it’s an option. Does anyone have experience with it?

Is there anything else I’m missing here?

I’ve been traveling in Europe for about a year now, and I’ve come to realize (perhaps too late) that some of the most interesting and peaceful stays aren’t in the cities, but in the smaller villages. Unfortunately, I don’t have a car, so the logistics of this might be a little tricky. Have any of you travelled for significant periods of time through villages without a car? If so, I have a few questions:

1. How did you deal with transport?
2. Did you feel comfortable and content, or did you get bored? (I assume that without a car, you’d be spending much more time in the actual village than in the neighboring areas — unless you biked, maybe?)
3. What kinds of people usually live in villages? Is it mostly older people or is it a mix?
4. How did you deal with the language barrier? I assume that English isn’t nearly as common in villages as it is in the cities. Did you feel uncomfortable or out of place?
5. Was the internet OK?
6. Any places you’d particularly recommend?
7. What are some areas around the world where you could get around easily and see lots of beautiful areas with a bike or scooter? I’ve heard this about parts of Thailand and the Amalfi coast. Also, if you don’t know how to ride a scooter/motorcycle, do you need lessons or is it easy to pick up?
8. How easy is it to find affordable stays (via Airbnb or others)? My definition of affordable is no more than, say, $40/day, but ideally less than $35/day.
9. Is there a good way to balance the desire for contentment and serenity found in villages with the lust for the multi-sensory spectacle and newness of city life (while not having a car)?

I realize it’s a general topic but I don’t have any specific destinations in mind. (Currently looking at France, Italy, Germany, etc.) I also realize that “get a car!” might be the optimal choice for most people, but for me, not only is it too expensive, but it just doesn’t mesh with the way I live my life. So even if there’s no good answer, I’d love to hear any and all tips you might have!

I’m writing an article about the digital nomad. Therefore, I am very interested to know your answer to the question: Was it difficult to you to decide to become a digital nomad?
Thanks for the answers!

Does anyone have experience travelling as a digital nomad with their children ? Obviously being in each location for such a short time can make it pretty impossible to put them in a normal school. I have seen online schools, but these mostly appear to be linked to real school districts (in the states).

I am confident my son will get a better education travelling the world but there are a lot of legal issues in certain countries (like Germany).

Any tips, advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

Specifically I’m self-employed with an American passport. Curious if there are any good tips & tricks for staying in Schengen Area more than 90 days, like closer to a year.

Hello Nomads,
I have a cat of 6 months and I would like to take another one.
Are you having problems about traveling with an animal?(in particular a cat).
What about two? Is it a bad idea?
I’d like to take another one because this one that I have is feeling lonely during the day due to not having anyone to play with him. I play with him some times but I can’t put the whole daytime into him.

Thanks in advance for the answers.
Andrea