Whether you’re looking to make a career change, grow a side hustle, or get a job you can do from anywhere; Here are 5 ways you can make money while digital nomading.
1. Amazon FBA Seller
Fulfilled By Amazon, or FBA means Amazon houses all inventory and ships orders directly to customers as well as handling all customer service issues. This makes it really easy for digital nomads to create an income through Retail Arbitrage.
Retail Arbitrage is essentially flipping products you can find at local retail stores (think Wal-Mart, TJ Maxx, Ross) and sell them online for a profit. This is how I have been making my income for the past 2 ½ years while living in an RV. Many successful sellers have started with as little as $200. I replaced my Los Angeles based salary in just 4 months working part-time hours.
The Selling Family is one of the best courses out there to learn from. Visit TheSellingFamily.com to learn more.
Experience Required: None
Schedule: Varies based on how much you want to work.
2. Teach Children English
Through VIPKid, many digital nomads are teaching children English as a second language in China. Since the program is web based, you can teach from anywhere in the world and set your own schedule. Patty Gill (@gills_on_wheels) has been teaching for the past 6 months and loves it. “I would absolutely recommend it to others. It’s so much fun and so rewarding.”
Each class is a 25 minute, one-on-one, session with a child age 4-12. VIPKid offers their students’ full English immersion classes so there’s no need for you to speak Chinese. Base pay rates are $14 to $22 an hour. Plus, VIPKid recently made Glassdoor’s Top 10 Best Places to Work in 2020! Visit vipkid.com/teach to get started.
Experience Required: Bachelor’s Degree (in any field) + Experience working with children (in almost any form, from babysitter to camp counselor).
Schedule: Varies, since you will be teaching children in Beijing, peak times are 5am – 8am EST.
4. Virtual Bookkeeping Business
Did you know you can start a virtual bookkeeping business, knowing absolutely NOTHING about bookkeeping? Well you can! After you learn how of course.
Bookkeeper Business Launch has an online educational course that not only teaches you the bookkeeping skills you’ll need but also how to build your business and the marketing skills to gain clients. You can earn up to $60 an hour all while working remotely and on your own schedule. Digital nomad, Kristina Steffen, took the course in November 2018 and signed her first two clients in January 2019.
To learn more visit learntobeabookkeeper.com. If you own a business that needs a professional bookkeeper work with Kristina at kristinasteffen.com.
Experience Required: None
Schedule: Varies based on your client load and schedule you set. On average you’ll spend about 3-5 hours a month per client.
3. Mystery Shopping
Mystery Shopping is often met with scepticism, but it can be a legitimate source of income for digital nomads. You can get paid to shop, dine, take tours, and sometimes it’s as easy as going into a store and snapping a photo of a product display. How much you earn is totally up to you and your schedule. You can be in it just for free meals, or earn a full-time income.
Being a digital nomad actually works in your favor as Tamara David points out, “There are so many more opportunities to try restaurants and stores that were not in our hometown before we started RVing full-time.” She’s even written a book to help Mystery Shoppers get started. Learn more from Tamara at simple-life-creations.com or grab her book on Amazon.
Experience Required: None
Schedule: Varies based on how much you want to work.
5. Become a Virtual Assistant
Transition your existing skills and know how into your own virtual assistant business! Odds are you already have a ton of skills and experience you can offer to another entrepreneur or business. By becoming a virtual assistant you are able to work remotely and provide your clients with a variety of different services from administrative, creative, technical, or online support.
What you don’t know how to do, you can learn! Deb Damm is a full-time RVer who transitioned her executive assistant job into an online virtual assistant career in January of 2019. She has clients on monthly retainers, and has been able to broaden the services she offers by learning new skills like Facebook Ads, content, and copy writing.
Learn how to launch your own Virtual Assistant business at thevirtualsavvy.com.
Experience Required: The skills you already have and are willing to learn!
Schedule: Generally part-time Monday – Friday but varies based on the schedule you set with clients.
