If you’ve decided to use your remote working opportunity to live in lots of different places, you may be finding that costs soon add up.
While a nomadic lifestyle can be minimalistic and cheap, having amazing experiences and paying for shorter-term accommodation can stretch your budget to its limits. Luckily, there are ways you can make your money go further with a few small adjustments to your habits.
Stay In Longer Term Accommodation
It’s often cheaper to stay in holiday accommodation or Airbnbs when you book a longer stay of three weeks or more.
Many hosts give discounts for guests that are sticking around, as they’ll have to spend less on advertising and cleaning the room between different people.
If you like travelling, you may be reluctant to do this, but staying in one place for a month doesn’t mean you can’t explore. You can take plenty of day trips and really soak up the local atmosphere before moving on.
Save On Car Insurance
Lots of remote workers that are on the move rely on their car to get them from place to place, but running a car isn’t always particularly cheap.
While there’s not a lot you can do about routine maintenance costs, you can save money on car insurance.
When you spend some time comparing policies, it’s possible to find cheap car insurance that still works for your needs and gives you the cover you want. If you’ve been with your current provider for a while, chances are there’s a better deal out there for you.
Make The Most Of Free Working Spaces
If your company offers perks such as a subscription to a coworking space, you should definitely make the most of it. This will mean you can work somewhere comfortable for free without having to buy coffee all day in a café.
Alternatively, you could find a local library and work from there, or even in communal spaces wherever you’re renting a room. If you’re travelling during off-peak times, it’s likely there won’t be too many families or other guests milling about to disturb you.
Get A flexible SIM card
If you are travelling abroad, you could quickly rack up charges on your phone when not only keeping in touch with friends and family but also ringing local numbers.
Some phone plans will allow you to make free calls to many countries, but a cheaper option could be opting for pay-as-you-go SIM plans in the country you are in.
While it will mean changing your number, it can be worth it to save money. Make sure you keep all your contacts somewhere safe so you can pass on your details to loved ones easily.
Cook At Home
While one of the best things about being a remote worker is being able to try the local cuisine of the place you’re in, but you can save a lot of money by making most of your meals where you’re staying.
Sometimes booking a small apartment with a kitchenette can be a similar price or cheaper than staying in a hotel, so look out for deals. Besides, you’ll still be able to try new ingredients from the supermarket that you might not be able to get at home.
Book Travel Early
If you’re taking flights or transporting your car via boat, travel costs can quickly start to add up. The further in advance you book your tickets, the more savings you’re likely to enjoy.
This will require a little bit of planning on your part, so try to decide what countries or cities you want to visit ahead of time. Even booking a few months in advance can make all the difference, so you can still keep some degree of spontaneity.
Limit The Number Of Things You Put In Storage
If you’re travelling indefinitely, chances are you have some of your things back home in storage. Over time, paying for this can eat into your travel funds.
And if you’re still paying rent back home even though you’re going to be away for more than six months, you should definitely consider storage over having an empty house eating up all your money.
Next time you’re home, try to reduce the amount of things you’re paying to store so you can take out a cheaper unit. Most of us have too much stuff, so take this chance to declutter and save money.
Being a digital nomad can be an incredible experience, but it does require a lot of planning and budgeting to do it long-term. If you are willing to put in the effort, it’s a lifestyle that can be rewarding for years to come.
