Want to live the laptop lifestyle and live and work from anywhere? Here are some ways to make it happen.
The internet has made living anywhere in the world easy due to the opportunity of making money online. Anyone from young adults fresh out of high-school, traveling families and retirees can do it; all that is required are some general computer skills, an internet connection and the proper business model. Can you imagine living the life of a digital nomad, operating a business that you can pick up and take with you wherever in the world you are? If you have a strong desire to be free and travel, and would like a business that can support this lifestyle, here are a handful of ways to make it happen.
Can you imagine living the life of a digital nomad, operating a business that you can pick up and take with you wherever in the world you are?
Freelancer to flylancer
The life of a freelancer involves contracting to businesses for a fee. Writing, photography, graphic design and web-design are all common services that work well under the freelancer model. People who do this internationally call themselves “flylancers”. There are a host of websites that connect freelancers to projects, Upwork and Fiverr being some of the most popular. Freelancing jobs can also be found alongside regular online job postings, LinkedIn and online communities such as those on Facebook. Freelancers generally take work on a project basis, however there are always ongoing opportunities for those seeking long term, consistent work.
Blogger and vlogger
Do you have an interest or passion that you love to talk about? Could this interest or hobby appeal to a wider audience? Is there a niche topic that you can specialise in and become the trusted source of information to your followers? Blogging is becoming a popular way for people to make money online by writing (or podcasting, or videoing, for vloggers) about what they are interested in. There are a few ways bloggers can make money. First, they can act as an affiliate for other products online. Next, they can create products or services on their topic of specialisation and sell them online to their followers. Finally, bloggers can make an income from advertisements on their site.
Brilliant place for an office
E-Commerce
Many entrepreneurs make money online by selling virtual or physical products. Virtual products can include e-books, guides, courses and manuals, while physical products can range from vintage mirrors, fishing lures, electronic gadgets or anything else you can source or create. Amazon is a marketplace which people can sell almost anything they want. Alibaba is a wholesale network that connects manufacturers, wholesalers and business people and is a great place to source new products to bring to market. Those with specialised knowledge and skills can monetize their knowledge assets by creating and selling virtual products (such as courses) on websites like Udemy, e-books on platforms like Amazon, and design assets on websites like Creative Market and Envato.
Tele-commuting
Many workplaces are becoming more flexible with remote and tele-commuting arrangements available for workers. For those in non-client facing positions, or who do the majority of their work online or via the phone, a tele-commuting arrangement may be just what you need to maintain your income while working from anywhere in the world.
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iGaming
Are you feeling lucky? It may seem like a rather louche way to make a living, but these days making money as an international gambler doesn’t mean dressing in a dickie bow to take on the casino at Monte Carlo. Successful online gamblers can enjoy six figure incomes without getting out of their pyjamas. Those with a knack for blackjack or sports betting may find they are well suited to making money through online gambling – although obviously you need to know what you’re playing at!
Stock Market
The more acceptable face of gambling, day traders are professionals who make an income by trading stocks online. There are numerous online resources to teach “normal” people how to play the stock market and make a decent income by doing so. If you are good with numbers, have a strong business acumen and aren’t averse to risk, playing the stock market could be your ticket to a laptop lifestyle. It isn’t an easy career option though – rigorous research and control is the key to success.
Free yourself from four walls, take your work with you and live the life of a digital nomad, travelling and working from anywhere. More and more people are turning to the internet for income, could this be you too?