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One of the main reasons otherwise-sane and well-adjusted people choose to freelance is for location flexibility. All my freelancing friends (myself included) try to plan our lives so we can travel where we want, when we want.
However, sans a regular salary, a bit of creativity is required to indulge the travel-bug within. Here are a few ways to make it happen.
Become the perfect house guest, and welcome some.
Housesitting is a great way to experience a foreign city without worrying about the cost of accommodations. You need a roof over your head anyway, so why not make some passive income literally while you sleep?
Sites like Trusted Housesitters give you the opportunity to take care of a property (and/or the pets on said property), and in return you stay for free.
But of course, unless you’re embracing that expat life, you’ll still have to pay your rent or mortgage you’re away. Let someone else cover the cost by listing your place on Airbnb.
There might be some upstart costs to get your home up to renting standard (and laws to check—Airbnb hosting isn’t legal everywhere), but it’s a great long-term option if you’re often away from home.
Flex your language skills.
Thinking of spending some extended time in a foreign country?
Whatever your pre-existing hustle, you may want to consider teaching English (or another language) to supplement your income while traveling.
Bartending is recession-proof.
No matter where you end up traveling, it always pays how to know how to mix a drink. If summering in a swanky destination (like the Greek Islands, for example) is outside of your budget, consider joining the seasonal economy.
Destinations driven by tourism rely on seasonal staff to help out when things get busy. Plus, working in a bar or restaurant is a great way to meet people.
Sometimes travel expenses are business expenses.
If you’re a freelancer with clients out-of-state or abroad, and they ask you for a little face-to-face time, it’s 100 percent appropriate for you to ask them to cover your travel, lodging and food expenses.
Also, make sure to keep track of what you spend on these kind of trips, because you may be able to deduct them from your taxes.
Maintain a digital footprint.
Even if you’re traveling for purely recreational reasons, it’s important that you keep yourself on the map for prospective work opportunities. Just because you’re OOO doesn’t mean everyone else is.
Having a current and polished website and social media presence where people can get in touch with you—especially if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar office—is key.
If you really don’t want to be reached, always make sure to have a voicemail and automated email response to let people know you’re off the grid without forsaking your professionalism.
Master the art of working remotely.
When you’re moving through time-zones, keeping up with scheduled calls and deadlines can be especially tough. But with great flexibility comes great responsibility, so get ready to step it up. Full-time freelancers rarely take true vacations. (But there are apps to help with remote work.)
Don’t let that perfectly cropped Instagram post of a croissant in Paris fool you. Like me, they’re probably downing an extra espresso or three to stay awake for a 2 a.m. call with New York.
We’re changing the narrative around money but change can’t happen with a one-sided conversation. Send us an email and let us know what you think. And remember the nav.it money app offers you free tools for checking in and managing your money moves.
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