Managing money as a digital nomad

Imagine checking off your daily task list for work while reclining at the beach, sipping lattes at a busy urban café or relishing the quiet coziness of a mountain cabin — the life of a digital nomad may come with some real perks and possibilities. But with that unique flexibility comes a unique set of potential challenges. With the right tools and some key principles to keep in mind, the nomadic life might just be within your grasp. What does it take to become a digital nomad? Let’s find out!

What is a digital nomad?

A digital nomad is a person who uses technology to work remotely and live an independent, location-flexible lifestyle. They are often tech-savvy individuals who may travel internationally, working from anywhere with a stable internet connection. The image of a digital nomad with a laptop working from home or a beachfront location may be part of the appeal, but there’s more depth to the digital nomad lifestyle than meets the eye.

Digital nomad jobs

The scope of digital nomad jobs is wide and varied, spanning many industries. Some common fields include software development, digital marketing, graphic design, consulting and many others. To identify some possible digital nomad jobs look for professions you could perform remotely with digital tools. You may find one that aligns with your skills and potentially fits into the digital nomad jobs spectrum.

Digital nomad banking challenges

As exciting and liberating as the digital nomad lifestyle might be, it comes with some unique challenges — particularly when it comes to managing money. Part of learning how to be a digital nomad is effectively tackling the potential hurdles of digital nomad banking. Here are a few common sticking points:

• Exchange fees: A stumbling block for many digital nomads is foreign transaction fees. When you use a credit or debit card issued by a home bank in another country, you may be charged an added currency exchange fee for every purchase you make. These fees can potentially add up, increasing your cost of living abroad.
• ATM fees: ATM withdrawal fees abroad are another challenge for many digital nomads. Withdrawing cash in a foreign country or any out-of-network ATM may potentially result in additional fees that factor into the costs of working remotely.
• Handling multiple currencies: If you’re a digital nomad working abroad, you’ll likely have to learn to juggle multiple currencies at once. This may mean keeping track of their respective values so you can know the best time to exchange them at favorable rates. Because the value of your home currency against local currencies may fluctuate, there could be some unpredictability added into your finances that may take some extra foresight and planning to manage effectively.

Practical tips for digital nomad banking

Here are a few points to keep in mind as a digital nomad banking on the go:

• Keep a home bank: For digital nomads abroad, it might be helpful to stay tied to an international bank at home. Doing so may provide a sense of financial stability and help with managing taxes and accessing certain financial services.
• Consider a multi-currency account: Since you could be dealing with a few currencies at once, it might be wise to consider a multi-currency account to save you from repeated exchange fees.
• Understand your tax obligations: One key to learning how to be a digital nomad is understanding the tax regulations in both your home country and your country of residence. Tax laws change and your obligations to both countries may depend on an array of factors. It may be wise to consult with a financial advisor or qualified tax professional to keep up to date with your tax duties.
• Hold some physical cash: Despite the digital nature of your lifestyle, keeping some physical currency on hand, whether it’s a local currency abroad or just some cash on hand while traveling at home, could be helpful in areas where digital payments aren’t as widely accepted.
• Automate your bills and payments: As a digital nomad, it’s possible you may find yourself in a different time zone or without access to the internet at times. Automating your bills can help keep your payments from being missed while you’re on the road. Nowadays, many banks offer automatic bill payment tools that could prove useful.
• Use budgeting tools: Since digital nomad banking can sometimes involve unique considerations, budgeting apps and tools might be useful for tracking your spending and managing money on the go. They may provide valuable insights into your spending habits and help you plan your budgets more accurately.
• Prioritize security: As a digital nomad, you may often find yourself in new places. This can mean using online systems and hardware unfamiliar to you. Taking care to ensure your banking activities are secure can help prevent headaches that may otherwise put a bump in your travels. This could include using only trusted internet connections, regularly checking your bank statements and ensuring your chosen bank has up-to-date security measures in place.

What is the right bank for digital nomads?

Picking the right bank is vital to success as a digital nomad. A bank that aligns with your lifestyle and provides accessible services can potentially make your life on the road easier. But what is the best bank for digital nomads? Let’s look at some key features to look for:

• Online and mobile banking: As a digital nomad, you’ll likely want your bank to offer strong mobile and online banking services. This means you can access your account, make transactions, pay bills and check balances from anywhere you have Wi-Fi or data connections.
• Low or no foreign transaction fees: If you’re on the road abroad, it might be wise to try to avoid exchange fees by highlighting banks with accounts that don’t charge for currency exchanges (or offer multi-currency options).
• Global ATM access: You may want to ask your bank about their ATM network. Banks with wider networks and improved ATM access can help you save on both out-of-network withdrawal fees and make sure you can get cash when you need it.
• Flexible customer support: While it’s generally recommended for digital nomads to keep a home bank while abroad, you may want one with customer support across time zones.

In summary

Digital nomads often deal with unique banking challenges which require making some important choices. From handling multiple currencies to picking the right bank for your lifestyle, each of these choices can impact your financial well-being down the line. But with a sound understanding of digital nomad banking, these challenges may just become opportunities to give your money some structure. So, if you’re an aspiring digital nomad, why not start planning your own banking strategy today?