You might be familiar with the book and movie, The Martian, where Matt Damon plays an astronaut stranded on Mars. He has to figure out how to survive the harsh environment of the Red Planet. The Martian is all about survival, and how to stay alive. If you’ve ever watched that movie, you know that Matt Damon does a lot of his own “homesteading.” He grows all of his food, makes his own fuel (using his nuclear reactor), and digs out a survival cave (in the movie, he makes fires with flints and sticks).

While Matt Damon’s situation was fiction, the story of homesteading is very real. In the last decade, we’ve seen plenty of examples of people who invested in homesteading supplies (mostly in the form of solar power systems and battery storage) and made the move to become digital nomads. As a result, multiple successful companies were born and flourished, gaining popularity and gaining customers all over the world.

These days, anyone with a few thousand dollars to spare can start their own digital nomad company. The only problem is, there are a lot of them around. Which one will you choose? How do you know that you’re choosing the right one?

The Rise Of The Virtual Nomad

According to TikTok, there are currently over 500 million users on their platform. That’s a lot of potential customers.

Even more promising is the fact that 60% of TikTok users are between the ages of 18 and 24. That’s an audience that’s largely untapped. With so many people using the platform and enjoying the content, it’s not hard to see why brands and businesses are flocking to get in on the action.

Since its launch in early 2018, TikTok’s been covered by major publications such as Business Insider, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Not to mention that the platform’s been vetted by the likes of Apple and Google, who both own a small slice of it.

Along with TikTok, we’ve seen a rise in the popularity of other P2P (or people-to-people) platforms, like TikTok’s arch-nemesis, Instagram. According to Alexa, the average user spends 80 minutes a day on the app.

Instagram’s Role In The Rise Of The Digital Nomad

As the parent company of TikTok, Facebook has been very busy. Not only do they own a piece of TikTok (9%), but they also purchased TikTok in 2017 for a billion dollars, making them the second-largest shareholder of the company. (Baidu and Alibaba also own a piece of the company.)

With all of these digital nomad platforms popping up, it’s important to keep in mind that most of these platforms are backed by massive online communities. This means that if you get the formula right, you can potentially become the next big thing on TikTok (or Instagram, or whichever platform you choose).

The Main Attractions Of A Digital Nomad Life

Once you’ve decided to go down the digital nomad route, the next step is to figure out what you’ll need to survive. This might include everything from a fancy-looking wardrobe to a camper van. You might also want to consider upgrading your smartphone, since you’ll need it to stay connected to the internet (and for research, of course).

Of course, it depends on where you plan on going. If you decide to travel Europe, you might want to bring along your bike and load it up with all of your belongings. If you plan on heading to South America, bring your jungle gear and prepare to survive off of the land. Whatever your plan is, make sure that you have everything you need. It’s also important to keep in mind that self-sufficient living isn’t for everyone. Some people prefer to travel with others or rent a houseboat.

How To Pick Your Travel Partners

One of the most importants things to consider if you want to become a digital nomad is who you’ll be traveling with. Do you want to go to Europe? Or, would you rather head to Asia? There are pros and cons to both options. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of traveling to Europe versus Asia.

One of the biggest cons of traveling to Europe is that a lot of the popular cities have a bad reputation. You might want to avoid going there unless you’re well-known for being adventurous. Also, a lot of the popular cities in Europe are expensive. (Think Paris and Rome.)

On the other hand, Asia is a lot more affordable and has a lot more going on. It doesn’t have to be expensive traveling there. (Think Bangkok and Hong Kong.) Plus, a lot of the popular cities there have a good vibe. You might feel more comfortable socializing with locals instead of a lot of the European tourists that pop up in your city.

The Rise Of The Freelancer

If you’re looking for a stable job, you might want to consider getting a regular paycheck instead of going the digital nomad route. (Although, it depends on your situation.) For some people, it’s the only way to survive. (Just kidding!)

If you decide to take the freelance route, make sure to put aside ample time for client work. You’ll be turning down a lot of jobs to take on bigger and better opportunities. (Don’t be afraid to ask for more than one project at a time.) This will help you stay stable and continue building your career.

Final Takeaway

The key takeaway from this entire section is to make sure that you’re prepared to go the extra mile. While it’s easy to simply sign up for a freelancing or consulting gig and expect things to just work out, that’s not how this world works. (Most likely, you’ll end up spending more time than expected on an underwhelming project.)

If you’re serious about becoming a digital nomad, put in the extra effort to learn the trade. There are plenty of opportunities out there, but you have to know how to find them. (Don’t expect to just show up and start making money. It doesn’t work that way.)

Above all else, make sure to pick a travel partner you can trust. (Especially if you decide to go on a long-term trip.) You’ll be spending a lot of time together, so it’s important to find someone you can trust. If you can’t trust anyone, then maybe consider joining an online community or creating a blog where you can vent and connect with other travelers.