ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The rapid development of the digital world and the COVID-19 pandemic have changed many things, including people’s lifestyles. Working remotely is not a strange thing anymore. The business world has adapted and even benefited from the growing trend of remote working.
Along with the development of this trend, there are people who live their lives by traveling from one country to another, but uniquely, they can still earn a living and earn income from their own country. People like this are better known as digital nomads.
Donny Susilo is one of the digital nomads who has been living his daily life by traveling around countries in Asia as of late. He is a well-known business planning consultant in Indonesia, who is also the author of several popular business books, including; Teknik Negosiasi Kekinian and It’s My MIAW (Marketing In A Week).
“Moving from one country to another is indeed exhausting, but it also give you a priceless experience,” Donny said.
Perhaps many of us are wondering, does being a digital nomad require a large income? Donny, who now has lived in many countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan, shares tips on how to survive as a digital nomad.
“We shouldn’t always need a very big income to be a digital nomad, but we have to know how to minimize our expenses.”
Donny shared his tips and experience with AsiaToday.id. Firstly, you should look for countries where the economic conditions are not much different from your home country, and prioritize countries that provide visa exemption for us. If the cost of living in your host country is more expensive than in your home country, you should avoid living in the capital city.
Secondly, we must stay for at least one month in order to get the monthly rate for the accommodation, but it must be noted that we must still buy a return ticket a few days before our stay permit expires so that we do not overstay if something unexpected happens.
Thirdly, digital nomads can occasionally visit countries where the cost of living is expensive and stay for a few days, but there must be a pattern that is maintained so that our financial flows are stable, for example 2+1, means that we live in two countries with cheap cost of living and one country where expensive cost of living, then repeat it again with living in two countries with cheap cost of living and so on.
Fourthly, try to find accommodation with completed facilities and which are close to the city center so that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on transportation when you want to travel. If one day you return to the same city, try to stay in the same place to minimize the cost of learning and adaptation.
Fifthly, digital nomads are advised to join the digital nomad community in order to get information about accommodation, local culture, immigration regulations and other matters more quickly.
“Nevertheless, there are still some challenges that need to be faced when becoming a digital nomad,” Donny said.
Starting from the costs that must be spent to adjust to an unfamiliar environment, to the time spent constantly looking for new accommodations for the next country, to the language barriers and complicated travel processes. It can be extremely challenging.
A digital nomad must have purchased a return ticket or onward ticket when he wants to enter a country with visa exemption, this is always requested by immigration and airlines to reduce the risk of overstay. Donny also suggested that digital nomads must maintain their reputation and trust from their boss or clients to keep their income safe.
Thus, Donny hopes that in the future, governments globally can formulate visa policies for digital travelers whose registration process can be done online or remotely. This is to adapt to the development of the digital world and provide certainty and comfort to digital nomads, who incidentally are also foreign exchange heroes for destination countries.
“They do not take money in the host country, but they spend the money there. Therefore, I think they deserve polite treatment from the government in the host country,” Donny said. (ATN)