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My spouse and I like to journey. Within the 5 years that we have been collectively, we have made many unforgettable reminiscences throughout our journeys overseas.
However in July 2021, we took a Greek Isles cruise for my spouse’s 49th birthday that really modified our lives. As we sat in our ocean view cabin, we talked about how we might spend our empty nest years. Our 5 youngsters had all moved out of the home.
Throughout a Greek Isles cruise journey, Kimanzi Constable determined to promote their belongings and journey the world as digital nomads.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
It felt unbelievable to journey once more after Covid-19 shutdowns eased. So we took the leap and offered our belongings to journey full-time as digital nomads.
How we moved overseas and have become digital nomads
A number of elements influenced our determination. First, my spouse and I run a consulting firm and online education program that teaches entrepreneurs how you can model and market themselves. Our work does not require us to be in a single particular location.
We have been additionally pissed off with the circumstances of being folks coloration within the U.S. We incessantly confronted racism in the feedback part at any time when we revealed articles and movies on-line. We even had folks flat out inform us that they would not do enterprise with us as a result of I am African American and my spouse is Puerto Rican.
Operating a web based enterprise permits Kimanzi and his spouse to work from wherever, like this rooftop in Lisbon, Portugal.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
However after watching YouTube channels like Our Rich Journey, studying blogs like Nomadic Matt and listening to podcasts like Chris The Freelancer’s Podcast, we realized that we may get monetary savings overseas. YouTube channels like Passport Heavy additionally confirmed us that there could possibly be fewer experiences of racism in different international locations.
So after the cruise journey, we offered our automobile and belongings, aside from a couple of particular objects that we preserve in a storage unit. We additionally offered our five-bedroom, four-bathroom, 3,100-square-foot dwelling in Lakewood Ranch, Florida for $810,000, and our second dwelling in Bushnell for $265,000.
We used the earnings to pay down debt and spend money on our retirement and emergency funds. A part of that cash additionally helped pay for our first six months of journey, together with our Airbnbs and flights.
Kimanzi and his spouse’s first cease as full-time vacationers was Puerto Rico, the place they related along with his spouse’s heritage.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
In October 2021, we lastly landed in Puerto Rico, the place we have been in a position to join with my spouse’s heritage. Since that journey, we have lived in locations like London, Rome, Lisbon and Good.
How we earn, save and spend cash
Along with our on-line enterprise, which generates a median of $19,000 in month-to-month income, my freelance writing facet hustle brings in round $1,000 per 30 days.
After we first began touring, we dedicated to not spending greater than after we did in Florida. Our common month-to-month bills again then have been:
- Mortgage (on two properties): $5,686
- Upkeep and insurance coverage charges (on two properties): $2,385
- Utilities and telephone: $621
- Automobile funds and fuel: $2,058
- Automobile insurance coverage: $275
- Medical health insurance: $548
- Meals (groceries and consuming out): $2,500
- Health memberships: $438
- Streaming companies: $65
- Bank card debt: $525
Whole: $15,101
Our aim was to stay a snug and enjoyable life whereas additionally saving cash. Now, we have minimize our month-to-month price range by greater than 50%, and we give ourselves a most of $8,000 per 30 days to fund our lives as digital nomads.
To date, our month-to-month bills have averaged $7,886. We put each buy we will on our bank cards to build up factors and miles, then redeem them at no cost flights.
Kimanzi places most of his purchases on bank cards to earn factors for flights.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
We spent February this 12 months in Lisbon, Portugal. Here’s a breakdown of our month-to-month bills there:
- Hire (Airbnbs): $2,683
- Flights: $1,498
- Transportation: $131
- Meals (groceries, consuming out): $2,137
- Streaming companies: $65
- Telephone: $121
- Automobile insurance coverage (our daughter’s automobile): $195
- Small storage unit within the U.S.: $95
- Remedy: $780
- Leisure: $81
Whole: $7,786
How we select our digital nomad locations
We select our locations based mostly on seasonal climate, price of dwelling, and whether or not the nation is on both of our bucket lists.
One of many locations Kimanzi and his spouse selected was Good, France, the place they visited earlier this 12 months in March.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
We keep in Airbnbs over inns as a result of we would like locations with a big kitchen, a washer and dryer, a pleasant view and devoted area for us to work. Motels simply cannot provide all of that.
We spend wherever from one to 3 months in every place. For some folks, it could possibly really feel tiring to have such a transient life-style, however we find it irresistible.
We construction our schedule to steadiness work and enjoyable
Work takes up a lot of our time through the week. We’re on our computer systems and telephones Monday by means of Friday, sometimes from Eight a.m. to about four p.m. I am the chef within the household, so we eat at dwelling through the weekdays.
Weekends are after we actually get to have enjoyable. We sleep in on Saturday mornings, and I wake my spouse up with espresso and a do-it-yourself breakfast. Then we’ve got a listing of points of interest we need to go to from YouTube movies that we have watched.
We discover every nation we journey to, delight within the native delicacies, and stroll loads. Our favourite metropolis to date has been Rome. The Italian meals there’s unbeatable.
Rome has been the couple’s favourite cease to date.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
We like that we will stroll from our Airbnb close to the Vatican to the middle of Rome in about 25 minutes. We may depart and be indulging in pizza or gelato very quickly. The stroll across the metropolis and again to our Airbnb helps us burn off a superb quantity of energy.
Full-time journey is freedom for us
We have been digital nomads for seven months now and we do not remorse our determination to promote the whole lot and journey full-time.
We’re at present in Medellin, Colombia.
Kimanzi and his spouse keep in contact with their 5 youngsters through FaceTime, Zoom and journeys again dwelling to the U.S.
Photograph: Kimanzi Constable
Whereas touring, we use Zoom and FaceTime to remain in contact with folks again dwelling. Know-how permits us to stay the full-time digital nomad life-style with out feeling so distant from our household and mates.
We’re saving cash and staying in international locations that really feel welcoming to us as folks of coloration. Europe was such a superb expertise that we’re contemplating getting long-term residency there.
We’re so grateful that we get to stay a lifetime of freedom, and the place on daily basis seems like a brand new journey.
Kimanzi Constable is an entrepreneur and a contract author. His work has been revealed in Fortune, Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise, SUCCESS, NBC, Journey & Leisure, CBS and Dad and mom, amongst many others. Comply with him and his spouse on YouTube to maintain up with their travels.
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