How to Travel More as a Freelancer

The benefit of not slaving away in a cubicle for someone else is, of course, more flexibility. As a freelancer, you decide when to work, who to work with, and maybe even where to work.

We're not just talking about moving your laptop to your local coffee shop. We're talking about working while you travel.

While taking an unpaid vacation or the full-time traveling lifestyle of a digital nomad might not be feasible (or interesting to you), there are ways to enjoy working from new places that don't require you to sell your car, give up your apartment, or take unpaid time off.

Here's how to maintain your freelance gig while working around the globe a little more often:

Be flexible on dates and destinations.

If you book your travels around local holidays or long weekends, chances are that your clients will be offline too, which means you can skip the stress of wondering if you're missing an urgent email mid-flight.

If you're really flexible on dates and don't necessarily need to work around weekends, you can search for cheapest dates to fly by month or cheapest destinations from your local airport on sites like SkyScanner. Score!

Find the perfect workspace.

When it comes time to pick your accommodations, you have some options. You can opt for a hotel or something with more local flare, like an Airbnb. Whatever you choose, there are a few factors to consider before hitting "book it":

• Internet: Strong, reliable, high-speed internet is non-negotiable. Do your research before booking by reading reviews about the property. We recommend that you go one step further and contact either the hotel's front desk or Airbnb host to ask them how reliable their internet is. If anyone says that their connection is spotty or slow, keep searching.
• Workspace: Because you still actually need to get work done, you’ll want a laptop-friendly space to designate as your office. A sturdy table, comfortable seating, and a quiet workspace are far more conducive to delivering high-quality work than working beachside from a hammock ever will be. Who wants to risk getting sand in their laptops, anyway?
• Location: You want to think about the location of your lodging, too. Are there cafes or libraries (remember those?) with Wi-Fi available nearby in case of an internet-emergency? Always have a backup plan in case your connection is disrupted mid-project.

Determine your workflow before you leave.

You’re presumably in a different timezone than your clients back home, so you'll want to determine how to best handle their work.

If you work on creative projects autonomously, like as a web or graphic designer, then it might not matter that you're halfway around the globe, so long as you're still meeting your client's deadlines.

However, if you work with clients on a 1:1 basis, like a virtual assistant, you might want to consider matching your working hours with your client's time zone.

Make your budget.

Before you leave, determine how much you can realistically spend on your trip. Beyond the cost of flights, accommodations, and food, but there are hidden costs to consider too:

• Transportation: Cabs to and from airports quickly add up. So do Uber's when you realize you start work in 15 minutes and you need to be online ASAP. Be sure to give yourself a buffer for cars around the city.
• Coffee shops: Part of the fun of working from a new place is getting to check out local cafes and coffee shop culture, but those sugar-free soy vanilla lattes with an extra shot of caffeine can add up. What? That's a real drink.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Taking money out of foreign ATM's or using a credit card abroad often result in extra fees. Be mindful that you could get hit with surcharges anytime you withdraw cash or swipe your plastic.
• Additional Taxes: The US does not include tax on the price of a product (taxes vary by state), which can be a nasty shock if you're not aware of it. In Europe, you may be taxed extra just for the convenience of eating at a cafe's outdoor patio. Get into the habit of asking if there are any additional charges you're not aware of to avoid sticker-shock.

Get travel insurance.

Yes, just do it. Murphy's Law says what can go wrong, will. Most at-home health insurance plans do not cover foreign hospital visits, so invest in a plan before taking off.

Companies like World Nomads cover things like injuries, illnesses, and even late flights or lost luggage. Enter your travel dates and rest easy knowing you're covered in case something goes wrong.

Get the right apps.

Your priority while traveling is your clients. While working from some exotic destination sounds cool, WiFi networks around the globe are likely open to the public, and that means that it's very easy for snoops to steal your (and your client's) data.

Invest in a credible VPN before you leave. Services like NordVPN allow you to assist clients on open networks by routing your connection through a server and hiding your online activity.

Work aside, you'll probably (definitely) get lost in your new city. Google Maps has an offline map so that you can track your whereabouts in real-time without paying for insane foreign data-fees on your smartphone.

Speaking of avoiding insane fees, if you need to call a client, use Google Voice (US residents only). You can sign up for a free number and use it to call and text anyone anywhere in the world. Incoming and outgoing communication to the US is free, and literally $0.02 cents almost everywhere else.

Give yourself permission to relax.

Cut yourself some slack, and remind yourself that you need, nay, you deserve to travel every now and then.

Having a healthy work-life balance will help you avoid burnout and return home ready to work revitalized and more creative than ever.

Bon voyage!