Money doesn't budget itself
Hey Freaking Nomads,
I just spent three hours going through my expenses from last month.
Three. Freaking. Hours.
Sitting in a coffee shop in Sofia, surrounded by receipts (digital ones, thankfully), trying to figure out where exactly €347 went in "miscellaneous" spending. Spoiler alert: it was a mix of overpriced airport coffee, impulse Taxi rides when I was too lazy to figure out public transport, and at least four different subscription services I forgot I was paying for.
Here's what nobody tells you about nomad finances: the freedom to go anywhere comes with the responsibility to track everything.
And most of us, myself included, are terrible at it.
We get caught up in the romance of location independence. We post Instagram stories from Thai co-working spaces and talk about "geo-arbitrage" like we're financial geniuses.
But behind the scenes? We're bleeding money on currency exchange fees, paying for overlapping accommodations, and justifying every expense as "part of the experience."
I've watched nomads spend months in Southeast Asia thinking they're saving money, only to realize they were actually spending more than they would back home. Why? Because they never properly tracked anything. They just assumed cheaper countries meant cheaper living.
The harsh truth is this: being location independent without being financially disciplined is just expensive wandering.
And in 2025, with everything costing more and remote work getting more competitive, we can't afford expensive wandering anymore.
I'm not saying we necessarily need to become spreadsheet robots (although this would actually help). But we do need to get real about money management.
Most importantly, we need to stop treating financial planning like it's incompatible with travel.
The nomads I know who've been doing this successfully for years are not the ones winging it financially. They're the ones who figured out that money doesn't budget itself, and freedom requires structure (even if that structure sometimes takes three hours in a Sofia coffee shop 😒)
So, if you, like me, are tired of the feast-or-famine cycle (or just want a less stressful nomad life), here’s the playbook that saved me:
1/ Track absolutely everything
Guesswork is lethal. I log every coffee into a nomad expense tracker we have built ourselves at Freaking Nomads. It's a simple Google Sheet (no fancy stuff here) and it actually works. Help yourself and make a free copy if it sounds useful.
2/ Build a “bounce fund”
Emergency stashes aren’t optional on the road. Three months of living costs should sit in a no-fee online bank ready for laptop meltdowns or sudden border hops.
3/ Practice geo-arbitrage
Sure, affordable places like Sofia or Medellín can stretch your cash. But factor in flights, insurance, and that inevitable stint in a pricier hub. I budget yearly, not monthly, so spendy seasons don’t blindside me.
4/ Separate currencies and accounts
One card for income (USD), one for daily spend (local currency via Wise), one backup in my bag. Fewer FX fees, fewer heart attacks when an ATM eats plastic.
5/ Automate taxes before they hunt you
Twenty-five percent of every payment jumps straight into a tax pot the second it lands. Out of sight, out of mind (and out of trouble with two different tax offices, if you know...you know).
6/ Invest in upside
Once basics are covered, surplus flows into index funds like the S&P 500 and passion projects (hello, Freaking Nomads Hub). Your future self (and future visa fees) will thank you.
Trust me, freedom feels better when the numbers line up, so stay financially free my nomad friends.
Until the next one,
Luca
📢 New feature announcement!
A few of you asked this to us, so we just dropped another feature in the Freaking Nomads Community Hub → Communities! 💬
You can now search 300+ digital nomad communities and groups around the world, including:
➡️ Slack groups
➡️ Facebook communities
➡️ WhatsApp chats
➡️ Discord servers
➡️ Reddit threads
➡️ Telegram groups
All filtered by country, continent, and topic (biz, food, social vibes, and more).
You can now try it here and finally avoid aimlessly scrolling Reddit hoping to find your people 👀🧐
🌍 The latest guides from us
- Nepal wants to welcome digital nomads. The Himalayan nation is planning a five-year, multiple-entry visa for remote workers. With low income thresholds, affordable living, and stunning nature, Nepal might just become the next big thing for nomads looking to trade coworking spaces for mountain views.
Luca Mussari
- Can you really blog your way around the world? Turning posts into paychecks isn’t luck: it’s funnels, SEO, and smart monetisation. From choosing a niche to landing affiliate deals and sponsored trips, the nomads Nick and Hannah from Salt in our Hair outline a step-by-step roadmap that takes your blog from hobby to passport-funding career.
Hannah & Nick
- Where should you go for bootstrapping in Bali? Need strong Wi-Fi, cheap eats, and community vibes? We rank Canggu’s cafés, Ubud’s coworking sanctuaries, and emerging hubs like Sanur for cost, focus, and after-work energy perfect if you’re building your MVP between surf sessions.
Angelina Bertoni
👀 What else...
- Don’t travel without this. Health insurance isn’t sexy, but it is essential. We’ve broken down what kind of coverage you really need as a nomad, where to find it, and how to avoid those nasty surprise exclusions hiding in the fine print.
Angelina Bertoni
- The VPN we actually trust while working abroad. Can a budget VPN really give you Netflix abroad, solid speeds, and iron-clad security? We stress-tested Surfshark, ran leak tests, and compared pricing tiers (spoiler: it punches above its price, but there are trade-offs)
Johan Mejia
💼 100% remote jobs handpicked for you
Who is hiring this week? Here are some top roles to check out:
- Dutch Localization Proofreader at Duolingo
- Partnerships Manager, DeFi at Offchain Labs
- Junior AI Automation Associate at HeadQuarters
- Customer Service Representative at KrispCall
- Procurement Software Content Writer at omniscient
- Data Engineer/BI Engineer at canibuild
🧑💻 The Nomad Resource of the Week
This week’s pick is for nomads building something online: Hostinger Web Hosting.
If you're launching a blog, starting a portfolio, or just experimenting with a project while on the road, Hostinger is a solid, no-fuss option. That's because:
- It’s super affordable (plans start at a few bucks a month), which helps when you’re bootstrapping or testing ideas.
- The setup is beginner-friendly and the dashboard isn’t overwhelming, even if you’re not “techy.”
- Servers are fast and spread across the globe, so your site stays snappy no matter where you’re working from.
- You get free SSL and a domain with most plans (pretty handy to get your site live quickly and looking legit).
- Support’s there 24/7, which I’ve personally found helpful when things go sideways (usually at 1am).
I’ve used Hostinger to spin up quick sites while traveling and it’s been reliable, especially for side projects that don’t need a complex setup. Plus, if you use our discount code FREAKINGNOMADS, you get a sweet 10% off (which doesn't hurt).
For more field-tested gear, feel free to browse our tech gear section or browse all our recommended resources.
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💖 Join our Community Hub! Discover & review digital nomad places, find workspaces, track your countries and connect with like-minded people who are nomading just like you → Create your profile for free here.
📚 Want more digital nomad guides? Read our articles on all things nomad, including travel tips, budgeting & finance, legal and taxes, community, productivity and more.
If you haven't already, you can also follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads for more no-BS digital nomad content (and plenty of memes!)
We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads 👋
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