I created “The Digital Nomad” to share with you the tools, strategies, and techniques for living an international lifestyle. No matter where you are from, stepping outside the bubble of your home city, State, and country is possible. In many cases, stepping outside of your current bubble is an absolute must for personal growth.

One of the many lessons that my father shared with me when I was a boy was that although I was born in Detroit, the World is my home. As a man, whenever I traveled, I never did so as a tourist. I always traveled like I was returning home to visit family. With that, I discovered that the people of that host country, in return, treated me like family.

I live my life today as a full-time digital nomad with residence in the Dominican Republic. My digital nomad lifestyle equation is, “Make money in dollars, pay my bills in pesos!”

My promise to you is that each weekly newsletter will provide you with the tools needed to create clarity and a step-by-step roadmap to reach your goals of a Digital Nomad lifestyle.

Make sure that you are subscribed so that you never miss an issue. Also, share this newsletter with someone close to you. What you will experience is always more fun and fulfilling with a friend!

Share your questions, feedback, and stories with me. I’m here for you!

In pursuit of international life, love, and money-making,

~ Hugh Lee johnson, publisher of The Digital Nomad and Venture AIX Money

P.S. An audio version of the report is available online… check it out!

7 Side Hustles Digital Nomads Are Using to Fund Their Travels in 2025

Look, I've been traveling the world for years now, and I've learned one crucial truth: you don't need to be rich to live internationally—you need to be resourceful.

The digital nomad lifestyle is no longer reserved for trust fund kids or tech wizards. In 2025, everyday people are funding their adventures with side hustles that require nothing more than a laptop, decent Wi-Fi, and a willingness to learn.

Here are the seven side hustles I'm seeing digital nomads actually use (not just talk about) to keep their bank accounts healthy while exploring the world.

1. AI-Powered Content Writing

The Deal: Businesses desperately need blog posts, website copy, and social media content. You write it. They pay you. Simple.

Why It Works in 2025: AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude have made this easier than ever. You're not competing with AI—you're partnering with it. Use AI to research, outline, and draft, then add your human touch, personality, and fact-checking skills.

Getting Started:

• Sign up on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Contently

• Start with $25-50 per article and work your way up to $200-500+

• Use ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com) or Claude (https://claude.ai) to speed up your writing process

• Learn the basics with free courses on Coursera or YouTube

Real Talk: Your first few clients might be painful. Do good work anyway. Your portfolio is your golden ticket.

2. Virtual Assistant Services

The Deal: Busy entrepreneurs and small business owners need help with email management, scheduling, customer service, and basic admin tasks. You become their right hand—from anywhere in the world.

Why It's Perfect for Nomads:

• Flexible hours (work when it suits your time zone)

• No special degree required

• Steady monthly income ($1,000-3,000+ per month)

• You can manage multiple clients simultaneously

Getting Started:

• List your services on Belay, Time Etc., or Fancy Hands

• Learn tools like Asana, Trello, Calendly, and Slack

• Start by offering 10-15 hours per week to one client

• Use Notion (https://notion.so) to stay organized

Pro Tip: Specialize in something specific (like "VA for real estate agents" or "VA for podcasters") and you can charge 2-3x more.

3. Online Tutoring or Teaching English

The Deal: Share your knowledge of English, math, science, or literally anything you're good at with students around the world.

The Numbers:

• English tutoring: $15-40+ per hour

• Academic subjects: $20-60+ per hour

• Specialized skills (coding, music): $30-100+ per hour

Getting Started:

• English teaching: Cambly, Preply, or iTalki

• Academic tutoring: Tutor.com or Wyzant

• You don't always need a teaching certificate (though TEFL helps)

• Schedule 2-3 hours daily and make $1,500-4,000/month

Reality Check: Yes, teaching can be exhausting. But it's also one of the most reliable income sources for nomads. Plus, your students will make you smile (usually).

4. Social Media Management

The Deal: Small businesses know they should be on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook... but they have no idea what to post or when. That's where you come in.

What You'll Do:

• Create content calendars

• Design simple graphics with Canva (https://canva.com)

• Schedule posts using Buffer or Later

• Engage with followers and respond to comments

• Track analytics

Getting Started:

• Practice on your own social media first

• Offer to manage accounts for local businesses (even if you're traveling)

• Charge $500-2,000+ per client per month

• Use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate caption ideas

Golden Rule: Start with 1-2 clients max. Social media management seems easy until you're doing it for five brands at once and losing your mind.

5. Freelance Graphic Design (Even Without "Pro" Skills)

The Deal: Create logos, social media graphics, flyers, and presentations using user-friendly tools. You don't need to be Picasso.

Why It Works:

• Canva Pro has made design accessible to everyone

• Small businesses need graphics constantly

• Quick turnaround = quick money

Getting Started:

• Master Canva (https://canva.com) first—seriously, spend a week playing with it

• Try Figma (https://figma.com) for more advanced projects

• List services on 99designs, Fiverr, or Dribbble

• Start with simple projects: Instagram posts ($20-50), logos ($100-500)

Using AI: Tools like Midjourney and DALL-E can generate images, which you then customize and refine in Canva.

6. Dropshipping or Print-on-Demand

The Deal: Sell products without ever touching inventory. When someone orders, your supplier ships it directly to them.

Two Approaches:

Dropshipping:

• Sell existing products from suppliers

• Use Shopify + AliExpress or Spocket

• More complex, but higher profit potential

Print-on-Demand (Easier for Beginners):

• Design t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases

• Upload to Printful, Printify, or Redbubble

• They print and ship when orders come in

• You earn the difference

Reality Check: This isn't "passive income" (nothing really is). You'll need to market your products, handle customer service, and continuously optimize. But once systems are in place, you can run it from a beach in Thailand.

7. Website Testing and User Feedback

The Deal: Companies pay you to test their websites and apps, then share your honest feedback about the user experience.

Why It's Perfect for Beginners:

• No special skills required

• Get paid $10-60 per test (15-30 minutes each)

• Flexible—do it whenever you have time

• Great supplement to other hustles

Getting Started:

• Sign up for UserTesting, TryMyUI, Userlytics, or PlaytestCloud (for gaming)

• You'll need a laptop, a microphone, and reliable internet

• Complete 3-5 tests daily = $500-1,000/month extra

Pro Tip: Be thorough and articulate in your feedback. Companies value testers who give detailed insights, and you'll get more test opportunities.

The Real Secret Nobody Tells You

Here's what I've learned after years on the road: you don't need one perfect side hustle. Most successful digital nomads combine 2-3 of these income streams.

Maybe you do content writing as your main gig, a virtual assistant for a steady monthly income, and do website testing when you need extra cash for that flight to Bali.

The winning formula:

• Start with ONE hustle

• Get your first client/customer within 30 days

• Once you're making $500-1,000/month, add a second income stream

• Diversify, but don't overwhelm yourself

The world is waiting. Your laptop is your passport. And 2025 is the year to make it happen.

Now stop reading and start doing. Your future self (currently sipping coffee in a Lisbon café) will thank you.