financial

Guide to Becoming a Digital Nomad

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

A Guide to Becoming a Successful Digital Nomad

In today’s interconnected world, the concept of work has undergone a remarkable transformation. The rise of technology and remote work opportunities has given birth to a new breed of professionals known as digital nomads. These adventurous individuals have embraced the freedom to work from anywhere worldwide, combining their passion for travel with a fulfilling career. If you aspire to become a successful digital nomad, this article will guide you toward a lifestyle that offers flexibility and personal growth.

  1. Embrace Remote Work Opportunities

The first step towards achieving digital nomad success is finding a job or building a career that allows remote work. This may involve seeking out companies that offer flexible work arrangements or freelancing in your area of expertise. Remote job boards, online platforms, and networking communities can be excellent resources for finding hidden work opportunities. It’s essential to ensure that your skill set aligns with the demands of the small job market, as this will enhance your chances of success.

  • Cultivate a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is essential for thriving as a digital nomad. Embrace a mindset that views challenges as opportunities for personal and professional growth. Be open to learning new skills, adapting to different cultures, and embracing diverse perspectives. The ability to continually learn and evolve will set you apart from the crowd and allow you to maximize your potential as a digital nomad.

  • Establish a Solid Online Presence

As a digital nomad, your online presence becomes your professional identity. Create a solid online brand by building a captivating portfolio, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, and maintaining an active presence on relevant social media platforms. Cultivate a network of like-minded individuals, potential clients, and mentors who can support and guide your journey.

  • Master Time Management

The freedom to work from anywhere comes with managing your time effectively. Establish a routine that aligns with your personal preferences and productivity patterns. Set clear boundaries between work and personal life, and ensure you dedicate focused time to complete tasks efficiently. Utilize productivity tools, such as time trackers, project management software, and task management apps, to optimize your workflow and meet deadlines consistently.

  • Prioritize Work-Life Balance

One of the most significant advantages of being a digital nomad is the ability to design a lifestyle that prioritizes work-life balance. Engage in self-care activities, such as exercise, meditation, and time in nature, to maintain your physical and mental well-being. Remember to allocate time for exploring new destinations, immersing yourself in local cultures, and nurturing personal relationships. Striking a harmonious balance between work and leisure will contribute to your long-term success as a digital nomad.

  • Adaptability and Resilience

Flexibility and adaptability are critical traits for thriving in the digital nomad lifestyle. Embrace the challenges of working in different environments, adapting to varying time zones, and navigating cultural differences. Develop resilience in the face of setbacks or unforeseen circumstances, as they are inevitable during your journey. Embracing change and finding innovative solutions will empower you to overcome obstacles and succeed as a digital nomad.

  • Financial Planning and Security

While the digital nomad lifestyle can be enriching, it is crucial to establish a solid financial foundation. Create a budget, set aside savings, and invest wisely to ensure a stable financial future. Research the cost of living in potential destinations and consider healthcare, travel insurance, and retirement planning. Building financial security will provide peace of mind and enable you to focus on your professional and personal growth.

Becoming a successful digital nomad is an exciting journey that offers unparalleled freedom and personal growth. By embracing remote work opportunities,

woman raising her hands up while sitting on floor with macbook pro on lap
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Planning for a Digital Nomad Lifestyle

The digital nomad lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are looking for ways to work remotely and travel the world. If you’re considering becoming a digital nomad, there are a few things you need to do to plan for your new lifestyle.

1. Choose a career that can be done remotely

The first step is to choose a career that can be done remotely. Many jobs, such as freelance writing, graphic design, web development, and marketing, can be done from anywhere. If you need help determining what kind of job you want, many resources are available to help you find a remote position.

2. Research different destinations

Once you’ve chosen a career, you must start researching different destinations. There are many factors to consider when selecting a goal, such as the cost of living, the climate, the availability of internet access, and the visa requirements. Many websites and blogs can help you research different destinations.

3. Set a budget

It’s essential to set a budget before you start traveling. This will help you stay on track financially and avoid overspending. There are many different ways to budget for travel, so find a method that works for you.

4. Get the right gear

Every digital nomad should have a few pieces of equipment, such as a laptop, a good camera, and a portable hard drive. You may also want to invest in a travel router, a power bank, and a noise-canceling headset.

5. Make sure you have the right insurance

It’s essential to ensure you have the right insurance before traveling. This includes health insurance, travel insurance, and liability insurance. Many insurance companies offer digital nomad policies, so shop around and compare rates.

6. Stay connected

It’s essential to stay connected with your friends, family, and colleagues while traveling. This can be done through social media, email, and video chat. Many apps can help you stay connected while you’re on the go.

7. Be flexible

Being flexible is one of the most important things to remember when you’re a digital nomad. Things don’t always go according to plan, so rolling with the punches is essential. This means being prepared to change your dreams at a moment’s notice and adapting to new situations.

8. Enjoy the journey

The digital nomad lifestyle is all about adventure and exploration. Soak up the experiences, meet new people, and maximize your time on the road.

Becoming a digital nomad is a great way to see the world and work from anywhere. However, researching and planning is essential before you leap. Following these tips can increase your chances of success as a digital nomad.

What Debt Promises

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

What I can promise you, debt will bring if you don’t manage debt and let debt manage you!

For so many people in this world, debt can be debilitating. Shopping with friends and you get asked: “would you like to apply for a credit card?” You qualify and here we go.

Most young people are never really taught the importance of good credit and managing money properly.

Debt – noun

something, typically money that is owed or due.

credit card, credit card bill, bankruptcy

Here are the promises debt makes and will keep:

  1. Constant stress over how you will pay your credit cards or other bills at the end of the month.
  2. Family stress. The number one killer of marriages is money. Buy homes we cannot afford, cars, furniture, clothes, on and on. Until the end of the month, and the dining table is covered in bills!
  3. Parents working one or two jobs to make it from one paycheck to the next. Waking up to find children grown and bitter. Why? You were never there! To busy trying to make a living, you forget to have an experience.
  4. The barrage of endless phone calls letting you know the obvious. You’re behind and we need a payment!
  5. Picking which bill gets paid and who does not get any money this month.
  6. Food vs. Credit
  7. Feeling as though one wrong move and financially, you are ruined. Stress beyond limits!
  8. Dark moments, suicidal thoughts all over bills.
  9. Keeping up with the Jones’s only to find ourselves in bankruptcy.
  10. Bad credit and loss of buying power. High rates of interest.

Imagine someone in your family deathly ill and you cannot come up with the money to travel. Another of debt’s promises!

Emotional purchases will sink your financial boat the quickest.

For example:

You go into a car dealership to buy a new car. You have a budget and payment in mind. Shopped online and narrowed down your search. All good stuff.

Upon arrival at the dealership, you begin to browse. “Wow look at this color, look at this car, check out these accessories.” All, of course, are on vehicles outside your budget. The internal battle begins. Metaphorically we’ve taken a raging alcoholic into a bar and said, don’t drink anything I will be back in an hour to pick you up! Only to come back and find your alcoholic passed out drunk.

If you do not control your spending, your debts will overtake your life. Guaranteed! Not too many things in this life come with a guarantee but debt does.

I have worked around consumer credit for thirty years now. Debt has also overtaken my life because I allowed it to get totally out of hand. The ten promises above are indicative of my own life. Poor choices have cost me plenty.

Parents or young people starting out. Educate yourself about credit and debt. Buying that beautiful $300 shirt that will make you look amazing. Won’t look so amazing at the end of the month if the money is not there to pay for it.

Sure, you can make the minimum payment and the $300 shirt becomes a $2000 shirt. Do the math on 26% interest and see what happens to the cost of just one item. Living paycheck-to-paycheck over several years. Chipping away at maxed-out credit cards will overtake your financial life.

Properly managed credit will make sure that your life will be filled with joy. Buying power and forethought to pay will allow you to own homes, cars, beautiful furniture, and other assets. With little to no stress.

TAKE EMOTION OUT OF ANY FINANCIAL EQUATION!

It does not sound fun, but the wake behind poor decisions can last years. Worse still ruin any chance you have of being a homeowner.

Imagine a mortgage broker coming back to you and saying, “unfortunately, YOUR credit will not allow us to give you a loan.” Devastating. Your credit prevents you and your spouse from homeownership. Sounds damned harsh because it is.

What can help:

  • Check out books by great financial folks like Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, let experts guide you.
  • Check out the credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. Lots of excellent free resources.

If you have credit issues, you can recover. Start back small and work your way again. There is always hope and with diligence, you will be back on track.

Questions or comments:

Self Image Love Yourself, Happy, Joy, Freedom, Success

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.”–Joyce Brothers

If you cannot lovingly see you, how can you expect others too? Might have heard that once or twice in your life, ya think!

Learning to nurture and love ourselves is the cornerstone of achieving real success. I’m not taking money success. Sadly most equate success = money. If you’re a successful parent that has no financial value. The value is not measurable, having success with phylogenetic relationships.

self love, happy, life

Learning to have a positive self-image takes work like any other relationship. Taking care of your body, your mind, and soul. Without it, we tend to drift lost. Take time daily to care for yourself. Learn to smile at yourself in the mirror every morning.

Five Quick changes you can do now:

  1. Take care of your body. You don’t have to be a gym regular, but do something every day to keep your body active. Walk!
  2. Take care of your soul. Meditate, pray, and give time for spiritual enrichment.
  3. Broaden your mind. Make an investment in your knowledge. Read a book.
  4. Get toxic people out of your life.
  5. Train your mind to affirm positive thoughts in your account.

If you’re going to gain real success in every aspect of your life. Number 1 love yourself!

Comments or questions:

Bad Credit Getting you Down

/ Robert Bruton / Leave a comment

Over thirty-five years of my career has been either directly or non-directly working in retail credit. Working with individuals and families for years helping them with financing. Over the years I have learned a thing or two about financing and credit.

Sadly, most of my clients these days have credit issues. You have no idea how much more difficult life can be when you don’t have a good credit rating. Bad things happen to good people certainly. However, so many folks are what bankers call chronic derogatory credit.

loans, finance, credit

It’s amazing to me how many people will, for example, let a car repo because the dealer won’t help them fix the car. Ruining their credit. Will get into this later in the article.

What I want to give you is sage advice on getting and keeping your credit. To also give you advice on how to regain your credit if you’ve lost it. How to pick up your scores and maintain a quality credit score.

The first thing we should cover is what you need to do before you buy anything on credit. Once you sign on the dotted line, you’re an OWNER. Does not matter how bad the product is you bought, you own it. Many consumers say they have three days to return an item. Better check with your States Attorney General for what is and is not covered under this law.

For example, in the State of Texas when you buy a vehicle, once you drive off the dealer’s lot you own the car. There is no bringing the car back if you have buyer’s remorse. When you cross the curb of the dealership if the car falls into two pieces, you own two pieces of a whole car.

You can’t just simply take back a product after you consummated a deal and expected not to have consequences such as a repo. It does not matter how right you think you are, that you may have been duped. That is NOT the bank’s problem at all. The bank is not a mediator between you and the dealer in this example.

What is an absolute must before you sign for credit, know what you’re buying. Make sure that all your bases are covered. Does not matter is what you buy doesn’t work you still have to pay. Not fair I get it, but NOT the lender’s problem. Your problem is between you and the seller.

family, credit cards

Banks lend money period; they don’t care about problems outside of you paying them back. They did not break your TV or car; they lend you the money to buy them. They assume that you’ve done your due-diligence.

Consumers get caught up in the moment, get excited and make rash decisions. Don’t let emotions get in the way of sound financial judgment. Salespeople are trained to create excitement around your purchase. Don’t get fooled into something you are not completely in control of. Otherwise, you may get to pay for a piece of junk. You can give it back at the cost of your credit. Bankers don’t care about your story or how you got duped. What they will care about in the future is will you do it to them! Don’t catch that plague.

Research the product, car, TV, whatever item you plan to buy with credit. Before you sign on the dotted line.

So, what happens if now if credit is gone. Scores in the four hundred or five hundred range. What can consumers do to fix this?

Here are a few things you can do now:

  1. Get copies of all three credit reports with scores. Free services are good but go get your report from each of the three credit reporting agencies. Trans Union®, Equifax®, Experian®. See what a bank will see. Know exactly what is what.
  2. If you find erroneous information on your report. File a dispute with that credit agency to have it removed.
  3. Check the dates for derogatory information. If something from twenty years ago is on your report file a dispute to have removed.
  4. Work with creditors to remove derogatory information if you have paid them.
  5. Open credit card accounts that are maxed out. Work to pay more than minimum payments, make sure your payments post before your billing cycle. Very important that payments post before your billing cycle.
  6. When possible get at least one payment ahead on all your credit accounts. If you can’t at least try to get one or two. Especially cars, and mortgage. You never know when you might have a rainy day.
  7. Before you hire a credit, repair agency understands all they’re really doing is disputing information on your credit report. If creditors don’t respond within a set time, the credit agency will remove. You can do that for FREE.

There is NO magic cure to fix credit. When you dispute claims, some will fall off while others will stay.

When rebuilding credit starting off with a secured credit card can help. Lots of car dealers can help you with derogatory credit financing. This is not a loan that you buy your dream car with. So many folks go into car dealers to buy super expensive cars with sub-prime financing. This is a huge mistake.

Now you bury yourself in a depreciable asset, that you have no real chance of trading out of for years. Don’t get in this trap I have seen more people make financial matters worse doing this not better. Get your pride out of the way. You may not be driving the car you want this go around, but if you take care of business, the next car can be your dream car.

Believe me; dealers will let you get whatever you want they don’t care if you repo or not. Get what you can easily afford. Wouldn’t it be much better to have good credit in the future or perhaps you think driving a “Buy Here Pay Here” car would be a dream car. In that situation, if you put $2000 down that will be the value of the piece of junk you HAVE to buy for thousands of dollars more than what the car is worth. The cycle won’t end. Get pride out of the way!

If you want to change your credit outlook, it will take work. It won’t come overnight either, but it will come. You may work a couple of years to do it, but one day you will have credit again. Get with a good Credit Union and work to build good credit again. Secured loans and credit cards are a good start. Use practical sense when making purchases on credit where high-interest rates are part of your buying your way back to good credit. Do this, and before you know it, credit will again shine in your life.

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I am happy to answer questions about credit: