MAKING THE DECISION
Is this lifestyle right for you?
Anyone can roam but roaming isn't for everyone. We're here to help you make an informed decision before you jump into this new lifestyle.
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If you don't find your question answered here, join our forum to get answers from the roaming community!
ROAMING REQUIRES A REMOTE JOB
Well this might not be entirely true. There certainly are exceptions. Most people will need a remote job to enjoy this location independent lifestyle. If you're job isn't fully remote but has the potential to be, talk with your manager! If your job isn't flexible enough to let you live far from the office, maybe try roaming around where you live! It's still an adventure to change homes every couple months even if it's in an area you're familiar with.
YOU WILL LEAVE SOME THINGS BEHIND
Unless you want to rent a moving truck each time you change locations, you'll probably need to leave some of your stuff in storage. Roaming doesn't require that you slim down to a suit case's worth of possessions, but you will need to be able to fit all your stuff in your car so you can move to your new location in a single trip. Keep in mind that you'll be staying in fully furnished Airbnbs so you typically won't need to bring much (if any) cookware, bedding, or tools.
ROAMING DOESN'T BREAK THE BANK
One thing most people don't realize at first is that roaming isn't super expensive. Since you're ending the lease on your apartment or selling your house, you have extra funds to that can be put towards your temporary stays. Airbnbs can be more expensive since they are furnished, but if you commit to staying in a single location for at least one month, the rates aren't nearly as high compared to a weekend stay. In addition, you won't be paying for utilities such as internet, water, electricity, or gas. Set your Airbnb budget to be equal to whatever you were spending previously for your rent or mortgage and then you should end up with a few extra bucks in your pocket.
Airbnb prices do vary by location so keep in mind that staying LA might burn your cash faster than living in Austin, for example. If we know we want to stay in a more expensive area, we will try to balance it out by staying somewhere cheaper ahead of time.
ROAMING REQUIRES HAVING SOME SAVINGS
Even though roaming won't break the bank, it will require having some cash saved up. You might be booking an Airbnb 6 months out and while you don't have to pay the full amount up front typically, Airbnb will require that you pay some portion. This downpayment of sorts will even itself out during your first month at that stay when you have no payment. But the need for having some cash on hand up front is very real. The amount you should save will vary on where you want to stay, your lifestyle, and the type of Airbnbs you plan to book. Take a look at some of the Airbnbs you might want to stay at and take note of the initial payment required. Set a goal to save at least twice that amount before starting to roam.
YOU CAN STILL HAVE FRIENDS
Let's face it. This lifestyle has the potential to be a lonely one. Constantly changing locations means it might be more difficult to make friends. But just because it's harder doesn't mean it's impossible! We've made some amazing friends along our journey. Staying in a location for at least 2 months gives you enough time to get invested in the community around you. For example, if you like playing volleyball and are staying near the beach - go find some other people playing and ask to join! They probably play routinely and could be a great friend group to join. Whenever you move to a new location it's important to keep the attitude that you should invest in friendships in the community you've just moved into. It's easy to think "oh I'll just be here for a few months - this isn't worth it", but it totally is. Meeting people is what makes this experience worth it. Roaming gives you the opportunity to meet people you would have never met otherwise!
BRING YOUR FUR BABIES
Pets are welcome on your roaming journey! We've traveled with our two cats with no issues. Many Airbnbs are pet friendly - just make sure to check ahead of time with your host. If you plan to travel with cats, know that Airbnb doesn't let you filter by "cat friendly" stays. We've found that many hosts are exclusively "dog friendly" due to family allergies. So just make sure to specifically ask your host about your cat if it's not called out in the Airbnb description.
If you're traveling with your pets, you will probably want to limit how much traveling you do between stays. For example, we set a maximum of 8 hours of drive time between our stays. This will vary depending on how well your pets handle the long car ride. Our cats seem to be able to handle 8 hours.
Bring your pet toys! Your pets will want to feel at home too, so make sure you bring their toys along for the journey. Also you might want to consider staying longer in each stay if you're bringing your pets to reduce the stress of moving for your fury friend.