All in Lifestyle

Finding a Digital Nomad Job: Tips, Resources, & How We Did It

Do you want to be a digital nomad? Are you trying to figure out how to get a job that will allow you to travel full time, or to work from anywhere in the world? Not sure where to start?

As a couple with two very different careers in different fields who have been just as successful on the road as at home in a traditional 9-5 job, we’d like to share our experiences, tips, and resources in hopes that they’ll help others create a life they love.

2022 Budget and Lifestyle: Living Under $18,000 with a New Baby!

As a couple pursuing FI/RE (financial independence, retire early) while traveling full time, we’re very aware of our budget and what we spend year over year. We’ve been intentionally and slowly increasing our spending each year (just three years ago we were spending only $7,000 a year!), but this year came in at an 80% increase over last year because we had a baby! Read on to see how we continued to save money, where we increased our spending, and how we’re continuing to travel full time as digital nomads with an infant.

Be an Outlier. Interview Series | Meet Cindy & Tom, Nomadic House Sitters

In the fourth edition of our Be And Outlier interview series, we’re excited to talk with Cindy and Tom from Blue bag Nomads! As nomadic full time house sitters we share a bit in common, but it’s always fun to see and learn from people who have a different approach. And trust us, after 77+ house sits completed and 29 countries visited, they have plenty of great stories and experiences to share!

2021 Budget and Lifestyle: Living on $10,000 as Digital Nomad House Sitters

Another year down as digital nomad house sitters pursuing FI/RE (financial independence, retire early) and we’re happy to share our 2021 budget and expenses. We spent $10,002 for the entire year ($5,001 apiece) all-in! Now, if you follow us, you know that number blows our usual $7,000 budget out of the water, so read on to see where we spent more money and why.

Why We do House Sitting Jobs for Free

House sitting is an amazing way to travel on a budget! We’ve house sat full time for over four years and have had amazing adventures all around the world. At this point, with so much house sitting experience and over 70 five-star reviews we could likely make a bit of money by charging for our services, but we choose not to. Read on to understand not only why we don’t charge but also how we started house sitting and why we love it. Plus, find a wealth of links to resources with tips and tricks to help you be successful house sitting.

The Best Face Masks for Digital Nomads, House Sitters, and Travelers in a COVID-19 World

As digital nomads and full time house sitters and travelers, we’ve found that not every mask works for every situation. Sometimes we want something that’s quick and easy to put on, other times we want the highest level of protection, and then sometimes we want something that looks professional. We’ve done the DIY masks, used disposable and washable, tried out N95 masks, and worn various styles, all under different conditions from walking, traveling, running errands, and more. See our top picks and what we love (and what we don’t) about each!

Hyatt Mattress Run: Part 2 | How We Earned Hyatt Globalist Elite Status for Two Years

At the end of 2020, we wrote about the possibility of doing a Hyatt mattress run. The allure of earning Hyatt Globalist status for two years (through February 2023) and earning points in a hotel program we hadn’t participated in yet had us contemplating all of the possibilities! With a stacking of a few promotions, like a 50% reduction in elite qualifying nights required, the doubling of elite night credits for each stay, and the improved World of Hyatt Chase credit card offer, we could easily earn our way to Hyatt Globalist faster than ever before.

Ultimately, the path to Hyatt’s top elite status for two years and a healthy amount of Hyatt reward points was simply too enticing for us to pass up!

Hyatt Mattress Run: Part 1 | Getting Globalist Status for Two Years During Covid-19

The world of travel came to a stop in early 2020 and the industry as a whole is pushing to keep their customers loyal, both through COVID-19 safety precautions and lucrative promotions. Hyatt’s current stackable promotions and 50% reduction in nights needed to earn elite status (until 2023!) have made a mattress run for points and top tier Globalist status extremely tempting!

Be an Outlier. Interview Series | Meet Bryce, A Focused Minimalist’s Approach to FI/RE

In the second edition of our Be And Outlier interview series, we’re excited to talk with Bryce, who’s where we hope to be soon: FI/RE’d! Hearing his story and how he, as a retired engineer in management looks at the details in the process, is frugal, aspires to travel, and had supportive good role models along the way is inspiring. Read on to see him pull back the covers and share insightful advice as well as his bumps and bruises along the way.

Be an Outlier. Interview Series | Meet the Satchells, FI/RE with a Focus on Family

In our inaugural interview we’re bringing you the Satchell family, who aren’t only pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) but are doing it with with a young and growing family, a rarity by most FI/RE standards. See what they’ve learned about themselves through travel in Mexico and what ultimately brought them home.

The Ultimate Guide to House Sitting Jobs: Part 2 | The Best Website and a Stellar Profile

Whether you’re a newbie to house sitting and trying to figure out how to start, or you’re experienced but looking for tips to improve your house sitting game, we’ve got you covered! In part two of our step-by-step guide we’re covering everything form picking the best house sitting website, to getting references and creating a great profile.

Carry-On Only (Onebag) Travel Tips for Women | Packing, Clothing, and Accessories

Why not simplify your packing routine and reduce your luggage to a single carry-on bag? Known as ‘onebagging’, this travel style isn’t just for men, women can master the multi-purpose minimalist and easy way of travel too. See how we make the most out of the space in our bag, along with the clothes we pack without loosing our style or comfort! Plus don’t miss the first two parts of this series where we cover women’s onebag tips for makeup in part one and feminine hygiene and toiletries in part two.

A Look Back Offers Gratitude, Perspective, and an Optimistic New Year

It’s hard to believe that Screw The Average is over two years old! It’s been and will continue to be a place where we share our journey. A journey to pursuing financially independent, retire early (FI/RE), becoming digital nomads, house sitting full time, and travel hacking adventures. And of course, it’s not just rainbows and butterflies, so Screw The Average is also a place where we share our mistakes and lessons learned.

We’ve learned a lot in the past couple of years, but seeing as how life is a continual path of learning and growth, we’re looking forward to the future!

Home Is Where the Heart Is | Sightseeing with a Staycation

A stop in our hometown led to a lesson learned... We’d just returned from flying around the world but we realized that we’d never really seen our hometown. This realization was a huge reminder to us to try and look at our surroundings with fresh eyes. What seems ordinary to you may be extraordinary to a tourist, so why not take a staycation and see your hometown through the eyes of a tourist?!