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Are you looking at Programming PHP for the first time and looking for advice on whether to invest in a MacBook Pro?



I get it, there's soooo much information out there, it can be overwhelming.



First things first, relax, you're in the right place. Sit back, grab a drink, some tea and biscuits or whisky and enjoy the ride.



My name is <a href="/about/">Ross,</a> I've been writing PHP for over 10 years and worked with companies such as <a href="https://www.baxter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baxter,</a> a Fortune 500 company building Medical Grade Software which is <a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA</a> approved and e-commerce software for <a href="https://www.fiveguys.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FiveGuys,</a> the burger chain with over <a href="https://www.fiveguys.com/fans/the-five-guys-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1500 stores</a> worldwide.



In this article, I'm going to walk you through why I use a MacBook Pro and why I think it's the BEST for Programming PHP code.



<div class="wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents"><h2>Table of contents</h2><ul><li><a href="#h-1-unix-based-os" data-level="2">#1 - Unix Based OS</a></li><li><a href="#h-2-native-terminal-shell-support" data-level="2">#2 - Native Terminal / Shell Support</a></li><li><a href="#h-3-safari-support" data-level="2">#3 - Safari Support</a></li><li><a href="#h-4-windows-vs-macbook-pro" data-level="2">#4 - Windows vs. MacBook Pro</a><ul><li><a href="#h-crlf" data-level="3">CRLF</a></li><li><a href="#h-viruses" data-level="3">Viruses</a></li><li><a href="#h-registry" data-level="3">Registry</a></li><li><a href="#h-bootcamp" data-level="3">Bootcamp</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#block-abb0aaa2-7f36-4366-972d-9e934bc57fa6" data-level="2">#5 - Linux vs. MacBook Pro</a></li><li><a href="#h-6-the-negatives" data-level="2">#6 - The Negatives</a><ul><li><a href="#h-the-price" data-level="3">The price.</a></li><li><a href="#h-the-apple-way" data-level="3">The Apple Way</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#h-7-final-thoughts" data-level="2">#7 - Final Thoughts</a></li></ul></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-unix-based-os">#1 - Unix Based OS</h2>



MacBook Pro uses a Unix based OS.



Why is this important when Programming PHP?



Because most developers will use PHP on Linux based OS like Ubuntu or Debian and <a href="https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/unix-vs-linux/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Linux is based upon Unix.</a> So that means nearly all the commands are exactly the same when using each OS.



A good example is cd (Change Directory). On both Mac and all Linux flavours it's cd, whereas on Windows it's dir.



Let’s say in a different world, you’re developing on a Windows machine and of course, you’re running your website on a LAMP stack, so it’s Linux based.



It's irritating when you keep flipping between the two operating systems, typing the wrong command while you're in the flow, only to remember, wrong OS.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-native-terminal-shell-support">#2 - Native Terminal / Shell Support</h2>



Additionally, because a MacBook Pro uses a Unix based operating system, it supports terminal and shell, natively, this is huge when programming PHP!



Gone are the days of having to learn two scripting languages, batch and shell.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_file" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Batch being the Windows scripting language.</a></li>



<li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_script" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shell being the Linux scripting language.</a></li>
</ul>



When you build your website, you usually need to have a few scripts to build initialise the site or manage some migrations. Whatever you want to do....



You can perfect that script in one language.



Shell.



In addition, you also have a package manager similar to <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_(software)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APT in Ubuntu</a> and <a href="https://wiki.centos.org/PackageManagement/Yum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yum in CentOS.</a>



Homebrew.



Homebrew is Mac OS X’s unofficial but very well supported package manager.



Installing composer, NPM, NodeJS, wget and all the other wonderful commands you wish you could easily setup on a windows machine are a single command away on Mac OS X.



On top of all that, you can easily setup Docker, Vagrant, Kubernetes, etc easily.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-safari-support">#3 - Safari Support</h2>



This is critical.



As a web developer, you need to test your website on all browsers!



Safari is used by 19.24% of the entire world according to <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/">stat counter</a>, as of November 2020.



Unfortunately, Apple are dicks on this one.



They have stopped officially supporting Safari for Windows and have never supported Linux.



So the only way to test Safari is to own a Mac.



I don’t why they have done this, maybe you can tell me in the <a href="#comments">comments</a> down below.



I’d love to know!



Yes... You can download <a href="https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/68836/where-can-i-download-safari-for-windows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">older versions of Safari.</a>



However, as a web developer, you’re supposed to test your website on a device as close to the end user as possible. End users are usually using the most recent version because of auto updates.



Which kind of defeats the point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-windows-vs-macbook-pro">#4 - Windows vs. MacBook Pro</h2>



From 14 years old, I wrote all of my PHP code on a Windows machine, starting with Windows 98, then XP, then 7 and finally Windows 10.



Avoiding those god awful operating systems called Windows Vista &amp; Windows 8.



PHP is not bad on a Windows machine, but it’s irritating and often time-consuming to solve really tiny issues that shouldn’t really be an issue.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crlf">CRLF</h3>



One issue you only get on a Windows machine is the annoying CRLF issue.



For those who don’t know, this is the line endings for text files, including your code. On Windows all lines end with \crlf and on Linux &amp; Unix it’s \lf.



<script src="https://gist.github.com/rossedlin/93db751923b71a013b90b89c3a9161d7.js"></script>



This causes an enormous problem in teams who use different operating systems.



When you download the code onto a Windows machine, it automatically changes every one of the potential 10,000 files in the code base, to use \crlf line endings.



Meaning every file has now changed on every line.



Good luck comparing code changes when everything has changed.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viruses">Viruses</h3>



Windows is known for getting viruses, which are basically none existent on a MacBook Pro.



You won’t wake up one morning finding your MacBook Pro full of viruses, you won’t have to install heavy virus protection software which slows your machine down.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-registry">Registry</h3>



The Windows Registry is essentially the main configuration for the entire operating system.



It’s a flawed design because of one major point.



Anyone can <a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/370022/windows-registry-demystified-what-you-can-do-with-it/">change the contents</a>.



That’s what viruses sometimes do when they attack your system, they mess around with the registry and reconfigure your machine.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bootcamp">Bootcamp</h3>



Worst-case scenario, if you have a MacBook Pro and you do need to use a Windows Machine.



Mac OS X supports <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201468">dual booting to Windows</a>, officially.



Once installed, all you need to do is shutdown your machine and boot it up holding the alt key, it’ll offer you the dual boot options and you can select Windows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="block-abb0aaa2-7f36-4366-972d-9e934bc57fa6">#5 - Linux vs. MacBook Pro</h2>



If you’re strictly talking about Programming PHP, then honestly, Linux is the best.



My personal preference is <a href="https://ubuntu.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ubuntu.</a>



But, a MacBook Pro does a lot outside of just programming PHP that you will find essential in a business environment.



I spent a year of my life solely using Ubuntu 18.04 as my main operating system, day to day at work.



The primary reason it’s so good is because most web servers that run a PHP website, use a Linux flavour to host the website.



Ubuntu being one of them.



If I was to rank strictly on PHP...



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ubuntu would be a 10/10.</li>



<li>Mac would be 9/10.</li>



<li>Windows would be a 6/10.</li>
</ul>



However...



Try using simple things like Skype for Business or Microsoft Word and you immediately run into problems.



The number of times I had to pull out my phone just to have a business meeting because my laptop does not support Skype for Business was irritating.



The worst part was the embarrassment of not being able to share my screen and having to explain in a meeting of 20 very high up executives that I don’t have Skype for Business on my laptop was embarrassing.



Adobe is another huge issue on Linux, it’s just not supported either! Imagine as a web developer and not being able to use Adobe Photoshop…



This is devastating for anyone in the industry!



Photoshop is the industry standard photo editing software.



Imagine a client you’re working with, sends you a PSD file (Photoshop file) and you can’t open it.



You have to call them back and ask for it to be sent in a different version…



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>It’s embarrassing</li>



<li>It wastes time</li>



<li>Annoys the client</li>



<li>Potentially loses a client</li>
</ul>



This is the primary reason I bit the bullet and purchased a MacBook Pro, because I wanted the best of both worlds.



Something the industry supports and works extremely well when programming PHP.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-the-negatives">#6 - The Negatives</h2>



I like to be honest in my life, and so I'm going to point out a few negatives with buying a MacBook Pro.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-price">The price.</h3>



Oh my is it expensive.



I knew the day I went down the path of buying my first MacBook Pro it would be a costly endeavour.



I shelled out £2,400 ($3256 USD).



Admittedly I bought the most expensive one in the shop, the 15 inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and a bigger storage drive.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-apple-way">The Apple Way</h3>



This is a love hate thing, for me.



Apple controls everything about their products and there is little you can do to change it.



Unlike the PC which allows for simple changes or huge changes.



However, because of this, everything works first time on a MacBook Pro. So essentially, you’re trading the freedom to customise your operating system with the benefit of it working 99% of the time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-final-thoughts">#7 - Final Thoughts</h2>



I personally love my MacBook Pro and would never consider trading it back for a Windows Machine.



It might of cost me in a couple of areas, my wallet being one but it was well worth it in the long run.



I’d love to hear what you think!



What do you use?



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Windows?</li>



<li>Mac?</li>



<li>Linux?</li>
</ul>



I look forward to hearing your thoughts.



Ross

Why I use a MacBook Pro for PHP Programming

Vietnam is a wonderful country with beautiful landscape, a warm climate, stunning beaches and very low cost of living. But is Vietnam good for Digital Nomads?



On the face of it, most people would say, yes! But like all places, it's not perfect.



As someone who's lived in both <a href="/blog/digital-nomad-chiang-mai/">Chiang Mai, Thailand</a> and now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.



I can definitely answer this.



<div class="wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents"><h2>Table of contents</h2><ul><li><a href="#h-cost-of-living" data-level="2">Cost of Living</a><ul><li><a href="#h-overall-this-is-what-i-spend-money-on-per-month" data-level="3">Overall, this is what I spend money on per month.</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#h-the-hustle-bustle" data-level="2">The Hustle &amp; Bustle</a></li><li><a href="#h-internet-wifi" data-level="2">Internet &amp; WiFI</a></li><li><a href="#h-visa" data-level="2">VISA</a></li><li><a href="#h-where-to-find-the-community" data-level="2">Where to find the Community</a></li><li><a href="#h-transportation" data-level="2">Transportation</a><ul><li><a href="#h-grab" data-level="3">Grab</a></li><li><a href="#h-renting-a-bike" data-level="3">Renting a bike</a><ul><li><a href="#h-the-extra-mile" data-level="4">The Extra Mile</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#h-buying-a-bike" data-level="3">Buying a bike</a><ul><li><a href="#h-be-aware-of-medical-insurance-on-bikes" data-level="4">Be aware of medical insurance on bikes.</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li><a href="#h-conclusion" data-level="2">Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cost-of-living">Cost of Living</h2>



Vietnam is good for Digital Nomads for many reasons.



Foremost is the cost of living, Vietnam is famed for its low cost of living, everyone knows this.



Personally, I live a very nice life with a $1,400 monthly budget. I know of certain friends who live for much less at around $750 per month.



But I like a little luxury.



I live in <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/qzkNQTqtt2uJFNBG6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Sunrise City View, District 7.</a> My place costs me 10.5 million VND ($453.14 USD) per month, plus bills which is usually around 1 million VND ($43.16 USD).



I have a really nice pool with a BBQ area which you can book for private events.



A modern gym, with table tennis, table football and big open areas for activities.



Downstairs you have lots of restaurants, a legit massage centre and shopping for groceries.



Day to day I spend about 450K VND on general food eating at nice places, with decent Wi-Fi, good AC and where the staff don't mind me staying for 4-5 hours while I work.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Song-Bistro-Cafe-1024x683.jpg" alt="Song Bistro &amp; Cafe" class="wp-image-2618"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Song Bistro &amp; Cafe</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overall-this-is-what-i-spend-money-on-per-month">Overall, this is what I spend money on per month.</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>10.5m VND - Rent</li>



<li>1m VND - Bills</li>



<li>13.5m VND - Food &amp; Daily life</li>



<li>2m VND - VISA</li>



<li>1.5m VND - Medical Insurance</li>



<li>3m VND - Other</li>
</ul>



Totalling 31.5m VND ($1359.43 USD) per month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hustle-bustle">The Hustle &amp; Bustle</h2>



What makes Vietnam truly a place to live as a Digital Nomad is the hustle and bustle.



In Vietnam, you are surrounded by people who are hardworking, always striving to improve their habits, make more money and take their lives to the next level.



You often hear the saying... You are the average of your 5 closest friends.



So if you surround yourself with hardworking, successful people. You will ultimately become successful yourself.



Their habits will reflect upon you, you will be influenced by them. Vietnam has this in spades.



You will often hear about people working from 8am - 8pm, Monday - Friday. Only to come into the office for Saturday morning.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Asian-Working-in-Office-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2621"/></figure>



As someone who comes from the UK and is much more used to 9am - 5:30pm.



It's inspiring... and a little terrifying.



Overall, I have found it makes me step up; it motivates me and pushes me to the next level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-internet-wifi">Internet &amp; WiFI</h2>



At first glance, most people would say the internet is really fast in Vietnam. In my apartment I can safely get 80mb up and down, which is pretty decent.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Speed-Test-at-Sunrise-Friday-Evening-1024x478.png" alt="Speed Test on Friday Evening from my Home" class="wp-image-2654"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Speed Test on Friday Evening from my Home</figcaption></figure>



But the problem for a Digital Nomad in Vietnam is a little harder to understand.



You have a big difference between Domestic Internet speeds and International speeds.



Unfortunately for Vietnam, they do not have a large capacity for international data.



You know those <a href="https://www.submarinecablemap.com/">undersea cables</a> that join the world together?



The entire of Vietnam has 7 cables, with the 3 for Ho Chi Minh City listed below.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Asia Africa Europe-1</li>



<li>Asia-America Gateway</li>



<li>Tata TGN-Intra Asia</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Vietnam-Submarine-Cable-Map-1024x606.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2627"/></figure>



The result of this means most providers in Vietnam need to limit your speed for any connection outside of Vietnam.



Simply because you just don't have enough bandwidth for everyone. And the limit can be VERY slow sometimes, we're talking 2mb.



Compared to Singapore which has over 20 cables and a population of under 6 million.



vs.



7 cables with nearly 96 million population in Vietnam. You get the idea.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Singapore-Submarine-Cable-Map-1024x581.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2628"/></figure>



For me, this poses a problem late in the evening times. At 4pm Vietnam time, Europe is waking up so the communication between the 2 continents, increases.



Most of the time, it's NOT an enormous problem, it's more annoying, it's only an enormous problem when a cable goes down.



Which happens occasionally, twice just this year...



And when it does, it can be a few days to a few weeks to get fixed. So... forget sending large files to America or Europe in the evening times when a cable is down.



Remember, you require someone to dive to the bottom of the ocean, just to fix it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visa">VISA</h2>



One of the big pains as a Digital Nomad is the entire issue around VISA's, that's where Vietnam comes in.



In other countries, you get your stamp or short term VISA for 3 months.



Awesome!



But...



Sometimes, the day you land and the day your VISA expires doesn't quite match up with your LIFE plan.



I remember having to skip out on Songkran in Thailand due to my VISA expiring 1 day before the festival (I'd already extended it).



A pain in the butt.



Vietnam currently offers you to extend your VISA as many times as you like, as long as you have a sponsor.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Passport-Stamps-1024x683.jpg" alt="Passport Stamps" class="wp-image-2656"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Passport Stamps</figcaption></figure>



Fortunately, many agencies will handle all of this for you.



I personally recommend <a href="https://snvi.com.vn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jane SNVI</a>, they're a dedicated Vietnamese VISA expert company in <a href="https://g.page/jane-snvi-hcmc?share" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thao Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.</a>



I have used them every time I needed my VISA extending.



They pick it up from my apartment, sort it out, and deliver it back about 1 week later.



The cost varies from time to time, but my last VISA extension for 1 month was $70 USD. A 3 month VISA extension can be much more expensive at over $300 USD, so I often just go by monthly. And I've been here for nearly one year and have not left the country.



For the latest pricing, <a href="https://snvi.com.vn/vietnam-visa-fees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">check here.</a>



This allows me to focus on what I want to focus on, instead of having to worry about VISA runs or leaving the country every 2-3 months.



A small caveat is I'm living here in 2020, so it's peak COVID-19 season, Vietnam is offering FREE VISA extension if you landed in Vietnam from the 1st March 2020, however I was in Vietnam before that date.



So with everything VISA related, it all can change at any point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-find-the-community">Where to find the Community</h2>



I've often heard that it's hard to find a digital nomad scene in Vietnam.



I personally live in Ho Chi Minh City and would wholeheartedly disagree. I'm living here while covid-19 is in full swing and I've met lots of people making money online.



District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City has a sizeable community of foreigners. Specifically, in Thao Dien.



When I say... Foreigners. I don't mean Digital Nomads.



Thao Dien houses all types, Expats, English Teachers, Digital Nomads and the more wealthy locals.



Most Digital Nomad's, don't go to digital nomad specific meetups, they go to marketing meetups, networking events and general meetups for successful people.



And at these events you also have local business owners, sales representatives of big companies in Ho Chi Minh City, expats from all over the world, etc.



Thao Dien does house The Hive, a pretty nice co-working space which you will find Digital Nomads, as well as many other successful people.



But... That's the point.



It's NOT a digital nomad community, it's a community of varied successful people or people striving to be successful.



So I ask you...



Does that matter? What are you looking for?



Me? I'd say... Success.



And I'm talking genuine success, not those <a href="/blog/digital-nomad-scam">scams</a> you hear about.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transportation">Transportation</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grab">Grab</h3>



On my first full month in Vietnam, I purely used grab to get around.



And... I used a whopping £115 ($154.06 USD)!



The thing is, when it's a couple dollars for a ride, you quickly forget the mounting cost. You get a grab to go see your friends; you move location, then get a grab home.



You think... Oh's it's only 5-10 dollars a day...



Well 5 times by 30 is... 150 dollars.



Yup.



So I rented a bike.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-renting-a-bike">Renting a bike</h3>



First, I went to some locals, suggested by a couple of people I met on my first days here.



As much as I liked them, the quality of the bike was not up to my standard. Each one I visited had at least one significant problem.



Lights didn't work, breaks weren't strong enough.



Although I'm an experience rider... I was uncomfortable riding in Saigon traffic without a fully working bike.



So I found a western run company over in District 2.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-extra-mile"><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/1e85Hdx3s4TMirvD6">The Extra Mile</a></h4>



They offer a wide range of fully serviced bikes on a monthly fee.



You're looking at 2m VND ($86 USD) minimum. Which purely depends on the bike you rent.



At half what Grab was costing me and it meant I had full freedom... This was a significant saving.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-buying-a-bike">Buying a bike</h3>



Eventually, though, I decided it was time to purchase my own bike.



I'd been hesitant so far because in Vietnam, the blue card which is the proof of ownership of the bike in Vietnam is rarely transferred into your name.



It's often left in the original owner's name and then sold many times over before landing in your hands.



At first, this concerned me.



Until I found a proper reputable company selling bikes called <a href="https://www.tigitmotorbikes.com/">Tigit Motorbikes.</a> They explained to me that this is normal.



Along with the blue card, I was given a contract in my name, stating that Tigit was selling me the bike and it was mine.



According to Tigit, this is normal practice in Vietnam because changing the blue card is difficult to impossible.



As long as I had the blue card with the contract, it was valid.



So I purchased a Honda Airblade for $450 USD which they converted to VND (10,487,516 VND) and I paid using <a href="https://transferwise.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TransferWise</a>.



It was a really nice purchase, a solid bike that 8 months later is still going strong, at the time of purchase it had approximately 20,000 kilometres on the clock which is very low considering the age of the bike.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-be-aware-of-medical-insurance-on-bikes">Be aware of medical insurance on bikes.</h4>



Most travel insurances or medical insurances require you to have a bike licence from your home country, for me that's the UK.



Without it, it does not cover you in any situation for bike accidents, ever!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



So all in all, Ho Chi Minh City &amp; Vietnam is a good place to live as a Digital Nomad.



I'd love to here what you think about Vietnam as a Digital Nomad, let me know in the comments your thoughts and if you have any questions, I'll endeavour to get back to you soon!



Until next time.



Ross

Is Vietnam good for Digital Nomads?

Are all digital nomad’s liars, scam artists and broke?



No, but… some are.



I'm a digital nomad myself, a successful freelancer, I make money online by making my clients happy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Working-for-my-Client-scaled-1-1024x768.jpg" alt="Me working for my client at a coffee shop" class="wp-image-2580"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Me working for my client at a coffee shop (2017)</figcaption></figure>



But…



I won’t lie to you, you have a lot of rubbish out in the world. Many people are pretending they’re much more successful than they really are.



The number of times I’ve seen people acting like they are living the “life” only to “go home” 3 months later because they're broke is staggering.



Now... I have absolutely nothing against people risking everything and trying out the digital nomad life.



In fact...



I support people taking risks, being a digital nomad definitely gives you a lot of freedom.



What I don’t support is people pretending they are much more successful than they actually are and THEN convincing others to do the same thing.



It’s wrong.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-digital-nomad-scam">What is the Digital Nomad Scam?</h2>



The Digital Nomad Scam is a magic pill.



It goes like this.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li> Quit your job.</li>



<li> Move abroad to a super cheap country.</li>



<li> Setup an online business and profit.</li>
</ul>



They make it sound SUPER easy, they'll bang on about how cheap it is, the VALUE you will get from being in the environment.



All true.



It is very cheap in countries like Thailand, Vietnam.



I've lived in both so I can agree. You'll also meet lots of other digital nomads, some... Successful.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://wp.codewithross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nomad-Summit-2019-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Nomad Summit 2019" class="wp-image-2582"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nomad Summit (2019)</figcaption></figure>



Above is the Nomad Summit, I'm in this crowd... Somewhere... and I met a LOT of successful digital nomads at this event.



BUT!



Most people at this event would agree that step 3 is NOT easy, making money online is HARD. And this is where they try to SELL you an online course telling you how to do it.



They offer a blueprint to making money online at a small investment of 300-500 USD. They'll convince you that you'll make your money back using the techniques they'll teach you.



90% of the time, it's a scam.



This is the Digital Nomad Scam. It is HOW they are making money themselves.



So... Is everyone doing it?



No.



I've personally purchased a few courses from people I trust because I've met them in person and seen their results, or because it was obvious they are successful.



The ones that do understand what they are doing, do not offer a magic pill but instead offer advice which requires significant work behind it.



If you're curious who I personally recommend, scroll down to the bottom or <a href="#recommend">click here.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-youtube-hype">The YouTube Hype</h2>



One of the big problems that supports the Digital Nomad Scam is all the YouTube Hype.



When I first landed in Chiang Mai, Thailand back in 2017 as a Digital Nomad, a huge part of that reason was because of all that YouTube Hype.



I believed a lot of it.



Yeah...



I wanted it so badly that I ignored certain signs, avoided reading certain blog posts which pointed out what I’m writing about years later.



To put it bluntly.



A lot of the YouTubers are not as successful as they appear. And... when I say, not as successful... I mean, they’re running off of savings.



They’re not even earning $1000 per month, which is what you need to live in Chiang Mai, Thailand.



And yet, all over YouTube, they’re encouraging people to move to Chiang Mai and live as a Digital Nomad just like them.



I followed one particular YouTuber for quite some time back in 2016.



Now... he never outright lied. But he implied more success through only showing success.



But in reality, the entire of 2016 in Chiang Mai, he was barely surviving. He was not earning $1000.



I know this because when I landed in 2017, I met a few people who knew him personally. They told me he was using his savings and didn’t have a stable job making money for most of 2016.



He even got fired for his first job remote job.



And yet…



He was telling people to move to Chiang Mai, encouraging people and acting like he was successful. I personally felt like he was lying to his audience.



Acting like he was living the dream.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drop-shipping">Drop Shipping</h2>



If you google the word, “Dropping Shipping” and look at some of the online courses selling the dream of going remote, setting up a drop shipping store and making money.



You’ll suddenly see all these drop shipping adverts on YouTube, Facebook, etc…



“Stop!!!”



“Listen to me, I’m not lying”



“Look at my figures”



I swear it's literally hundreds of people selling you Drop Shipping courses, trying to sell you the dream.



I’ve met successful Drop Shippers. When you look at their numbers, they’re only making about 5% profit.



You hear the brag, $10,000 per month, profit.



To get that magic $10,000, you need to be grossing, $200,000 per month or $2,400,000 per year.



2.4 Million Dollars!



That’s not easy, not in the slightest.



I went to an event once in my early days of being a Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai. The speaker asked the audience to raise their hands if they had a drop shipping store.



Half…



Half the room put up their hands. We had about 100 people at the event. It sounded impressive at first, but then I went and spoke to some of these people.



I asked one question.



How much are you making??



The most common answer was: “Oh… Uh… I’m not there yet, I’m still in the early stages” This became a pretty typical response from someone who’s trying but not yet succeeded.



I’m not saying they won’t succeed, but apart from the speaker, I didn’t meet anyone at the event who’d even made $1000 total, let alone $10,000 per month.



Yes, I know people have made drop shipping work… But these people worked their arse off, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week and treat it like a true business.



This isn’t the 4 hour work week.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-anyone-successful">Is anyone successful?</h2>



Yes!



A lot of people I’ve met over the years are very successful, me included.



But the truly successful and decent people will tell you it’s not easy. And often don’t brag about their success all over YouTube.



I work significant hours, following a good routine, getting up at 7am most weekdays and aim to be at my desk by 8:30 to 9am.



Often working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I exercise and eat healthy because I know I’m paid on results, not hours.



The difference is... I get to choose my clients, I get to choose my hours, I get to choose my work.



And so... I enjoy my work so I don’t mind working those hours.



The best part about my job is the freedom. I choose my work place, whether it's my home, a co-working space or a cafe.



Another country.



The choices are endless...



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="recommend">Who do I recommend?</h2>



So now I've got all the negative out the way, I will list 2 people below who I've personally worked with and purchased their courses.



These really work, they're not a magic pill and require significant work to see results.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tom-anna-from-adventure-in-you">Tom &amp; Anna from Adventure in you.</h3>



They’ve created a roadmap for building blogs called the <a href="https://www.bloggingfastlane.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Blogging Fast Lane.</a> Honestly, this is one of the most comprehensive online courses I seen.



Adventure in You has over half a million unique visitors per month.



I’ve personally used their course and had excellent results. But they will stress to you, it’s not easy, it’s not a quick fix. They give you a year plan... Yes... a year!



That’s how long they think it’ll take to see results in blogging. They focus on "value" and being "strategic" about what you write on your blog.



They're also very active in their Facebook Groups, often doing live stream events with Q&amp;A's and answering every question people post.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-course-creator-pro-from-parker-walbeck">Course Creator Pro from Parker Walbeck.</h3>



Parker teaches you how to <a href="https://www.coursecreatorpro.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">create online courses</a> using knowledge from Full Time Film Maker.



He’s awesome.



His <a rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/pawalbeck" target="_blank">YouTube</a> channel has over 1 million subscribers, and he has tons of free content.



He's very active in their private Facebook group and many of his students have made significant money using the methods he teaches.



The other good thing is, Parker doesn't promote scam like methods, it's all long term, value based methods that require significant work.



Parker himself is an exceptional film maker and his first course, Full Time Film Maker shows people how to become a film maker.



He's also worked with countless big brands.



You only need to watch a few of his YouTube videos to know he's the real deal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



To finish this off.



Don't believe it unless you can see obvious results. Instagram pictures don't count.



I'm talking results from money side of things.



Have you met them in person and seen results directly? Have you been recommended by someone you truly trust?



Only then would I consider parting with my money.



I hope this insight has helped you to make better choices. Let me know in the comments if you've had a similar experience.



Until next time.



Ross

Chat Laravel Pusher

DRAFT

Is Vietnam good for Digital Nomads?

The Digital Nomad Scam

6 months as Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai...

3 Negatives of Remote Working as a Developer

Why I use a MacBook Pro for PHP Programming

7 reasons Laravel is the Best PHP Framework for website development.

Is Vietnam good for Digital Nomads?

The Digital Nomad Scam

6 months as Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai...

3 Negatives of Remote Working as a Developer

Why I use a MacBook Pro for PHP Programming

7 reasons Laravel is the Best PHP Framework for website development.

Is Vietnam good for Digital Nomads?

The Digital Nomad Scam

6 months as Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai...

3 Negatives of Remote Working as a Developer

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