Beyond discounted TVs and toilet paper, Black Friday offers a unique opportunity for a complete career change. Those who’ve enjoyed working from home during lockdown can leverage Black Friday to find specials on remote work equipment. With the latest portable tech in hand, savvy shoppers can launch a new office-free, adventure-filled lifestyle.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be a great time to secure deals on things that you actually need. Those aspiring to live a location independent lifestyle should look out for products that will make it easier to work from anywhere – be it at home, a log cabin in the Hogsback mountain village, or a street café somewhere along Durban’s bustling Florida Road,” says Tom Gibbons, Director at the TEFL Academy, South Africa’s leading course provider of teaching English as a foreign language.
Gibbons recommends keeping an eye out for the following discounted items; a portable power bank to allow you to work while travelling, a sturdy laptop stand so you can turn any surface into a desk, a ring light to improve video conference visibility, along with a quality webcam and noise-cancelling headphones, to help limit distractions when you’re working in a busy space. You’re likely to get some great deals on laptops too – look out for something lightweight with a decent battery life.
In addition to physical products, Gibbons advises investing in online courses and qualifications that will help you secure guaranteed income when you’re starting out. “For example, an online TEFL qualification was a gateway to remote work long before Covid-19. During lockdown, it provided a reliable income for many people.”
With increasing international demand for online English teachers, South Africans teaching online can expect to earn average salaries of between R190 and R560 per hour, depending on experience. Beyond Covid, it presents an opportunity to work anywhere in the world with a laptop balanced on your knees, feet in the sand, and sparkling azure water just metres away.
“The pandemic has demonstrated the flexible nature of work, thanks to technology. At the same time, it’s also highlighted the uncertainty of tomorrow. The most important takeaway from this, is that there’s no better time than right now to become independent, and to make your dreams happen,” says Gibbons.
Offering accessible, flexible and cost-effective ways to get TEFL qualified, The TEFL Academy provides internationally accredited and regulated online courses. This Black Friday, they are offering up to 60% off their Level 5 TEFL courses to help you kickstart your digital nomad lifestyle. For more information, visit theteflacademy.com.