From Cubicle to Coastlines: How One Black Woman Built Wealth While Traveling

Monsees blends financial savvy with global adventure.

If you’re savvy with your money, a life of freedom—one where you can travel the world on your own terms—is absolutely within reach.

But before we dive into the details, let’s acknowledge the script most of us are handed: go to college, get a stable 9–5, and work until retirement. For many Black Americans, this path is deeply ingrained, seen as the safest route to success in a system not built with you in mind.

But what if that path isn’t for everyone?

Take Nicki Monsees, for example—a woman who walked away from that traditional track to pursue her passion for global travel. After years of feeling confined by expectations, she chose a different lane—and now lives a nomadic life funded by financial discipline and intentional choices.

Nomadic Living Begins with Financial Freedom 

For Monsees, the pandemic served as a catalyst for change. “It felt like it’s been a fever dream,” she shares from Panama, surrounded by mountains and geisha coffee farms. “I’ve been traveling for the last two and a half years after leaving corporate.”

Her journey from CNBC executive to global nomad didn’t happen overnight. It required meticulous financial planning and multiple income streams. “We had been saving up a whole bunch and we had made some investments that would create passive income for us,” Monsees explains.

These investments include a rental property in Jersey City, a triple net lease commercial property, and an apartment in Medellín, Colombia—all generating consistent passive income. “The idea of something coming in every month from multiple sources was huge because we don’t want to eat into our savings,” she notes.

Strategic Financial Moves for Aspiring Nomads

Monsees stresses on numerous important strategies that supported her transition:

• Property Investment: “When we decided to move in together, we were 23 but we both scraped together enough to buy a small apartment,” she recalls. This early investment in real estate became a cornerstone of their financial freedom.

• Retirement Planning: “I had maxed out my 401k every year… if you’re looking for financial advice and you’re in the corporate world, I would definitely say make sure you’re getting that company match.”

• Smart Savings: “CDs, certificates of deposit… put it in a CD at least for a while. During the pandemic, the interest rates were really high.”

Steering Through the Storms

Redefining work and wealth.

Beyond income, successful nomadic living requires addressing practical concerns. For healthcare, Monsees purchased catastrophic coverage through SAA Global and discovered the benefits of medical tourism. “My dental cleaning was $30… my cholesterol test was $2,” she shares about healthcare costs in Medellín.

For taxes, professional help is essential. “I am definitely not using TurboTax for my taxes. I need somebody who is a registered CPA, preferably with offices in different countries,” she advises.

Making It Sustainable

Monsees and her husband have discovered creative ways to stretch their budget, including house-sitting through Trusted Housesitters. “No exchange of money; you just watch somebody’s pets, and they’ll let you stay at their lovely home,” she explains.

A lifestyle isn’t worth it if you fear the future living it.

The cost-benefit analysis of this lifestyle has been overwhelmingly positive. “I went home for the holidays, and I felt like every time I took a step, money fell out of my pocket,” she laughs, reflecting on the lower cost of living she enjoys abroad.

As Monsees looks to the future, she sees her nomadic lifestyle as sustainable. Her personal financial motto? “Always be saving,” she says, adding that travel has shifted her perspective on materialism. “When I was working, I remember just being kind of sucked into ‘oh, my coworker has that brand new bag’… I really don’t care anymore.”

For those dreaming of breaking free from the 9-to-5 grind, Monsees offers this encouragement: “I hope maybe I inspired you and others to just live your best life.”