How to take advantage of telework?
 

Hi,

I pretty much work from home and just need reliable internet and VPN. Im ok with paying for flights but paying for hotels at a new place to work/hangout such as HKG can get expensive. Does anyone here have experiences or advice on how to travel and work while living within a budget?

Stay in Shenzhen instead?

In all seriousness though, you can get a decent deal in any of the higher priced Asian cities if you watch flash sales, learn the tricks and utilize BRGs as much as possible, for hotels off the major chains like Shangri La (& Traders), Best Western, etc., the use discount sites like Asiatravel, Agoda, Hoteltravel, etc. Most chains won't BRG to them unfortunately but if the points would be orphaned anyway then doesn't matter. Cash & Points deals can be another way to save a boatload in Asia sometimes.

Renting an apartment is much cheaper than staying in chain hotels. Check out sites like Roomorama, Airbnb... In most cities you can find great places for 1000-2000$US per month.

I do some work from home. But if a client wants me on site, the client has to pay airfare, hotel and expenses.

+1, emphasis on "expenses".

Why would an employer/contractor -- which wants their workers to telework from home -- want to cover the airfare, hotel and expenses for any of all such workers to change where they live when they are employed/contracted to perform work that can be performed from anywhere with reliable internet and VPN connectivity but requires no move?

It seems to me that the OP shouldn't exoect the current employer/contractor to eat the costs of the OP's transition to living in a lower-cost location or lower-cost lifestyle.

It's funny that you mention Shenzhen because I actually rented a place in Shekou a few months ago because it allows me to be close to my clients in HK without having to stay in HK. I also happen to love Shekou (not much culture to speak of, but it's a really comfortable place).

You are not the first nor the last.
Many retire HKers who have right to reside in China has bought flats in SZ and gave their HK flat to their kids to create grandkids.

Most expensive cities it make more sense to rent service apartment/suites. IMHO it is more "homely", you have a kitchen to use and separate dining/working/sleeping area where housekeeping is rearranging your desktop everyday.

Sad that I can telework from anywhere in the world and yet I can't travel. Wife works busy job, 2 kids, mortgage...etc. If only I had this job when I was 22 years old!

Take all the money you save from not having to commute or buy work clothes and sock it away for lots of fun weekend trips. Since you telework you can take advantage of lower fares on non peak flights and then work from the hotel till it is time to go out in your destination city.

A little confusing.

1) You tele-work but are homeless? Option A) Get a home. Option B) Keep on keeping on.
2) You tele-work but are assigned work locations? Option A) Tell work to pay to play. B) Keep on keeping on.

i have a home but im looking for places to travel to and work from for cheap. say im based on east coast USA and i feel like teleworking in Seattle or Paris. airfare aside, rent/lodging can get expensive really fast.

I really don't understand what you are trying to do. Of course it is expensive to maintain a home/apartment and then pay for an additional travel location. Your other option is to become "homeless" and live with your parents then you can take all the money you normally spend on rent/utilities/insurance and put it towards travel. If you are cool with the homeless aspect you can do lots of couch surfing, Airbnb, etc.

You can also learn to churn credit card offers and start to rack up lots of points and live off of the points, but this only works if you have a big enough revenue stream and good credit to go with it.

I would only recommend you invest in an RV.

Since time zones don't seem to matter, the continent would become your oyster.

Parts of Latin America, continental Asia or Eastern/Central Europe may make sense as a sort of temporary place to hang out and work while maintaining your home in the US. If you wish, you may want to consider renting out your US home while abroad to minimize expenses of maintaining the US residence and free up funds for other uses.