Fun Facts About Them
Published: January 24, 2023
Last updated: January 24, 2023
By Joshua Smith 🇦🇺
I Help Beginners Build Profitable Websites
Welcome to the ultimate analysis of Vagabond Awake (Vagabond Buddha) for 2023.
I truly admire the success of many YouTube creators and travel experts who have insights that we can learn from.
The goal of these profiles is to show you the different ways people have built 6 and 7-figure careers. I hope to inspire you to create your own success online, starting today.
Vagabond Awake Facts
💡Full Name and Age
Dan (age 62)
I haven’t been able to find his last name.
Dan is vegetarian, just like myself.
🙋🏻♀️ Girlfriend
Dan’s girlfriend from Vagabond Awake is Qiang Hui. She is 37 years old and is incredibly beautiful, smart and absolutely enjoys Dan’s company, despite their age gap.
(By the way, her name is pronounced “Chung Hoi”)
Dan hasn’t yet proposed to her yet, but he really needs to get a ring on that finger.
Qiang runs her own channel called Hobo Ventures:
They met on Tinder. Who’d have thought?
An Asian supermodel and an older guy on an App that’s traditionally used for one-nighters, rather than serious relationships. One in a million!
So yeah, they’re 25 years apart and don’t care what anyone thinks.
🤑 Net Worth
YouTubers are typically wealthier than they admit, often downplaying their net worth to appear more relatable.
As of 2023, Dan of Vagabond Buddha has a net worth of $470,000 US dollars.
This is based on the value of his investment portfolio and online business. They are living proof that you DON’T need to become a millionaire to retire early.
🤩 Income Streams
YouTube ads, affiliate links and selling memberships.
🌍 Location
At this time, Dan and Qiang don’t have a fixed address. They sometimes stay somewhere for a few weeks or months before moving on.
✌️Common Praise
Dan has earned his results, has found a beautiful woman and serves his loyal expat community.
❌ Notable Complaints
None that I could find. Dan has a strong reputation in this industry. He doesn’t really use his girlfriend to gain attention either, but I do think she’s very beneficial to the channel.
🚀 The X-Factor
Dan retired early, then lost most of his retirement funds by 40% in 2008, rebuilt his empire, and is now living the dream!
📈 Creator Trends
His content is extremely helpful on YouTube, and only recently has it been really picked up in the algorithm.
Dan recently crossed 100k subscribers which is no small feat.
Fun fact: He started in 2016 which is proof that results come to those who play the long game.
👨🏻💻 My Verdict
Dan’s channel is a goldmine for anyone seeking to retire in more affordable countries, paired with finding a supportive partner for the journey.
About Me
I’m Joshua Smith from Australia. I have been building profitable content sites since 2011.
Today, in addition to managing my own portfolio, I actively help others on their journey.
How much does Vagabond Buddha make and how?
Despite having a very amateur-looking website, this YouTube is banking big time!
Dan from Vagabond Awake (also known as Vagabond Buddha) makes $8,200 per month on YouTube, but some months he’s made up to $14,000 online.
I actually think his simple website and straight-talking videos work in his favor. You don’t need to be fancy!
So anyway, Dan makes this much money through:
➜ YouTube ads (his audience is quite premium so advertisers pay higher than average)
➜ Sales of his educational memberships (one is about making money from hobbies while the other is about early retirement)
➜ Affiliate links to travel products he recommends
Dan is an underrated genius and is treating his content like a business.
He’s talked more about his profitable online business here:
At the same time, he’s bringing so much value to his audience on YouTube. I watch just about every video he publishes, despite me being in my 30s, not 40s and 50s like most of his audience.
Creator Praise
Many people love Dan’s content because:
➜ He’s realistic and relatable to many people, young and old
➜ He’s against waiting until age 65 for retirement
➜ He shows us the cost of living in foreign countries
➜ His girlfriend is beautiful, pure and incredibly loyal
And Dan’s experience is incredible.
Creator Red Flags
I haven’t seen him create any controversy. It isn’t his type of style, unlike some people who use the “chicks for clicks” strategy. Instead, Dan wants people to genuinely explore beyond their borders.
And the best part? Many people have that potential.
Quotes by Dan
Dan has said some epic things during his time on YouTube.
These include:
➜ “I had to invent my online income stream and hobby myself” – he means that no one is coming to save you.
➜ “Life just feels so different when you aren’t worried about time and money” – he’s refering to retiring early in SE Asia
➜ “My research was showing that my early retirement was coming back to life. My goal was to find my favorite retirement place” – This reminds us that not all is lost and you CAN rebuild.
➜ “I’ve worked remotely all over the world for the last 13 years, so I have a perspective that few people have.” – That’s why I recommend Dan’s course so much.
➜ “My knowledge and experience might help set you free” – That’s what his YouTube channel is all about.
➜ “People are basically the same all over the world.” – He’s visited 67 different countries which is why his perspective can be trusted.
➜ “The US is all about consumerism and shopping malls” – 100% true. I’m over western countries personally.
➜ “There are places where having more money is a disadvantage.” By this, he refers to following a low budget means you get to mingle with the locals and have experiences that few others get to have.
My Verdict
Dan’s videos on YouTube really inspire me. From watching so many videos, I’ve come to realize that retirement is closer than I assume, and there are so many more beautiful places than in Australia.
I highly recommend you join the Retire Cheap in Paradise membership which has numerous positive reviews. The website may look prehistoric, but Dan is focused on the content and NOT the way it looks.
My key takeaways include:
➜ Don’t keep chasing dreams if they are unrealistic
➜ There are parts of the world that are way simpler
➜ Get ready for your retirement sooner than expected
➜ Open your mind to new opportunities that exist online
I’ve taken many online courses in the past and I haven’t seen anything as affordable as Dan’s course.
He doesn’t pay me to say this, but I highly recommend you join his course today.
Worst case scenario: You pay $17 and cancel on Day 29.
Best case scenario: You discover how close retirement really is through numerous countries that Dan covers.