5 helpful hacks for rat race escapees
Sometimes conventional life feels unbearably routine and restrictive.
Working 9-5 from Monday to Friday, enduring the daily commute, weekends whooshing past in the blink of an eye and one holiday a year — rinse and repeat this regime repeatedly and you’ll feel like you’re trapped in the Bill Murray masterpiece Groundhog Day.
But is yearning for a life less ordinary merely the stuff of daydreams or a practical possibility?
Find out for yourself with these five helpful hacks for rat race escapees.
- Financial planning
Whilst it might be tempting to throw your PC out the office window, tell your boss what to do with his job and head for the hills, living a life of adventure takes significant financial planning.
So if you’ve not thought seriously about managing your money for a rainy day which could be three, five or ten years away, talking to personal finance experts like Chancellor Financial Management is a savvy first step — they can advise on a range of financial instruments and investment strategies.
- Selling your home
Selling your home is a serious undertaking and you should seek independent financial advice before doing so.
But if your family’s financially stable and in no need of monetary support, it’s one way to release the funds you need to up sticks and move abroad or travel around perpetually.
And if you’re sure and need cash fast, We Buy Any Home can purchase your house within seven days with no associated legal fees or charges.
- Buying an RV
According to a recent report in the Washington Post, almost one million Americans live permanently in RVs (or motorhomes) and this nomadic lifestyle choice has its champions on the other side of the Atlantic too.
If you’re planning this type of existence as a couple, you’ll need to sacrifice some personal space — but the inherent sense of freedom might make up for it.
Before you part with cash, make an informed purchase by reading this motorhome buyers’ guide from vehicle gurus AutoTrader.
- Buying a mobile home
If you’ve holidayed in a spectacular scenic spot for years and fancy living there permanently, or your heart’s been captured by a recent rural vacation, buying a mobile or park home might be preferable to an RV.
There are a few legal issues to consider first — you’ll need to confirm park owners permit you to stay there all year round and go through the site license and pitch agreement with a fine-toothed comb.
Contact The Leasehold Advisory Service for more advice if park life is your preference.
- Blogging
Lastly, you might need some spare cash to top up your income and preserve as much of your savings as possible.
And if you’ve got a way with words, video or visual images, becoming a paid blogger is a brilliant idea — and once you build up a following, sponsorship deals might materialise.
Look at auto nomad site The Wandering RV to get an idea of the type of content that’s effective.
That’s our list! Share your own ideas for escaping the rat race in the comments section.