5 Ways to Save Money Before Leaving Your 9 to 5
If you leave your job without saving, then you are planning to fail and you will be back as quick as you left.
The following examples will require discipline and humility.
Move back in with your parents/family or find a roommate.
Both examples should cut your living costs by around 50%, which will give you a sizeable cushion to put towards savings. There is a good chance you currently have more space than you need and this 1 step backward will thrust you into 2 steps forward once you leave your 9 to 5.
Sell your car or rent it out on the weekends.
If you are able to use public transportation or carpool with a coworker to get to work then you can save a substantial amount of money by selling your car. However, if you need your car to get to work perhaps you could consider downgrading to lower monthly payments or renting your car out on the weekends to people looking to drive for Uber or Lyft.
Ask your employer to work from home one or two days per week.
This will cut transportation costs and help you save money that you spend during the week. Many people stop for an expensive coffee before work, go out to eat for lunch and some days go out with co-workers for happy hour.
Cut miscellaneous costs that add up every month.
A lot of miscellaneous costs become invisible to us because we convince ourselves they are necessary and they are mostly related to media. There is no reason to have every channel available on your TV along with subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. when you actually consume most of your media via Youtube. Also be sure to check for any monthly subscriptions that have been coming out of your account that you no longer use such as paid apps or online services. During this time I would consider frequent social events as miscellaneous costs because in most cases it involves going out for drinks or out to eat at restaurants, which can be replaced by having friends over instead for game night (more fun actually).
Start your business BEFORE you quit.
Chances are if you’re considering putting in your two week’s notice then you already have a great idea how you plan to generate money afterwards. By limiting the social events during this time, you will have time to actually jumpstart your business and begin generating a second income while you’re still working.
This phase will not last forever, but if you’re ready to run your own business this grind will be something you can endure. Starting your business while having a stable income not only allows you to add a new stream of income, but it also takes the pressure off you becoming a successful entrepreneur from the onset.
It will act as a safety net and allow you to test multiple ways to make your business profitable and give you the ability to leave your job on your terms.
