Love having money but not so keen on work? That’ll be almost everyone then. Here’s our guide to escape the rat race.
Spending too many precious hours of your life sat on public transport to your office job? Tired of standing in pubs or bars after work complaining about the job you’ve been at all day? Wondering why all that money you earn seems to go on overpriced rent and drinks you swear could be half the price?
The rat race isn’t for all of us and if you’ve been wondering how to escape, there are plenty of options. Here at Global Playboy we’re all about the path of least resistance and can attest to the fact that you can live the playboy (or playgirl) lifestyle with a fraction of the money you think you need.
Ready to escape the rate race?? Read on…
Go Freelance
If you’ve read any of our features about playboy lifestyle jobs, you’ll know we wax lyrical about being freelance. And, honestly, anyone can go freelance.
We’ve already run articles about being a DJ, a stock/FX trader, a travel blogger and a graphic designer, but if you think outside the box you can make money doing whatever you want.
From proofreading documents for pocket money through to offering a consulting service for your industry, there are many ways to work smarter, not harder.
If you don’t already have a pool of contacts you can steal to go freelance then you can always check out sites like Upwork or Freelancer while you set up shop. If your skills are lacking, get training at Udemy.
Bank It Hard!
Have you already got a job that pays a nice big monthly salary? Sick of all the office politics, management speak and general feeling of having sold your soul? If you have only vaguely considered saving and leaving then it’s probably an option you should look at a bit closer.
Retirement is often the way for most people to escape the rat race, but hey, you don’t wanna wait that long do you? Life is short and fun can be had when you’re younger so work hard and put the money away with that dream end goal.
With an income of over 30k a year and up, saving a grand or so a month is no big deal. If you’re one of those people who drinks, eats and parties like there is no tomorrow then that is probably the area where you can reign in the spending and bank it so you can…
Invest
One of the best ways to make your dream escape come true is to invest in a project in your dream destination. It’s not just for Chinese billionaires and Russian oligarchs you know. With a couple of grand in the bank you could invest in a local business anywhere from Thailand to Tanzania or Costa Rica to Congo.
Popular foreign business investments include:
- Bars and restaurants.
- Hotels or resorts.
- Property.
- Re-structuring existing businesses.
- Food or beverage production.
- Services for expats or visitors (guides, advisors etc).
Although having a big bank account will help in most cases, there is often opportunity to start with a small basic investment and build from the ground up. Be aware however that dealing with foreign cultures can be a shock to the system for those used to the Big City culture. Have a look at our article about investing abroad here.
Change Career
Being an marketing professional, sales champion or money making dynamo is all fine and good. But if that rat race lifestyle is making you feel like you’re about to fall apart at the seams then taking a more sedate career change can be all you need to revitalise yourself.
The most popular career change for expats is often teaching, specifically English language (TEFL/TESOL). You’ll often be able to find a decent paying teaching option in pretty much any non native English speaking country around the world.
If teaching doesn’t appeal you’ll find options in many of the following:
- Teach skiing/snowboarding.
- Adventure tour guide.
- Cocktail maestro.
- Musical professional (live musician, DJ or producer).
Think outside of the box and you’ll find stacks of options to escape the rat race all around the world. Once you’re out there in an expat Mecca (I’m thinking Chiang Mai or Medellin here) you’ll meet people who do everything from exporting local produce back home to teaching yoga.
If in doubt, just go and see what happens…
Be Flexible
One of the best things is to arrive where you want to be and do some networking. You never know what you might find. It’s not uncommon to hear stories of people who arrive with a plan to teach English but then get involved setting up a new business or running a hotel.
Being flexible and friendly can get you a long way. So if you’re reading this at work and dreaming of the life that you know is out there; book a flight (our handy widget is just below), go home, pack your bags and then email us and tell us all about it…
If you have escaped the rat race or you’re planning your departure, we’d love to hear all about it so drop us a line in the comments below or at **@gl***********.com .
