Stepping out of the fast life

[meri]

Thank you all for the encouragement.






How long did it take you to 'unplug'and get used to the new pace of life? I am looking forward to it but assume that after all those years it will be a big change that will take some getting used to.


In our country we have two calendar months notice period. That means that when you give your notice you still have two months left at your job starting from the 1st of whatever month starts after you resign. 7 weeks to go ... and two paychecks.


I am looking into available options near the area where we live (I want to avoid the nearly hour long commute by public transportation) and it seems that there is a position open that looks great, I have sent my CV and keep my fingers crossed. Job market is not that good right now.




We do have some savings and my husband has a decent job that he likes very much so even if I am unable to find anything immediately we would be fine for a while. My job has been getting worse and more stressful for quite some time. So we have made some adjustments to save more / spend less so that I can look for another job that won't pay so much or perhaps even part time job and still have everything we need and some things that we just want while saving for retirement as well.
Now I'll need to get more creative. Some expenses will disappear by themselves - I am determined not to step into corporate again so no business wardrobe, home haircuts will suffice, no after work temptations in form of 'everybody' going out for beer/coffee/cocktails/bowling, no late evenings spent working from home over a take-out dinner. Some expenses I have to re-evaluate. Do I need my mobile phone plan including data which I rarely use? Probably not. Race registration fees? Could by cut in half by choosing more carefully. Travelling? Avoiding hotels and keeping it more local lately and it's all right.
I love cooking and baking so I am learning to take time to shop around for good deals on produce and plan meals around what's available and cook from scratch (goodbye canned chickpeas and pasta sauce)


I want to learn more gardening and also canning and preserving which should help our budget (and my nerves too) and in general simplify and slow down our days.

[Yppej]

Yes I am in Prague and I am lucky it's a beautiful city rich with history even though I personally would appreciate it more as a visitor. After 13 years I still cannot get used to living in such a huge city and so far away from mountains.

Are you by chance talking the Silesian Mountains? My ancestors came from that region.

[meri]

Are you by chance talking the Silesian Mountains? My ancestors came from that region.

Wow, did they? My husband is from Silesia. I come from Krkonose Mountains.

[SteveinMN]

Some expenses I have to re-evaluate. Do I need my mobile phone plan including data which I rarely use? Probably not. Race registration fees? Could by cut in half by choosing more carefully. Travelling? Avoiding hotels and keeping it more local lately and it's all right.

I would just note that "living simply" and living inexpensively are not tied at the hip. There's nothing wrong with living frugally (most of us here do just that) but that does not mean that there can be no money for fun or things you consider necessary in your life. Many of us own more than one home (even intentionally!), some of us have hobbies that require expensive equipment, and so on.

Simple living allows you to put your energy and time and money toward what is important to you. Of course, most people will have a limit to their income so what can be spent is not boundless. But most of us cut financial corners in some parts of our lives so we can splurge elsewhere.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I find it odd you got your husbands approval. I'm not even bound to anyone economically nor have I ever asked for anyone's help economically and wouldn't unless it came to that or the streets, and it's not the type of thing I'd expect approval for, tolerance perhaps, maybe that's what is actually meant by approval. If I did it I'd fully expect everyone's disapproval and do it anyway. Even though I am, I sometimes wonder if I am even loved by anyone if I am not a good little economic agent, but loved I may be, approved of, not necessarily.

[Teacher Terry]

AMN, when you are married things like quitting a job are a joint decision. If you make the decision alone it’s not a partnership. It very well could lead to divorce as it did for someone I know.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Guess that's why the feminists liken marriage to captivity, one's choices are no longer one's own. And frankly I think I'm by nature incapable of dictating people's choices on personal matters (wearing a @#$# mask is a social not a personal matter - just fyi for the trolls). So I had reservations about bf taking new job - a company that had fired him before, but like I always said I have my reservations but I would stand back, it is not mine to decide (and its actually working out well, another reason it should not be mine to decide I have less information to make the decision on and always will). So it would be all one sided too if I was to enter into such an arrangement, de facto patriarchy. Maybe this bird was never meant for that cage.

[Teacher Terry]

Men face the same restrictions.

[Teacher Terry]

Keri, one of the things that saved us money was shopping for the best prices for car and home insurance. Also where you shop for groceries can make a big difference.

[JaneV2.0]

Guess that's why the feminists liken marriage to captivity, one's choices are no longer one's own. And frankly I think I'm by nature incapable of dictating people's choices on personal matters, I had reservations about bf taking new job, but like I always said I have my reservations by I would stand back, it is not mine to decide, so it would be all one sided too if I was to enter into such an arrangement, de facto patriarchy. Maybe this bird was never meant for that cage.

I've long said I don't do well in captivity, though I've certainly signed up for it, via employment, often enough. Next life, trust fund. I can't imagine asking permission to manage my own finances, even if I've mangled it repeatedly. I understand partnerships, and I'm sure they work often enough.