A lot of folks feel stuck in a job they hate because they feel like they can’t afford to quit. ⠀
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When I was working in the corporate world I had dreams of working for myself, being my own boss and setting my own schedule. I craved freedom and I fantasized about the day I would walk out of that cubicle for the last time. ⠀
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Like many, I tried a few ideas over the years, things like selling cosmetics and blogging, but nothing that ever came close to the income I received from my corporate job. The truth is, our expenses had grown so high over the years that it felt like I would never be able to quit my job. How could I afford to? ⠀
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We had to think about car payments, student loans, credit cards, and our mortgage. After all that, we still needed to pay for food, lights, heat, health insurance and more! It felt wildly irresponsible to even consider chasing a dream.⠀
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But if I’m nothing else, I’m determined (OK, some might use the word stubborn), so I took fate into my own hands and started learning about money. ⠀
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I found mentors, read books, listened to podcasts, and devoured anything that might help us get out of this hole we had put ourselves in. ⠀
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Together with my husband, we created a plan to pay off our debt and we got to work straight away. It took years of sacrifice and consistency, but in the summer of 2012 I clocked out from the corporate world for the last time. ⠀
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By that time we had paid off over $80,000 in debt, had a 6-month emergency fund, and finally found the space we needed to take the plunge. I finally felt free enough to join my husband at home, to build our business and chase our dreams.⠀
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Years later my work gives me the freedom and flexibility I always craved, and while I still look forward to lazy weekends, I no longer dread those Monday mornings. ⠀
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I truly believe that had we not gotten serious about our money I might still be sitting in that cubicle, counting down my days until the weekend.⠀
