The economy is tough. Many people are losing jobs, having to change jobs or experiencing financial cutbacks at existing jobs. For the last two years our family has lived life without relying on a salary. It’s not for everyone, but it can be a great way to enjoy the family and live a life that most people only dream about.
Steps to Living without a Salary
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1. Find creative ways to bring income into the home. Some people choose to work season contract jobs and save enough money each season to carry them through the year.
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a. Yard work
b. Disaster insurance adjusters
c. Christmas help
d. Summer children’s entertainment
2. Make your hobby a job. If you love what you do for work then it’s not really work.
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a. Become a tour guide
b. Take others hunting or fishing
c. Sale your crafts
d. Plan parties and events
3. Budget off of what you have made already and not what you expect to make.
4. Save up for purchases. Sometimes just taking the time to save up helps your realize you don’t really need to make the purchase in the first place.
Living a life without relying on a salary takes discipline. The first step is to discover new ways to bring in income and the second step is learning to live a frugal life. Not everyone is cut out for life without a regular salary but for those that are it can be the life most people are dreaming about and saving toward (i.e. retirement).