Easy Money

MOVING MONEY

I'm meeting so many new people recently, who have decided to drop out of the corporate rat race. They've chosen to delve into the darker unknown waters of self employment where one's quest to find the means of obtaining enough money to pay the bills are part and parcel of day to day living.

So far in my new bob-a-job career, I've painted the front of a house. This week I'll be putting in some time DJing whilst also learning how to make cocktails in my local bar. And next week, I'll be a removal man with a van, plus a garden clearer and also a builder's assistant. If I can get some graphics work via advertising with local businesses, that should go some way to help pay the bills. I also have my experience as a personal trainer to make up some extra money too.

My list of jobs that I'm capable of doing well is steadily getting longer and I look forward to adding even more skill sets to the list as I go on. Although these early jobs seem low-paid and beneath my experience capabilities, they are all rewarding. Providing I always put my best efforts in and keep the variety going, they won't get boring either. I can always add more taxing roles to the list, but only if they offer the right balance of money gains against stress levels.

The first moments after leaving the security of having a regular 9-5 (although the hours were always longer) were daunting. But now the prospect of making money last longer by being frugal and careful with my spends, are allowing me to have more free time. This exchange of time against a bigger salary, should help me to find even more alternative ways to make a living.

A lot of the new alternative modes of making money have been localised. So, by finding ways to connect with local businesses, I'll be making money without the expense of travelling on public transport or travelling along the congestion-filled and potentially dangerous roads. This exchange could also benefit me in having even more time and freedom to explore other avenues for work and enjoyment.

Working The Benefits
We all have benefits in everything we do. It's how and why we make the decisions we do. For example: If we chose to live in closer to the city where we work, the benefits will be access to all the fun, culture and amenities that the city have to offer. Travel will potentially be faster, cheaper and possibly free. We'll be spending less money on travel, less time and having more fun - but our living costs may be considerably more and access to green areas, the coast or activities outside the city restricted. So, we have to weigh up the benefits and maximise on them.

Therefore, if a non-corporate life beckons, we should consider the benefits we currently have and weigh them up against the pitfalls of location and costs for living. Having a clearer picture of the reasons why we do the things we do, what we'd like to do more of and maximise on the live & work balance, will help to achieve our goals.