I want to give up my day job....

[Growem]

Piskieinboots highlighted a lot of good points about working for yourself. I've done it, and I'll probably do it again rather than have a "regular" job when I go back to work when my kids are older. But many people get into it and realise they can't deal with the pressure of not being sure about where the money is going to come from. And the first 2 years of your business, you will have to work harder than you ever imagined. I went from taking a couple of nice holidays a year employed by the local council to taking no holidays for nearly 3 years.

If you really want to do it, then go for it. But before you do, research the market where you want to work and make sure there will be work for you. Think about how you will get business coming in, especially how to get repeat business. And start saving now for it, as the money takes a while to come when you start.

[toastie]

Been there too with depression,anxiety, stress but after working for 30 years, (21 for a high street bank and 7 for a Local Authority and small jobs in between), decided to give it all up last May. Reached for 50 birthday in January this year and its lovely not to have to (try to) get out of bed to go to work, getting stuck in rush hour traffic, bitching at work, etc etc. I have to thank my wonderful partner though for supporting me financially over the last 10 months. Will probably return to work at some time in the future - if theres jobs out there for me to do when the economy gets better.

[Eco-Chic]

I really really want to give up my day job and grow fruit and veg

I reckon i would have to grow a lot a fruit a veg to cover my current salary but hey life would be my own.

Getting up for work and feeling like you belong to someone else does kinda get you down, and when your only 35 and "waiting" to retire is a sure sign that a lifestyle change is probably needed!!

I could grow all sorts, i would have massive poly tunnels and greenhouses and a kettle. My back will hurt, my finger nails will never be clean and my jeans will always be dirty but today that sounds like such a plan

Does anyone else want to give up the rat race?

Can you compromise, for instance negotiating a 3 or 4 day week? You may need to find a suitable job-sharer to make it attractive to your employer.

[Claire72]

I too had always dreamed of the 'good life', but decided to compromise. I was in a job, which i was growing stale, and was desperately miserable. I also was off work with stress, due to difficulties with my employer.
I changed job, to a similar one with different (and more satisfying) challenges, and took a mid week day off, as well as weekends (I'm a teacher, so weekends and school holidays are obligitory) However, the Wednesdays off are a real bonus, the kids are at school, and I can do some of the catching up things, and some of the good life stuff, like working on my plot.
It has made me see, however, that I cannot sustain 'the good life' long term, I need the contact with others, and the stimulation my work challenges give me.
I would suggest taking a shorter working week, either by giving yourself a long weekend with a friday or monday off, or like me, a midweek break by having a Wednesday off. See how you cope with less money too, as that is definately a challenge which needs serious planning.
After 12 months of doing that, see if you can afford to cut another day out of your working week, and build from there.
I do sympathise, there is nothing worse than being miserable at work

[sharonr]

My OH wants to pack in the rat race. He wants to make solid wooden furniture, which he is very good at, I might add. He has a purpose built workshop in the garden, and spends all his spare time in there.
He works shifts so has 4 days off each week. He has started sellling model bases on Ebay, and they are selling real well. It`s not what he wants but it`s a start, it is getting his name out there to the masses. He got some work through Ebay making stands for a taxidermist and other people are contacting him to make other things.

[sewer rat]

I really really want to give up my day job and grow fruit and veg

I reckon i would have to grow a lot a fruit a veg to cover my current salary but hey life would be my own.

Getting up for work and feeling like you belong to someone else does kinda get you down, and when your only 35 and "waiting" to retire is a sure sign that a lifestyle change is probably needed!!

I could grow all sorts, i would have massive poly tunnels and greenhouses and a kettle. My back will hurt, my finger nails will never be clean and my jeans will always be dirty but today that sounds like such a plan

Does anyone else want to give up the rat race?

DON'T DO IT !!!!!!
Seriously, I took the plunge and am about to enter my third season as a "professional" veg grower. If you are serious, drop me a PM with your E mail address and we'll go into more detail.
Just be prepared for lots of hours work with no returns for about 6 months when you start. As of next week I will be back to 7 days a week, between 14 and 16 hours a day for 12 weeks. Took my first holiday (5 days) at Christmas just past - have only had two weekends off in two years, am skint, all my clothese are now work clothes, need part time job to see me through the winter etc etc moan moan moan.
Would I change it ? -you're kidding - I absolutely love it -for the first time in about sixteen years I have a job that I would happily spend every hour of every day at.

[Hilary B]

DON'T DO IT !!!!!!
Seriously, I took the plunge and am about to enter my third season as a "professional" veg grower. If you are serious, drop me a PM with your E mail address and we'll go into more detail.
Just be prepared for lots of hours work with no returns for about 6 months when you start. As of next week I will be back to 7 days a week, between 14 and 16 hours a day for 12 weeks. Took my first holiday (5 days) at Christmas just past - have only had two weekends off in two years, am skint, all my clothese are now work clothes, need part time job to see me through the winter etc etc moan moan moan.
Would I change it ? -you're kidding - I absolutely love it -for the first time in about sixteen years I have a job that I would happily spend every hour of every day at.

That is the point isn't it sewer rat? You have to be happy to spend every hour God sends at it, and still have less income than before you started! To some extent it applies to any 'self employment', but I should imagine that growing fruit and veg is as extreme (in that respect) as it comes!
That aspect is exactly what a lot of people can't handle, and only discover they can't handle after making the attempt. We did 15 years sheep farming. In many ways it was great, but I am glad we quit before hitting 50!

[where2start]

Ah well, i wont do it today then!!!

Some good points though, but like i say i am just not ready to go back to the way we were when our children were small.

I can always try and plan for an early retirement i suppose, its not so bad only 15 years to go.....[goes away sobbing!!]

In fairness though, some of you have mentioned the holiday thing. We have been married 13 years and only ever had....go on guess....3 family holidays. Hardly worth paying for five passports is it really! A return ticket to the UK for one adult at the moment is £1,500 each and a family holiday (5 weeks) including car hire and accommodation and of course spending money is in the region of £10 - £15k. I would love an annual holiday, but that would be even more of a pipe dream if we give up the rat race!!!!

[Hilary B]

In our 15 years farming, we had 2 holidays that we all went away at once for more than a couple of days, and those were both 'extended family events'....... We had to rely on neighbours in order to take a break.

[sewer rat]

That is the point isn't it sewer rat? You have to be happy to spend every hour God sends at it, and still have less income than before you started! To some extent it applies to any 'self employment', but I should imagine that growing fruit and veg is as extreme (in that respect) as it comes!
That aspect is exactly what a lot of people can't handle, and only discover they can't handle after making the attempt. We did 15 years sheep farming. In many ways it was great, but I am glad we quit before hitting 50!

You're right about the extremes, though thankfully I have no livestock - I was however a shepherd for six years so I know where you're coming from. The hours don't really bother me - though it does bother the wife and kids - but you hit the nail on the head with the income. Do you know how many cabbages you need to sell to pay for the van, the diesel, the start up loan, service the overdraft, pay for seed and compost (about £800 this year), and the myriad of other expenses that you incur BEFORE you can draw a wage. More than a few I can tell you.

[stephenwithap]

i too am dreading goin back to work im off this week on holiday tryin to prepare allotment i just got im still up earley about 5am to be honest thats to take dogs out
at 8.00am i go to allotment do some work there come home for an hour at lunch then go back and it dont matter if im 5mins late lol
i work there till 5.00pm then home for tea
im dirty i ache all over i am tired and im planning the next days jobs
and i feel GREAT but at work i feel so depressed its un real but am goin through a lot at work dont want to go into it but to be honest i feel worthless when im there and would love to be able to say sod it im out but i cant at moment
i hate workin for someone else and watching them have the two properties abroad and there big house here and fancy cars and children in private education and all paid for with mine and other peoples sweat and not be thought any better of but to be told im lucky to have a job in this current climate which is true
im 46 in july and have no qualifications to do any other job
i have got a little side line selling gothic stuff on ebay and at carboots on some sundays but at moment nothing selling this is what i wanted to do sell gothic and craft things but cant afford to do full time but i keep dreaming coz you gotta have a dream havent you

[Eyren]

TBH I don't care a rat's **** about big money, foreign holidays and all that - if I could reliably pay all my bills and my time was my own, I'd be in hog heaven. Unfortunately I had to start again from scratch on the housing ladder not so many years ago, so unless the lottery fairy pays a visit I'm going to be paying off my mortgage until retirement day

[Hilary B]

TBH I don't care a rat's **** about big money, foreign holidays and all that - if I could reliably pay all my bills and my time was my own, I'd be in hog heaven. Unfortunately I had to start again from scratch on the housing ladder not so many years ago, so unless the lottery fairy pays a visit I'm going to be paying off my mortgage until retirement day

We ARE self employed (well OH is self employed and I work for him). Normally buisness is pretty good (at present, not) but our investment in the hopes of providing a DIY pension scheme has gone from bad to worse, and it may well be a case of 'retirement, what is that?'

[HeyWayne]

People often tell me not to give up my day job, so I'm still here.

Not a happy place at the moment (construction) - just had our second round of redundancies in 6 months.

Just remember - the grass isn't always greener, but south facing would be nice.

[stephenwithap]

construction taken it bad
i work in a builders merchants and things have really slowed down
construction is always first to feel it
but you dont see goverment paying public money into it to help it through
only banks and car manufactures
wouldnt mind but its banks fault partley that we are in this mess
and yet they still getting bonuses
yet my bonus was cut by half this christmas because we took quite a few bad hits with people not being able to pay bills not just mine everybodies to be fair that sounded like it was just mine now i know some people dont get bonuses so im lucky in that respect
and ialso count myself very very lucky i actually have a job for now even though i would like to do something else
there are people out there who have lost everything just because the government and the banks messed up but sounds to me like there ok well the men at the top are its the ones at the bottom that suffer