I see people all around, employed in well-paid jobs, but not really happy with how their professional life is heading. They are looking for a change.
Most common reasons – problem with their bosses, office culture being a misfit, money problem, need promotion, wanting to start own venture, stagnation.
The logical solution would be to quit and move on or do something else. However most don’t change. They CHOOSE to continue and accept the misery of what their current job has to offer. They learn to adjust themselves and over a period of time accept their fate.
Why? Because, they can’t afford to change. Letting go of that monthly salary and designation, is a big risk.
- Who will pay for the car and home loan
- The credit card bills?
- How can one maintain the lifestyle?
It’s almost as if you are bound in chains and can’t do anything about it. You are imprisoned by your very lifestyle. Its like you have lost your freedom.
What’s the point in life if you cannot have the freedom to do what you want?
Freedom to do what you want is the biggest gift you can give yourself.
But how can you earn that freedom?
How do you put yourself in a situation where you don’t let circumstances control you, at least professionally?
The answer is pretty simple and really effective. But hardly anyone follows
Live life frugally and save ruthlessly
Most people are not aware that by living frugally you are not just saving but in fact buying something much more valuable.
- We are buying the freedom to live life on our own terms
- We are buying the freedom to leave a job if we don’t like it
- We are buying the freedom to follow our passion
- We are buying freedom to be really happy
And all of us can follow this simple advice and really buy that essential freedom which opens up a world of possibilities. For me this mantra, has helped me immensely start my venture and even scale it up.
So this is super effective.
This applies both in individual scenario and as a start-up in a business which through limited capital is trying to be super-efficient in deploying its limited resources.
Live Life Frugally
It’s amazing the kind of monies you save by living life frugally. And you don’t really compromise on essentials either. Living frugally doesn’t mean living like a pauper. That’s the wrong concept. It just means spending wisely. Spend on stuff based on its merit. Don’t overspend, when it’s not essential
Here are some ideas of living frugally
Travelling by car every day to work? Living frugally doesn’t mean travel by train. But try for a car pool you save a lot of money. Think of innovative and convenient ways to save money.
Eating out thrice a week in a fancy restaurant? Try to limit it to twice and order food once in a while at home.
If you are planning to buy a house for the two of you, buy a 1 BHK instead of 2 or 2 BHK instead of 3. You take less loan, you are less in debt.
Planning to buy a car? Most of us end up buying a bigger car than what we originally had planned because it enables us to brag about it. But don’t do that. Remember you are losing your freedom with every unnecessary purchase
However I must add, living life frugally also means you spend on things you consider essential and add value to your life. So for some if travelling is what they love. Spend on it. Go for 4 trips in a year. But Plan frugal. Have a budget, spend within your means. You are going there for an experience. You can survive on decent food. Don’t spend too much on it. Stay in a good hotel in your planned budget. But do spend on experiences cause that is what you will remember.
You need to have the mind-set of a frugal human being.
Is there a cheaper but almost as effective way to do this? And every time you spending beyond your means remember you are almost sacrificing your future freedom by doing so!
Save ruthlessly
Save regularly is highly ineffective, I suggest save ruthlessly.
Every month, whatever I earn, 80% is invested within the first 3 days, automated. And I try to live with the balance. Its sounds weird but when I have only 20% to spend, I immediately start questioning discretionary spending, even though I shouldn’t really care about that. I don’t touch my investments.
Really I like it that way. Because it helps one build a corpus which affords him/her to do whatever he/she wants.
Also through this process, I realized I didn’t really end up compromising on anything essential. It’s just the discretionary spending which gets curtailed, which is a good thing after all.
So during travel, if I could afford business class, I still travel economy.
I can afford a bigger vehicle; I still am ok with my 5 year old sedan. Instead of upgrading after 4 years, I targeted 6 years and let my investment grow in the meantime.
I never curtailed my love for travel; plan at least 5 trips a year but plan frugally every time and maximize the experience
So when you save ruthlessly you realise that you are not in any way compromising on essential part of your living only the flab is being controlled.
It’s amazing how effective this is and it should work for all.
Once you program your life to live frugally and save ruthlessly you will have the freedom to do what you want. You will continue to work if you choose to, not because you have to.
An amazing feeling that would be, when you are in total control.
Live frugally and save ruthlessly