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

[where2start]

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?

[Finedon.Dandy]

Sewer Rat has his own business growing fruit and veg. It does sound like a massive operation but it seems to make him very happy. I am sure he wouldnt mind you sending him a PM so you can chat about it. He is bound to have lots of ideads of how to start. Good luck with your dream - I hope it becomes a reality and that you keep us uptodate with your progress.

[Fluorescent green]

Have u thought about having therapy, lol.

I like working for other, if u get the right employer, and job.
I drive a school mini-bus, for my local council, its nice to be a council worker that does not fit the lazy, on sick leave, stereo type.
Or do u think council workers are the best?
What job do u do? Perhaps that is your problem?

FG

[janeyo]

Talk to Sewer rat, he is a real inspiration!

[where2start]

Hi Tammy

Me and my hubby have for the last probably 5 years or so said we want to give up the day jobs and have a life. In such a small society you notice more than ever that life is just too short to spend our time doing something just to pay the bills.

Realistically we just cant give up yet, we have recently built our own house so still have many years left on the mortgage (bahhhh!).

I wonder if it would be sensible to start something off whilst working full time, it will be hard work but still might be worth it. Oh i dont know!

But most mornings we wake up and say to ourselves there has to be more to life, and ohhhh god another day at work

We will just wait and see what manifests itself, i can see myself in 5 years time growing to sell....

[where2start]

I do work for Government. I spent five years working full time and studying full time and trying to raise a young family because i thought that i wanted a career in management.

I work really hard in my day job, its very taxing on the old mind but i have to question myself. Is that what a really want to do forever?

[allotmentlady]

I gave up working 9 - 5, now i work from home. I used to get a little bored and lonely but hey, I work when I want, garden when I want, shop when i want, eat, lol and use My own loo lol.....hey if u can do it got for it. Invest in some good polytunnels, help with year round vege growing

[ixi1456]

dont give up the day job..if your serious about this try it on a week end scale and gradualy build things up start by taking a weeks holiday doing only your project and just see how things go..for the first couple of month it will be a great adventure but can you be sure it is not a passing fad it has got to last for the next 30 years times wil be hard and things will get rough but if you have thought all this through go for it....

[selfraising]

I would love to give up the day job. I've been off for the past few weeks with stress and depression and feel so much more relaxed here at home. I'm sure I could find plenty to do. Problem is I'm the only wage earner as hubbie on incapacity benefit and someones gotta pay the mortgage. Bummer really but only 13 years to go!!!!!!!

[OverWyreGrower]

I wake up like that every day (and I'm not even 30!!)

It's not that I hate my job, but I'd much rather be in the garden, or dealing with the hens and ducks etc!

I'd have goats, and make cheese, and have more hens and ducks, and grow more things than I do now...

I can't wait until we can survive on one income, which is what we're trying to work towards over the next few years!

[where2start]

I dont think its something i would do in haste, i really dont have a risk taking personality.

I also had 6 weeks off with stress many years ago and found it very refreshing. I do wonder if i will miss being around other people because as much as i would like to be independent, i do still need to be around people....but then that has its own drawbacks because some days i feel bad because i have said or done to wrong thing!!! Cant win really. At least a cabbage wouldnt be offended!

[vicky]

I am currently looking to buy a smallholding/house with acreage and do just this! At the moment I work as a gardener and will carry on with this as I think it will take quite a long time to build up a horticultural business from home. Not sure if I want to do just the growing veg bit or to to do plants too...
I have two years to make it viable (before the toddler goes to school!) as I will then be recruited back into the 'mortgage paying brigade' (hubby is sole member...poor sod!)
I would def agree to start slowly as IXI said and you won't be earning a great deal to start...have you Farmer's Markets over there?

[piskieinboots]

I am self-employed, I truly love it - but it isn't without its angst!

There is no sick-pay, no leave pay, no pension, no one paying your tax, no one paying your NI - having said all that, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Good luck if you do make a change, now is as good a time as any

[Hilary B]

If it is a case of 'don't want to be an employee', we may all sympathise (well most of us) but is growing food really what you want to do? Have you GOT the land, or would you need to rent/buy it?
Piskie has summarised the drawbacks of being self-employed, and growing food has the added snag that you have no control AT ALL, over the price you can get, and can't even really predict likely prices ahead of the work. The usual thing is that prices are highest when you have least to selll (because of some disaster) since everyone ELSE producing the same thing is in the same position.
The cost of having the land is fixed (or going up), but the income depends on things outside your control (like weather, or the slightest whim of Government).
Look into the downside, then assume it will be worse. If the idea still appeals after that, then is the time to go for it!

[Eyren]

Yeah, it sucks being the mortgage-payer - there's no way we could get by without my salary