Giving up my job?

BritAbroad

I would say don't do it.

I worked solidly from when I graduated, apart from a brief spell (3mths) of unemployment after redundancy, and another 3mth period recovering from surgery. I then left to move overseas with my husband's job. I haven't worked since - not through choice - I had a long period of well over a year where I wasn't legally allowed to work, and since then I haven't been able to find a job. I haven't even been able to get an interview.

I'm in my mid-30s and I feel like I'm on the scrapheap. I'm well-educated, have lots of experience, have a stack of professional qualifications and it's all worth nothing. I hate being 'at home'. It's boring, isolating and has pretty much destroyed my confidence. I would never choose this in a million years. I don't have kids so I don't even have the excuse of meeting people through them. I volunteer - I've been volunteering at the same place for two years but haven't made a single friend and of late I've had my ideas cut down pretty rudely which makes me feel less valued. I enjoy the volunteer work itself though which makes it difficult.

I now realise that working is the most important thing for me. I like to use my brain, and I enjoy the discipline of a structured day. I would say that unless you've got a really clear picture of how you're going to spend your time, giving up work is not a good idea.

whodathunkit

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

Your a long time dead thats what I think, you have to do whats best for yourself.

You're also, with any luck, a long time retired. Short term decisions could lead to long term penury.

jenhug

Do you have the option to drop to part time?

SuzieSue

BritAbroad wrote: »

I would say don't do it.

.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but I think that there is a lot of difference between being 30 as you are and 50 as the OP is.

I am nearly 50 and have worked all my life. I have recently cut down my hours and am seriously thinking about stopping work because I find my work stressful. It's nice to have the money, but I don't actually need it to survive.

I need to look at how I can continue to make voluntary contributions to the state pension as I have only made around 26 years of contributions.

GreenQueen

When I was in my 40s, I was in a pressurised managerial job and going through lots of personal stuff. I was the main wage earner.

One day I'd had a really bad day and when OH asked how my day had been the floodgates opened! That evening we discussed how we would manage if I left my job and he said "go for it"!

Within a couple of weeks I got onto a temping register (which may be an option for you, OP, if you need some money coming in, but not working all the time).

Amazingly, we coped much better than we thought we would - I did spend the first bit of unemployed time checking through our finances and seeing where we could save bits and pieces, and I spent an hour a day looking at job websites, etc to see what appealed.

My life (work and personal) has definitely gone in directions I didn't expect 10 years ago, but I certainly don't regret leaving without anything to go to.

It is a very personal thing - are you a bit fed up or REALLY fed up, do you have any financial reserves, how supportive will your family be, etc? Perhaps make a pros and cons list. Good luck - I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you.

GQ

minimacka

My husband came out of his self employed job in February, he worked long hours and was extremely tired, he needed a knee operation so had a couple of weeks recovery. He has now got a very part time job which does contribute to the household income but we did loose quite of chunk of money when he decided to sell is share in the business. We decided that if needed we would live off part of the money he got from selling his share and that's what we have had to do but as a whole we are so much happier. He isn't a tired and grumpy lol. He has diabetes and is in his mid 40's and if we could live off my wage comfortably and have him at home all day then I would. His days are always busy and I have the bonus of not having to do any housework lol.


Life is to short that is our motto in our family, we don't have as much money as we did before but all the bills are getting paid and we have food on the table and a much better life.
x

sharloid

OH and I quit our jobs nearly 2 years ago and we bought a camper van, have done some travelling, got a few more dogs and had a fantastic time. Sadly the money is starting to run out but I can't see us ever returning to full time jobs. We are miserable working, and if we can manage on less then we will.

16 hours a week earning NMW would be about £800 a month between us, that's plenty.

Starrystarrynight

I'm in my mid 40s, and worked full time from age 16. Unfortunately, I am becoming increasingly disabled and have reduced my hours. I'd love to be able to pack in working, so I'd say go for it if you can manage financially. There has to be more to life than just work.
Best wishes, OP, whichever way you decide to go.

minimacka

sharloid wrote: »

OH and I quit our jobs nearly 2 years ago and we bought a camper van, have done some travelling, got a few more dogs and had a fantastic time. Sadly the money is starting to run out but I can't see us ever returning to full time jobs. We are miserable working, and if we can manage on less then we will.

16 hours a week earning NMW would be about £800 a month between us, that's plenty.

Now that sounds like my kind of life, we have bought a caravan to do exactly that but unfortunately I still have to work to pay the bills but I don't work weekends and neither does my husband.

Tropez

I've considered leaving my job to pursue something else but it's a romantic notion more than a logical one. The cold, hard logic behind it is that it would be a stupid thing to do. I'd be losing a significant income, a job that although it frustrates me it isn't too difficult for me to do and I would have to make alterations to a lifestyle I'm accustomed to.

Yet there's still that yearning, that little voice reminding me that I don't know when I'll die and why waste time doing something that doesn't fulfil me when I could do something I would want to do. The truth is though, what I want to do may never pay zip, what I do now pays quite a bit and as we live in a society where money matters that pushes me into a corner.

But that's slightly different circumstances to being tired but I think the logic behind it is much the same. Does your current employer have any policy for taking an unpaid leave of absence? Some companies do.