How to Be Unemployed & Still Enjoy Your Life

I just passed the six month mark of quitting my job at the law firm and becoming unemployed in one of the most expensive cities in America. Yeah, I did that. My reason for leaving my great job is simple, I am determined to complete my masters this year.

Working full time and going to school part time was killing me slowly, so I spent a year saving all my extra income to prepare for the time I would spend unemployed. Had my situation been different I probably could have saved a lot less, but since I'm too far from home to live at home and too busy to pick up a part time job, this is how I've managed to be unemployed and still enjoy my life in the city. Living off my savings of course!

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Eat out less, cook more

Even though this is a no brainer, so many people continue to maintain their dining habits when trying to save money. You would be surprised how much you spend on meals and snacks you buy spontaneously. If you have trouble sticking to this, outline a rough meal plan for the week so you can plan when you'll splurge and which meals you'll cook at home.

Attend all the free events

Living in Washington DC, there is a never ending list of free events to attend. While I know how hard it is to find free stuff to do in smaller towns, get creative and enlist the help of your friends to find new places to explore. If you can't get in somewhere for free, do your best to go during the hours when admission is available at a discounted rate.

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Tell your friends your situation

Sure it's not a fun conversation to have, but it's a necessary one. Letting your friends know about your new lifestyle changes will make it easier for them to understand why you're turning down invitations while also enabling them to keep you in mind when they hear about a fun, low cost event.

Use everything you have

It wasn't until I went on a spending ban that I realized just how much stuff I already own. Let me give you an example. A few months ago I decided to not buy a single more hair product, especially because my bathroom seemed to be overflowing with bottles already. It's mid April and I still haven't needed to buy shampoo, conditioner or hair serums. By committing to using what I have, I've emptied out a lot of by vanity and learned what does and doesn't work well with my hair.

Ask yourself if you need something

If impulse shopping was a job, I'd receive a yearly bonus every Christmas. Before quitting my job I couldn't walk into Target without spending at least $40. Nowadays I ask myself if I really need it, and if I do, I wait a full 24 hours before letting myself purchase it. Taking time away from the item usually makes me forget all about it, and if I'm really lucky, I come back to find it on sale.

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Track your spending

Hardest but most important step of all, figuring out where all your money is going. 80% of my monthly spending goes to rent, seriously! The remaining 20% gets divided between food, random crap I find on sale, and loading my commuter card. Since I need to get to and from work, I've made steps to buy less stuff and eat at home more often. By making these small changes I've managed to live comfortably for the past six months with no income.

How do you manage to not spend all your money at Target?? Plus, keep scrolling for more posts on how to save money with little to no income!

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