Opting out in our mid-30s - can we afford it?

[newlife4]

Like many people, DH and I have had an exhausting, miserable year and we both feel completely drained.

We're considering a fresh start by selling up, moving somewhere that we can be mortgage free or have a very small mortgage (say £200-£300 a month max) and opting out of the rat race basically.

My question is - even though we'd be mortgage free or reducing it drastically, how much money do you think we would need to earn to pay for everything else (utility bills, council tax, stuff for our one DC and potentially a car)? We currently have £30k savings in the bank.

We're only in our mid 30s and are probably far too young to be considering this, but we're just so done with it all and don't want to live to work (or is it work to live - I always get it the wrong way round!) any more.

I'm just wondering whether this plan is doable or not really. Thoughts?

We went through this process with a financial adviser who helped us to look through to retirement (It will come sooner than you think!)

I pretty much did this. Gave up a career job around 30 and became a truck driver. It's more common than you'd think.

I won't ever earn six figures in this job but tbh I'm pretty comfortable on £40k in a cheap area of the country and without any plans for children. A bit of extra money wouldn't outweigh the stress of commuting and office politics etc. I just cruise around my regular route listening to music/podcasts, and speaking to mates/other drivers on the phone. Have lots of friendly clients where I stop for a coffee and I usually finish an hour early but am paid for the whole shift.

There are many options that could easily get me another £20k (e.g. heavy haulage, cranes, self employed site work etc) and they're very feasible with the current driver shortage. But for now I'm chilled out and enjoying life.

Lots of the office workers I see on their way to work always look a bit grumpy to me lol.