You can’t self-care your way out of a toxic situation.
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a toxic work environment or a country that’s actively trying to kill you. Self care won’t make things any better, Sis.
You have to leave.
But any time we talk about making your exit, toxic situation or not, the first question is always about money.
How can I afford to quit my job? Or how can I afford to move abroad?
Well, I’m so glad you asked, because I talked to Personal Finance Coach Kenya Imani about her own plan to quit her job and move abroad.
When I talked to Kenya, she was only ONE MONTH AWAY from taking her forever sabbatical.
Since coming up with the idea, she paid off $15,000 in credit card debt AND saved close to $10,000 AND started an online business that would help support her in her new home.
If you watch the video, you’ll see that Kenya is SUPER EXCITED about what her new life will look like outside of the United States.
She knows she’ll be able to live better on a whole lot less money.
She’s looking forward to eating fresh foods, living near a beach, being more physically active and being in community with like-minded women.
And all of this would have seemed impossible for Kenya if she hadn’t started intentionally saving money to leave the country. I call this having F*ck You money.
It’s how I was able to quit my job in 2015 to take a year-long grown up gap year traveling around SE Asia and Australia.
I’m here to tell you that having F*ck You money at your disposal opens up A WORLD of options for you. You don’t have to stay stuck.
But where does that money come from?
Here was Kenya’s money saving strategy:
Get a grip on where your finances stand.
Stop shaming yourself for where you are financially today.
Give yourself grace on where you are now and accept that you can learn to get where you want to go.
How did Kenya stop shaming herself? She wrote a letter to money.
And from writing that letter, she learned that she felt like she couldn’t rely on money to always be there, so she felt like she had to spend it when she had it.
Now that she has a better relationship with money, she’s able to save toward big goals instead of spending on things that didn’t align with her vision.
Give every penny a job.
Look at where your money is going and coming from every day.
Kenya looks at her bank accounts daily. Now she feels more in control of her money instead of afraid of her financial situation.
Implement “No Spend” days.
Kenya blocks off 10 – 20 days every month where she doesn’t spend any money. This helps her be more conscious of where her money is going and reminds herself that she’s the one who’s in charge of her money.
These No Spend days have helped her adapt more of a minimalist lifestyle, which will really help when it’s time for her to pack up next month and move abroad.
How much would it take for you to be financially free?
Right now, Kenya is financially free to live her dreams, but I don’t think we’d call her wealthy. Wealth isn’t the only way out.
Sometimes people assume they need to already be wealthy to live a life they enjoy. That’s not the case for Kenya. And it’s not the case for me, a house sitter.
Watch my interview with Kenya about how she’s saved up enough money to move abroad here.
Kenya wants to help you regain the power over your money so that you have power over your life.
You might be happy with things the way they are, but could you be happier? Is the life you live today really your dream?
If you’d like to hear more from Kenya, follow her on Instagram here (her DMs are open), and fill out the contact form to get more info on her 8-week group coaching program Broke to Woke 101 here.
If the thought of moving to a less expensive country to live better sounds like music to your ears, check out my list of 50 Cities With Airbnbs For $500/Month here. It’s a good place to start your exit plan research.
