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Another variant: if you can afford to and work permits, temporarily relocate somewhere for awhile. Rent a minimal-cost place for a month+. As one option, look
by ethbr0 5y ago
Another variant: if you can afford to and work permits, temporarily relocate somewhere for awhile. Rent a minimal-cost place for a month+.
As one option, look into professional house-sitting (common in US, not sure elsewhere). Essentially, people with high end homes, who are going to be away for a period, who want someone they can trust not to wreck the place to just be there.
But essentially, just live somewhere else for a minute. For me it takes about 5 days to start living instead of visiting.
After my mother's cancer diagnosis, when treatment was in progress but surgery still scheduled some time away, and I had a job I hated, with co-workers whose morals I didn't share... I spent a few weeks in Japan and Thailand. (Mostly paid by reward points, long saved)
It was amazing how refreshing my view on my own life was, from a different vantage point.
When I got back, I quit the job, took some time off with the aid of savings, and spent time with my mom through her treatment. I'm not sure I would have realized that was the right path without the distance. (And it finally resulted in one of the best jobs of my career)
- throwaway24124 5y agoThanks for the house-sitting recommendation, great idea. What's your job now?
- ethbr0 5y agoUnfortunately, I've since moved on. #FirstWorldProblems, but in retrospect, +50% salary isn't automatically enough to make up for good vs bad corporate culture and quality of colleagues.
- robot1 5y agodo you have any resources for how to get into professional house-sitting? sounds like it would expand horizons in a very accessible way!
- ethbr0 5y agoI didn't even know it was a thing, until my father did it when moving for work, while looking for a permanent house to purchase. Can't offer any details, but this [0] seems to have a range of links and the basics. I gather it's something like Airbnb, but in reverse (homeowners looking for quality person). I imagine it's mostly person and reputation based (e.g. I present as a responsible professional + here are some expensive houses I have been entrusted successfully with). If you know any real estate agents, you can also ask them where they find temporary placements (i.e. home currently on the market, which are usually paid) as a "resume" starter. But I imagine you'd probably be looking for non-real-estate listings long term. As they usually those require you to be available on short notice to vacate for people to walk through. And the bigger points are (1) must be flexible in "finding somewhere else" or "vacating within a few months" & (2) be able to live in a place with a light touch (no parties, destructive living, pets, etc.). [0] https://estatesitting.com/long-term-house-sitter/ https://estatesitting.com/long-term-house-sitter/