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Antiwork

Ideas for working less – scale back how much money you need to live

My personal approach to antiwork is to try to live as cheaply as possible so i’m not backed into a corner. I figure the best way for me to keep my sanity is to work as little as possible. Small steps to not be forced to buy-in to a system that is set up for you to get stuck in. I work 24 hours a week. Three days – Monday to Wednesday. Four days off in a row every week. More days out of work than in. Literal work/life balance. Try to share living accommodation. I’m in my mid-thirties. Never lived alone. Would be GREAT to, but more money. I choose less work over living in greater comfort. Noise cancelling headphones are a godsend. No pets. No car. I cycle everywhere. Only use public transport if I can’t avoid it. Supermarket food 95% of the time. Being vegetarian might help…


My personal approach to antiwork is to try to live as cheaply as possible so i’m not backed into a corner. I figure the best way for me to keep my sanity is to work as little as possible.
Small steps to not be forced to buy-in to a system that is set up for you to get stuck in.

I work 24 hours a week. Three days – Monday to Wednesday. Four days off in a row every week. More days out of work than in. Literal work/life balance.

  1. Try to share living accommodation. I’m in my mid-thirties. Never lived alone. Would be GREAT to, but more money. I choose less work over living in greater comfort. Noise cancelling headphones are a godsend.

  2. No pets.

  3. No car. I cycle everywhere. Only use public transport if I can’t avoid it.

  4. Supermarket food 95% of the time. Being vegetarian might help (was vegetarian since birth). I can eat the same stuff over and over and not get bored of it. Not sure if that is because I’m lazy or I don’t mind.

  5. Second-hand clothes only, and always re-sell / ebay things you don’t need anymore.

  6. Get a VPN ($70 for two years. Nord VPN black friday deal) and torrent everything digital. I still pay for the cinema and physical music/vinyl.

  7. No subscriptions. Never had a contract phone. Never had a credit card. My iphone data package is €4 a month for 1GB.

  8. Alcohol / cigarettes pretty much only when travelling. Home routine is zero of both.

I guess being single helps too. I also try to leave gaps in between renting rooms. I’ll be technically homeless for all of March and April, but away from the city I live in for 85% of that time. Saving €700 in rent, and sofa-surfing for 3x three day periods in that downtime before my new place kicks in on May 1st. Did this on purpose to save some dough.

This lifestyle means no kids, and might not set me up well for romantic relationships, but keeps me sane. I’m a musician and need two days a week minimum to work on music projects. Beats 5 days/40 hours for sure.

Anyone else got tips to share?

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