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We downsized to a bolthole and two holiday homes Downsizing to be nearer the grandchildren A place of my own at last A quart into a pint pot: how I downsized my home More on retirement 10 dos and don'ts for home workers 10 ways to make money in retirement 10 things to ask yourself before buying a property abroad What's it like to live in France? What's it like to live in Spain? What's it like to live in Italy? Get some adviceAt a crossroads in your life? Ask our life coaches Looking for work solutions? Ask our work expert |
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10 tips for a simpler life
Ten top tips to downshifting by experts Chris and Gillean Sangster 1 Think carefully what’s involved in downshifting and whether you’re ready to make the changes.
2 If you pass this test, identify your strengths, shortfalls, skills and preferences, to work out how you’ll earn a living.
3 Link these planned activities to the types of locations and properties most likely to provide the best chance of being successful.
4 Figure out which priorities are important to you (and anyone else sharing your downshifting plans), to give you the best mix of work/life balance.
5 Establish an overall budget for buying and setting up your new home (and any workplace), to allow you to manage your monthly outgoings comfortably.
6 If planning to work from home, establish a work space and routine to allow you to both work undisturbed and close the door on work when “off duty”.
7 If planning to move from town to country, get to know how your property’s services operate – and build a list of reliable trades people you can call upon.
8 Take time to establish a business plan – it’ll show up some considerations and priorities which you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
9 Take your financial planning seriously. Establish a manageable budget with a contingency fund – and stick to it as closely as possible.
10 Remember, above all, that an important part of downshifting is enjoying yourself and having some fun – make sure you factor that into your overall plans and priorities!
These ten tips follow the details in the chapters of The Downshifter’s Guide to Relocation, written by Chris and Gillean Sangster and published by How to Books (www.howtobooks.co.uk). £9.99
Others books by the authors include:Starting and Running a Holiday Cottage Business, by Gillean Sangster (published by How to Books; www.howtobooks.co.uk)
Brilliant Future – work out what you want and plan how to get there, by Chris Sangster (published by Prentice Hall)
Messages from the Mountains/Echoes in the Atrium – two-book set of work/life balance inspirational sayings, by Chris Sangster (Gordon Nott Publishing) Written by David Allsop Read about Chris and Gillean Sangster's downshifting experiences here
This article was created: 10 October 2006.
This article was last edited: 13 November 2006.
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