Funding

Aah, the BIGGEST question of this entire enterprise! Where to find the cash to start and sustain it?

I guess there are a number of options.

1. Work my butt off until we leave - taking extra jobs after-hours such as baking/catering whatever. I've brought in extra cash now and then like this before, but not yet at the scale I would need. And after a day of office-sitting, all I usually want to do is veg in front of the TV or fall into bed! With the kid's homework to manage, and supper to make, and a household to run, who has the energy to work at a second job?

2. Get that business of mine started, sustainable and able to be managed from a distance - then hire someone to look after the day-to-day stuff while I take off. It would take some capital to start up, enough of which I have available - but can I trust someone else to keep it going in my absence? Will it grow sufficiently in the next year and a half (or so) to maintain momentum?

3. Resign and take my package cash. I'm going to have to resign anyway. I enquired about a "sabbatical" or leave of absence, and it seems that is only granted to a privaleged few... namely the top brass and those who can wheedle them. Resigning though will give me a retirement-savings pay-out, in addition to a few other pay-outs that will keep us going for a good while! If I can save as much as possible until then, I think it would work.

4. Travel and earn. Yeah right - like half the travelling world isn't trying to do this, and the market is glutted...! Especially in the areas of travel writing and photography. But then again, a single white woman and kid trekking across the planet might be a sufficiently unique angle to sell and article or two. I'm not counting on it though. Who wants to buy a book when you can read a travel blog for free? :) But I do have skills that I could market along the road (no, not those type of skills!!!) - in computers, teaching, food technolody and administration. Contract work might be had - who knows.

5. Find a sugar-daddy who is about to kick the bucket and who will leave me a few million in inheritance. Nope - sugar-daddies are more trouble than they're worth! (Been there, done that...)

The main thing is actually just to get started, I think. To work at it bit by bit, to build up equipment and supplies and experience as I go, and then take it from there.

Oh, and winning the lotto would help of course!