I Have My Own “F*ck off Fund” and You Need One Too

Guys. I have a confession to make. A fortnight ago I handed in my notice and quit my job without another one to go to.

I know quitting without another job lined up is considered hugely financially irresponsible but after months of stress and anxiety, I decided to prioritise my happiness and relationships over my career. I’d gotten tired of spending 40 hours a week in a depressingly toxic environment overflowing with negativity. After receiving several angry messages from my employers for calling in sick with a migraine one Friday, I decided to hand in my notice the following Monday. It was the final straw.

The only thing that had been keeping me going at work was the thought of using my income to buy a home of my own. I was so desperate to buy a house and I didn’t want job-hopping to affect my chances of getting a mortgage. Eventually I realised that going through the whole home-buying process when I’m in a job that I don’t want to stick with is probably not the wisest of moves.

Making the decision to leave was not something I took lightly; I’d been thinking about it for a while. Equipped with a £12,000 deposit in the bank and freelance work to keep me going in-between jobs, I suddenly found myself wondering why I’d put up with unhappiness for so long.

I realised that the money I was earning from freelancing would cover the cost of rent to my parents each month and give me a little extra for any direct debits, transport costs, and maybe even a job interview outfit from Oxfam.

However, before handing in my notice I sat down and ran a little risk assessment. I identified four risks that could cause problems for me while I’m in-between jobs:

1. I could struggle to find a new job
2. I could lose my freelance opportunities
3. My parents might throw me out
4. My boyfriend could grow tired of funding my chocolate addiction and dump me

It was then that I looked at my deposit savings fund and realised that, even if disaster struck and any of the above things happened and my whole life turned to shit, I’d at least have that money behind me to keep me going. My deposit fund all of a sudden became my ‘Fuck Off Fund’. It made me feel independent and free for the first time in a very long time.

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You need an emergency fund too (AKA, a ‘Fuck off Fund’)

Hopefully your life won’t turn to shit, but just in case it does, it could be worth saving an emergency fund of your own.

Earlier today I read ‘A Story of a Fuck Off Fund‘ by Paulette Perhach. Giving examples of abusive partners and lowlife bosses, Paulette explains exactly why women everywhere should start saving one of these empowering savings fund of their own.

I adore Paulette’s article. It perfectly highlights just how important a savings account can be. However, since it only addresses women, I think it’s important to remember that everyone needs to stash money away for a rainy day.* It’s also worth noting that abusive boyfriends and bosses aren’t the only reasons you might need an emergency fund. Sometimes life just catches you off guard and you suddenly need to throw money at a problem in order to resolve it.

Thanks to living a life of frugality and growing my savings account over the last year and a half, I’ve been able to take a huge leap that would not have been possible without a strong financial backing. Sure, the money I’ve saved is supposed to be for a deposit on a house - and I really hope I can keep it that way - but if things were to go wrong, I know I can say ‘fuck it!’ and dip into my savings.

If you’d like to learn more about Fuck Off Funds, here are a few posts I’ve written that might interest you:

5 Step Guide To Saving A F*ck Off Fund

8 Blogs That Highlight The Importance of A F*ck Off Fund

5 Reasons I Want You To Quit The Job You Hate

How To Quit Your Job Without Another One Lined Up

10 Reasons You Need An Emergency Fund

*It is of course worth mentioning that saving a ‘fuck off fund’ is, for many people, easier said than done. Here’s a fantastic post that points out that ‘the people who need a ‘fuck off fund’ the most are the ones who will struggle to save one.