$200k a year. And I don’t have a plan.
The situation I can’t ignore
2 kids going to college in the next 12 months.
$200k per year needed for the next few years.
My bank account isn’t even close.
Some mornings, it feels heavier than others. Not panic. But a quiet, persistent pressure that doesn’t go away just because I ignore it.
The advice I’ve never agreed with
“Live within your means.”
I’ve never liked that.
Because at some point, it stops being helpful.
You can cut expenses.
Delay things.
Say no.
But only up to a point.
After that, it starts to feel like you’re shrinking your life to fit your income.
That’s not the direction I want to go.
The shift I’m making instead
This isn’t about overspending.
And it’s not about going into debt.
It’s about something else entirely.
Building the ability to create income when you need to.
Because I’ve seen what happens when income disappears. And I’ve lived it.
I’ve sat in rooms where those decisions get made. Relying on one source of income is a risk most people underestimate.
What I’m doing differently now
I don’t wait to feel ready anymore.
I decide. And then I move.
Not because I have a perfect plan.
But because I’ve realised something.
Clarity doesn’t come before action.
It comes from action.
What to do if you’re in this position too
If you’re carrying financial responsibility and trying to figure out how to create more income without risking your job, start here:
Stop waiting for the “right time”
Focus on what you can control today
Take one action that could lead to income
Not planning. Not researching.
Action.
What I don’t share publicly (but matters)
There’s a part of this conversation I don’t usually go into here.
Because it comes from my HR background.
What I’ve seen behind closed doors has completely changed how I think about:
Job security
Income stability
And why “doing your job well” isn’t enough
If you’ve ever thought this…
“If I just keep doing my job well, I’ll be fine.”
You might want to rethink that.
Read the full breakdown
In the paid version, I share:
What actually drives layoff decisions (it’s not what most people think)
Why relying on one income stream is riskier than it looks
The exact shift I made after losing income — and how I’m applying it now
Upgrade here to read the full breakdown:
P.S. If you’re not ready yet
I’ve also put together a simple checklist:
What to do (and what to avoid) when building a side income alongside your 9–5
You can start there first.