Tips for quitting your job

Admit it. You've thought about quitting over the past year but you didn't. Because the job market stinks and you're supposed to be glad you have a job, right?

Now don't get me wrong. Having a job, even one you don't love, is better than no job at all when there are bills to pay. But as the economic recovery, or lack of one, plods on, more people have tired of waiting and are leaving their positions in search of greener pastures.

Alexandra Franzen had a dream job working at Minnesota Public Radio. But she learned quickly that she wouldn't thrive in a cubicle culture. So she spent months preparing to quit, took the leap in April and is now a freelancer and resume writer. She shared her process for quitting in an event she put on last week called: "Suck It Recession: How to Quit Your Job (Without Losing Your Mind)."

While only myself and two guys who already work for themselves showed up, Franzen's presentation included some good personal finance tips and blog suggestions:

Any time you're planning to make a shift that will majorly alter your financial picture (having a kid, getting divorced, going from two incomes to one to commissions only), you need to track your expenses and cut like crazy.

Then you need to save. A lot. Alexandra didn't say how much she saved, but she said she put as much as possible aside so she could "fail a little bit." Saving means she can experiment, taking on gigs that maybe don't pay much or trying out ideas that don't have an immediate financial payoff.

Eliminate debt. The fewer your payments, the more freedom you have. And trim expenses. Franzen recently found a roommate.

Find inspiring reads. She shared several blogs that helped her during this transition:

For tips of minimalist living, she likes Far Beyond the Stars, a blog by Everett Bogue

To convince her to track her spending and pay attention to other financial matters, she likes Budgets Are Sexy

and the no-nonsense advice dished out by I will teach you to be rich's Ramit Sethi.

Have a hankering for that "cheap" sushi takeout again? The demotivator will curb your craving. This UK-based tool allows you to put in the nonessentials you buy, plug in how often you buy them, and calculates how many hours you work to buy said nonessential items.