How to Leave Your Job Without Going Broke

Silivere Bakomeza
Sep 15
4 min read

Let’s call it what it really is:

Your job is not your safety net.

It is your golden cage.

It gives you just enough comfort to stop questioning it.

Just enough income to keep showing up.

Just enough status to feel like you are “doing okay.”

But deep down, you know:

You are not free
You are not building anything that lasts
And you are one layoff, illness, or policy change away from losing it all

I am not against having a job. I still drive buses full-time while building my investing journey. But I am fully aware: this is not the endgame.

That is why I created an exit plan. And I am showing you how to build yours step by step.

Digital illustration showing the golden cage of paycheck dependency versus financial freedom through asset building, representing the choice between job security and ownership. — **Are you building freedom, or are you trapped in a golden cage made of paychecks?**

The Employer Trap and How It Works

Companies do not need you to be wealthy. They just need you to be comfortable enough not to leave.

Here is how the system traps you:

Biweekly paychecks create dependency
Health benefits discourage risk taking
Promotions feed your ego, not your freedom
Direct deposit numbs you into routine
PTO becomes the highlight of your year

You start living for Fridays and dreading Mondays but never building anything that breaks the cycle.

You are not lazy. You are caught in a system designed to keep you “just fine.”

The Truth No One Will Tell You

Not HR.

Not your boss.

Not your union.

Not your retirement plan.

If you want out, you need a real plan.

Not a motivational quote.

Not a vague dream of “someday.”

A structured, step by step exit plan that turns your paycheck into freedom.

Here is how I am doing it. And how you can too.

Phase 1: Work Smart but Do Not Settle

If you are in the 9-to-5 grind right now, do not quit recklessly.

Use your job. Do not let it use you. Your paycheck is your fuel. It is what funds your escape.

Here is how to reframe it:

Every overtime shift = more capital to invest
Every raise = more leverage to buy assets
Every hour off = time to build your side empire

I treat my job like a temporary investor in my freedom.

Every dollar I make goes into building BakoInvest, buying Strategy (MSTR), and stacking assets that live beyond the clock.

Visual diagram showing paycheck allocation into assets like stocks, blogs, and digital real estate, representing how to build multiple income streams and long-term financial freedom. — **How to turn your paycheck into freedom: investing in stocks, building digital real estate, and stacking assets that grow beyond your job.**

👉 Start your own investing system today:

Robinhood - beginner friendly, commission free, plus a free stock when you sign up
Webull - advanced research tools and free stocks on signup
Acorns - invest your spare change automatically, 5 dollars to start
Coinbase - buy Bitcoin or fractions of Bitcoin with a bitcoin bonus
Crypto.com - trade and stake altcoins with ease and get up to $50 sign up bonus

Phase 2: Build Ownership While You Work

If your job is your only source of income, you are not free.

You need something that:

Works while you sleep
Scales without your presence
Builds equity, not just income

That is why I am stacking two types of ownership.

Financial Ownership

I invest 50 dollars a day into Strategy (MSTR) every market day for 20 years.

It is boring. It is simple. It is powerful.

And I am publicly documenting the journey here:

👉 The 50 Dollar a Day MSTR Challenge, One Share at a Time

This works because I use tools that make it impossible to skip:

My Robinhood automation runs daily
I track growth in Webull
I even round up spare change in Acorns

These tools do the heavy lifting. I just stay consistent.

Digital Ownership

This blog is my digital real estate.

Every post brings in readers, builds trust, and will eventually earn while I sleep.

I am also growing my:

YouTube channel
Email list
Free Market AI app (coming soon)

That is leverage.

While others binge watch, I build.

Digital infographic showing two types of ownership. One side illustrates financial ownership with stocks compounding over time while the other side shows digital ownership with a blog, YouTube channel, and apps growing as assets — **Two Types of Ownership - Financial assets like stocks compound quietly while digital assets like blogs and YouTube channels grow into long term freedom**

Phase 3: Exit Strategically Not Emotionally

Most people wait until they are burned out, bitter, or broke to try something new.

You cannot afford that.

Build your exit plan before you are desperate.

Here is what a smart exit looks like:

Have 12 to 24 months of essential expenses saved or covered by digital assets or investments
Have at least one proven digital income stream (affiliate, newsletter, app, or service)
Have a schedule and system you already operate part time
Have a clear vision, not just “escape,” but “what am I building”

Your job may be the chapter you are in, but it is not the title of your book.

Infographic titled Exit Plan Checklist showing four pillars of financial independence including savings, building digital income streams, creating a proven system, and setting a long term vision. Designed for 9 to 5 workers and underdog investors who want to escape the paycheck trap. — **Exit Plan Checklist showing the four steps every 9 to 5 worker and underdog investor needs to build savings, digital income, a proven system, and a long-term vision for financial independence.**

If You Are Serious, Start with This

Set a 2-to-5-year exit goal
Save 35 to 50 percent of your paycheck if possible
Start investing 5 to 50 dollars a day using platforms like Robinhood, Webull, or Acorns
Build your first digital asset (blog, channel, email list)
Create once a week minimum
Track your progress publicly or privately
Surround yourself with builders, not just survivors