The Great Office Escape

The Simple Living Network
A great place to learn about voluntary simplicity. Helpful bits of information, an online bookstore, newsletter and more.

Choosing Voluntary Simplicity
This is an excellent blog with plenty of hints, tips and advice on how to simplify your life, save money, be more environmentally conscious, work less and appreciate others.

Wise Bread
One of the best resources on the web for advice on how to live on a budget, save time and other various “life hacks”, this site is updated frequently and includes many guest bloggers. They also have the occasional contest and encourage discussion.

Consumer Reports Guide to Spending Less
A nice page with good advice on how to save on everything – from your car to your groceries to your utility bills. Common sense and “to-the-point” advice.

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic
Wonderful book about our slide into a mass epidemic of spending. It’s a bit “over the top” at times, but it’s message rings very true in a nation more concerned with quantity and volume than quality and time.

SiteLogr
Thinking about starting an online business? Wondering how popular a certain website is? How much revenue the site generates? Check out SiteLogr – it can really give you a good idea of where your site stands on the net.

A Guide to Self Employment
Recently laid off? Looking to go into business for yourself as an alternative? This article has some useful ideas and tips.

GetYourBizSavvy
Tips for entrepreneurs on how to be successful and watch your business grow. The blog is well written and has a humorous and unique spin on many of the entries (comparing the survival of horror movie villains to entrepreneurial pursuits, for one!)

Escaping the 9 to 5
Another great blog on how to escape your job and embrace a life as an “extraordinary entrepreneur” – this site has plenty of inspirational posts which range from encouragement not to “play it safe” and support for small business-owners.

Denise O’Berry
Great tools, tips and advice for small businesses in this blog. Denise has been a small business owner for many years and has written a great guide on how to find success running your own business.

Bankrate
This site is full of calculators that will help you figure out the bottom-line finances of just about anything, including mortgages, credit cards, purchases, student loans and retirement accounts. Highly recommended.

Finra College Savings Calculator
Have you ever wondered how much you would really have to save for college? A great calculator for parents who are making long-range college plans for their kids and wondering how much they should put away.

Car Lease Calculator
Leasing is probably the least advisable method of paying for a vehicle. Not convinced? Check out this calculator to see what you are really paying for your auto lease (and then compare it to what you would pay if you purchased the vehicle straight-up with cash.)

Paycheck City’s Paycheck Calculator
Ever wondered what the size of your paycheck would be in a given state with a certain salary? Did you just get a job and wonder how much (in taxes) they are going to take out of your paycheck? This excellent calculator will estimate your take-home pay to the penny! (USA only)

Self Employment Tax Calculator
Doing your own taxes can be a very daunting experience for first-time entrepreneurs. If you don’t have the time or resources to talk with an accountant, this calculator can at least give you an idea of about how much you’ll need to pay!

Position Ignition
Feeling burnt out or frustrated in your job? Want to do something meaningful in your life? Check out Position Ignition – career advisors who know how difficult it can be to find meaningful work and want to help!

Pick the Brain
Some interesting and offbeat articles on how to live your life differently (and more extraordinarily) than you may have thought possible. Great site with many motivational articles.

Rat Race Escape Artist
When I started The Great Office Escape in 2007 this was one of my favorite sites to go for inspiration and ideas. Sarah is a successful rat race escapee who shares her stories and advice on her inspiring site.

Rat Race Trap
A great blog that emphasizes creativity, clear thinking and strategies for a better life, with an “escape the rat race” theme. This post in particular offers a new way to look at coping with a difficult (albeit almost universal) professional conundrum.

Mars Dorian
Want to learn everything you ever needed to know about branding? This is the place. Here you will learn not to be shy about branding yourself and making your business (and yourself) recognizable and successful!

Smart Passive Income
Pat has learned how to make livable passive income, and is happy to share his success with the world on this site. He also gives readers detailed monthly reports (so you can get an idea of just what passive income might look like!)