When Shao Chun Chen got the boot from Google just before turning 38, it felt like his world crumbled. But fast forward one year, and he is living proof that losing a cushy job can open doors to freedom few dare to imagine. Now based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Chen works just a few hours a week and enjoys a lifestyle funded by smart planning, frugal living and savvy investing.
Chen’s layoff in February 2024, after eight years at Google’s Singapore office, came amid company cutbacks. But unlike many caught off guard by pink slips, he had prepared for this moment. Years of saving nearly half his paycheck and building a diversified $2 million portfolio gave him a financial runway most dream about but few achieve.
Instead of scrambling for a new corporate gig, Chen and his wife packed their bags and moved to northern Thailand’s affordable and picturesque city of Chiang Mai. Renting a swanky condo with luxury amenities for just $450 a month, they live comfortably on roughly $1,500 monthly – covering housing, food, transport and even weekly flights back to Singapore.
His main income? Teaching a digital marketing class at the National University of Singapore for only three hours per week. It brings him in $1,500 to $3,000 monthly. He supplements this with coaching sessions where he charges up to $500 an hour and his YouTube channel.
Chen credits his success to a financial strategy built on three pillars: climbing the corporate ladder early to maximise earnings, disciplined saving and investing and embracing geographical arbitrage. “It is about gaming the system. Just three hours of work in Singapore covers all my expenses in Thailand,” Chen says.
Life in Chiang Mai is a world away from the relentless pace of corporate life. He savors slow mornings cooking breakfast, shopping at local markets and sipping Thai beer. He avoids imported luxuries, urging expats to blend in rather than recreate Western comforts.
Of course, the new life is not without challenges. Weekly flights can be tiring and self-discipline is a must without a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. But Chen says the freedom, time and peace of mind outweigh any downsides.
His story is not just a personal triumph but a blueprint for reimagining work and life beyond the cubicle. Ironically, it took losing his job to realise he was already financially free and that sometimes, an ending is really just the start of something better.
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