A Los Angeles man decided to leave the stress of rent behind and take advantage of his office space, living in it for at least 500 days.
He told his story on Salon , writing under the pseudonym “Terry K.” Terry spoke about the conundrum of living and working in Los Angeles, where average rent is around $1,300 per month. He cited a UCLA study claiming that people who live in the area spend almost half their wages on rent.
In order to break out of the endless rent-paying scheme and long commute to work, Terry decided to take advantage of the abandoned after-hours office. He rented out his Venice Beach apartment and moved into his office without anyone’s knowledge.
According to Business Insider , Terry made an elaborate plan which kept his living habits a secret from everyone. Sometimes he would even complain about the commute to work and feign being late to work to make the lie more believable.
His quality of life began to improve, and his improved work performance didn’t go unnoticed by his boss.
“I don’t have a single criticism. You seem happier lately, too,” his boss admitted.
Terry continued to live rent-free in Los Angeles until the company went under and he found himself without his office and a home. He packed up his air mattress and his necessities and tried looking for another office job, but he quickly realized he would only be working back toward the unending renting cycle in Los Angeles. There had to be a better way.
After all, he had managed to save over $20,000 and was able to travel and enjoy life like never before. That’s what living was really about, right?
Terry could not see himself trying to purchase a home in the area, either. Getting stuck in the rent cycle was a bit worse than buying a home, but purchasing a home seemed a bit out of reach as well.
In order to purchase an average home in the Los Angeles area, a person needs to make about $89,500 a year, according to Business Insider . Los Angeles is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States because of these high numbers.
Los Angeles life is fast-paced, competitive, and stressful, but apparently not if you can find a way to live rent-free like Terry K. He’s now living in the back of a customized truck and enjoying life in Hollywood.
[Photo by David McNew/Getty Images]
