I Was Miserable in LA': Woman Quits 9-5, Now Happier Working 20 Hours a Week in Portugal and Earning $7k a Month

On paper, Kaitlin Wichmann's life in Los Angeles looked enviable. A marketing job in sunny Santa Monica, a steady income and an office with ocean views. But to the Kansas native, the routine felt suffocating.

'Every day going into my job, parking in the same spot, going to the same desk, staring at the same wall — I was just like, "There has to be more to life than this,"' Wichmann, now 31, told CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series.

That restlessness pushed her to abandon the 9-5 corporate grind and search for a new rhythm of life. Today, she lives in Lisbon, Portugal, works just 20 hours a week as a freelance digital marketer and makes roughly $7,000 (£5,500) a month — in some months, as much as $12,000 (£9,400).

From Santa Monica to Solo Boss

Wichmann's decision was not made overnight. Raised in Manhattan, Kansas, she grew up surrounded by international exchange students her family hosted. That exposure planted a curiosity about living abroad. By the age of 18, she was already travelling through Europe.

After graduating college, she relocated to Los Angeles for work, only to find that the supposed dream lifestyle left her miserable. 'When you're just working that much, it just wasn't enjoyable for me,' she said. 'And I realised if I wanted to take a jump and leave a full-time job, I wouldn't be able to do that in Los Angeles.'

So she began freelancing while still holding down her marketing agency job, building up a client list until she could support herself. With freedom in hand, she packed her bags and tested life as a digital nomad.

The Nomadic Years

Her first stop was Bali in 2019, where she embraced the lower cost of living. Chiang Mai, Thailand, followed, then short stays in Vietnam and Buenos Aires. She temporarily returned to the US during the Covid-19 pandemic, but by 2021, she was ready for another leap.

Portugal caught her attention. A previous trip to Madeira lingered in her memory, and Lisbon offered the blend she craved: good weather, beaches within easy reach, a thriving international community and a walkable city.

She secured her D7 visa — designed for those with passive income or freelance work — by depositing €10,000 (£8,400) in a Portuguese bank, opening a tax file and signing a rental contract. That gave her four months to settle, before applying for a two-year residency permit. She renewed in 2023, securing another three years.

A Life Rebuilt in Lisbon

Lisbon brought challenges, most notably the language. Wichmann immediately enrolled in classes at a local university, then progressed to private lessons. 'I feel like that's what's really helped me improve and what's made me a lot more confident in my speaking skills,' she said.

Her expenses reflect a comfortable but not excessive lifestyle: around $1,296 (£1,020) a month for rent and utilities, $500 (£394) on food, and $116 (£91) on transport. She budgets carefully, paying herself $3,000 a month as a base and allocating the rest towards savings, investments and student loan payments. Today, she has a six-month emergency fund and more than $200,000 (£157,000) in investments.

Free time is no longer a luxury squeezed between office hours. She fills her days with tennis, padel, Portuguese lessons and beach outings. Travel also features heavily: in June, she visited her boyfriend in England, with whom she alternates visits every month.

Community, Not Commuting

For Wichmann, the most valuable shift has been community. She joined sports clubs, Meetup groups and co-working spaces where she forged friendships. 'Everyone that I've met here is very healthy, very outdoorsy,' she said. 'People just want to live a very active and fulfilled life, and I find that very inspiring.'

The contrast with LA could not be starker. 'When I was living in Los Angeles, pretty much my life revolved around work,' she said. 'Now, my life revolves around my life, with work scattered in.'

Looking Ahead

She intends to remain in Portugal long-term, possibly buying a home with her boyfriend. Her career ambitions are modest — she sees freelancing as a means to sustain a lifestyle, not the other way around.

'I want to show people that there's a way of working that isn't a traditional 9-5,' she said. 'And to inspire people that they can live life to the fullest.'

For those still tied to an office desk, her story might sound like fantasy. But Wichmann insists it's achievable with planning and courage. 'I definitely feel happier and more at peace here,' she said. 'This is the life I was searching for when I left Los Angeles.'