Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan–there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times.

Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, or earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.

This step-by-step guide to luxury lifestyle design teaches:

• How Tim went from $40,000 per year and 80 hours per week to $40,000 per month and 4 hours per week

• How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want

• How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs

• How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist

• How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and frequent “mini-retirements”

This new expanded edition includes:

• More than 50 practical tips and case studies from readers (including families) who have doubled income, overcome common sticking points, and reinvented themselves using the original book as a starting point

• Real-world templates you can copy for eliminating e-mail, negotiating with bosses and clients, or getting a private chef for less than $8 a meal

• How Lifestyle Design principles can be suited to unpredictable economic times

• The latest tools and tricks, as well as high-tech shortcuts, for living like a diplomat or millionaire without being either