I think I'm in more or less the same, uh, boat. I made a very good living for about 15 years more because I was learning a lot from those I was working with than because I was climbing the ladder. A few months ago, my adventure changed. I'm bootstrapping now, and have a reasonable amount of runway. Even still I will occasionally have a night out, and I can afford business investments that make sense.
Currently reading Seth Godin's Icarus Deception, and to put it in his terms, I think the idea of having a job and spending >80% of your income on a rolling basis really plays into the industrial machine that wants to keep us as good little cogs.
Financial advisers suggest that everyone 'should' save up 6-9 months of expenses in an emergency fund in case of job loss, etc. I don't know what percent of people actually do this, though.
Re:How I live and how I work
by hyphyphyph on Thursday June 27, 2013 @09:54AM
(#5952265)
You deserve a hug.
When I finally saw the right bicycle, I spent about $450 on it, then rode 100 miles on it. It was a life-changing adventure.
When I finally saw the right sailboat, I spent about $2700 on it (less than many/most HN'ers paychecks), then sailed 100 miles on it with the wife. It was a life-changing adventure.
It isn't up to me to say which way of living is best. But I'd lay odds that I'm going to be pretty well satisfied with the one I've chosen, when my last day comes.
Incidentally, Alex doesn't appear to be 'hoarding' cash, he just seems to have saved up a couple months' glide path, something everyone is supposed to do, but according to the recent CNN article, almost nobody does. When interest rates go back up, this seems likely to change.