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0 pointsbradlys7y ago0 comments

I feel this. This is my viewpoint as someone who cannot realistically afford an "entrepreneurial" lifestyle. Similarly, I'd rather not see my savings dwindle every month rather than grow. I feel that concern only goes away when you are practically-speaking rich or FIRE.

When I see people talking about entrepreneurship on HN or quitting their X job to do Y project, I feel no different than it being the "minimalist lifestyle" of tech. All this talk about how it's freeing you of all these things that tie you down and what not but it's only "freeing" because you're rich AF.

This article read like: "I'm a rich dude who worked at Big X and went to an Ivy League university. Fuck being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. I live in one of the most expensive and desirable cities in the world. I'm gonna do whatever I want with my ridiculously large savings and I hope to make even more money with whatever I come up with! I'll probably go back to another FAANG if this doesn't pan out in a year and say I did some seriously cool stuff on my resume. I'll get an even bigger package. Wooooo!"

Ugh.

0 comments

blunte7y ago

Trust me, there are a whole lot of entrepreneurs not like the ex-Google "I'm self-funded for several years" types.

I'm definitely not rich, and there are some months when I'm not sure I'll make it; but somehow I do, and then there are other months where things work out better than I expected.

But when I walk out of my house and go where I want, when I want, while most of the rest of the people are told when and where to be, I feel free. And when I do work for a client from a hotel room in the Caribbean, after my day of scuba diving, I feel pretty great.

If I continued with my old way of "every job must pay more than the last", I would still be in the oil business, in an office every day. Instead, I now see how much I was wasting on a new car, daily driving commute (time and gas), eating out because I'm too exhausted after a day in the office to cook when I get home, etc... turns out I don't need nearly as much money to live on as I did when I was working for $$.

jackgolding7y ago

This is what I find is most annoying - the traditional "more money more problems." I actually had the most savings I've ever had in my life while I was a student on $15k a year Government benefits.

Every payrise I've gotten has just gone into more mundane crap - more booze, more expensive food, more spontaneous frivolous holidays...

CryoLogic7y ago

That's entirely a discipline and planning problem.

I doubled my income, downgraded my lifestyle and now I am sitting on a 49.5% savings rate on my take home pay. No car, I budget to eat out twice per month and even the food I eat I prepare myself.

My girlfriend also doubled her income, but has since doubled her expenses and not saved an extra dime. What has she spent it on? Clothing, jewelry, expensive organic food, new pet, etc.

Consider even getting a room mate if you want to save more.

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