...and another one simply living single, with no outside responsibilities and lucky to be healthy, claiming this lifestyle as somehow superior (others complain!) but not realizing that there is <i>nothing</i> special about it.<p>nobody dependent on you? no kids, no employees, no sick parents?<p>you not dependent on anyone? no accidents, no clients not paying, no disease or disablement? living in a safe, rich, area of the world?<p>oh how awesome you are.
Somewhat surprised at all the revulsion to this post. I live pretty similarly to this fellow, but it isn't the least bit boring.<p>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.<p>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.<p>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.<p>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.
excellent point... if you want to live like a flower. Some of us prefer going to places, trying new things, meeting new people, having a family and hobbies. And all those things cost money.<p>When I'm old I'd rather say <i>I'm broke because I lived my life to the fullest</i> than <i>I lived conservatively so I can afford to be a stressless elder with savings</i><p>(hopefully I wont be downvoted because I beg to differ)
"I live differently to everybody else I know."<p>Then I expected a great story about an alternative lifestyle.<p>This just sounds boring as hell. To me this story sounded like "I live in a basement, almost never come out or buy things for myself, but I got time on my hand, so I'm living the life right here". It doesn't sound that good to me to be honest.<p>On the other hand, a story I liked to read was Mr. Money Moustache about how he managed to retire on the age of 30 with a NORMAL lifestyle.
I'm seeing a trend in the comments here and would just like to add my experience. It is quite similar to the author in that I worked fulltime for a year plus 3 months contracting for the same company.<p>I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had good health, no family obligations, and low student loan debt (payed off in within a few months of graduating). With that in mind, I can honestly say that there was a ton of pressure to spend money to "better my life". I would get strange looks and comments from friends and family because I drove a '93 Del Sol, and lived in the same apartment after graduating. The only big purchase I made recently was upgrading to a used car that is only 10 years old.<p>In the end I saved a lot of money. Enough to move back to California, in the Bay Area. I have been living off of savings for 7 months and honestly have about 7 more (conservative numbers). I live comfortably here and I get to work on my own projects on my own time until I make money or run out, in which case I will go find more contract work.<p>My point is that I decided early what I wanted to do and planned accordingly. I know that I'm in a very unique category with little responsibility. I have much respect for those who can't quite do what I do because of other obligations. This makes me happy and I wouldn't have it any other way. No need to feel sorry for me and think I'm not living life to the fullest, because in my mind I am.
> When I started working, I didn’t start spending.<p>I'm exactly the same. I see so many people living paycheck to paycheck, and for me there is nothing more depressing.<p>I've only been working for around a year and a half and I already have the economic freedom to be unemployed for a year.<p>Also, I don't really feel like I live frugally. I go out as much as I want to, I go on holidays, I buy a few luxuries that I really want. I really don't understand how people manage to spend so much
This is a little condescending. I live frugally but have spent the money I've saved on a house for my family to live in. I've contracted the last year to be able to afford to travel around the world next month.<p>"You can enjoy your life right now. You just need to spend less money on shit that you don’t need."<p>True, I don't <i>need</i> a house or to go travelling but my life would be poorer had I not invested in that shit.
I know a few people who, if not live exactly like this, certainly think like it.<p>Walling yourself off from all dependencies (physical, financial, emotional) in order to grow your brain and Just Write Code might seem like a smart thing to do, and the purism of it will appeal to some. If the OP genuinely obtains no enjoyment at all from anything else, then that's fine - that's what it sounds like.<p>But it's the pay-off that stings, the 'shit you don't need' attitude, which is ultimately judging everyone else as inferior for not making the same choice, or having the (immensely privileged?) ability to 'make your work your life'. I love and value my family & my friends, and spending money to spend time with them enriches my life.<p>Not everyone wants to be an island.
I completely agree with the OP. Let's be honest - you don't NEED a 100 k car right after graduation, even if you're earning a 100 k a year(I've seen this happen).<p>What he's trying to say is that there's a huge difference between NEED and WANT that people often mis-perceive.<p>If you only buy shit you NEED, you can save up, then quit your job and do things that you WANT to do, without having to worry about job security, next paycheck et cetera.<p>But people feel entitled. They DESERVE the car, they NEED the house. The economy would die if everyone was frugal lol
I'm trying to put my finger on why people (including myself) find this piece a little (unintentionally I suspect) disrespectful and I think it's that there's something in the tone, and specifically in this phrase:<p>"You can enjoy your life right now. You just need to spend less money on shit that you don’t need."<p>That suggests that those who follow a more conventional route are in some way stumbling along dissatisfied with life and trying to fill the gaping void with gaudy trinkets and baubles only to find that it's not working.<p>Maybe it's just me but I enjoy the holidays, I enjoy working every day with smart people, I enjoy my family, I enjoy the security of owning my own home and so on.<p>There's definitely something in what he's doing - prioritising what's important to him and making that his goal rather than what might be more conventionally expect of him - but, there's something in the tone that, for me at least, doesn't make this point as well as it might.
If everyone lived like the OP would the economy still work? Maybe the economy would shift.<p>I only buy second hand cars because I hate paying too much depreciation but someone, somewhere is buying the new ones, which I can then take advantage of.<p>I try and live as frugally as possible but my idea of frugality is probably way different to everyone elses, as is his.
I found that most people I know spend their money according to their paycheck. If you don't save money as soon as your paycheck comes in, it'll be gone by the end of the month. No matter hwo much you make.<p>However, when you've come to the point of finding someone you love and want to spend the rest of your life with, living the frugal student life isn't going to cut it. You'll want to move to a bigger place, have kids (trust me, they're expensive!), need a bigger car, etcetera. For us, this was a conscious choice. We choose to spend money on our house, our kids, holidays, hobbies. We do save quite a lot, but I think there is a nice middle ground between spending next to nothing and living from paycheck to paycheck.
Bingo. I lived a similar situation (minus the post-education debt - yay Canada!)<p>My lifestyle today isn't much different than what it was when I was a student other than the addition of a mortgage I can easily afford.<p>I'm happy. I travel. I live. I just don't show off, nor do I get things for the sake of having them. By surrounding yourself with family and good friends, you can find happiness in so many other things than the material.<p>EDIT: I forgot to mention, when I spend to <i>live</i> I won't spend on things, but I will on experience. I'll happily forgo the latest iGadget and a car that matches my socio-economic status and opt for an experience that will enrich my life in some way.
There seems to be a lot of chat about nothing in these comments...Let me put it simply for everyone:
"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things."<p>That is the core message and there is a lot of truth behind it...
I also practically live as I did when I was a student. The main difference is I have a mobile phone a Spotify subscription. Living like this is easy, convincing your gf to isn't...
Someone gave me this financial advice once: "Keep your lifestyle 3 to 5 years behind your growing income."<p>I followed it and have had a similar experience. Since my first job, I went and got an MBA, paid off the student loan, bought a house and at 31, I still have enough savings to last me 3-4 years at my family's current lifestyle.<p>Frugality is powerful.
Well you're a creator and being in the hamster wheel of having a job just doesn't logically make sense to you.<p>You seek freedom to create thing with nothing except from your own neurons.<p>That's why you'll be a millionaire very soon, but you won't buy things from it, you'll just keep hacking. A true entrepreneur. :)
The removal of all responsibility from my life would leave me dissatisfied. For me a rich life involves interconnectedness with other people - families, kids, friends, colleagues. That interconnectedness gives rise to responsibility. And that's the way I like it.
"You can enjoy your life right now. You just need to spend less money on shit that you don’t need."<p>But it's the shit I don't need that ads to the enjoyment of my life.