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I can't believe the contempt that some posters have for the OP. Our society would be much better off if more people valued their time and actually took the time to think about what it is that makes them happy. The OP is probably more motivated than most people that get up everyday in a drone-like state to try to move up the Corporate ladder and buy the newest car or phone.
One thing that makes me feel dirty and want to run away is when certain people I know drool over the latest gizmo or car and can't shut up about how great it is, how bad they want it, what they'll do with it and what they'll do to get it. Some people are completely obsessed with "stuff". I guess there's nothing wrong with it, but it seems like a shallow existance when "stuff" lights up your eyes and keeps a fire lit under your a**.
One thing that makes me feel dirty and want to run away is when certain people I know drool over the latest gizmo or car and can't shut up about how great it is, how bad they want it, what they'll do with it and what they'll do to get it. Some people are completely obsessed with "stuff". I guess there's nothing wrong with it, but it seems like a shallow existance when "stuff" lights up your eyes and keeps a fire lit under your a**.
I'm not obsessed with stuff. I am a minimalist actually. I don't care about clothes, jewelry, electronics, cars, possessions. But I want to be able to earn money, more than $20,000 a year from some unnamed source, so I have OPTIONS. Money is power. If I only got $20,000 a year, I'd be stuck living in this house in this city for the rest of my life. If I decided in 10 years I wanted to go somewhere else, I wouldn't have the means to do so. I like to keep my options open.
Not everyone who works cares about "stuff."
I have lived an existence likes yours before I didn't like it; that's why I moved ahead to where I could make more money. Not to buy things, but to have security and to keep my options open.
One thing that makes me feel dirty and want to run away is when certain people I know drool over the latest gizmo or car and can't shut up about how great it is, how bad they want it, what they'll do with it and what they'll do to get it. Some people are completely obsessed with "stuff". I guess there's nothing wrong with it, but it seems like a shallow existance when "stuff" lights up your eyes and keeps a fire lit under your a**.
I agree. Too many people are far too materialistic. A lot of this is due to clever marketers who are so cunning they get people completely obsessed with their products, things people very seldom truly need. The whole process alienates people from themselves, because they become so focused on whatever silly item they so desperately want--or think they want--that they lose touch with themselves and with what's really important in their lives.
And the corporate world, my God, it completely sucks! OP, if you can get out of it and stay out of it, definitely take that road. It's hardly worth the stress and ill effects on your health. Talk about something that gets in the way of one's dreams and passions! You work and work and work, yet have very little to show for it. Yes, you have some things--although not much, certainly not much money, unless you're at the very top of the corporate world--but you can't enjoy any of those things, because you're always at work. And you can't quit work, because if you do, you don't have enough savings or investments to sustain you for very long. So you're stuck. It's awful.
One thing that makes me feel dirty and want to run away is when certain people I know drool over the latest gizmo or car and can't shut up about how great it is, how bad they want it, what they'll do with it and what they'll do to get it. Some people are completely obsessed with "stuff". I guess there's nothing wrong with it, but it seems like a shallow existance when "stuff" lights up your eyes and keeps a fire lit under your a**.
I agree with you.
But for me, money is not about stuff.
It's about freedom, power, and options.
The op may get more freedom, but he has no power and his options will be limited.
What I am motivated by is having CHOICES. I don't want to be at the mercy of whoever I am getting that $20,000 a year from. Like someone else said, that $20,000 "passive income" would be in ADDITION to my earnings. I really think it's disingenuous of the OP not to say what the source of income is; I mean, if it's welfare he's calling passive income then that's just wrong.
Anyway, if I am getting $20,000 a year from a certain source, how do I know that source is always going to be there? How do I know $20,000 a year is going to always be enough? It just seems like the OP is too passive and not playing a role in his own financial wellbeing if he's content to live on $20,000 and hope the source never dries up. Seems kind of like playing Russian roulette to me.
I do agree with this. I don't know how the OP makes his money but there are some ways that are currently illegal that I personally have absolutely no issue with (growing and selling marijuana for instance) so he may just be hesitant to outright say. People should be more creative in how they make a living IMO-of course with proper precaution and plans.
I mentioned a few pages ago that my goal is to outright own 2 rental properties as well as my primary home and live off that income of about $25K per year after I have a large cushion in savings. I know that being a landlord is still "work" and I am relying on others for my income but at least how I make money would be in my control and my time would be free for travel and leisure.
For now, I have a "balance" as a poster mentioned earlier. I work a 9-5 but it really doesn't restrict my time as much as most full-time positions and I am able to pursue other interests.
Well to me money usually robs us of our power and freedoms. Think about it - the average person spends 50-60 hrs per week living for work. That's not counting the stress and worry thats carries over after work. I would go out on a limb and say work consumes 40% of our adult lives. 33% is spent sleeping. 7% eating, washing clothes, brushing teeth, etc. That leaves us with 10% where we have the freedom and power to do as we wish.
It's a rat race I had to leave.
Edit: for those 10 or what percent that love doing their work - you are lucky. This is the picture painted for us all from the time we are children, but sadly very few ever see that picture.
I agree. Too many people are far too materialistic. A lot of this is due to clever marketers who are so cunning they get people completely obsessed with their products, things people very seldom truly need. The whole process alienates people from themselves, because they become so focused on whatever silly item they so desperately want--or think they want--that they lose touch with themselves and with what's really important in their lives.
And the corporate world, my God, it completely sucks! OP, if you can get out of it and stay out of it, definitely take that road. It's hardly worth the stress and ill effects on your health. Talk about something that gets in the way of one's dreams and passions! You work and work and work, yet have very little to show for it. Yes, you have some things--although not much, certainly not much money, unless you're at the very top of the corporate world--but you can't enjoy any of those things, because you're always at work. And you can't quit work, because if you do, you don't have enough savings or investments to sustain you for very long. So you're stuck. It's awful.
I understand your pain. I hope you can find a way out one day.
very few of us anymore will have an opportunity to get tired of our jobs.
Much as I think the OP is being disingenuous about his income.
As for the general premise, the reason more people don't have the "luxury" of getting tired of their job is because they don't save, and put them selves in a position to be able to. PLENTY of people COULD do it if they wanted to, they choose not to.
Well to me money usually robs us of our power and freedoms. Think about it - the average person spends 50-60 hrs per week living for work. That's not counting the stress and worry thats carries over after work. I would go out on a limb and say work consumes 40% of our adult lives. 33% is spent sleeping. 7% eating, washing clothes, brushing teeth, etc. That leaves us with 10% where we have the freedom and power to do as we wish.
It's a rat race I had to leave.
Edit: for those 10 or what percent that love doing their work - you are lucky. This is the picture painted for us all from the time we are children, but sadly very few ever see that picture.
Yeah. I think you'll be alright. I worked all my life (retired now) and did it mostly because of a knee jerk reaction. It was what I was supposed to do. So I did it.
I was good at it too. Made plenty of money, got the houses and cars paid for and all that stuff.
I couldn't do what you propose, but I have known a few who could. And did. They were happy enough, and maybe you'll be happy, too.
Don't get married. Don't have kids. You'll be alright.
Well to me money usually robs us of our power and freedoms.
Why think of it in terms of being "robbed" of anything.
If a person is willing to trade their 'time' for a given salary so they can have things you apparently don't want or need -- why does that mean they have less 'power or freedom.'
You may have more free time. They have more money to spend or save than you. You've made one 'trade,' they've made another.
If a person is willing to 'trade time' for 50K disposable, instead of having more time and only 10K disposable, personally I think the person with 50K disposable will ultimately have more 'power and freedom' -- and OPTIONS -- than the one living off 20K with only 10K disposable. But that's just how how see it. You likely see to differently.
But just because YOU aren't willing to make that trade, doesn't mean that other person won't indeed end up in a better position financially than you. The more money one has, the more options one has in life -- I don't think there's really much debate about that -- at whatever given level of finances we're talking about.
You may have more options than someone with no -- or 5K disposable. Just as someone with 30K disposable has more options "freedom" than you do, just like someone with 100K disposable has more options than that person, and just as millionaires and billionaires have more options than damn near anyone.
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