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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57821
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddy52
blowing $200 a weekend on drinks sure doesn't impress me .
( I'm presuming the reason you posted that was to impress others )
I don't drink, and am not trying to impress anyone but we just went out to breakfast at a local cafe and before tip it was $27 for two. Any "going out" costs a a lot.
Actually, I'm planning to explore Central America for a few months and then perhaps Thailand. Before I started this journey, I thought I was limited financially but I ended up realizing that I was only limited by my creativity. Society may tell us that we need to spend a lot of money to do anything worth doing, but that isn't always the case.
I have met many budget travelers, they travel on extreme strict budgeting and come up with ways to stay on the road. I am not like that, I like to spend when I am on vacation/traveling, I like hitting places ranging from Thailand to downtown London, I like clubs, etc; difficult to do all of that on a strict budget.
Since I had those priorities in my life, I strived to obtain better paying jobs to support that lifestyle. Nothng wrong with that any more than the lifestyle you propose.
Society does not tell you anything, Society gives (should at least) you options (a free society that is).
What are your costs for your trip? And have you implemented any of this plan?
For one, I am looking at this from two people (my wife and I), along with two close relatives I provide support for. I also am looking at it from my priorities, versus your priorities. While you state "Should I be eating steak and lobster every day", my priority is "yes, I am and do".
This is not degrading your decision at all, you asked "who is with you", and I am giving reasons why I am not.
You have every right to do that. Some people can and will eat $500 hamburgers whenever. What is important is that we are both satisfied. I'm just saying that if there was a meter for testing happiness, it's possible for someone living on $20k to get the same reading as someone living on $500k. I admit to letting the standards of society influence my happiness level...feels good to finnally think/do/act as I please.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57821
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linda_d
What I don't understand is why anyone would want to "retire" at 30????
I can see somebody wanting to chuck the 9-5 job and pursue some new opportunity or great adventure or travel the world or devote himself/herself to a project like writing a novel.
But to just essentially sit on your butt and vegetate in one place for the next 40-50 years just because you think you can afford to do that seems bizarre to me... well, actually, on second thought, it's not bizarre at all. It's simply being lazy and immature.
I suppose most $20,000 jobs are not rewarding enough to keep a person's interest enough to stay 30 years. I expect to go to 67 or more as long as my job remains as interesting, challenging and enjoyable as it is. I could retire now with an decent income, but even if I won the lottery I'd stay a few more years.
How do kids and family life fit into this hypothetical situation.or any kind of vacation plans or car or house emergency?
Planning a life around perpetual retirement sounds kinda boring..
I have met many budget travelers, they travel on extreme strict budgeting and come up with ways to stay on the road. I am not like that, I like to spend when I am on vacation/traveling, I like hitting places ranging from Thailand to downtown London, I like clubs, etc; difficult to do all of that on a strict budget.
Since I had those priorities in my life, I strived to obtain better paying jobs to support that lifestyle. Nothng wrong with that any more than the lifestyle you propose.
Society does not tell you anything, Society gives (should at least) you options (a free society that is).
What are your costs for your trip? And have you implemented any of this plan?
I'm not really a strict budget traveler. It's just that in a lot of places my $1 goes much farther than in the US. From what I've researched, I wouldn't doubt that I could live a year in Central America, eastern Europe or Vietnam for much less than the $10k it cost me to live here.
Personally, I don't care for clubs or drinking so I guess that saves me a lot of money. In fact, when I decided to live on a budget it wasn't "oh darn what all do I have to give up" - it was more like asking myself "what do you want in life" - then I asked myself why I was working when everything I want doesn't require me to work.
eddiehaskell & Ellise - GREAT posts and points of view! Most (probably all) of the people my husband and I know live on a lot more than we do. A lot more! I applaud people who live their lives the way they want, be it with gobs of money or not so much money. We live independently, debt free, welfare free, and have health insurance. I can't help but think that some people who posted here are just jealous and envious. Not all, but some.
I am reminded of the saying: The more you make the more you spend. There are so many people who prove that saying true everyday. My husband and I used to do that before we decided to make some changes in our lifestyle.
Anyway, I think people should remember that there are many different ways to live, that we have different personalities, and as long as we are doing no harm to others, should LIVE AND LET LIVE.
What I don't understand is why anyone would want to "retire" at 30????
I can see somebody wanting to chuck the 9-5 job and pursue some new opportunity or great adventure or travel the world or devote himself/herself to a project like writing a novel.
But to just essentially sit on your butt and vegetate in one place for the next 40-50 years just because you think you can afford to do that seems bizarre to me... well, actually, on second thought, it's not bizarre at all. It's simply being lazy and immature.
I mentioned it the first post, but I don't like alarm clocks, bosses, too much responsibility, deadlines, kissing ass, getting off late, 8am traffic, 5 o clock traffic, overtime, dress codes, not being able to watch The Price is Right if I want, etc etc. I like to sleep late, not have a bed time, swim, play basketball, talk/read on the internet like I'm doing now, visit my friends/parents whenever I want, learn how to do new things until I learn it or lose interest, go to the beach, etc.
Basically, I want to live like Billy Madison I guess with a few adult interest scattered in. It's as though the kid in me just wouldn't die. I tried to stomp him out though, but he thought I looked like a fool in a suit or clocking in.
I do want to travel too. I also thought about writing a book, but that's just one of those fun thoughts I entertain.
I admit to being a little lazy and immature. I've known this since I was about 12. I enjoy it though. I definitely don't want to sit on my butt all day though. However, I do like the option.
Some posters have inferred in other forums that anyone not earning at least $100,000 a year was a failure.
Many, many school districts don't have a single schoolteacher even close to a 100,000 salary yet I sure wouldn't label all of them failures or underachievers.
Yes, many posters have no concept about how common folk live.
Some posters inflate their personal worth and fill their posts with figures in their dreams.
How do kids and family life fit into this hypothetical situation.or any kind of vacation plans or car or house emergency?
Planning a life around perpetual retirement sounds kinda boring..
This lifestyle is best for the childfree.
It seems to me that planning a life around working 40 plus hours, 50 weeks a year is quite a bore, too. Even if you have a great job (which most people don't), you're gonna get tired of it sooner or later.
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