bigd Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I work like a dog, miss (more than i care to) my kids childhood...and for what? so I can live in a house and have nice things? Anyone ever wanna say f it and move out of dodge, get a tiny house you can pay cash for and actually enjoy every minute of this thing called life? It's probably the (way too many for a weeknight) beer talking...but legitimately curious if anyone else has thought along those same lines... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodninja420 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 The rat - race can be a ringer. It's only worth doing if you legitimately enjoy your work. The money alone will not sustain you for 80+ hour workweeks in the long run. At least that's the conclusion I came to at appx age 30 when I jumped off the fast track in favor of more free time.I will say this w/r/t time with your kids-- the most important things you can give them are a) their lives to begin with and b) a materially safe existence and c) love. When those are in place, they have the ability to achieve their potential. Quality time with the parents is nice, but overrated in the grand scheme of things. They will remember the high points, and your personal qualities, not the quantity of time you spend with them. My parents ate shit, figuratively, so I could enter adulthood on a better trajectory than they did, and I consider that more loving than attending all my little league games. Life is full of tradeoffs. That's what makes things interesting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okeefe01 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I have contemplated that very thing many times. We definitely become a slave to our possessions. I work my butt off, work way too many hours, and never really get mentally free from work. Most of the time, I resign my self to the acceptance, that I am just a mule. I will work my butt of until I die, so that my wife and my daughter can do the things they want, and hopefully live a nice life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Sure, ask the thousands of people who went on vacation and never came home. You'll find them around every ski resort in the Rockies, near any decent beach, or pretty much any worthwhile destination. Or this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I think about it everyday. I have worked the same job for almost 20 years, i make good money but strugle still to pay for a big house and a big family. I am thinking about down sizing and going back to a less stressful life. I dream of a little house on lots of land, with a lot smaller payment. I would switch jobs but my skill set is very narrow, and i could not make the money i do elsewhere. Yeah the rat race sucks and i would love to throw in the towel, but my wife and kids keep me going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 if my little baby doesn't appreciate what i do for her, i will probably sell her for a new race bike and rig, and a really fancy tennis racquet. maybe even a pro stock one if i'm feeling frisky. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 if my little baby doesn't appreciate what i do for her, i will probably sell her for a new race bike and rig, and a really fancy tennis racquet. maybe even a pro stock one if i'm feeling frisky.I would rep but internet is broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4iguy Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) http://www.mrmoneymustache.comRetired early, lives in Colorado (I think), spends time with his family, lives on minimal revenue due to not having a lot of stuff. Edited October 3, 2014 by F4iguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 In all seriousity, I'm pretty content now. I've been with my company 15 years and I have a good work/life balance. Travel was sucking, but now it's on my schedule with my agenda. That's a much better situation than being under someone else's thumb. Sure, I dream about the house in the woods, but then responsibility hits me. I have a family that needs to be considered. My house isn't grand, but it's in a premier school system and that is important to me. My "out" is the reason for my 401K. That will come later. For now, work hard, play responsibly, provide for my family, set my kids up for success, and have a life insurance policy that keeps my family in their current lifestyle if I should go left-of-center one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 There is a middle-ground. Watch the documentary "Tiny: an exercise in living small." I'm not suggesting that you move into a 100 square foot box, but take stock of all the things in your house you don't use, and could live without. That documentary has stopped me from looking at larger houses. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 My wife claims we could not have a second baby in this house. I look at our dining room and see a table we use four times a year, and in our living room we have a couch that only the dogs lay on, with a coffee table I have never set a drink on. The shelf under it is filled with DVDs that we watch far less often than their cost justifies. I could likely empty half of every closet in our house too. Absent a school system, I see no reason to "upgrade" houses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Nope. I like money and stuff too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anden Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 NOFX - Freedom Lika Shopping Cart (with lyrics): Yes, and double on Mondays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snot Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I just hate who I work for. I like the job but I locked my last job and also hated who I worked with the last few years. Grass was not greener and the stress is not worth it. I am going to school so, once our kid graduates and I am done with my chemistry classes I can get out of the horrible work environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccrory Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 There is a middle-ground.Watch the documentary "Tiny: an exercise in living small." I'm not suggesting that you move into a 100 square foot box, but take stock of all the things in your house you don't use, and could live without.That documentary has stopped me from looking at larger houses. I watched that as well and am really intrigued by the idea of selling my current 1600 square-foot home for a 500-1000 one with a spacious heated garage for my toys and man-cave. Like you, I'm not ever going bigger than this house - just too much space that I wouldn't use, and my daughter will be going to college in a year anyway. My wife claims we could not have a second baby in this house. I look at our dining room and see a table we use four times a year, and in our living room we have a couch that only the dogs lay on, with a coffee table I have never set a drink on. The shelf under it is filled with DVDs that we watch far less often than their cost justifies.I could likely empty half of every closet in our house too. Absent a school system, I see no reason to "upgrade" houses. Ditto here as well. I probably have 300 square feed of unused or rarely-used space. Think about it - if one is fortunate, take the equity of their house and buy a smaller place outright and already you've shed $700-1500 in payments. That's $7.2-18k/yr less you have to earn, which is less pressure to push, shove and struggle in the job market. It's not retirement, but it'll get one to retirement a lot faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Nope. I like money and stuff too muchTotally understand this take as well. There was a woman in the documentary who was quite successful and had a lot of awesome stuff. She decided to quit, down-size, play with said stuff, and then sold it to travel the US.The mantra doesn't have to be that wealth and possessions are bad, you just want to be conscious of what you're sacrificing. If you're happy, you're doing a lot right. I have friends who are only happy if their name is on the door of their firm, and they're making $80k or more. That measure of success makes them happy (or so they say).I am happier having more free time to be hung over from craft beer... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigd Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Alright, I'm not alone. I just watched the tiny house documentary too. Outside of the whole 150sq. ft. thing, it's pretty damn intriguing - and really thought provoking. Something's gotta change...I'm just not sure what yet. But something. A different, more entertaining take on the whole tiny house thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXKqdi0Wp0E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I just hate who I work for. I like the job but ...This! We were bought out by a bigger company five or six years ago. First thing they told us when they walked in the door is this "country club lifestyle is over". Now morale is all time low overtime is an all time high, and nobody can stand the people we work for. Crazy thing is back then we made money hand over fist, now we are losing money. Funny how those things work that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRMN8TR Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I think about quitting my job, taking a vacation day, calling in sick, EVERY SINGLE MORNING when I wake up. But that usually lasts for the first 4-5 snoozes of the alarm clock. Then I get up and shower and I'm happy I have a job. Truthfully it's just the waking up part I hate, not the job. I was that kid who his parents had to wake him up on Christmas morning to come open presents. I think I've done a decent job of living within my means already. I bought a smaller house than what I could afford and I drive a 10 year old truck because I don't want to make payments on a new one. I'd rather spend the money on racing, vacations, my fiance, saving for an early retirement, etc. I'm also lucky enough to have a job that still provides a pension. I'm one of the only people my age that I know has a pension through their work, aside from some gov't people. Makes it hard to leave my company when I've been with them for 9 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) NOFX - Freedom Lika Shopping Cart (with lyrics): Yes, and double on Mondays. Rep for Heavy Petting Zoo. Edited October 3, 2014 by Tpoppa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictly Street Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) For the youngsters out therehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Then_Came_Bronson Edited October 3, 2014 by Strictly Street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) Haven't watched the tiny house thing, but I know people that have "minimized" to the extreme. It's not for me. You only live once and I'm going to enjoy myself, but I'll do it wisely. I HATE HATE HATE financial pressure, and live a lifestyle that avoids it as best as possible. The best suggestions I can make are:1. Living within your means is far more useful than making more money. I know people that make well into 6 figures and live paycheck to paycheck. I also know people that make under 40k and paid their house off years early.2. Never buy anything on credit, except a house and possibly a car. I haven't had a credit card in 6 or 7 years, it was cancelled by the bank becuase it wasn't used for 5 years before that. 3. Have 12 months worth of bills in an account and consider it to be "untouchable." It's easier to do this when you can reduce your monthly overhead. My goal is to work to prevent boredom, rather than because I have to. I'm still a few years away from that, but it's part of the plan. No one's dying thoughts have ever been that they should have spent more time at work. Edited October 3, 2014 by Tpoppa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictly Street Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 No one's dying thoughts have ever been that they should have spent more time at work. ^^^ True dat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 If I was single I would totally downsize to an older house a tad smaller but with a big ass garage and land. If my wife had it her way we wouldn't work and we would travel all over the world...I'm not a fan of traveling. Costs too damn much for something that only lasts a week. I'd rather have a tangible asset Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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