2012 Off topic thread(basketball,movies,etc whatever)

[Mr. IWS]

We live in a time where a person can realistically work 10 years and quit forever. The only catch is that they have to avoid the trap of believing that consuming = happiness.

-Clear 50k after taxes for 10 years straight
-sleep in your car
-buy cheap clothes
-eat cheap
-shower at the gym
-shangrala

[MMA_scientist]

Well I did buy it as a decorative item. Luke tried to convince me to video tape myself chopping some fruit with it, but I declined.

I also vote that you chop some watermelons in slo-mo and post a vid.

But yeah, you are weird about a lot of things. I remember you telling us that you didn't understand collecting things. I actually think you're kind of odd in a lot of ways, like your interpretation of the world is clearly a little farther from norm than most people's.

Well most people are pretty damn stupid. I am quite certain that it is everyone else who has it wrong.

If I have MORE than $1000 in the bank then that's about as good as it ever gets for me. I feel like I'm living high on the hog.

There is no excuse for that. The only acceptable excuse is that you do not value money or worldly possessions, in which case, I only request that you meet your meager needs on your own. Since I know that is not your position, then I boldly assert that you could quite easily save $5000 before the end of 2012, while doing nothing more than working a regular job and maintaining a standard of living wherein the luxury far exceeds almost any standard of living anywhere, ever. I also assert that you could easily save $1000 by the end of 2012 without doing anything differently at all work-wise, but just being more conscientious about spending.

[SPX]

I agree with most of his philosphies on shit like this. But I think we look at it different because we have families.

I wasn't so much talking about his financial ideas as some of the other shit he comes up with. Though a year's salary or no eating out seems extreme. It would take be like 5+ years to save up a years salary, and that's only if I went into total lockdown where I lived on nothing but the essentials.

[SPX]

-Clear 50k after taxes for 10 years straight
-sleep in your car
-buy cheap clothes
-eat cheap
-shower at the gym
-shangrala

I actually did live out of my car for two months when I first moved to Minnesota. Jeep Cherokee. It was an interesting experience, but I was damn happy when I moved into a house.

[SPX]

There is no excuse for that. The only acceptable excuse is that you do not value money or worldly possessions, in which case, I only request that you meet your meager needs on your own. Since I know that is not your position, then I boldly assert that you could quite easily save $5000 before the end of 2012, while doing nothing more than working a regular job and maintaining a standard of living wherein the luxury far exceeds almost any standard of living anywhere, ever. I also assert that you could easily save $1000 by the end of 2012 without doing anything differently at all work-wise, but just being more conscientious about spending.

I could maybe save $1K, but not $5k. Realistically speaking, the most I could save would be about $200 a month, and that's if I make some serious sacrifices.

Don't get me wrong, I want to be more financially secure. But usually the method required to do this means to just stop living life.

For me, time is precious. I know I'll never get it back. So I want to make the most of it, especially while I'm young.

[MMA_scientist]

-Clear 50k after taxes for 10 years straight
-sleep in your car
-buy cheap clothes
-eat cheap
-shower at the gym
-shangrala

Ha. Well, if you clear $50k per year after taxes, if you could live on $2k per month and still retire and maintain that standard of living forever after working for only 12.5 years. You ability to stop working forever is determined by only 2 things, your savings rate and how much you require to live. So in your example, if you can live on $0, there is no need to work... you can quit now.

$20k is quite enough to live a well equipped life IMO. I spend more than that now, but not much more, and only because of my stupid house. So if I saved 65% of a $65k income (roughly $50k after taxes), I would be living on $20k. I could just work 12.5 years and earn 5% on that money. I would never have to work again. Requiring less is much more efficient than saving more.

[MMA_scientist]

I could maybe save $1K, but not $5k. Realistically speaking, the most I could save would be about $200 a month, and that's if I make some serious sacrifices.

Don't get me wrong, I want to be more financially secure. But usually the method required to do this means to just stop living life.

For me, time is precious. I know I'll never get it back. So I want to make the most of it, especially while I'm young.

See, to me, watching TV and eating out are not "living life" more than actually doing shit and cooking my own food. So, I really think that most of the things we pay for are really just things that distract us from "making the most of it." Cable TV is a luxury that most of us have (including me, up until a fw months ago), that costs anywhere from $600 to $1500 per year. I don't think making the most of your youth MUST include HD TV programming. Especially when it is all free with a little effort anyway. I think more like, "I am young and able bodied... why am I sitting here doing nothing?" I actually like watching stuff, but I find it more enjoyable now that my TV is not on all the time.

My car is the bane of my existence right now, I want to quit it forever. It costs me $300 in gas and $30 in insurance every month, not including maintenance. I have really started wondering how it is making my life better. I can ride my bike to work no problem for an extra 10 minutes. I will get the benefits of not paying for a car and also getting in better shape. The only issue is that I haven't figured out how I am going to go out of town runs yet. I am pushing for a company car that stays at the office.

[MMA_scientist]

I could maybe save $1K, but not $5k. Realistically speaking, the most I could save would be about $200 a month, and that's if I make some serious sacrifices.

What is and is not a sacrifice is really in the interpretation. But I said you could save $5k if you got a regular job. Every able bodied man has the ability to earn $40k, no problem.

[MMA_scientist]

Sorry, edman. I have a lot of passion about this subject. It is my favorite thing probably.

[SPX]

See, to me, watching TV and eating out are not "living life" more than actually doing shit and cooking my own food.

Well I haven't eaten out in a few months actually, if you're talking about going to restaurants. And eating fast food is largely about convenience. I spend a lot of time away from the house during the day (I am not even at home right now) and it's not practical to go home for every meal.

As for watching TV, you have to remember that I'm a film major and it's a goal to make movies. It's an art form that I feel pretty passionate about, just like someone else might enjoy looking at paintings or listening to music. I don't see watching a well made movie as just idling my time away. So to me, that's a positive aspect of life.

So, I really think that most of the things we pay for are really just things that distract us from "making the most of it." Cable TV is a luxury that most of us have (including me, up until a fw months ago), that costs anywhere from $600 to $1500 per year. I don't think making the most of your youth MUST include HD TV programming. Especially when it is all free with a little effort anyway. I think more like, "I am young and able bodied... why am I sitting here doing nothing?" I actually like watching stuff, but I find it more enjoyable now that my TV is not on all the time.

I'm actually thinking of turning in my cable box. I mostly just have it for the UFC (and believe it or not have bought every PPV since I got it turned on). I agree it's a financial drain. It's days may be numbered. I was doing pretty good before with Netflix, torrents and other such Internet-based options.

My car is the bane of my existence right now, I want to quit it forever. It costs me $300 in gas and $30 in insurance every month, not including maintenance. I have really started wondering how it is making my life better. I can ride my bike to work no problem for an extra 10 minutes. I will get the benefits of not paying for a car and also getting in better shape. The only issue is that I haven't figured out how I am going to go out of town runs yet. I am pushing for a company car that stays at the office.

I haven't had a car in seven years. So that IS one of the major sacrifices I've made to stay in a more comfortable financial situation.

[SPX]

What is and is not a sacrifice is really in the interpretation. But I said you could save $5k if you got a regular job. Every able bodied man has the ability to earn $40k, no problem.

Doing what? Even working for computer companies, the most I've ever made is $15 an hour/about $30K a year. And that's the only thing I have paper qualifications to do.

Right now I can do just as well with JA and writing.

[Mr. IWS]

Doing what?

Multiple jobs.

4 years ago, I went from making around 100k to losing my job out of nowhere. Unemployment was taking way too long, and I was dumb with my money, and didnt have a lot saved. My mortgage alone was 2 grand, so whatever I had saved got swallowed up quick. I had a car payment, bills out the ass etc.

I went from an upper managment position at the company I was at, sitting in an office all day pushing paper to:

loading trucks for coca-cola, loading trucks for pitt-ohio trucking, working in a warehouse at an electrical distributor, until I landed the gig Im at now.

The point is, there was so much pressure to support my family, I would do anything, to make money, even if it meant working labor, and multiple jobs.

I hope you dont take anything we are saying the wrong way, but there is always a way to make money, and a lot of it.

I am just being complacent with the job I have now. I could keep searching, trading up for a new position, making more money. Go to school at night, get more experience and skills, which will get me more money. This is what is good about america, we can do whatever we want.

[SPX]

I don't deny that it would be POSSIBLE for me to make more money, but it's not really possible and still keep up with school and the other things I want to do.

So these things are basically not negotiable as far as whether I do them or not:

1. Going to school. 17 credits/5 classes this semester.
2. Going to the gym.
3. Getting back into an MA class.

School basically makes it to where I need a really flexible means of making money. JustAnswer and writing good for that. I can basically structure my work around these other things that are at fixed times and days.

What I really need to do is start writing more. I made $5000 writing last year. This year it will be less, but it could've been more. I've mostly just been writing for Ultimate MMA, with a little bit of random shit that they roped me into like writing for a paintball mag, writing a crossbow buyer's guide, and writing an article for a gun magazine about home defense.

I need to start generating more ideas and sending out more queries.

[SPX]

And thankfully I DON'T have a family so it's not the end of the world if I only make a thousand dollars a month every once in a while.

[MMA_scientist]

I really think that any non-felon can earn $40k with one job. Pretty much any factory pays that much. These may not be jobs that you want to do... and there is definitely a cutoff. Like Zak said, I have hit a point where my time is more valuable than more money. A lot of people in my position would push harder, but for me, I would rather just be content where I am at with work and try to drive down the cost of my life.

That said, my real goal is to be able to not need anything that more money can get me, and thus not be beholden to any schedule, man, or institution. That and build a legacy for my kids. So I have to do more than just work to keep even, I have to cut my expenses or raise my income. Since I don't want to work harder, cutting expenses is better.

I considered laying out my monthly budget, so you could see exactly what I am talking about, but I really don't want to open myself up to ridicule right now.