4 ms·

Sure, FU money is great, but almost no one ever has FU money, even when they have a shit tonne of money, because the hedonic treadmill is real, and at some poin

Sure, FU money is great, but almost no one ever has FU money, even when they have a shit tonne of money, because the hedonic treadmill is real, and at some point you end up with people depending on your financial support. Also, this is not necessarily advocating for staying in a shitty situation, but rather if the situation is fine not quitting before starting a job search.

cimmanom 9y ago
Depends on your definition of "FU money". The common one is pretty close to "never have to work again", which very few people have. On the other hand, I suspect the GP was referring to something more like a double-size rainy-day fund (enough to live on for a few months while job hunting, without worrying about depleting your emergency fund). That isn't all that difficult to accumulate on a software developer's salary and is probably a good thing to do before taking on additional obligations like a kid or a mortgage. (I agree that it would be nearly impossible for most people to do working fast food.)
- Eridrus 9y ago
  Accumulating savings for a few months of expenses is easy enough, and is definitely a good move, but it's still super stressful to watch that amount get smaller every month, and it gets smaller much quicker than it gets bigger. It's a buffer between you and moving back in with your parents, but it's not FU money in any meaningful way.
  - cimmanom 9y ago
    Yes, I agree it doesn't fit into the standard definition of "FU money". And how much you'd need certainly depends on the job market for your specialty and location. But what I'm describing shouldn't be the "Lose your home" buffer. This is on top of that rainy-day fund, and saved up specifically so that you have that flexibility to be between jobs for a bit without having to snap up the first mediocre opportunity that comes your way - whether it's because you left voluntarily, you got fired/downsized, or the company you worked for just plain went under.

cimmanom 9y ago

Depends on your definition of "FU money". The common one is pretty close to "never have to work again", which very few people have. On the other hand, I suspect the GP was referring to something more like a double-size rainy-day fund (enough to live on for a few months while job hunting, without worrying about depleting your emergency fund). That isn't all that difficult to accumulate on a software developer's salary and is probably a good thing to do before taking on additional obligations like a kid or a mortgage. (I agree that it would be nearly impossible for most people to do working fast food.)

Eridrus 9y ago
Accumulating savings for a few months of expenses is easy enough, and is definitely a good move, but it's still super stressful to watch that amount get smaller every month, and it gets smaller much quicker than it gets bigger. It's a buffer between you and moving back in with your parents, but it's not FU money in any meaningful way.
- cimmanom 9y ago
  Yes, I agree it doesn't fit into the standard definition of "FU money". And how much you'd need certainly depends on the job market for your specialty and location. But what I'm describing shouldn't be the "Lose your home" buffer. This is on top of that rainy-day fund, and saved up specifically so that you have that flexibility to be between jobs for a bit without having to snap up the first mediocre opportunity that comes your way - whether it's because you left voluntarily, you got fired/downsized, or the company you worked for just plain went under.