> You actually can pay for rent or food with stock at a public tech company; just sell it immediately upon vesting. You’d be stupid not to. You’ve already been

> You actually can pay for rent or food with stock at a public tech company; just sell it immediately upon vesting. You’d be stupid not to. You’ve already been taxed on it. The smaller gain in tax savings that you’d get from the delta against your new basis, over LTG holding period, is small and not worth the risk. Lastly, once you own the stock you don’t hold it just because it was given to you. Cash out and diversify.