4 ms·

I come from a working class family. We use to think that people who were Fortune 100 programmers didn't need supplementary income, just more time to spend "all

by da02 7y ago

I come from a working class family. We use to think that people who were Fortune 100 programmers didn't need supplementary income, just more time to spend "all that money they get paid." I do not have the intelligence or social skills to be a programmer or any Fortune 100 position. Why do you need supplemental income? (I ask because I am curious about a world I will never enter.)

vonseel 7y ago
Why are you selling yourself short like that (last sentence)? He may have debts, or live in an expensive area, or maybe he just loves money and will do anything to put some extra dollars into investments on top of his primary income.
strken 7y ago
This is my take on it. The world is a really interesting place with lots of things to do, but many of the most interesting things have a high risk of not paying out, or are just inherently unprofitable, and everyone needs something to eat and a place to sleep. The more money you have, the longer your runway, and the more risks you can take on. Want to leave your job and go overseas for three months to a bootcamp? Start a company? Start a charity? Get a PhD.? Organise a music festival? Catalog the butterflies in your area? These things are all pretty risky compared to staying at your job - if you were going to do them, you'd want to have a savings account to dip into.
- specialist 7y ago
  The need for health insurance absolutely deterred me from taking more risks, leading me to take the safer job with benefits.
- leonroy 7y ago
  > The more money you have, the longer your runway, and the more risks you can take on This resonates for me. It wasn’t until I significantly curbed my spending habits on frivolous luxuries and learned how to save that I was able to do the things I wanted to really do. I wish they taught basic book keeping and financial common sense stuff in school. I mean they taught us week after week in home economics how to bake and cook, surely some financial lessons there would’ve been a good idea.
dfilppi 7y ago
The big money is made by top tier FANG ( and really just FA) programmers. Not generic fortune X companies.
- rmdashrfstar 7y ago
  Debatable, there's certainly lots of money to be made in finance software positions that are both incredibly lucrative and demanding.

by da02 7y ago

vonseel 7y ago

Why are you selling yourself short like that (last sentence)? He may have debts, or live in an expensive area, or maybe he just loves money and will do anything to put some extra dollars into investments on top of his primary income.

strken 7y ago

This is my take on it. The world is a really interesting place with lots of things to do, but many of the most interesting things have a high risk of not paying out, or are just inherently unprofitable, and everyone needs something to eat and a place to sleep. The more money you have, the longer your runway, and the more risks you can take on. Want to leave your job and go overseas for three months to a bootcamp? Start a company? Start a charity? Get a PhD.? Organise a music festival? Catalog the butterflies in your area? These things are all pretty risky compared to staying at your job - if you were going to do them, you'd want to have a savings account to dip into.

specialist 7y ago
The need for health insurance absolutely deterred me from taking more risks, leading me to take the safer job with benefits.
leonroy 7y ago
> The more money you have, the longer your runway, and the more risks you can take on This resonates for me. It wasn’t until I significantly curbed my spending habits on frivolous luxuries and learned how to save that I was able to do the things I wanted to really do. I wish they taught basic book keeping and financial common sense stuff in school. I mean they taught us week after week in home economics how to bake and cook, surely some financial lessons there would’ve been a good idea.

dfilppi 7y ago

The big money is made by top tier FANG ( and really just FA) programmers. Not generic fortune X companies.

rmdashrfstar 7y ago
Debatable, there's certainly lots of money to be made in finance software positions that are both incredibly lucrative and demanding.