Usually I am the object of envy from others (family, friends, acquaintance, neighbors). As a freelancer whom can afford to spend a lot of time doing fun stuff a

Usually I am the object of envy from others (family, friends, acquaintance, neighbors). As a freelancer whom can afford to spend a lot of time doing fun stuff and travel with my family, they always ask me how much money I make. I just explain I am a freelancer and I do stuff on internet, but I never disclose my real income. One time I met an old friend whom I lost touch, we were in the beginning of 2000's simple programmers at a firm and after that each departed on our ways. So I met him in a plane, me with my family, him alone. Started talking and whatever each has done meanwhile. So he tells me he is the big boss of an international firm, has a very good salary and stuff, planes tickets are bought by the company, car with driver awaiting to drive where he wants, the whole package of a man who did it in life. So I ask him, how much you get paid USD/h? He tells me his monthly salary, which is quite big for our country and we start the math. On one side is the total annual salary + bonuses + covered expenses + medical insurance, etc etc. On the other side number of hours he works/wastes for the firm. We come to an agreement he is paid ~20 euros/hour. Then I drop the bomb "you know, I have plenty of clients who I simple refuse their projects because I don't have time for them, will you consider come working for me and help me with those projects? I will pay you double, 40 euros/hour for beginning and later we can raise to 50 after you get back in business with programming skills?"...his jaw dropped.