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Maybe it’s because I grew up in a frugal household, but I have basically never felt like I needed more money since properly starting my career. I mean it helps

by skohan 6y ago

Maybe it’s because I grew up in a frugal household, but I have basically never felt like I needed more money since properly starting my career. I mean it helps that I have tended to live in lower COL cities, but I have always saved a sufficient portion of my income, and I have never had the feeling that I want to buy something or travel somewhere and I can’t because I can’t afford it. I don’t fly first class, and I rarely stay in luxury accommodation, but those things just don’t matter to me, especially compared to the freedom of always having extra money. I feel like this is such a relaxing way to live, and I have never understood the lifestyle treadmill or conspicuous consumption.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
Yeah, I pretty much ignore my bank balance and autopay my bills and mortgage and never have to think much about money. By the apparent standards of SV techs I'm well below the poverty line. I find it difficult to empathize with them.
- Aeolun 6y ago
  Never having to think about money is an incredibly privileged position though. That’s true regardless of your standard of living.
  - Aeolun 6y ago
    This comment seems to fairly controversial for some reason. If someone reads this still and disagrees, can you let me know why?
    - AWS_IAM_AMA 6y ago
      Hi! I'll give it a try, though I didn't downvote you. My reading is that your comment is trying to argue with the one above it, even though you're both coming from the same direction. GP says that "SV techs" are unrelatable because they always want more $, and mentions that they're satisfied with what they make. They don't try to say that they're not in a privileged position, just that they don't see the need to always be wanting more. Your comment, then, is a bit of a non-sequitur - even though it's correct, you don't really have an argument to have with GP. Maybe it's just your phrasing that's throwing people off.
      - Aeolun 6y ago
        Thanks, I read it all a few times more and I think I can see what you mean, though it’s quite hard. No matter how, I keep coming away with GP sounding like they’re humblebragging :) I don’t have issues with the literal content, just with the meaning I read into it. Either way, thanks. This is the first time I’ve seen a comment on HN flip flop around so much on score.
      - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
        > They don't try to say that they're not in a privileged position, just that they don't see the need to always be wanting more. Indeed, I recognize my position is privileged, especially on a global scale.
debo_ 6y ago
I've observed that brushes with mortality or ill-health can also quickly alter one's perspective. Once one gets the perception that there's a threat of being physically unable to work for much longer, I think the drive to have an increasingly large "safety net" can become very strong.
- symlinkk 6y ago
  Or, you’ll realize that you could die at any moment, so you might as well enjoy your money while you have it.
  - debo_ 6y ago
    Death is one thing; a long life of fragility is another. The latter costs more, and I think can cause some people to suddenly look much differently at their wealth.
  - sethammons 6y ago
    Or you realize you may not die at any moment and find yourself too old or infirm to earn enough support yourself and you need to not enjoy the money now so you might be able to scrape by later.
leetcrew 6y ago
depends on your goals. I don't worry for myself. I save about half of my take-home (and I don't make an SV salary). unless the bottom falls out of the software market completely, I'll be fine. I do worry for my friends and my young cousins who haven't yet found their path in life. it's not my responsibility to do so, but I won't have "enough" until I can protect them too.
tqi 6y ago
For me the feeling of needing more money does not come from wanting to spend more now, but rather a foreboding feeling that any moment jobs could dry up and I'll need to support myself and others via savings in an extended recession.

by skohan 6y ago

AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago

Yeah, I pretty much ignore my bank balance and autopay my bills and mortgage and never have to think much about money. By the apparent standards of SV techs I'm well below the poverty line. I find it difficult to empathize with them.

Aeolun 6y ago
Never having to think about money is an incredibly privileged position though. That’s true regardless of your standard of living.
- Aeolun 6y ago
  This comment seems to fairly controversial for some reason. If someone reads this still and disagrees, can you let me know why?
  - AWS_IAM_AMA 6y ago
    Hi! I'll give it a try, though I didn't downvote you. My reading is that your comment is trying to argue with the one above it, even though you're both coming from the same direction. GP says that "SV techs" are unrelatable because they always want more $, and mentions that they're satisfied with what they make. They don't try to say that they're not in a privileged position, just that they don't see the need to always be wanting more. Your comment, then, is a bit of a non-sequitur - even though it's correct, you don't really have an argument to have with GP. Maybe it's just your phrasing that's throwing people off.
    - Aeolun 6y ago
      Thanks, I read it all a few times more and I think I can see what you mean, though it’s quite hard. No matter how, I keep coming away with GP sounding like they’re humblebragging :) I don’t have issues with the literal content, just with the meaning I read into it. Either way, thanks. This is the first time I’ve seen a comment on HN flip flop around so much on score.
    - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
      > They don't try to say that they're not in a privileged position, just that they don't see the need to always be wanting more. Indeed, I recognize my position is privileged, especially on a global scale.

debo_ 6y ago

I've observed that brushes with mortality or ill-health can also quickly alter one's perspective. Once one gets the perception that there's a threat of being physically unable to work for much longer, I think the drive to have an increasingly large "safety net" can become very strong.

symlinkk 6y ago
Or, you’ll realize that you could die at any moment, so you might as well enjoy your money while you have it.
- debo_ 6y ago
  Death is one thing; a long life of fragility is another. The latter costs more, and I think can cause some people to suddenly look much differently at their wealth.
- sethammons 6y ago
  Or you realize you may not die at any moment and find yourself too old or infirm to earn enough support yourself and you need to not enjoy the money now so you might be able to scrape by later.

leetcrew 6y ago

depends on your goals. I don't worry for myself. I save about half of my take-home (and I don't make an SV salary). unless the bottom falls out of the software market completely, I'll be fine. I do worry for my friends and my young cousins who haven't yet found their path in life. it's not my responsibility to do so, but I won't have "enough" until I can protect them too.

tqi 6y ago

For me the feeling of needing more money does not come from wanting to spend more now, but rather a foreboding feeling that any moment jobs could dry up and I'll need to support myself and others via savings in an extended recession.