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>It's far too easy to work 6 months, save 10k and then live the next 6 months in another country for cheap. No one is realizing that. Saving 10k is unbelievabl

>It's far too easy to work 6 months, save 10k and then live the next 6 months in another country for cheap. No one is realizing that. Saving 10k is unbelievably difficult unless you're making extremely good money to the point where it's out of reach for the majority of Americans. Most Americans can't even stomach a $500 emergency [0] so I don't know where you think these people can work such that they can have 10k set aside after six months. Furthermore, the actual financial hit of living in another country for six months is incredibly difficult. Plane tickets, papers, storage (unless you don't want stuff when you come back), and taxes aren't just going to pay for themselves. Sure, if you make $200k, that's nothing, but the median household income in 2020 was ~$60k [1]. It often feels on HN that everyone has a $500k job except for me and on Reddit, it feels like everyone has a 15-inch dick except for me. The parent post makes me feel that same way. "If you are sick of your job, quit" is terrible advice. You should quit your job if you are in a steady-enough financial situation to weather being unemployed for an extended period of time or if you have alternative employment lined up. Any other piece of advice is irresponsible to give to someone else. [0]https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-cant-afford-a-500-emergency-expense/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-cant-afford-a-50... [1]https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-273.html https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-27...

rufus_foreman 5y ago
>> Most Americans can't even stomach a $500 emergency Your link doesn't say that. It says that for many Americans, if they ran in to a $500 emergency they would put it on a credit card, cut back on other expenses, or ask family or friends to help them out, rather than paying cash from savings. >> You should quit your job if you are in a steady-enough financial situation to weather being unemployed for an extended period of time or if you have alternative employment lined up. Any other piece of advice is irresponsible to give to someone else I don't agree with that at all. It depends on where you are at in life. If you have mouths to feed, or other similar obligations, then sure, you need to be careful. If you are 21 years old without a care in the world and the boss asks you to do something that you slightly disagree with, give the boss both middle fingers and walk out.
pwdisswordfish8 5y ago
> Saving 10k is unbelievably difficult unless you're making extremely good money to the point where it's out of reach for the majority of Americans. Most Americans can't even stomach a $500 emergency [0] so I don't know where you think these people can work such that they can have 10k set aside after six months. I have contradictory anecdata on this. Two modifications to your premises, though: - I did it all in the US, in an "expensive" area (Austin) - For me, it was closer to 7 months of saving, but it was also closer to a year off than half a year (between 10 and 11 months, rather than 6) Some more facts behind these numbers: - I went out to eat during this 10.5 + 7 month period about as frequently as (probably more than) a normal household in 1970 would have, which is to say not often but also a not number that is zero, and I also splurged on craft beer and (cheap) wine and convenient/tasty food and unhealthy snacks from the store often enough - There was no inherited property or parents' money or someone else otherwise taking care of me or any other tricks up my sleeve involved here (all different types of safety nets that I just didn't not use but that don't exist, so I wouldn't have been able to use it even if I wanted to) - I was single during this time (so no "other half" to subsidize expenses) - I cancelled my car insurance a few months into lockdown and was at the disadvantage of doing all this with no car - I rent, and I have roommates, but I cover my share (I'm usually subsidizing e.g. their utility usage) Saving 10k was difficult, but I was also bleeding money for other reasons during this time of savings, so anyone not subject to the circumstances I was in should actually be able to fare better. I also wasn't making "extremely good money". The I-hate-my-job company I was at hires for some-college experience to do monotonous, stressful work at <$20/hr. That's less than $45k per year, which is greater than your individual contribution to your half of the gross national average, assuming a two-person household, but it's nowhere close to even being a six figure job, let alone $200k or $500k. I agree with everything in your final paragraph.

rufus_foreman 5y ago

>> Most Americans can't even stomach a $500 emergency Your link doesn't say that. It says that for many Americans, if they ran in to a $500 emergency they would put it on a credit card, cut back on other expenses, or ask family or friends to help them out, rather than paying cash from savings. >> You should quit your job if you are in a steady-enough financial situation to weather being unemployed for an extended period of time or if you have alternative employment lined up. Any other piece of advice is irresponsible to give to someone else I don't agree with that at all. It depends on where you are at in life. If you have mouths to feed, or other similar obligations, then sure, you need to be careful. If you are 21 years old without a care in the world and the boss asks you to do something that you slightly disagree with, give the boss both middle fingers and walk out.

pwdisswordfish8 5y ago

> Saving 10k is unbelievably difficult unless you're making extremely good money to the point where it's out of reach for the majority of Americans. Most Americans can't even stomach a $500 emergency [0] so I don't know where you think these people can work such that they can have 10k set aside after six months. I have contradictory anecdata on this. Two modifications to your premises, though: - I did it all in the US, in an "expensive" area (Austin) - For me, it was closer to 7 months of saving, but it was also closer to a year off than half a year (between 10 and 11 months, rather than 6) Some more facts behind these numbers: - I went out to eat during this 10.5 + 7 month period about as frequently as (probably more than) a normal household in 1970 would have, which is to say not often but also a not number that is zero, and I also splurged on craft beer and (cheap) wine and convenient/tasty food and unhealthy snacks from the store often enough - There was no inherited property or parents' money or someone else otherwise taking care of me or any other tricks up my sleeve involved here (all different types of safety nets that I just didn't not use but that don't exist, so I wouldn't have been able to use it even if I wanted to) - I was single during this time (so no "other half" to subsidize expenses) - I cancelled my car insurance a few months into lockdown and was at the disadvantage of doing all this with no car - I rent, and I have roommates, but I cover my share (I'm usually subsidizing e.g. their utility usage) Saving 10k was difficult, but I was also bleeding money for other reasons during this time of savings, so anyone not subject to the circumstances I was in should actually be able to fare better. I also wasn't making "extremely good money". The I-hate-my-job company I was at hires for some-college experience to do monotonous, stressful work at <$20/hr. That's less than $45k per year, which is greater than your individual contribution to your half of the gross national average, assuming a two-person household, but it's nowhere close to even being a six figure job, let alone $200k or $500k. I agree with everything in your final paragraph.