The only time your actual hourly value matches your potential hourly value is when 1) You have significant funding, 2) You have a time-to-market deadline, 3) Yo

The only time your actual hourly value matches your potential hourly value is when 1) You have significant funding, 2) You have a time-to-market deadline, 3) You have either an income model OR a continued funding potential based on point 2. If you have all of these things, then a day trip to save $600 bucks is a waste, otherwise saving $600 dollar today gives you $600 more for tomorrow. This blog entry is naive.