Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

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Stahlmann
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Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Stahlmann »

Hello,
As in the topic.

Would low income folks share their "systems" which enabled them to stay mentally sane and stop worrying for every $5?
Daily routines?

My "inputs":
- my current "ERE success" is based rather on living with my parents (:-DDD)
- don't like people
- don't believe in "small business"
- joing some corporate is on my to do list for a long time

My goals:
- small shed outside big city in my country + access to internet + brokerage acc with "relatively" big numbers on it
- (dream level) small shed outside big city in country with more sun + brokerage acc with "relatively" big numbers on it

Thanks in advance.

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Mister Imperceptible
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Mister Imperceptible »

Look for an older Polish woman who has US citizenship and marry her.

Stahlmann
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Stahlmann »

@MI
:lol:
I thought about this idea in the past, but watched one episode from "90 days Fiance" and... it's prolly not worthy it.
See this for explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvuUe7rroL4
(yea, orginal series are "staged", but I don't think Mohammed would "troll" himself into "looser" after the contract. Interesting case to ponder.)

The same with gay for pay. Not neccessary in my taste.

However, I don't mind incorporating "lentil baby" approach in my future web-of-goals.


Stahlmann
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Stahlmann »

Ok, so let's connect and make something real. :geek: ;)

7Wannabe5
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Well, I don’t think marriage would be an option, but if you can get student visa, she lives close to two universities, and I think I could arrange for free room and board in exchange for light housework, helping her put her socks on, and watching old Polish war movies with her.

Stahlmann
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Stahlmann »

hmm. ok, let's work with it.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

Czterej Pancerni i Pies!

Dream of Freedom
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Dream of Freedom »

Well I might be low income in the context of this group but I don't think I really am and taking advice on staying sane from me is a little dubious.

I'd note that the goals that you have aren't the type that you can make rapid progress on. It's easy to feel like you aren't getting anywhere. Maybe you should have at least one goal that you can do in a few months rather than years so you can see the progress you are making.

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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by jacob »

Stahlmann wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:32 pm
Would low income folks share their "systems" which enabled them to stay mentally sane and stop worrying for every $5?
Daily routines?
http://earlyretirementextreme.com/how-i ... rt-ii.html ... particularly the part about not focusing on the dollars yet still saving them as a side-effect of focusing on other kinds of independence and treating these experiments as a learning experience or a challenge. E.g. if you think of a "buy nothing year" as a way or the only way to save money, it's gonna suck, but if you think of it as a challenge to see what else there is to life than shopping or how to solve problems without paying someone, it's more of an adventure.

Point being that sanity comes from basing the system on a different philosophy rather than trying to hack one's existing philosophy (a luxurious consumer lifestyle) to save money. Think of the matrix as something you visit (for work or tourism) rather than something you're stuck living in until you're FIRE. You can't unplug from the matrix with money. Many discover this after accumulating their FI number only to find that they don't know how to live outside the matrix. I sometimes see semi-FI as deliberately not getting to FI because they're afraid of declaring the world outside the matrix as their home base instead of living in the matrix and only occasionally unplugging.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Sometimes semi-ERE is just the natural financial consequence of being unwilling to plug back into the matrix full-time/5 years (ish.) :lol: Kind of like how a farmer might have to go get a job on the railroad after flood year follows locust year.

2Birds1Stone
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by 2Birds1Stone »

"I sometimes see semi-FI as deliberately not getting to FI because they're afraid of declaring the world outside the matrix as their home base instead of living in the matrix and only occasionally unplugging."

Shots fired!

Just kidding, but I agree. In many cases it's just a quicker path out of the rat race, but I can tell that some use it as a deliberate way of avoiding taking the leap.

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Jean
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Jean »

My homebase is now Lagrange Gateway, in the Lodhary system. It's a bit on the outskirt of civilised space, but everything I always need is on site, and my vehicle is fast enough to reach anything I want in a matter of minutes.

ertyu
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by ertyu »

About exiting the matrix, I find it hard to let go of the matrix mindset until I know I will no longer need to make money. which i realize seems like limited thinking to many, but there you have it. somehow, i can't allow myself to think of what else i can be or become because if i still need to be an employee, my life still needs to be subsumed to making me fit that role as best as i can.

daylen
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by daylen »

@ertyu Attempting to veer too far outside "the matrix mindset" would likely induce a great deal of cognitive dissonance. This can be resolved when the matrix mindset become a stable point within the new mindset. Yet, this reintegration may be slow, causing instability in the meantime.

classical_Liberal
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by classical_Liberal »

2Birds1Stone wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:38 am
Shots fired!
hahahaha

I think it's more like a being able to use a dimmer switch. I can live very comfortably outside the matrix, but can also choose to spend some time in it. When inside, I can fully immerse without suffering from all the existential angst that seems to be so prevalent for everyone once they've been unplugged. Or I can choose to turn up the dimmer switch while inside to feel some of that angst and try to make some changes.

The Idea that everyone lives in the matrix and "we" are outside of it, and only "we" know the truth is a bit of a sad life. Because even if the matrix isn't real, it's the world 90% of your peers live in. Being able to go inside and play around without getting angry, angsty, or depressed is pretty important to my sanity. I don't want to be that crabby old man who tells everyone how blind they are.

daylen
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by daylen »

classical_Liberal wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:42 pm
Because even if the matrix isn't real, it's the world 90% of your peers live in.
It is just as real as the outside; else there is no outside.

classical_Liberal
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by classical_Liberal »

Stahlmann wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:32 pm
stop worrying for every $5?
Dude, many people here are FI and still worry. Many others have tons of FU $ and worry about each $5 more than their own happiness. Once you realize $5 is easy to get, it don't matter as much anymore. This is a mindset, not an asset level. It's psychological, not physical. It's much better to focus on a good, happy, sustainable lifestyle than money.

If you really think a shack with internet access will make you happen, go build one.


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Jean
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Re: Balancing (rather) extreme frugality and putting effort into "career development"/"staying in the matrix"

Post by Jean »

I haven't left the matrix, my body kicked it out. And then I found a way.

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