$5.2 million salary with a $2.25 million signing bonus borrows van!

[tomsang]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/giovani-bernard-lives-simple-rookie-life-including-driving-223332867.html

With so many NFL train wrecks it was refreshing to see that this guy gets it.

Let's see how mustachian he is:

1) lives in an apartment
2) lives close to work
3) does not own a car
4) watching the gas mileage on borrowed van
5) focuses on being smart with what you get

Somebody should tweet him and tell him the word he is looking for is Mustachian!!

[Adventine]

I really, really like these kinds of stories.

[kkbmustang]

I really, really like these kinds of stories.

+1

[infogoon]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/giovani-bernard-lives-simple-rookie-life-including-driving-223332867.html

With so many NFL train wrecks it was refreshing to see that this guy gets it.

Alfred Morris, the running back for the Washington Redskins, drives a 1991 Mazda. He parks it in the player's lot with all of the Bentleys and Hummers.

[Mr.Macinstache]

I like these stories too, but living like that is a little extreme. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

[clarkm04]

Pat Tillman (RIP) was like this too.  He had an old Jeep or would bike to training camp (Google has a few images of it) while he was part of the Cardinal organization.

[MrsPete]

Smart guy.  He's in a job that's only open to young, healthy men.  And it only takes one injury to end that career.  He's very smart to hold onto what he's earning. 

[RootofGood]

He probably heard of the 4% rule here.  Then figured out he could bank a couple years of his salary and his signing bonus, and live like a modest rock star (or NFL player) the rest of his life off the 4%. 

[mpbaker22]

He probably heard of the 4% rule here.  Then figured out he could bank a couple years of his salary and his signing bonus, and live like a modest rock star (or NFL player) the rest of his life off the 4%.

One year makes him probably close to 4 million after taxes.  that's $160,000 for the rest of his life.  So, to be honest, he could actually live on quite a bit more, but maybe he realizes he can have 20 million within 4 years and then withdraw $800,000/year?

[ender]

Call me old fashioned but I would have a hard time asking someone else for a ride to practice if I could spend $5k or less and get myself a vehicle which allows me to do so, when $5k represents a small fraction of my income.

I wish more people in the NFL (or lottery winners) realized this. Too many sad stories :(

[Zamboni]

I would have a hard time asking someone else

Kudos to the player.

I do not have a hard time asking someone else to help me out because I'm happy to return the favor.  There is a fine line between "doing what friends do" and just plain old mooching, so good sense is needed with this system.