The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Single in the Suburbs on January 29, 2015, 05:48:53 PM
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What inspired everyone to the Mustachian way of living?
Mine: I'm a divorce lawyer with *significant* student loans and not yet earning to my full potential.
A huge aspect of my job consists of wading through people's finances and dealing with people fighting over finances. Basically that gave me a huge scare because most people's finances are in ruins (often the cause of the divorce). That served as a wake-up call to get my own finances in order and it didn't take a lot of Googling to stumble across MMM. I like that he offers practical solutions without candy-coating anything.
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For us it is the prospect of my DH not having to work so many long hours, the freedom of doing something he loves that wouldn't pay as much.
We have always had a bit of mustachianism, but this site kicked it up a lot. Meaning we have always been quite frugal, but some of this is a higher level, so it fits well with what we were already doing.
PS, our friend is going through a nasty divorce and it is eye opening and sad.
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My inspiration was learning about the idea of Early Retirement. 880 days to Free At Last!
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For that reason, I figured this mustachian thing is the quickest way to escape the work world. Incidentally, I do enjoy most forms of optimization, and I like spreadsheets, so it's a nice fit. I also love the delicious contrarianism of the whole thing - that there's this little island of weirdos flipping the bird to consumerism... and the rest of the world is too busy watching American Idol to even notice...
This. So much this.
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I was inspired by the realization that, in my 30s, I still haven't, and I probably won't ever find, work that I love.
This. And the horrible, horrible experience of paying off $77,000 in student loan debt.
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I was a graduate student living on 20-25k/year and I liked embracing the idea that this lifestyle is not only sufficient, but actually luxurious. Also some things resonated with my values and upbringing, such as the idea of using money where it matters, on travel, time with loved ones, and valued hobbies/self-improvement, instead of using it on stuff and laziness. The environmental message, of these costly habits also being environmentally wasteful, also resonated. Finally, I liked the idea of FI, as a matter of security, although I'm not currently sold on the "RE" part of the equation. At least not "RE in 10 years". Love the idea of FI in 10 years, though, and not being *dependent* on the job for basic living expenses. Oh, another idea that was novel and stuck with me: how having money in the bank allows you better financial choices, like dropping comprehensive car insurance or having a high-deductible health plan.
I guess basically it just made sense to me an a fundamental level. I feel like I tend toward being a natural saver psychologically, but reading MMM gave that more focus and justification and motivation. Not saying I'm perfect now, in fact I have a fair bit to work on, but it definitely feels like moving the right direction in terms of my values, and accomplishing frugality goals or taking time to enjoy frugal pleasures makes me genuinely happy. Whereas getting a new phone and computer last fall generated some guilt and doubt.
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For me, I have always been pretty frugal. But there was a point at which my income ramped up significantly, and for the first time in my life, I had the means to pretty much indulge in whatever I wanted (within what I would ever be comfortable with). So, for a little while, I lived it up! Bought myself some things I never would have guessed I could afford. Purchased beautiful clothes that were really expensive, because it wouldn't break me. But eventually, I started feeling a weird mixture of guilt mixed in with the pleasure of those purchases. I mean, I still paid off the credit card every month. But I had a few episodes where I walked into a clothing store on a whim and walked out with $500 of new stuff. Which I knew wouldn't break me. But still...
And then I found MMM. And it was almost a relief, to reset my inner barometer back to frugal. Look, I like nice things as much as the next person. But at heart, I have always been extremely skeptical of consumer sucka culture. So reading MMM was kind of like coming back to myself. It's been good to come home.
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I have always been naturally frugal but didn't know how to manage the insane income I was making. I thought it was natural to spend it when you had it but always felt sick about it. The blog gave me permission to be frugal again. I honestly had never heard of someone with a great income that didn't spend it all! That and the industry I'm in is tanking so I want to save as much of my income as possible while I still have it.
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.....this lifestyle is not only sufficient, but actually luxurious.
There is no bigger luxury than TIME and FREEDOM....
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.....this lifestyle is not only sufficient, but actually luxurious.
There is no bigger luxury than TIME and FREEDOM....
Hahaha as a graduate student, I have neither. But you know, while that may hold true for you, I don't find it to be true for me. There's a song I grew up with that has a line that goes "I would rather be needed than be free" in translation. And I personally find that to be true. I have yet to use my skills and contribute, so the idea of "not working and doing whatever I want" just doesn't sit well with me yet.
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A close family member died before traditional retirement age. Things that have made me want to stay with it are being in a dying industry and having a harder time finding a livable work environment due to my sexuality.