Author Topic: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?  (Read 16583 times)

freeazabird

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 209
    • Bmore Bungalow
Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« on: April 30, 2014, 02:52:19 PM »
Has anyone successfully converted a friend or family member to mustachianism? If so, how'd you do it? Is it a hopeless cause?
« Last Edit: April 30, 2014, 02:56:44 PM by freeazabird »

deborah

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 15967
  • Age: 14
  • Location: Australia or another awesome area
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2014, 03:29:18 PM »
My partner and my financial advisor - showed each a post which was particularly interesting to them.

mcneally

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 263
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2014, 03:29:56 PM »
Kind of, but he was already frugal (age 25 I think) and he just changed the long term plan from significantly increased spending once savings became "enough" to possible RE or at least part time work (part time is my plan).

sunnyca

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 411
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2014, 03:54:30 PM »
I haven't, although I've tried several times (I'm sure my friends are annoyed by now).

It's like other habits I suppose- hard to change unless the person in question is willing to change.

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2014, 03:56:18 PM »
My girlfriend, mostly.  Beyond that, I have a coworker I'm going to try to slip some mustache, someone that seems open to it.  Unfortunately, the ones that need it the most would dismiss it immediately.

mattchuck2

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 21
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2014, 04:20:47 PM »
I'm having a hard enough time converting myself.

MrFancypants

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 605
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2014, 04:29:11 PM »
I don't see why anybody has to convert to anything to learn how to be more financially responsible.

Elaine

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 465
  • Age: 36
  • Location: NYC
    • Small Things Good
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2014, 04:30:32 PM »
My parents! They ditched cable, ditched land line phones, and are thinking of moving to a smaller house.

Eric

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4057
  • Location: On my bike

Mr. Frugalwoods

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 296
  • Location: Greater Boston Area
    • Frugalwoods
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2014, 05:10:32 PM »
Financial Independence is a combination of socially unacceptable topics: Money and Math

I've found it most helpful to live a life that doesn't hide my frugality but also doesn't rub it in other people's faces.  One type of interaction at work is particularly good at this: Bringing my lunch.

I always bring my lunch to work.  Every single day.  Much of my office goes out to lunch or picks up lunch from one of the nearby restaurants.  When we're sitting around the lunchroom table, them eating burritos or gyros or thai and me eating my cottage cheese (cheap! high protein! 15 seconds to prepare!) occasionally someone will ask why I never bring lunch.

"Because I think cottage cheese is just the best damn thing ever!" I'll exclaim, with a grin and an eyebrow raise.  "No, really, it's not that bad.  And it's $0.22 a serving and doesn't take me more than a minute in the morning to prep."

Some people clearly think it's weird, but I now have other converts to the brown bag lunch club.  :-)

mikefixac

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 313
  • Location: Brea
    • Uncommonly Brilliant
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2014, 05:59:32 PM »
I've not "converted" anyone to MMM. Been vegan for years and years, same thing.

I did convert a lot of people when I was a Christian. Now I'm an atheist.

HappierAtHome

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8015
  • Location: Australia
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2014, 06:22:59 PM »
Only my partner.

Dr. Doom

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 466
  • Age: 46
  • Location: East Coaster
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2014, 07:40:08 PM »
No.  I consider it a personal failing -- the fact that I've been unable to inspire them to make changes.
My closest friends know what I'm up to and think it's incredibly cool but aren't willing to alter their own behavior.   They still feel like it's not possible to retire early, even though there are many, many examples to prove that it's very achievable.

Squirrel away

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1041
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2014, 01:34:56 AM »
Only my husband as I was the one who first read about MMM. I have mentioned and put a link to the MMM site on forums but people don't seem to be very responsive. Maybe it made someone stop and think. I know my husband has told his family and work colleagues but I don't know if they have made any changes.

dude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2369
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #14 on: May 01, 2014, 07:16:04 AM »
Miraculously enough, my wife is coming along.  Now, to be sure "Mustachian" is a relative term, IMHO.  I mean, there's no way in hell I want to or ever will live on a $25K annual household budget.  But, as far as cutting out unnecessary costs, maximizing pleasure by purchasing those things that bring lasting happiness, avoiding debt, using credit cards properly to reap rewards, and saving aggressively for tomorrow -- those things we can all get down with, regardless of income level.  My wife, a former serial shopper and credit card addict, has pretty much done a 180.  She still buys really stupid shit from time to time, but she's really begun to see that you can't live just for today.  Oddly enough though, it wasn't solely my doing -- rather, recently, she's begun to clue in to the financial woes of her friends, and she's been pretty astounded to learn how stretched many of them are despite appearances.  Example: I direct deposit money each payday from my check to a joint account we use for paying the mortgage and saving.  I had no idea really how much was going to what, and so she fairly astounded me just yesterday when I asked her and she told me how much was going to savings each month.  Suffice it to say, it was more than double what I thought was going in!  That's my girl!

soccerluvof4

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7161
  • Location: Artic Midwest
  • Retired at 50
    • My Journal
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #15 on: May 01, 2014, 07:47:20 AM »
No outsiders but my wife is really catching on. I have given tidbits people use but thats about it.

rubybeth

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1390
  • Location: Midwest
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2014, 07:56:10 AM »
Well, I wouldn't say they are exactly 'mustachian' but my DH is totally on-board with retiring early, and is relatively good at not spending money. My sister asked for help with her budget years ago and, when I started talking about MMM, she asked me when she could retire, so when I helped her figure out she could probably do it before age 50, she was pretty pleased. She reports to me when she spends less than planned each month. :)

Cpa Cat

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1692
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2014, 12:16:30 PM »
My husband was trying to convert his friend becuase he thought it might be up the guy's alley and it was revealed that his friend was already a secret Mustachian who follows this blog!

aj_yooper

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1090
  • Age: 12
  • Location: Chicagoland
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2014, 12:28:21 PM »
My wife is pretty much onboard.  I am hoping our son will also get interested.  I am encouraging the use of YNAB to help him focus more; he is already a value shopper and a saver and his fiancé has an uncle who is going to retire early.  I think the best way to get people interested is to have a glow about how things are progressing for your self or family.  They can follow the behavior, if they like.  Many people in our area love their stuff, lotsa stuff!

Zikoris

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4536
  • Age: 37
  • Location: Vancouver, BC
  • Vancouverstachian
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2014, 12:56:04 PM »
A few people have made lifestyle changes here and there, like bringing lunches to work, doing their own taxes, and paying more attention to where their money goes. But in general, the stuff I do that really packs a punch seems to be considered borderline insanity, enough that people can't even relate and see it as a possibility (going to twelve grocery stores, sewing clothes, cooking everything from scratch, no restaurants, no alcohol or coffee, renting apartments at half the going rate or less, and no television are the big ones).

homeymomma

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 333
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2014, 03:04:57 PM »
I converted my best friend's husband in an effort to curb some of his insane spending that was driving my best friend crazy. Now they're both kind of into it. Actually I'm a little annoyed because they're childless with two incomes, whereas we're the opposite (one income, two kids, lol). So they're suddenly doing way better than us. Hrmph. Lol

Jon_Snow

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4458
  • Location: An Island in the Salish Sea (or Baja)
  • I am no man’s chair.
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2014, 03:27:35 PM »
Trying to steer my wife oh so slowly and gently in that direction... 

Cheddar Stacker

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3700
  • Age: 45
  • Location: USA
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2014, 02:41:37 PM »
Trying to steer my wife oh so slowly and gently in that direction...

+1. Making some headway, but there is resistance.

On a more positive note - Yesterday was mothers' day, so I saw my parents, then I saw my parents-in-law. Both sets of parents, with absolutely no prompting from me, asked me to help them analyze their 401K/IRA investments and I ended up spending 1 hour + with each of them, explaining ROR's, expense ratios, index funds, etc.

I even encouraged my dad to read the stock series. Not full mustachianism, but progress.

I guess they've been seeing little changes in me, or I've dropped enough hints recently about finances that it's starting to sink in a little bit. Either that or they're just worried about retirement and want to optimize. Either way I was glad to help share some of the knowledge I've learned here.

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5962
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #23 on: May 13, 2014, 12:54:46 PM »
I've got like five converts. I found MMM at the right time of life, college kids are accepting of change, and I have great friends that were fertile ground in that they share many of my values. I'm pretty happy about that (because it means they're living more satisfying lives now, not just because I like collecting laurels). Plus I have a whole community of people I respect to keep me frugal.

hybrid

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1688
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Richmond, Virginia
  • A hybrid of MMM and thoughtful consumer.
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2014, 01:03:45 PM »
I've got like five converts. I found MMM at the right time of life, college kids are accepting of change, and I have great friends that were fertile ground in that they share many of my values. I'm pretty happy about that (because it means they're living more satisfying lives now, not just because I like collecting laurels). Plus I have a whole community of people I respect to keep me frugal.

Grant has bristled from time to time when youth has been brought up in other discussions, ironically in this case I agree with him in that willingness to change is a perfect example of someone's age making a great deal of difference. My peers are all in the 50ish range, and getting folks to change three long decades of consuming habits is pretty damned hard. Kudos to Grant for steering his more malleable peers in a better direction. I think most (not all) people are like wet cement, the older they get, the more that cement sets up, and the more rigid and unmoving it becomes. A younger person is much more open to radical shifts in direction. I've had limited success getting people to see the saving light, and that has mostly been with people who had that tendency in the first place and just needed a nudge. My 26 year old daughter has been a big exception though, she made lots of changes and is much happier for it. The consumers in my age group still consume as always. It's what they know and are comfortable with.   

Cheddar Stacker

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3700
  • Age: 45
  • Location: USA
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #25 on: May 14, 2014, 01:20:48 PM »
I'm halfway between grant and hybrid (35). My peers are all staring down another 30 years of career, kids starting elementary school, big house, 2 cars, student loans, car loans, mortgage, etc.

They are all developing hobbies, and many of them are very costly which is only digging them deeper. I've made it very clear my "hobby" is saving and investing. I'm very slowly trying to convert a few in the hopes of giving them a way out of the consumer cycle. It would be nice to have a few very close friends be a real life support group like this forum provides. 

I think at this stage in life there is still a fighting chance to get off the career train by 45, but you have to make some drastic changes. Hopefully I will find success personally, and hopefully I'll be able to bring a few along for the ride.

Nice work grant.

Fishingmn

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 337
  • Location: Twin Cities
  • You never have to recover from a good start
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #26 on: May 14, 2014, 01:23:31 PM »
I wouldn't say I "converted" my daughter other than to think that she got some life lessons from us by being our child in regards to how we spend & save.

Now I certainly have converted her to being a MMM'ian - she posts on here way more than I do and she came to find this place via my suggestion.

quilter

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #27 on: May 14, 2014, 01:37:56 PM »
My DIL wanted to know how we retired so young. I got her some of the basic books to give her ideas, like your money or your life, millionaire next door, etc. at the last library used book sale. Once she started reading it was like a lightbulb went off.

We also had friends who visited who were doing things like Chinese takeout, pizza delivery and going tO restaurants frequently. They visited us and saw how we cooked cheap healthy meals, managed with one car, hanging laundry etc. and left feeling they could really do it.  They last reported they cut their grocery bill by 2/3, did not buy a brand new car they had been eyeing, cut their utility bill way down, and now pay off their credit card each month.  They are using the extra money to pay off their house.

S0VERE1GN

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 202
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #28 on: May 14, 2014, 01:58:37 PM »
My wife ^_^

she was already close, but now she devours the website like crazy and is more into it than I am.

Erica/NWEdible

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 881
    • Northwest Edible Life - life on garden time
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #29 on: May 14, 2014, 02:14:17 PM »
I don't know if I've converted any flesh and blood friends, but I've talked about the MMM site a lot on my own blog, and I know I've introduced many folks through that avenue. I had one lady email me thanking me for introducing her to the MMM site. It was something like, "I have hope for my life for the first time in years and years."  Like...damn. Woh, that's huge. Sometimes what is a small comment for one person grows into something profound for other people. You just never know.

Other proud MMM moments I can claim a very small hand in: one of the gals and one of the guys at last years Seattle MMM meet-up I helped organize started dating after hitting it off at the meet-up. She emailed me a few months later to let me know they were together and doing well. No idea if the relationship lasted but it certainly got off on a financially sound foot and I've always sort of hoped they made it.

Geeks helping geeks. :D

Edit: spelling, gah!
« Last Edit: May 14, 2014, 03:16:34 PM by Erica/NWEdible »

nawhite

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1081
  • Location: Golden, CO
    • The Reckless Choice
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #30 on: May 14, 2014, 02:23:49 PM »
My wife ^_^

she was already close, but now she devours the website like crazy and is more into it than I am.

My wife is totally on board with us making really difficult financial decisions and cutting expenses drastically in an effort to retire way earlier than our peers. It's everything I could ask for. At the same time, she hates the word "Mustacianism" and wouldn't be caught dead reading "that stupid mustache blog." So I did the important things right at least.

Paul der Krake

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5854
  • Age: 16
  • Location: UTC-10:00
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #31 on: May 14, 2014, 02:47:33 PM »
I have never explicitely directed anyone to the main blog itself. However, my actions and comments have definitely rubbed off on a coworker whom I consider a friend. It took almost two years and he might never take it to the level that would allow him to retire at 40 even though his household income borders the 200k/annum, but that's okay.

The "conversation" with my SO took probably less than a minute. It went something like:

"working all the time sure sucks, uh?"
"oh yeah i hate it"
"let's save a boatload of monies so we don't have to, cool?"
"cool"

I do occasionally refer to this place as "my cheapskate internet buddies".

payitoff

  • Guest
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #32 on: May 14, 2014, 02:55:54 PM »
I have never explicitely directed anyone to the main blog itself. However, my actions and comments have definitely rubbed off on a coworker whom I consider a friend. It took almost two years and he might never take it to the level that would allow him to retire at 40 even though his household income borders the 200k/annum, but that's okay.

The "conversation" with my SO took probably less than a minute. It went something like:

"working all the time sure sucks, uh?"
"oh yeah i hate it"
"let's save a boatload of monies so we don't have to, cool?"
"cool"

I do occasionally refer to this place as "my cheapskate internet buddies".

haha 'internet buddies' i like that.

i kinda miss and get sidetracked if i dont check in to the forum once a day, its weird. 
so far husband its becoming one too,
but for the rest, i just learned to keep my mouth shut coz before when i was too excited i tend to talk about it and i get blank stares


pachnik

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1894
  • Age: 59
  • Location: Vancouver, BC
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #33 on: May 14, 2014, 06:57:18 PM »
I don't know if I've converted any flesh and blood friends, but I've talked about the MMM site a lot on my own blog, and I know I've introduced many folks through that avenue. I had one lady email me thanking me for introducing her to the MMM site. It was something like, "I have hope for my life for the first time in years and years."  Like...damn. Woh, that's huge. Sometimes what is a small comment for one person grows into something profound for other people. You just never know.

Other proud MMM moments I can claim a very small hand in: one of the gals and one of the guys at last years Seattle MMM meet-up I helped organize started dating after hitting it off at the meet-up. She emailed me a few months later to let me know they were together and doing well. No idea if the relationship lasted but it certainly got off on a financially sound foot and I've always sort of hoped they made it.

Geeks helping geeks. :D

Edit: spelling, gah!

Wow is all i can say about the 2 situations you are describing.  Keep mentioning MMM on your blog!  You don't know whose lives you can save.

CarDude

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 609
  • Location: Chicago, IL
  • Beep Beep!
    • The CCD
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #34 on: May 14, 2014, 07:06:22 PM »
Definitely. Beyond my wife and some extended family, I've spread some gospel around the Internet and in real life over the years. I'm from the YMOYL / ERE era, so by the time I found MMM, I'd already been living it for some years.

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5962
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #35 on: May 15, 2014, 06:44:30 AM »
I do occasionally refer to this place as "my cheapskate internet buddies".
I LOVE this.

NewMustachian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 36
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #36 on: May 16, 2014, 04:31:22 PM »
Yes - my partner (not a difficult sell with most Mustachian principles as he is naturally frugal).  I found that reinforcing Mustachian behaviors was really effective ("I love how you repaired that _____.  Now we don't have to buy a new one!") and also starting with small incremental changes (suggesting a bike ride to run errands on a nice Saturday on quiet streets). 

This is my first post BTW! Loving the forums.  :)

Jon_Snow

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4458
  • Location: An Island in the Salish Sea (or Baja)
  • I am no man’s chair.
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #37 on: May 16, 2014, 06:05:01 PM »
The tricky thing for me is that I'm "retiring" quite a bit sooner than my wife. "Technically", we can both retire right now in our early 40's - our investment income is comfortably above our expenses on a month to month basis. She has made it very clear she wants to keep working, not only because she truly enjoys it, but she is worried that if we were both to ER, we would have to too frugally for her liking. That got my attention.

It seems that although she has made great strides in embracing many MMM principles, she isn't quite ready to go "all in" with regards to Mustachianism. I have mentioned in the past that if we both retired this early, we would have to be very careful about our spending. She said she doesn't want to "have to" live like that, even though right now we pretty much live that way. She wants the OPTION to spend frivolously in the future if the mood strikes.

So the plan is I will soon retire from my meat grinder career, my wife will work until she doesn't want to anymore, we will live reasonably frugally (perhaps not as much as I would like), continue to beef up the stache so that by the time she joins me in ER, we will have more "wiggle room" in terms of our retirement spending. I think we have now arrived at an understanding. :)

hybrid

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1688
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Richmond, Virginia
  • A hybrid of MMM and thoughtful consumer.
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #38 on: May 17, 2014, 11:15:26 AM »
The "conversation" with my SO took probably less than a minute. It went something like:

"working all the time sure sucks, uh?"
"oh yeah i hate it"
"let's save a boatload of monies so we don't have to, cool?"
"cool"

My wife, who turned 60 this year, just hates her job at the USPS some days. I used to work at the USPS in the 90s, so I feel her pain. When I crunched the numbers and told her she could retire at 62.5 instead of 66 if we made some big changes she got right on board. Buying the missus 3.5 more years of retirement is the best present I could ever give her right now. She got mostly on board after that, I'd say she is 80% Mustachian, and that's close enough (to get her out of) government work.

prefrontalfinance

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Age: 34
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #39 on: May 17, 2014, 12:24:48 PM »
I've got like five converts. I found MMM at the right time of life, college kids are accepting of change, and I have great friends that were fertile ground in that they share many of my values. I'm pretty happy about that (because it means they're living more satisfying lives now, not just because I like collecting laurels). Plus I have a whole community of people I respect to keep me frugal.

This is pretty much my exact experience. I found MMM shortly after finishing undergrad - and among my cohort, I was lucky to have found a stable, median income job. Knowing the temperaments of some of my friends, it was easy to bring up MMM. Poor college grads jump right on it. I've got probably 5-6 friends all on board, for various reasons.

I don't know if I'd call these 'conversions', as the groundwork philosophy of simple living was already in place, but more opening the door to FI possibilities. I was already somewhat frugal before finding this website, but it's gotten me more together about thinking about long-term career goals and FI investing, and I think for some friends its been similar.

ender

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7402
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #40 on: May 17, 2014, 01:23:35 PM »
I've got like five converts. I found MMM at the right time of life, college kids are accepting of change, and I have great friends that were fertile ground in that they share many of my values. I'm pretty happy about that (because it means they're living more satisfying lives now, not just because I like collecting laurels). Plus I have a whole community of people I respect to keep me frugal.

This is pretty much my exact experience. I found MMM shortly after finishing undergrad - and among my cohort, I was lucky to have found a stable, median income job. Knowing the temperaments of some of my friends, it was easy to bring up MMM. Poor college grads jump right on it. I've got probably 5-6 friends all on board, for various reasons.

This is the opposite of my experience.

Most of my peers (graduated in past 5 years) seem to think "finally have money let's spend it!"

Big_Paul

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 17
  • Location: Melbourne
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #41 on: May 17, 2014, 08:36:45 PM »
My wife's on board. When I found MMM I was so excited I showed all my friends and colleagues but people get a little offish when you bring up finance I found. So I shut up and now keep all the goodness to myself. It's like they don't like being told anything. Weird as I love being shown new things.

ender

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7402
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #42 on: May 18, 2014, 06:30:16 AM »
My wife's on board. When I found MMM I was so excited I showed all my friends and colleagues but people get a little offish when you bring up finance I found. So I shut up and now keep all the goodness to myself. It's like they don't like being told anything. Weird as I love being shown new things.

Pretty much everyone in my circle who loves being shown new things or learning has become a fan of MMM type finances.

Everyone else? lol.

RootofGood

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1361
  • Age: 43
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Retired at age 33. 5 years in, still loving it!
    • Root of Good
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #43 on: May 18, 2014, 07:11:18 PM »
Yes!  Good friends of ours were somewhat aware of saving, investing, etc.  They make over $200k, so have a great ability to save.  In the past years, we have discussed finances some.

Once they found out I was early retired at 33, they decided to pick my brain a bit more about finances and investing.  I got them to drop their Ameriprise adviser and figure out the basics on their own (and move all their money to Vanguard).  They will save thousands per year in fees, and once they have their $1 million or so in another 10 years, they will be saving tens of thousands in fees. 

The guy in the relationship is going hard core.  His goal is zero restaurant spending.  Brown bagging it and cooking at home.  So far so good!  He comes over, we hang out, I cook lunch, we eat gooood for just a few bucks.  It inspires him to learn how to cook better. 

Ozstache

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 866
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Oztralia
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #44 on: May 18, 2014, 07:50:57 PM »
Other than my wife, I've had a few strong head nods and outbursts of envy at my ER situation, but none have really visibly done anything to adopt a more mustachianism-like lifestyle. In a way, selling mustachianism is a bit like selling religion whereby the stronger you espouse your support of it with the intent of helping others, the more skeptical people become. I suppose I used to be evangelistic about mustachianism in this way when I first discovered it, but now just settle for leading by example.

pachnik

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1894
  • Age: 59
  • Location: Vancouver, BC
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #45 on: May 18, 2014, 08:44:38 PM »
Well, I think my husband is about the only person I've gotten on board.  I didn't really even expect to be able to do this.  But once I got here a year ago, i started making changes in my life - paying more attention to my investments, consuming way less.  I asked him if we could eat out once a week rather than twice a week and he was fine with that.  i asked him if he was willing to cut off cable but he wasn't.   

But then after a little while of me sticking with my changes he started paying off his credit card like his hair was on fire (which it was).  Once that was paid off, he attacked his car payment very aggressively.  So i guess some of it has rubbed off without any nagging from me at all.   

My closest friend now says I am a bit more frugal than her which is a huge compliment.  She was on board way before I'd ever heard of MMM.  :)

Mississippi Mudstache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Danielsville, GA
    • A Riving Home - Ramblings of a Recusant Woodworker
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #46 on: May 19, 2014, 10:25:33 AM »
I've only mentioned our ER plans to a couple of co-workers (both of whom are a couple years younger than me and already openly frugal) and a couple of close friends. My co-workers were both very intrigued, but both of them now have SOs who are very much not on the same wavelength financially. I did convince one of them, who was contributing only 6% to his 401(k) (to get the full match) to bump it up to 12%. He is a newlywed, and told me that his new wife (a law student) basically spends everything he earns since he got married. Before that, he was probably saving 50% or more of his income. Sigh.

My wife and I made some friends at our garage sale that we had last year (after discovering MMM and getting more excited about saving) who were already on their own badass path to FI. They are the same age as us (~30) and already own a paid-off house. That is with a SAHM and a husband who is a carpenter. They bought old, run-down houses, fixed them up while they were living in them, and sold them for a profit, and kept doing it until they had enough equity to buy a home free and clear. They are now our closest friends.

I really don't feel any great need to proselytize about MMM to my acquaintances. We are a single income family with 2 kids, one of whom has severe medical issues that cost us thousands per year. I would prefer that people think we are frugal because money is tight, not because we are socking away $30,000 per year. My family especially. Most of them seem to love their jobs and find fulfillment in them. I feel quite the opposite, and I don't think they would understand how I feel. It was hard enough to convince my wife how unhappy working for someone else makes me.

jordanread

  • Guest
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #47 on: May 20, 2014, 10:02:58 AM »
I did get my SO on board with Mustachianism. I'll occasionally mention some new method that I would like to try, or that I read about. I'll usually do it on my own, and tell her about my results. Sometimes she'll give it a shot, while other times it doesn't interest her.

However, sometimes she will surprise me with Mustachian suggestions. She recently suggested we get rid of two of our anti-mustachian vehicles and get the tiny little car since I'm biking in more, so that she could save on gas when she drove. I was blown away. Just the other day, she mentioned that she wanted to try making our own laundry detergent. Cool stuff.

Sometimes, I'll run through numbers with people if they are interested, but mostly it's passive. With the exception of the G+ link, my work email signature is the same as this one. About once a month people will ask about it. Sometimes they follow up, other times they don't.

RootofGood

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1361
  • Age: 43
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Retired at age 33. 5 years in, still loving it!
    • Root of Good
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #48 on: May 20, 2014, 02:51:07 PM »
Some people clearly think it's weird, but I now have other converts to the brown bag lunch club.  :-)

I converted one guy to bringing his own lunch.  When I started working at my former employer, everyone went out to lunch every day.  Then our office moved downtown (the mecca of overpriced lunch fare).  I kept bringing my own lunch and turned down virtually all offers to go out.  Over time, one guy started bringing his own lunch.  We would hang out and chat at lunch. 

This was also the same guy that gave up driving into town in his 4x4 pickup and took the bus instead (employer offered a free bus pass for a while).  I did the same (well, I ditched my honda civic for my 4 mile commute thereby only saving $2/day). 

nawhite

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1081
  • Location: Golden, CO
    • The Reckless Choice
Re: Have you ever converted anyone to mustachianism?
« Reply #49 on: May 20, 2014, 03:19:49 PM »
Some people clearly think it's weird, but I now have other converts to the brown bag lunch club.  :-)
I converted one guy to bringing his own lunch.  When I started working at my former employer, everyone went out to lunch every day.  Then our office moved downtown (the mecca of overpriced lunch fare).  I kept bringing my own lunch and turned down virtually all offers to go out.  Over time, one guy started bringing his own lunch.  We would hang out and chat at lunch. 

I've been bringing my lunch 4 days a week for close to a year and my co-workers never got it. I'm taking a "big" vacation soon, the kind that would cost most of my co-workiers thousands in airfare alone. Airbnb for lodging and airline points for free flights and car rental will make the whole week <$1000 for my wife and I. When one of them asked how I could afford a trip like that, I said "Remember how I bring my lunch all the time? That's how." Could almost see the light bulb turning on inside his head. He's actually brought leftovers a couple times now.