Who is the most mustashian?

[quakerboy87]

I’ve been thinking about what is the most consistent with the message of the blog, frugality, savings, or being free from work.

[Zikoris]

The biggest message of the blog is to be badass and live in a low-environmental-impact way, so Alex wins by a landslide. He probably has an arsenal of kick-ass self-reliance skills to boot.

[quakerboy87]

“Alex” does have a lot of badass skills. He built his furniture using trees near his house and hand tools. It’s interesting because he is not financial independent in the way often defined here, and he isn’t particularly focused on savings.

[limeandpepper]

The Alex scenario doesn't make sense. He works as a teacher so presumably earns money. But then you say he spends practically no money yet also has no savings? Where does his money go?

[DreamFIRE]

Another poll with poor choices.

[Zikoris]

I'm going to disagree with @Zikoris here because part of the MMM is being self supporting under all most likely situations and Alex is just one bad injury away from not being able to live his Alaskan wilderness lifestyle, and with no savings he may be out on the tundra destitute.

Or while I don't like Ben either I'm going to have to go with him. He has the finances to ride out most storms and the flexibility to change his lifestyle and downgrade if needed. 

The third choice is just some lucky dude.

Yeah, it could go both ways - they both lose Mustache Points for different things. Alex for not having savings, though if he's self-reliant enough to, say, live off the land entirely in the event of job loss, that could replace most of the need for income. Ben loses points for not being badass enough - the "traditional middle class lifestyle" is, after all, an Exploding Volcano of Wastefulness.

[Eric]

The Alex scenario doesn't make sense. He works as a teacher so presumably earns money. But then you say he spends practically no money yet also has no savings? Where does his money go?

And how is Spendthrift Ben able to acquire FI by age 32?  Have words ceased to have meanings?  If so, I vote for Alex, since zero savings seems to represent an actual high savings rate.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

How do I vote for a Ben that then became Alex?  And f* Chris.

[quakerboy87]

Another poll with poor choices.

Why do you say that, don’t they pose an interesting conflict? Which aspect of mustashianism is essential? That is, 1. Actually living a highly frugal life. 2. Having the savings so you could stop working if you chose a frugal life (but currently choosing not to demonstrating his freedom. 3. Someone who is actually living the FIRE life but having gotten there by luck. They are all pretty closely based on people I know.

[quakerboy87]

The Alex scenario doesn't make sense. He works as a teacher so presumably earns money. But then you say he spends practically no money yet also has no savings? Where does his money go?

And how is Spendthrift Ben able to acquire FI by age 32?  Have words ceased to have meanings?  If so, I vote for Alex, since zero savings seems to represent an actual high savings rate.

They are all based on real people. I don’t know the specifics of Alex’s financial life, but I will say teachers in the Alaskan bush do not make much money.

Ben was also a teacher, but working at a boarding school making 30k-50k range, but with no car, no tv, no cell, no room and board costs (part of pay), so saved nearly all of his earnings so at age 32 had about 400-500k. At 32 he went to graduate school, his wife passed away suddenly, and he was raising a kid by himself - he is still frugal by many standards and now has a good paying job which gives his life some meaning and structure, so over the years has come to enjoy eating out, readily pays for help with childcare and cleaning, has a nicer house, drives a car, has tv and cell service. In fairness a transition to a frugal life would be harder for the kid -

Chris is a bit of a douche, but he is also the only one actually living the FIRE life.

[Eric]

The Alex scenario doesn't make sense. He works as a teacher so presumably earns money. But then you say he spends practically no money yet also has no savings? Where does his money go?

And how is Spendthrift Ben able to acquire FI by age 32?  Have words ceased to have meanings?  If so, I vote for Alex, since zero savings seems to represent an actual high savings rate.

They are all based on real people. I don’t know the specifics of Alex’s financial life, but I will say teachers in the Alaskan bush do not make much money.

Ben was also a teacher, but working at a boarding school making 30k-50k range, but with no car, no tv, no cell, no room and board costs (part of pay), so saved nearly all of his earnings so at age 32 had about 400-500k. At 32 he went to graduate school, his wife passed away suddenly, and he was raising a kid by himself - he is still frugal by many standards and now has a good paying job which gives his life some meaning and structure, so over the years has come to enjoy eating out, readily pays for help with childcare and cleaning, has a nicer house, drives a car, has tv and cell service. In fairness a transition to a frugal life would be harder for the kid -

Chris is a bit of a douche, but he is also the only one actually living the FIRE life.

That makes more sense Chris.  Thanks for clarifying.