[gregd]

Right? I keep reading these stories of people who up and just quit jobs at dream companies, which I can totally understand. But what I'm absolutely gobsmacked about is, "then I took 13 months off and roamed the country". Da fuq?

I've been working since I was in 9th grade and have NEVER had enough money saved up to take 3 weeks off, much less 13 months.

[hunterloftis]

> I've been working since I was in 9th grade and have NEVER had enough money saved up to take 3 weeks off, much less 13 months.

If you save 6% of your take-home income for one year, you'll have saved enough to take three weeks off. So if you take home, say, $500/week, put $30 each week into a savings account. You won't even notice that it's gone.

If you want to take 13 months off, the best strategy is to move from high ground to low ground. Eg, take a job in a city like SF, Denver, Seattle, NYC, etc that pays well, get a cheap place, get rid of any vehicles and use public trans, etc. Taking home $75k and socking away 1/3rd each week, you'll end up with $25k in savings - which is more than enough to spend 13 months roaming the country.

(In the past few years I've spent > 13 months roaming the country)

[frou_dh]

What exactly is it that you are feigning surprise over? That people on high salaries can save a significant sum of money? What's counterintuitive or surprising about this?

[gregd]

Because I'm in tech and have yet to see one of these "high salaries". Nobody seems to acknowledge outside help. Does she have parents that she can always go back to live with if shit falls apart? And then there's a shit ton of "you're living beyond your means, if X isn't true for you.."

[poikniok]

Okay so now we get down to the root of your problem. You are underpaid. The 200k+ salaries are out there, it is up to you if you want to go get them.

[tomjen3]

I don't get this mentality at all - if you don't have savings to cover 3 weeks, what are you going to do if you become unemployed? I "only" have about 4 months worth of salary saved and I feel like I need to watch my expenses, cause that is not enough.

[gregd]

Well in my almost 20 year IT career, I've only ever been unemployed for 3 months. For the last 10 years, I've had two jobs.

What does anyone do in the US who finds themselves unemployed? They scramble to find a job..any job to make ends meet and when that doesn't happen, they live out of their car. And when they lose their car, they live in a homeless shelter.