[cityzen]

I'll also add that I do understand what you're saying. I have been self employed for 16 years and my wife worked as well so there was somewhat of a cushion. Back in 2008, though, my first son was born 3 months premature and I had this "oh shit" moment where I thought, "ok, wife isn't working, I have a sick baby, we have a mortgage and two car payments, there is no way this is going to end well". I stepped up my hustle big time and five years later we have two kids, very little debt and things are fine. You really just have to take look at the glass as half full. As a software engineer, you're in a sellers market. There are SO many companies out there looking for people like you, you just don't realize it yet.

Either way, best of luck. If you do want to strike out on your own, please don't wait until you're "comfortable" because it will be too late.