[iamjdg]

whatever you do keep your costs as low as possible (roommates, live in a motor home, minimize commute, etc.). Strive to save 80% of your take home pay and live off only 20%. If you do this and invest your savings in low cost index funds, then working will be optional for you in less than 6 years. Meaning you can work on what you want. Don't fall into the debt/slave trap. Most fun/happy times happen because of experiences and the people you hang with, not because you spend a lot of money. Being so young and just starting out, your life will revolve around work anyways (time spent, friends).

[dennybritz]

Sounds like good advice, but here's another take on it: I'm in my 20s and didn't save any of the money I made. I immediately spent (on startups, travel or invested in myself) all of it. I have a bit of debt but not too much. I don't regret a single bit of it. I've lived in 5 different countries for longer periods of time, met amazing people from all over the world, and had a blast. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. And because I invested most of the money in myself I found that I obtained a lot of skills, experiences and relationships that allow me to make a lot more money in the future than I would have if I had followed a regular career path for a couple of years.

Too many people undervalue time and health and overvalue money. You can always make money. But you're only young once. IMO the best thing you can do is invest time and money in yourself, not in any kind of fund. The lifetime ROI is higher.

[iamjdg]

i'm om with such a choice as long as you don't go into debt to do it.

"a bit of debt but not too much"...this is relative, thousands is probably ok, tens of thousands or more not ok.

the whole reason to save most of your income is so you can have free time to do with what you please (work more, travel, start up, nothing). the investment part is only so you can earn a respectable interest (8% to 10% vs 1% to 2% in a savings account) for you to live off of.

[dennybritz]

I agree with the debt. Let's put it like this, I would be out of debt if I worked for a 4-5 months and saved 50%.

What I'm advocating against is the notion of working hard for 5-10 years and sacrificing your youth while saving a lot of money and postponing things you want to do with your life. Whatever you want to do in the future at some point it'll be too late. Once you hit your 30s priorities start to shift. You start thinking about having a family. This means you'll need stable lifestyle not just in terms of money, but also in terms of work hours (= no startups). Excessive travel is no longer possible. Perhaps you need to take care of your parents. Or you may simply become complacent with your current lifestyle (this happens unconsciously more than consciously). Suddenly the startups, travel and fun that the money was supposed seem a lot more risky and unrealistic than they seemed when you were in the beginning of your 20s.

I'm all for saving. But don't sacrifice things you want to do in return for money.

[ereckers]

Just curious. Where do you suggest parking your motor home when living in San Francisco?

[zerr]

> invest your savings in low cost index funds

Could you please elaborate? Any resources about this topic [for foreigners]? Thanks!

[iamjdg]

i'm not sure of the options in your own place of residence, but in the US and Canada index funds are mutual funds that just copy some large established index (e.g. S&P 500). So you get the return of the total market and their fees are very low since the fund is not really managed other than balancing. Most actively managed funds that have a strategy rarely beat the market and they have much higher fees. Vanguard low cost index funds are the classic example in the US and Canada.

[alltakendamned]

Slight nuance. Working will be optional as long as you maintain the same lifestyle.

[iamjdg]

ha. you can have a more lavish (wasteful) lifestyle and still only live off 20% of your income, you just have to increase your net income...then 20% represents a bigger slush fund.