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Micro-retirement (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/funny@sh.itjust.works
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[–] 94 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (34 children)

Yeah wtf jobs is she getting where she builds up a safety net in 1-2 years? I've been at this shit for a decade and have 3 digits in my bank account

Edit: I should disclose the fact that I have been making minimum wage this whole time. That said, most people I know make nearly average wages, and still have 3-4 digits in their bank accounts at all times

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  • [–] 18 points 1 year ago (9 children)

    There's a thing called lifestyle creep. You may not necessarily be living paycheck to paycheck on the bare minimum. Going out with friends, having the latest phone, having hobbies, if you cut out all fun you may be able to save up significantly. You can also live like a bum in the least accommodating space you can stand. Being comfortable is expensive, but not everybody wants to be uncomfortable for long stretches just to fuck off to the Bahamas for a month every few years. That or credit card debt.

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  • [–] 38 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I think current 'lifestyle creep' for many is getting used to things like 'health insurance' and 'something other than beans and rice'. Hard to give up simple human dignity once you've had a taste of it.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (6 children)

    That is for sure a thing, but in my case it genuinely is having little income

    Been making minimum wage for way too long, and at this point I'm too old and don't have the skills to get a significantly better job. My retirement plan is

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Well sure if you never got out of minimum wage jobs then it's no wonder you can't accumulate a safety net, the majority of people don't keep working minimum wage for decades though (median income is above minimum annual salary).

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    If you're making minimum wage, what do you really have to lose by improving your marketable skills?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    It's a pretty neat trap, you see I can't afford to take any time off work to even look for another job, let alone any unpaid training

    I'm sure if I locked the fuck in and pulled myself up by my bootstraps and got extremely lucky, I could jump ship into a better position, but that target is like 5 feet wide and a hundred feet away and surrounded by homelessness on all sides

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago (21 children)

    I mean almost anyone with a stem education is able to do this.

    Before you say: "buh have you seen the job market?"

    The point of the plan isn't to get stinking rich off of each 1-2 year stint, it's to make just enough money that you can travel around and reset to nearly 0 after not working for a few months to a year

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  • [–] 28 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    The biggest problem I see with this is staying current and sharp with your tech skills and also explaining those gaps. It’s definitely possible though, especially if you’re able to live frugally.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    explaining those gaps

    "I didn't feel like working" is perfectly acceptable. Any job that takes offense to that is not worth taking.

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  • [–] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Any hiring manager who hears that is going to hear it as "this employee will up and leave us without warning at any time"

    Not saying they're right, but that's what it is. Most people are looking to hire permanently if possible, you're telling them straight up that you are not going to be a permanent employee.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    Yeah, but depending on the industry, that can be ok.

    Some fields have companies that will hire and fire en masse based on projects that start and stop. At that point, they aren't just paying you to show up to work, they're also paying you to leave.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Most industries do not move that fast. And yeah, I'm including software in those industries. Really, how much changes in 2 years in Accounting, HR, plumbing, or electrical engineering?

    As for the gap -

    Them: "Can you explain this gap in your resume?"

    You: "Yeah, I was travelling."

    Them: "Oh, that's cool. You know, I wish I'd done that when I was younger."

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  • [+] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (11 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Yes, fear is a major factor for why people don't do risky things for potential rewards.

    As for having a spouse and children or a pre-existing medical condition, you're correct that only a certain portion of the population is able to do this. We already cut it down to people with something like a STEM degree that are able to do this.

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  • [–] -2 points 1 year ago* (6 children)

    You know, you can pay for private health insurance if you don't have a job. And if you have an emergency fund or (micro) retirement fund, it should include funds for health insurance.

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  • [+] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    Move to a better state. If you are already quitting your job to travel, you can just list yourself as living at a friend's house or whatever on paper, and then apply for health insurance.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    If I was looking at a hire who only gives a year I'm thinking that's a big investment to get them up to speed on our tech, train them, and start getting them projects only to know they're going to bounce. Not to mention provisioning tech and tools for them. I think experience and a company willing to hire you becomes the issue if you do this too often.

    Stem jobs aren't a spot where you want to be losing your talent every year, it's hard to push forward with that. I see companies avoiding those hires honestly.

    Also, how do you advance and make more, if that's what you want, without working somewhere long enough to grow. Self education helps, but practical experience is needed.

    If I were them, just be a freelancer. It gives you the freedom and you're your own boss.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That's the key, you don't tell the company you're working for that you only plan to stay for a year or two. After you've done it twice maybe your resume will start to show a pattern, but at that point you've been doing this for 4-6 years, and I can think of plenty of lies to tell corporate that will make for a good excuse.

    As for making more, your progress will definitely be stymied by taking breaks, but you're not taking breaks in order to advance your career. It's just a difference in life goals, clearly you value climbing a corporate ladder to increase your salary. Besides, it's well documented that changing employers is one of the best ways to increase your salary so if your goal is making more money you would want to change jobs every couple of years no matter what.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago*

    clearly you value climbing a corporate ladder to increase your salary

    That's not at all true, and I feel like people with this very casual stance on a career think that everyone else is that way. We're not. If anything I feel like we just can think beyond the short term.

    Let me ask you, this person that lives this life, are they still working at 70? How much do they really have left to invest with these breaks? What if the market has a down turn when you're on vacation and you come back to a job market you can't get a foothold in? How is your 401k really looking with all these breaks?

    My goal is to not work a day after 45. I have taken many vacations and enjoyed my life while working but I plan to never answer to anyone after 45, just live my life for me. The rest of my life without worry and with security. That's what I work for, not climbing a ladder. Security and an exit plan.

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