182 thoughts on “You’re Not Free Until You Have “Fuck You Money””

1. yes. great article.
   I’ve retired twice now….haha.
   Unfortunately I continue to live beyond my savings…
   Working hard on a fuck you money website…

   1. “Working hard on a fuck you money website…”
      This just reminded me of my grandfather asking “workin’ hard or hardly workin’” I think I am getting to an age where I can start using absurd clichés.

2. Yep, good advice.

3. Boy Scout Motto = Be Prepared

   1. I was never a scout, but I was always prepared

   2. the motto now is “be accepting”

      1. They switched from pedo faggots to tranny faggots.

      2. “rolls eyes”…………yeah. I am a Scoutmaster. The organization is going to hell quickly. It is still good for the boys, but I think the church could come up with a better program. Many other Mormons feel the same way. The local charters can still say who is in their particular group, but this overacceptance does send a message of weakness. We do have a “Duty to God” program for young men, I think the time has come to beef up that program and get out of the Scouts.

         1. I would appreciate an article on whats going on over there. I think most on this site would too

         2. It is still good for the boys, but I think the church could come up with
            a better program. Many other Mormons feel the same way.

            Mormon chieftain (Dingy) Harry Reid is just fine with the current program…

         3. really, I don’t know. I just hear what everyone else does. Church leadership is in the process of deciding what to do. Various liberal groups are constantly suing the BSA in the hopes of either dismantling them, or to get media attention by playing the victim. In response, the BSA has caved on occasion. First came the occasional pedo lawsuits. BSA responded by requiring two deep leadership and other stringent demands. Then came the bullying/hazing lawsuits. BSA responded with demanding the leadership to take several safety classes and annual training for leadership on how to minimize these problems. Not content, the liberals sue for “discrimination” for the occasional openly gay scout to be let in. (kind of silly for a 10 year old to be concerned about his sexuality anyway). It keeps going and going. The church dropped the Girl Scouts in the 1930’s when the GS became a feminist outlet, it is about time for the Church to do the same with the Boy Scouts, IMO.
            http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672207/Boy-Scouts-of-America-says-it-will-allow-transgender-youth-in-boys-only-program.html
            There is this article I found, basically it says the church has not came with a formal statement, other than
            “Besides accepting gay Scouts in its troops, the LDS Church allows
            Latter-day Saints who are gay to serve in church assignments such as
            Scout leadership as they live the faith’s standards, which proscribe (ie. prohibit)
            same-sex marriage or involvement in same-sex relations.”

         4. I can’t answer for all church members. Did you know Butch Cassidy was a Mormon?

         5. My perception of Mormonism comes from the horrid present-day politicians who claim to “represent” it.
            Sadly, (Dingy) Harry Reid, despite his great wrongs as self-appointed Mormon chieftain, was the only “political” Mormon to publicly endorse Trump (albeit only for mere moments).
            Even Dingy’s anti-Trump rhetoric didn’t rise to the level of the likes of Mike Lee’s mutiny.

4. An excellent article.
   Fuck-you money is an excellent investment in your future, but there are others of similar value. I wonder what you all think about prioritizing fuck-you money over, say, training for a side-gig. If you had to choose between getting fuck-you money or training to increase your potential income first, what would you choose?

   1. This hate of money… Is something that I always understood that failed people do. For money one would respect them as the useful tool they are (think making all transactions without it), but not more than they deserve, and never NEVER obsess over it.
      Hating money is like hating guns, like hating cars or scissors or hammer and sickles (not combined on a flag though, that is understandable… if you hate that flag, and not any flag).

      1. so I take it you’re not into cynicism.

         1. No there are some people who cannot understand it… My comment is about for such people.

      2. I would hesitate to say I hate money, though I do try not to love it (in accordance with the Biblical admonition). As you say, it is a tool.
         My question is more about getting to the point where you can walk away. I’ve not been in the workforce all that long, and I have a few month’s living saved up, but I want some insight on what my focus should be: money, or the ability to make money. If it comes down to investing in a skill set and project funding (in the hopes of establishing an independent income stream) or stashing away your excess earnings, which should take priority?

         1. That is the right mind!
            I’d say stashing away a security amount, and using excesses to invest in on yourself. The reason for not going fully to one or the other is that stashing stagnates, and with inflation it is costly, it is required to keep some independence nonetheless, on the other position investing has risks, so if one only invests he might end with no money at all, but if he does it intelligently he will be able to find something that would help him.
            Every month manage to save something and then invest only if you are sure that you’ll take the investment back.
            Honestly I cannot say anything better.

   2. You’d have to identify where you are currently in life. Age, potential for increasing future earnings, nature of skills and qualifications and so on.
      Fuck- you- money buys options. But it might be from a source that’s fast running dry.
      Sacrificing immediate gain to learn skills and increase future earning potential is always an important step. Yet you don’t want to do the common first generation Asian thing of busting your balls and not having a life.
      Hell, why not do both. Just decide at what stage either path suits your strategy.

5. There can be no freedom without financial freedom. The main problem, that has come to personal notice, is that many people cannot hold themselves. So they burden themselves with debt, mostly through credit cards, because they cannot wait to have something. On top of that many lose their ability to control their spending in general.
   What also contributes to that is a bad choice in education: having a worthless main diploma, or a bad career choices: taking and sticking to dead-end jobs, or continuing to work student-jobs (waiter, seller etc). Which is mostly the result of a lack of foresight.
   To all the above government parasitism may work to subsidize for some years. In general welfare results to the proliferation of poverty, because it makes working into a need not a requirement to live.
   It is a personal belief that the commonality of so many of such problems happens due to the existence of an enormous inner void in the soul and the mind of most people. “Nihilism” manifesting through materialism makes the modern man to live a life of emptiness, void of companionship leading to a lifestyle in which only material needs are understood and only immediate gains and needs are seen.
   In the end being the slave to the object that allows the attaining of worldly goods, money, the modern man starts to hate it with an inverted passion, much like the slave who feels contempt for this master. The disease that he suffers though is not amended by such a happening, indeed: listen all the leftists, communists and socialists, the only thing they can speak of and about is money, precisely: other people’s money.
   So having proven to be nothing short of unable of managing their own money now the demand the ones that have been made by others, basing their claims to the world’s vainest belief system: that of humanism, to justify the thieving first to themselves then to make it appear as good to others.
   The problem that has risen today and the whole reason for the extreme polarisation of our times: the parasites of our states, those that were here and those that were imported, elected with their own knowledge people that catered only for them, no one else. Today the host started to bite back and what should happen is to understand that no ruler in the whole history of mankind was ruling for everyone.
   In older times leaders did rule for themselves and their people only took the results of their actions, Today that people choose their rulers, they rule only for their voters, the rest are scum. The conservatives, or the center-right, had decided to try to rule for all, the left, even from the center part ruled only for their voters, Trump will rule, hopefully, only for his voters, the rest who made their co-citizen scums, now need to be treated according to what they are.
   Vermin deserve no food.

   1. “So having proven to be nothing short of unable of managing their own money now the demand the ones that have been made by others, basing their claims to the world’s vainest belief system: that of humanism, to justify the thieving first to themselves then to make it appear as good to others.”
      You mean Socialism?
      I recognize this well being Canadian.
      I’ll never really understand why I’m supossed to care if those to lazy to work or feed themselves starve to death.
      Great post my friend…

      1. Socialism is the “economic” idea of how to feed starving bums, the fact that bums need to be treated as humans, is due to humanism… which later led to egalitarianism so that we could see them as no different than us. If we did n’t care, for an iota, in the beginning then how would we have created socialism to feed them?
         In general the idea that threw God out of the window and put in it’s place man, besides the hubris that it invokes, that of humanism is the reason why we have open borders and a sprawling welfare state. I believe in finding the causes and uprooting the whole parasitic plant rather than trying to fend for “it’s good parts” while cutting of the many branches that feed it and take nourishment from others. Both ways in the end will kill the parasite, and all the parts of it, the first is secure though the second requires far too much energy and has the risk for the parasite to root itself firmly in the tree. This happened with humanism now egalitarianism, socialism and progressivism all kill us, the cuase though is not the branch but the plant.

      2. Also, thank you for your kind words!

6. I have my fuck you money (over a years worth in salary) but it’s what to do with it that is difficult to figure out. Currently invested in the stock market but we are nearing record highs, kind of scary to have all your fuck you money tied up in stocks during a volatile time.

   1. IMO – its gambling – -8 years heading up and right…
      not sustainable

      1. maybe stocks will go up forever and ever, with occasional slides so that the sheep can be fleeced

   2. you should invest in lands rather. Very safe and huge money. Especially true if you live in developing nations. The lands you bought might skyrocket in 5 to 10 years due to industrialisation and capitalism.

      1. Land is security, in any form, if you really have guts you could try to become a farmer too. Or just live through rents of apartments, houses and shops.

         1. Almost impossible now days unless you inherit or get a good start with help from someone. Machinery, equipment and land is too expensive to start off by yourself from scratch. That is grain farming. I suppose pasture land and cattle is doable.

         2. I was highly hypothetical, with farming I meant every plant or animal. Grain also requires to be subsidized in some countries to be profitable.

         3. property tax makes this difficult.

         4. forgot that…

         5. There are tax breaks for ranches and farms registered with the State, but they take a decent amount of work.
            Supplemental farming can be achieved with relatively little land, if you’re clever about it. You can raise potatoes in paint buckets, and you can build trellis structures to allow you to grow smaller plants in stacked rows for a supply of beans, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, etc.
            I reckon a half-acre of land could be made to service a small family’s nutritional needs, cleverly employed. You could even raise pigs or chickens if you do your homework and build the infrastructure yourself.

      2. Land has high monthly payments and the land would need to bring in some form of revenue to pay for those payments. I live in Alberta, Canada so there is an oil industry and farming. Renting out farm land is possible I suppose. Land is extremely expensive anywhere close to the public (cities). It is something I’ve thought about.

   3. invest in gold

      1. rice and guns

         1. virtual reality goggles, mountain dew and cheetos

   4. For the most part a Money Market account is good.
      http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/quick-guide-to-your-emergency-fund
      http://www.thesimpledollar.com/where-should-i-keep-my-emergency-fund-and-why/
      However a RothIRA might also work for you as long as you understand the limitations.
      http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/040714/how-use-your-roth-ira-emergency-fund.asp

   5. Invest in what you know. Although I have the almost obligatory retirement investments in traditional vehicles, the best returns have been on wine and shotguns.

   6. Diversify – stocks (international and domestic), bonds, commodities, and real estate. If you have 20+ years till retirement, focus on stocks and real estate.

7. Haha, you’d be a man enough, if you had no dime to your name and still had the balls to say – Fuck You! – to your boss!
   Money and security are for pussies! Skills like these are what make a man, The man:
   

   1. “Money and security are for pussies!”
      Yes, money and security are for pussies, sex hurts and sex between a man and a woman for any other reason than procreation is a sign of being gay. Fuck Maslow and his stupid pyramid.

      1. You’re a good student!

         1. So I get an A in this semester of “Recognizing Dipshits”yay

         2. No.
            Now sit down, watch the video and take notes!

         3. HA! you are a pip chuckles. Most people just think you are a fucking annoying moron, but I have to say I kind of am fond of you. It isn’t easy to be this mindfuckingly, stupidly wrong so consistently. I gotta say thank you. You really do bring a special breed of ignorance mixed with arrogance that makes the day just shoot by.

         4. Keep quiet!

         5. Much smarter, much stronger, much better men have tried. To date, they have all failed. You are out of your league little man

         6. You sound like a diva playing hard to get.

         7. I am a diva and I’m not playing

         8. Explains a lot …

         9. It took me a minute to understand.

      2. Did you say pyramid? You’re obviously part of the illuminati bent to usurp this message board! Get outta here you (((elitist)))!

         1. (((self-actualization)))

         2. The pyramids were for grain storage!

         3. (((pyramidal hierarchy of needs)))

         4. For sure. Fuck those reptilians.

   2. He says, typing on a computer on a hyper-high tech worldwide network.

      1. Your point is?
         The guy in the video uses a camera. Be in the world and not of the world etc.

         1. My point is that you’re full of shit. That’s my point, and it’s borne out every single day when you post your usual lunacy.
            Don’t deign to give me advice, I’ve made it further along in life than you have quite well without subscribing to the advice of loons. But thanks anyway!

         2. OK, so you have no point … as usual … just calling names … in vain.
            Move along people, nothing to see here!

         3. No, I made it clear, my point is that you’re so full of shit that it’s laughable.
            In any event, keep posting nonsense and thinking that somehow, somebody somewhere takes you seriously.
            Slainte mhor.

   3. “Money and security are for pussies!”… Tell that to the Bank! I suppose you provide for your family with the “Primitive Technology” displayed in your video?

      1. We’re 80% self-sustained and yes, I do a lot of what this guy does.

         1. And I’m the Dauphin of Paris!

         2. Do you have internet access in your mud hut?

         3. Then what the hell do you need the internet for??? You must drive your Dayak neighbors crazy!

         4. are you the kind of guy depicted in the movie “captain fantastic” or something like that ?

   4. “Money and security are for pussies!” said the biggest retard ever. But you go right on ahead thinking your “the man” in your mud hut making fire with sticks. I’ll keep my financial security, six figure salary, stock portfolio, and my Shelby in the garage.

8. Bill Gates famously said he runs Microsoft with at least one year operating expenses worth of money times one and a quarter in the bank. Great advice.

   1. Likely another quote that the now wracked with wealth-guilt Bill Gates would like to disown.

      1. Wracked with guilt? Hes bankrolling CommonCore

         1. All of his squandering of his wealth on effecting left-wing societal change is how his wealth-guilt manifests.
            Before, his “charitable” efforts were all roundabout bids to feather his nest, a less transparent (and more brilliant) version of the charity scam that Zuckerberg recently ran, but nowadays he’s gone full crazy and has taken leave of any sense of good financial stewardship.

9. In general if you mind your economics and plan ahead you won’t regret it!

10. Everyone in America must learn Maslow’s 5 levels of needs, but, I reckon he was plain wrong in many ways. You actually don’t need, for example, to have a your social and money needs met so as to be “self actualized”. This term in my mind means free, so, if you’re bound up with social groups and the needs of the ego, you’ll never be free, however, a dude who has enough to eat and has his own place, might work for himself, is much freer than the corporate guy one step higher who’s earning tonnes of money.

    1. While I don’t necessarily disagree with you I think you make a good point in desperate need of a ton of refining. Someone like me actually feels very free as a corporate guy because being a corporate guy is something that is important to me and in a way helps me to get closer to that self actualization in a way that being that having enough to eat and my own place in a peaceful bucolic surrounding never would. Maslow’s 5 levels of need are a good place to start, but you are correct that it simply is not sophisticated enough to handle all comers. The problem with the theory (and one of the build in time bombs in your comment as well) is that there is an assumption that all men have the same needs. I have always thought that needs ought to be split up into a group which are common to all men and another group which is particular to a certain archetype of man.

       1. Yes, it’s like those old timers you see in the plazas around towns in Spain and Greece, playing chess. chatting, having their long lunches everyday. It could seem extremely boring and unchanging to a younger man or a man from a different culture, but, often they seem very content, without having much money or sex in their lives anymore.
          I think Maslow’s pyramid is too simplistic as it doesn’t take into account different cultures or the natural changes that occur because of aging. It also implies that the needs are the same for women and men, which I really doubt is true.

          1. the guys in spain and Greece are a perfect example. I am in my 40’s so not really a younger guy and I would blow a gasket if I sat around Syntagma square playing backgammon, sipping coffee and ouzo and having the same conversation every fucking day. It would be the death of me. It isn’t because it isn’t a good way to be. In fact, it is probably a great way to be, but it just isn’t who I am. Maslow is on to something but like you say way to simplistic. You and I both need food and shelter and some measure of security. But what particulars go into love, belonging, esteem and self-actualization are probably a universe apart.

          2. But, I couldn’t handle it either.
             I do envy those guys.
             For me is as deadly as a white picket fence.
             Cities, and Mountains…

          3. Right. I envy those guys too. I don’t envy what they are doing I envy that they are the kind of person who could be satisfied with that.
             I am City and Beach you are city and mountain. We have a lot more in common than we would with those guys

          4. that’s what I mean – envy their simple contentment in life.
             I’ve only read one chapter of Philosophy – Shopenauer.
             Hit home for me.
             “we enjoy the struggle.”
             “imagine turkeys flying by ready roasted, or people automatically attaining sexual partners.”
             The shmuck invented delivery.com and tinder 100 years before Al Gore invented the internet.
             I’m busy trying to invent a fair way of voting. But, the concern I have is people don’t want it. They prefer the drama and vicissitudes of Trump versus Hillary etc…

          5. I’m convinced there’s no one type of self actualization experience anyhow. I’d image in my own life there were points in my twenties and thirties that could be described as “peak experiences”. These were sometimes sexual, sometimes mental, other times it was the exhilaration of climbing back then. Later on now, I can experience new or perhaps variations on past experiences, like the way your sexual vistas become more diffuse and less demanding with age, which allows them to develop in other ways. Similarly,I can get a sense of great self actualization out of mentally doing things now that I would have thought extremely boring and dull in my 20s.
             I suppose, like you say, it’s kind of ridiculous to image there’s just one type of pinnacle of experiences that all men can only achieve in a certain way- namely by ascending his pyramid. The universe and complexity of human life just doesn’t work that way.

          6. Yeah, it is amazing what some of these old guys in the biz were on to but didn’t have the technology or the temporal orientation to make it happen. Don’t bother on the fair way of voting. The whole thing is meaningless anyway. Want to do something intelligent on election day? Stay home.

11. Having FU money is great and really the goal. It’s a hell of a lot harder to build a year’s worth of expenses if one has consumer debt hanging around your neck.
    I would suggest The Financial Peace/Total Money Makeover approach.
    http://www.daveramsey.com/baby-steps/
    Baby Step 1 – $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund
    Baby Step 2 – Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball
    Baby Step 3 – 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings
    Baby Step 4 – Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
    Baby Step 5 – College funding for children
    Baby Step 6 – Pay off home early
    Baby Step 7 – Build wealth and give!
    The steps are not particularly difficult on their own, but will take some dedication. If you want to save a year instead of 6 months, go for it but do it in order.
    Step one keeps you from getting hit by Murphy’s Law as hard. Car breaks down, you pay cash and don’t put it on the card. A new gadget is NOT and emergency.
    Next list all your debts smallest to largest and attack the small one. Once that is paid move that payment to the next smallest, snowballing your payments as you move forward.
    Once you are free of consumer debt in the second step, building savings becomes a breeze. All those payments that were going to other people are now hitting the savings account and piling up fast.
    There are good resources out there that cover investing. But saving as much money in pre-tax and a Roth is a good start. Save for retirement, before saving for college. Kids can work and have a longer time to pay off any debt they have from school.
    Next is paying off your home. There is a Freedom comes from being able to say I don’t owe any man on the planet a dime. Do not be in debt including your home when retirement hits. If you are, then the life of a wal-mart greeter and tasty cat food is in your future.
    And most people end up debt free and being able to help others get there too. If you get a chance listen to theDaveRamseyShow some and you will hear people that actually have worked the program and end up not knowing what to do with the money.

    1. I read one of his books, but I found it a waste of time for me – I already think and act that way, so I don’t have the debts and do increase my savings.
       The simpler process for those who don’t need to recover from years of poor financial management is to become a maximalist – spend according to ROI (e.g. buy a $1k laptop now and keep it for many years instead of a $200 laptop that will need replacement and upgrading) and never exceed your income. Eventually you will have everything you need, and it will endure for a while, so you can pour more and more of your income into savings.
       I know most people these days have no fear of debt, but I really hate owing anyone anything. I hate to take charity. I hate to need help to maintain my own life. These hates have done more for my financial well-being than any other thing.

       1. Reading his books would be a waste of time if you are already good with money and pretty far along financially but that’s not most people. If you already handle your money well then congrats, you are in the minority.
          In fact, about 63 percent of Americans say they’re unable to handle a $500 car repair or a $1,000 emergency room bill, according to a new survey from Bankrate.com.
          http://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-cant-handle-a-500-surprise-bill/
          I agree that after one has repaired the damage, if there was any of consumer debt, to buy quality things but not going into debt for them. Quality is usually expensive yet cheaper in the long run. And certainly as one buys quality stuff eventually one runs out of places to spend it without being frivolous.
          I too hate to owe anyone, anything, anytime. When I owe, I feel owned and to an extent I am. I am glad to see more out there that feel that way too.

          1. As with so many things, it’s a mindset. When a dollar is not just magic paper but a percentage of your own sweat and time, it helps you focus on the best ways to use it.
             I’ll never forget the first thing I ever bought. I was just old enough to push our old mower over my house’s three lawns (backed against a golf course, so we were responsible for about 25 yards of their grass for some reason). It was easily 95 in the shade with 85% humidity. I had to go out and bag up all the large sticks and magnolia cones before I could start mowing. But it was worth $20, and that was enough to get Majora’s Mask. We got to the store, I had the game in my hand, and I cried because I wasn’t certain it was worth all that work.
             My other jobs before I got my degree were just as exhausting. I stocked shelves, moved carts, worked at an understaffed amusement park without shade and often without breaks, got yelled at by customers left and right…but it kept me fed and housed for four years.
             After all that, I’m a rich man with just an unneeded dollar in my pocket. And, when I have kids, I will tell them these stories and show them the value of a dollar in the same way.

          2. I have a similar background. I grew up working on farms detasseling corn or baling hay and then fast food during the school year with seed farm work in the summer. I learned that money came from work, hard hot work. So as my jobs got physically easier over the years, I have always felt like I was almost cheating the system. Someone will pay me to sit in an office in A/C and know how to fix computers? Sure I’ll take that job and money, sucker. Though I have tried to retain that hunger mindset that if you aren’t willing to work then you won’t eat.

       2. . buy a $1k laptop now and keep it for many years instead of a $200 laptop that will need replacement and upgrading

          Man that is one lesson I wish I hadn’t learned the hard way. At least now I won’t even dream of buying anything unless it is the “best of the best” even if it means doing without.

          1. There’s not really a guarantee that today’s $1000 laptop will suffice several years down the road, or that a cheaper laptop wouldn’t serve you just as well.
             Besides the advance of technology, and attempts at coerced upgrades, not all laptops in the same price bracket are created equal.
             Laptop upgrading is actually economical, especially for those seeking to keep the laptop up and running for several years. As a testament to that, laptop makers have been rapidly reducing the end-user’s ability to upgrade laptops.

          2. Yep. I bought a 1700 laptop. Terrible investment. Laptops are designed to be replaced within 3-4 years. My price-range is 450-650. Good functionality, but not breaking the bank with something that won’t be usable in 5 years.

          3. You don’t need “best of the best,” I find. What you really need is the “Cheapest that satisfies minimum criteria,” among which should really be longevity.

    2. I like Ramsey…except for the Roth IRA/Mutual Fund part.
       IRAs & 401ks & mutual funds are bankster scams to pump up the stock market.
       Name me one person who could actually retire on an IRA or a 401k distributions alone.
       Buy gold with that 15%. At least, it will have the same purchasing power regardless of its dollar value as it has had for centuries. It will not get eaten up by inflation, IRA/401k/mutual fund admin fees.
       Ramsey has to keep radio advertisers happy so he can’t speak out against Wall Street scams.
       For more details about the Mutual Fund scam read “Money: Master the Game” by Tony Robbins.

       1. Few people have saved enough to retire since we have shifted from defined benefit to 401k’s. I agree with your point there. However buying gold as a retirement investment is even worse.
          Gold is commonly bought for 3 main reasons
          1. Inflationary hedge (Weir Mark Germany)
          2. Banking collapse (Great Depression)
          3. End of the world scenario (Mad Max world)
          In each of these cases Gold only has nominal value. Gold will only be worth what someone will trade for it (market value). In a hyper-inflationary cycle, gold does tend to hold more value than the local currency however it becomes harder to move locally as people would rather have food and necessities than precious metals. In this case owing money in a foreign country is a better option, especially one you might want to escape to.
          In a banking collapse, barter would become the main method of exchange. And again Gold is difficult to exchange and harder to value than food and staples would be. Also foreign currency is again a better option than gold, though if it is a world wide depression then even that is not a safe bet.
          In a Mad Max scenario, gold is worth far less than either guns or butter and wouldn’t be worth anything in comparison. A can of food is worth more to a starving man than is a pocket full of gold.
          Now with that said, I don’t think having a grand or so in precious metals is a bad thing. There is some value in the short term in any one of these scenarios, but large amounts of physical gold are not going to help much and will make you a target at worse.
          Here is some more articles on why gold might not be the best idea even in bad times. I have never seen gold beat market returns over time.
          http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2016/11/18/four-reasons-why-gold-is-a-bad-investment/#4fd4c17243ee
          http://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/in-bad-times-gold-is-still-a-bad-investment-20160727-gqfani.html
          http://www.joshuakennon.com/stocks-vs-bonds-vs-gold-returns-for-the-past-200-years/
          https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/17/why-buying-gold-wont-save-you-from-the-zombie-apoc.aspx
          https://www.thestreet.com/story/13637739/1/these-gold-stocks-are-beating-gold-bullion-and-the-stock-market.html

          1. I strongly disagree that gold is worse than mutual funds.
             In Weimar Germany, you would have rather had German stocks than gold? Not me.
             In the Depression, you would have rather had money in a failed bank than gold? Not me.
             To each his own…
             Foreign currency? Which foreign currency? The ruble? The Zimbabwe dollar? I’d rather have gold than a foreign currency of dubious value.
             Yeah, I’ve heard all the mainstream arguments against gold before.
             In many situations, for centuries, gold had been used to preserve wealth.
             Yes, farmland would be better or other valuable real estate but as far as something that can be bought easily…
             In a Mad Max scenario, a large amount of anything valuable will make one a target…be it gold, farmland, foreign currency, etc.

          2. It’s fair to disagree, but do you have any empirical evidence that backs that claim?
             Gold is no longer a currency that is minted for payment of debts. It is now a commodity just like corn, wheat and oil. It fluctuates in value just as any commodity will. The two charts show that at it’s peak in 2011 it barely beat inflation, while usually underperforming it, only to drop below the CPI benchmark after people calmed down and retreated from gold. And that doesn’t account for the opportunity costs that the same money could have grown if invested.
             The second chart shows
             From the end of 1979 through 4/30/2013:
             An ounce of gold grew from $512 to $1,430.89.
             The CPI Index grew from $512 to $1,552.93 for an equivalent purchasing power.
             And $512 in the S&P 500 grew with reinvested dividends for a total return of $19,323.19 which is 13.5 times greater than gold.
             So in ww2 germany, holding the Dollar vs the Mark would have been a much better investment or at least a hedge against hyperinflation.
             In a depression holding land would be better than gold.
             And in a Mad Max world having food and ammo would be better than gold.
             Again I am open to the gold argument, but I have not seen evidence that is compelling enough for me to divest a quarter of a million in stocks to move into a commodity that only occasionally beats CPI.
             http://www.marottaonmoney.com/since-1979-the-sp-500-grew-13-5-times-greater-than-the-price-of-gold/
             https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d5179eecbbe65c37ac079eefd1b5c1cde488ecba78abdf988e55cc51fab2bc7d.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4710df2f26470c617098ed4c357b3e91d6c4c0dcc1d18598a6f5d092b1025c2e.png

12. uhmm .. http://www.returnofkings.com/51800/why-you-should-have-a-fuck-you-fund

13. The F-You fund is an idea that has been talked about for years by Tom Leykis on his radio show.
    Saving away a years worth of expenses is a way for you to hedge against losing your job, getting injured, or getting sick. It’s a personal unemployment insurance funded by you, to ensure you don’t have to deal with the stress of having to scrape together the rent or having to eat shitty food because you can’t afford fruits and vegetables.
    Remember, the F-You fund is a permanent savings fund that only gets touched by you when your income halts. Any savings you accumulate beyond that should go into investments to build your permanent F-You fund, the one where you invest one million dollars in a variety of mutual funds and stocks, which average a 4 percent return, which most people can live on comfortably.
    The Tom Leykis Show has a regular weekly segment called Money Monday. There he tells you where is the best place you can put that money to make it grow, and how to save. It’s on today at the last hour of his 3 hour show which is 5pm Pacific Time, 8pm Eastern Time. His whole show starts at 3pm Pacific, 6pm Eastern. Find it at http://www.blowmeuptom.com

14. Love this article. Love the setiment. In October 2015 I walked from a contract cause I knew the place was fucking shit.
    1 week notice and I bailed. My “Boss” went bright purple when I told him
    “But wha wha wha what about this and that”.
    Fuck you that’s what!
    Workplaces run on employee fear. Fear of their next mortgage payment. Fear of their stomachs and worse, their kids’ stomachs being empty. That’s the bottom line. I was fortunate in that I’d had 2 years highly paid gigs behind me and saved the majority of the cash.
    I know not everyone is this fortunate, but if you happenstance on a … say … 20-30k wad, or more … fucking bank it hard. It will change your life just by existing

    1. Workplaces run on employee fear.

       Bingo!

    2. When I gave my 2 weeks at a job I held, the boss was really bent out of shape. Like, “why are you leaving, what the fucks up with that” type deal. I looked him in the eyes, said “money” and walked away. Did he try to offer me anything to stay? Nope. Doesn’t matter as I wouldn’t take any offer from him but I think he was actually speechless.

       1. Ultimatums are a sign of weakness. You should not be proud of weakness. You ought to tell people what’s on your mind. If you want more money, you should tell your boss every day. Don’t beat around the bush like a chimp vagina.

          1. I gave no ultimatum. I left because I wanted to make more money. You didn’t work for the guy, so your ‘opinion’ is moot. What type of bitch follows his boss around and asks him for more money everyday? You, I guess.

    3. They sure do. That’s why they love married men. They are easier to control. Married men need that job to support the wife/kids. He feels his entire worth as a man is tied to it.

       1. I worked at a parcel logistics firm in my late teens. They openly hired guys who were married with big mortgages because they’d always work overtime

15. they aren’t going to make it easy, using inflation to pay the national debt means you’ll need more like $5 million

16. Fuck you money means you can say, “Fuck you, show me the money.” If they don’t, walk away. Fuck you money is the shit. Show it to girls and say, “Fuck me.” Fuck you money makes the world go round…la-la-la-la.

    1. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/92cd7a7d5fd02ec8546367268795dbfac821fcdeefe2e8f77ea95b481e769092.jpg

       1. Yes indeed. Get the money and you can get yourself a Bitch Monopoly…

17. All the more reason not to get married lol

    1. Shit, even Evil Knievel wouldn’t jump to that conclusion.

    2. Are you somehow incapable of saving and investing if you get married?

       1. That depends. If it’s American women, then you’re better off not getting married, unless you draw the line early on. It’s as simple as, if she’s pestering you for an engagement ring on a regular basis, dump her.

          1. definitely a red flag.
             I didn’t cough up a ring until our 1st anniversary.

          2. Drew the line early on, confirm that it’s not that hard if you nip it in the bud.

          3. Ditto here, and together working for that go to hell fund (as it’s called in the book, The Millionaire Next Door).

18. Unfair to link to Mr. Collins’ video without a link to his site. I especially love his article about housing. Try googling “jlcollinsnh Why your house is a terrible investment”.

19. I disagree somewhat, at least in regards to the frame of mind this puts one in. It’s smart to have extra money, and it certainly helps give you that bulletproof feeling, but really you’re not free from anything (in your mind) until zero fucks are given regardless of what’s in your wallet. Saying you’re not or can’t until you have this or that is an excuse in the mind to prolong making a change or taking that risk to make things better. If you need a golden parachute before taking a risk, then it was never a risk.
    That being said, I’m mostly in agreement with the sentiment of the article.

    1. Admirable wish for mental independence there, but reality is, it’s very hard to give zero fucks when you don’t have enough left over this week to fill the fridge, or fix your old banger, or pay the utility bills, or if you’re about to be evicted cos you owe 3 months rent already. Money is not optional, if you want to live in a modern society with all its comforts at least. You need it to live just as you need air and food. Sure, you probably don’t really need a huge amount beyond what it takes to meet your basic needs to be reasonably happy, but the difference in happiness and overall stress levels between having your basic needs met or not, is usually huge.
       There is an entry level – which of course can vary between individuals – which must be met before you can afford to not give money much thought. This article is a good road map on how to achieve that.

       1. I think you missed my point, or rather I was not good enough explaining it. The latter usually being the case… No need to explain reality to me, I have lived it. I’ve been completely penniless and gone without meals and a roof, I’ve also lived in abundance. Yes it is hard, I never said it was easy. I’ve never begged on a street corner, or had help from social welfare programs. Freedom is a state of mind, can’t be bought or had with money. Employers, like women, can smell thirst a mile away. Many employers if they sense your thirst are going to treat you like shit, or at least try to get away with it.
          During my hardships in life, I did my best to maintain frame and not let employers know I was financially hard up, I also took zero shit from them knowing full well if I got fired I might not eat that day. Many folks thought I was living with financial abundance due to my frame, they had no idea I was roofless at times and ramen noodle broke. Basically I wasn’t going to be bought. My point was frame of mind and maintaining it even if one is broke or going through one of lifes shit tests.
          I started a business during one of those down moments. I told my employer to fuck off due to various reasons and started my own business. It made zero profit for quite some time, however it broke even quite early. It eventually grew into making profits. However I started it without having any “fuck you money” whatsoever. However I had plenty of fuck you state of mind and confidence in my abilities.
          Having been through all of that on more than one occasion in life has ingrained it into my core. I live with abundance now, however I would not have achieved it without having gone through the life lessons I learned in my hardships.
          Yes I mostly agree with the article. The title however I disagree with based on my own life experiences.

          1. Ahhh I see. Thanks for the clarification, and I’m in full agreement with everything you just explained. Thank you. 🙂

          2. No worries man. Being good with words has always been one of my shortcomings, it’s something I’m working to improve on. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify.

20. The Rolling Stones have some serious fuck you money…they didn’t monkey around.
    

    1. I’ve mentioned this before, but because you brought them up, I’ll mention the Rolling Stones and their ability to make money at will. That’s why Mick Jagger can afford to impregnate 20 something year old women and still have a fortune. All he has to do is call Keith Richards and the rest of the gang to go tour in the event that the alimony payments get a tad heavy.

       1. Mick and Keith still get all the pussy…god bless ’em…

          1. They’re proof that you can be old and decrepit, but as long as you got the Benjamins and a steady way to get them, you’ll always pull women. They deserve all the accolades coming their way.

          2. When I was a young dude, I was always shocked and amused by hot women who went after older guys with means. I would make up rationales in my head – “It’s because they have money, they don’t have any long-term interest in them, they really want me, Mr. Handsome Young Dude with a good body and a job and $38 in his pocket.”
             Now I understand it to the marrow. Hot women can fuck whomever they want, pretty much. But they aren’t interested in having relationships with men who don’t have wealth and success, and they are most especially interested in men who have those things on their own terms (independent from relying on anybody else), while possessing a wide array of admirable skills. They will fight each other to the death over men like that. And it honestly doesn’t matter how old the guy is. He could be 70 years old, hit it big, drop into a roomful of hot women and after they sussed him out, he’d beat the hot stud who’s 25 and making decent money, hands-down…

          3. Johnny Winter does this better than Keif
             

          4. Awesome, totally awesome. Man…he sure sings it well, too. Reminds me of Rick Derringer (I think he played with Johnny Winter, er…or Edgar maybe)…
             

          5. Awesome, totally awesome. Man…he sure sings it well, too. Reminds me of Rick Derringer (I think he played with Johnny Winter, er…or Edgar maybe).
             

          6. Winter coulda aped his being an albino into superstardom today. Hes my second fave albino after Roy Orbison

          7. Mick Jagger is still pulling in 9s.

          8. Yeah, I never thought of that. SJWs would eat him up for being different, and people with good musical taste would just eat him up. Ahead of his time, maybe, eh.

          9. That’s true….In Brazil, the most sought after men are single retired government servants, in their 60s and 70s. Because of Brazil’s crazy socialist policies, their pensions are much higher than the incomes of those in their 20s or 30s. Women dig that, I suppose 🙂

          10. Not any more…

          11. It’s not just the money…it’s their high status/charisma that makes them attractive to women of all ages even though they did have matinee idol looks when they were young.

21. I disagree with f you money before paying off debt. Debt, as long as it’s interest rate is higher than your (average rate of return on savings + taxes paid on this return) should be paid off first. If you’re only making 4% on your investments after taxes, then any non mortgage debt will cost you more than having your cash sitting somewhere else. Perhaps with the exception of a mortgage because a mortgage usually acts as a modest hedge against hyperinflation.

    1. While paying debts one must also save. As debts are knocked down, they all quickly roll over each other. When debts are paid, those former payments go to savings. Generally speaking.
       After reaching a few years of annual savings, you start to think different. No such thing as extra money and only have so much time. You will be figuring how to squash mortgages while maintaining savings and investments.
       Beyond that, I thought gold / silver was the hyperinflation hedge.

       1. Assuming you have relatively easy access to more debt if you need it (line of credit or whatnot), then you’re better off paying debts before having an emergency fund. This is because in our zero interest world, emergency funds just lose value to inflation waiting for an emergency, while paying your highest interest debt saves you costs. If an emergency comes up, just (reasonably) increase your debt to solve it and continue on. You’ll still be ahead because you will have saved the debt interest in the meantime over what you would have left had you left an emergency fund available. This of course also assumes some level of adult responsibility and self control. If you’re one of those people that can only reduce your debt by cutting up cards because the lure of splurging is too strong then by all means get an emergency fund first. Results in such case will vary, especially if you’re a woman.
          As for hyperinflation, gold and silver are among the better ones, but anything that isn’t cash or a significantly depreciating asset will hedge against it to some degree. With a mortgage, You’re hedging because you got to borrow money that was worth X before, with a promise to pay (X + interest later), where government currency later is pretty much ALWAYS worth less than it is today. Gold and such is a better hedge of course because you’ll want to sell it to people outside your collapsing economy for full market price, while you may not get your full adjusted property value when selling during hyperinflation due to collapsing demand, but you’ll still be better off as the bank will eat the mortgaged part of the inflation.

          1. The problem with paying debt and saving is what exactly? Inflation vs interest. Come on.
             “If can get more debt better off paying debt”
             Sounds like spinning wheels and the absolute wrong approach. There is a point to doing both ( saving and paying ). I know, you don’t get it.
             ” while paying your highest interest debt saves you costs. ”
             Wouldn’t saving cost translate into a bloody stack of money. People. Paying highest interest first isn’t always the most beneficial. Usually, but not always.
             “As for hyperinflation, gold and silver are among the better ones.”
             Just saying, or you got skin in the game?

          2. If you can afford to save and pay debts, you’re still better off paying debts before you start saving anything. You don’t seem to grasp the concept of interest costs vs interest on savings for some reason. Let’s say you inherit 1000$ from a dead uncle. Would you really let it sit in a bank at 0.5% interest (before taxes) as an emergency fund or would you instead use it to pay off debts with interest rates of 5, 10, or even 18%? The only time I would council someone to save money instead of paying non mortgage debt first is if they have no self control and need to shut down their access to credit completely to get solvent.
             As for my assets, they are quite well diversified and I’ll leave it at that.

          3. I would pay the 18% off with the 5% then I would do negotiations on the 5% and settle on a bulk payment that was only a percentage of cash holdings. I’ve gotten debts completely written off, with talk. That’s my job.
             As for not grasping interest. Well…payments over time vs killing debt forthright. Sorta silly to overextend with higher then normal pissant payments while personally broke, that can be completely negated by interest if hit a rough patch and more debt is the fallback plan. Suckers get in debt and suckers service debt.
             Diversification…a well rounded collection of counter party risk and liability masquerading as assets. Encountered that word lots in 2008, and it wasn’t stated with a smile.

          4. Here is reality, I negotiate with creditors just about everyday. Here is the general flow.
             My client does not care about credit score. My client works part time so garnishment isn’t a option. My client is self employed and will not garnish themselves. First thing, interest needs to be frozen / reduced / eliminated so we have a fixed number to work with. That’s about what expected from a first offer. Here is my first offer 5%. Let’s hit a middle ground we can both live with. 10% is final offer, it’s more then will get selling the debt and your other option from my client is nothing.
             That’s just general. Few years after bailout have a real gem.
             Few weeks telephone tag to speak with the right person. Question, did your company get bailout money. YES. Has your company paid that money back. NO. Does your company intend on paying it back. NO. Your company is recording this conversation correct. YES. So is mine, final question…where is my clients bailout? Then with a keystroke 18K$ VANASHED.
             The majority of debt is reduced to 10% – 20% across the board of the supposed total. So pay the highest interest rate first, while seems like logical mathematical wisdom…is about the dumbest thing one can do. The first time I encountered that sage advice, was a call in radio talk show when I was in grade school. Idiots that slave service debt is the reason I’m able to cut the deals I do. This is why you couldn’t understand my perspective. Lol interest rate, get fucked you get nothing and can waste time and resources to get nothing in the future.
             Every case is different. So don’t give me stupid alleged exception examples…cause there is always some angle for leverage. Fools pay full price, greater fools pay interest above full price.

          5. Your example is completely irrelevant to our conversation. We were talking about what to do with spare money, and you were pushing an emergency fund right away while still carrying high interest debt. Whatever amount of debt you end up with, either through negotiating it down or paying in full, what you should do after that point remains the same: use every spare penny to pay whatever your current highest interest rate is, and build an emergency fund after the non mortgage debts are gone. Again this assumes the debtor had some modest self control and credit remains available in case an emergency does happen.

          6. This guy. Underwater on a mortgage, talking about going into debt for a emergency, lacking reserves, and still jerking off paying highest interest rate AFTER being told it can be negated.
             Fucking stuck on stupid and after I was kind enough to provide examples helen keller and my left foot could follow.
             This is gold. I’m done. Anything tell this clown he will run the wrong direction with or say is off subject. I’m hoping he is trolling, cause god damn if not.
             Yet, why not hurt his pussy one last time before I go. Paid off my first house when I turned 30…felt good not being a dumbfuck like all my peers.

          7. More irrelevant ramblings. Great.

22. I was so frugal when I was young. I am hardly rich now. BUt it was nice in the past year to be able to buy a new AC for 10ooo bucks, put a new roof on for 7ooo bucks, and replace all my woodrot windows with new vinyl window world windows for 14000. And buy a 5.5 acre piece of land in cash for 25000. All above paid in cash. And bought guns too. And the education IRA of my son is fully funded to cover him to graduation.
    I am just a regular working stiff, no business acumen. But at age 52, my house and 2 good cars, 2 junk cars all paid for.
    The trick ? Don’t borrow money when you are young. Go without if necessary.
    And if you must take on debt, pay it. Pay for all with credit card, pay off credit card end of month. In 25 years, I have never paid a nickel in credit card interests. But I have had plenty of free hotel nights and free flights overt the years with frequent flier points and miles.

23. I suggest running it two ways
    1) A year of expenses = saved and eventually 25x a year’s expense saved for retirement (put another way, your 0.04%)
    2) a year of your target expenses saved * 25x. Your spend in retirement or in FU time may be considerably less (or more if you want travel globally in comfort) so its worth running both scenarios (or even more than 2).
    Also – Most guys should max out their 401k at $18k/year – the tax deductions today are tremendous (out of pocket is only ~12-13k for most guys plus you get company match usually). I’m a big fan of http://www.financialsamurai.com/ for advice on the subject

    1. And, if you work for the government or qualified non- or not-for-profits, you may be entitled to a 457(b), or “top-hat” plan. These basically add an extra layer of retirement savings, allowing you to save even more, once you max the 401(k)/403(b).

       1. good points

24. When I realized that I had enough F-You money, I resigned upon the final piece of disrespect from the boss of my last workplace. I now live like the article speaks of and truly it’s great to be your own man, live on your own terms, and define your settings. Compliments to the writer, good read.

25. The importance of minimizing your cash burn rate cannot be overstated.
    You don’t have to “go minimalist” although that doesn’t hurt. A few actions will go a long way:
    – Eat out less, avoid pricey places (my old go-to for dates was a local chicken pollo, served double function as a screener for gold-digger/high maintenance types)
    – Use Uber if you live in an urban area. Total cost works out to far less than car ownership.
    – Need a car? Buy a Honda or Toyota with cash. Spending big $ on a depreciating asset with high maintenance costs is just stupid.
    – Rent. Put your house downpayment in Vanguard’s S&P index fund.
    – If you want to buy a house (psychological value) buy a modest one.
    – Go through your house/apt every 6 months. Throw out what you haven’t used in last 6 months. I’ve found this habit teaches me to buy less crap.

    1. Agree again!
       You’re batting 1.000 Lucious!
       I have lived in the same studio Apt for the last 25 years, and my Camry is 11 years old with 45K on it. Buy my clothes at Macy’s, Sears, and Walmart. Drink Seagram’s, Carlo Rossi, and other cheap stuff
       But…I do spend a whole lot on T.Y.P.
       That is non-negotiable!

    2. Learn how to cook, it’s an invaluable skill. You’ll be able to cook good restaurant standard meals at home!!! And it impresses the bitches. Although you have to be careful. If she gets used to you cooking for her she’ll get lazy and expect it all the time. The good woman will appreciate your resourcefulness, fuck your brains out and then she cooks for you!!

26. Hahaha!
    I’ve been saying this since I was 23!!!
    Really, this is a line from the movie “Heat” with Burt Reynolds.
    Reynolds needed “F*ck You” money, to his character back in the 80s, that meant 20K/year for life. He tried to get it by playing blackjack, but that didn’t work out so well. But he ended up getting it another way…Won’t spoil it for anyone interested in watching.
    Maybe Uncle Bob can review???
    When I hit 24 I quit my 32K/year job with about $16K in the bank. Was a tech support guy on Wall St at the time and those $5K bonuses were a whole lot to me back then. Drove around the country for 5 months until I ended up in CA and in a couple of months found another IT job for 36K. Back then, I thought that was fantastic. Ended up quitting that job too, bummed around for a while, then finally headed back to NY. Funny thing is, even though I have way, way more now, I felt much “freer” back then. I miss not giving a damn!

27. Here’s another one: Stop giving to charity.
    Yeah, you heard me. Stop giving to charity.
    I used to give money to my university, Christian Children’s Fund, MS drives etc.
    Then I went to a college reunion and saw all the lavish new buildings and facilities they had built since I graduated. All the university’s claims of being poor and needing my money to prevent “gutting” academic programs were a scam. It made me re-evaluate all my charitable giving.
    I found that most charities are total crap. Google “charity fraud” yourself. Charities waste money like crazy on overhead, vanity, high exec comp, travel and conferences. If you live in DC go check out the WWF headquarters. They have carved granite reliefs of pandas etc integrated into the design their lavish building. Does that help the animals?
    Very little of the money actually goes to the people/things charities say they’re helping. Their #1 charity actually is their own management and their cushy jobs with fat salaries, full retirement/health benefits and zero accountability. Nice work if you can get it.
    So I stopped giving completely. It helped that shortly after that I had kids. My #1 charity now is my family and posterity.
    People who have made big money often talk a lot publicly about “giving” blah blah. Most of it is bullshit they say and do to look good. Real givers don’t advertise it.
    The only exception I’d make is a local charity where you can actually SEE what they are doing. Or volunteer your time for a cause you care about. That way you can be sure your contribution is used well.

    1. 100% Agree!!!
       Take care of yourself and your own.
       The rest of the world is not your problem.
       Only busybodies make it such, and they cause most of the problems.

    2. You’re spot on – I remember a certain high profile Australian Charity was reportedly paying its CEO a mid six figure salary plus perks – modern charities are no more than a con

    3. Absolutely. Charity is a scam. “non-profit” companies are a scam. And, absolutely, never ever work for one. The only thing non-profit about them is their compensation to employees.

    4. Some charities are a scam others aren’t. But what about government based charity we are all forced to pay for? It’s largely about political power and all the jobs administering it.

       1. Sure, *some* charities aren’t a scam. But I’m not smart enough to tell scam from not scam. Best to avoid all. Besides, my family is my charity now.
          Re: gubment charity scams, don’t get me started. NPR should be defunded immediately. Most social programs should be defunded. Gubment spending is a giant racket.

28. Easier said than done !
    Requires loads of discipline and determination. By the way, a good article.

29. Great Article!
    It’s never too late, but the earlier in life you develop strong financial habits, the better off you’ll be. You have to Condition yourself through Repetition and Time, so these habits become second nature. Developing the power to say “NO” to many things also goes a long way in establishing financial prudence.
    Additionally, in your quest to gain financial freedom, don’t overlook the importance of establishing and maintaining good credit:
    – Learn the Difference between Good and Bad Debt.
    – Develop a strong understanding of your Credit Reports/Credit Scores.
    – Work diligently to develop and maintain your FICO scores above 730.
    – Maintain (always pay on time) at least 3-4 “revolving” tradelines (credit cards, visa, mc, amex, etc.).
    – Maintain (always pay on time) at least 1 “installment” tradeline (mortgage, car, etc.).
    – Don’t carry more than 25% debt on any of your revolving accounts.
    – Establishing and maintaining excellent credit is very important in today’s society, but at the appropriate time, pay off any revolving debt (credit cards, etc.) – if you can’t pay for it in cash, you don’t need it.
    You can write an entire article on this subject alone, but you get the idea…
    There is nothing quite like the Freedom to spend your time the way you choose… The more successful you become, the more control you have over your time… One of the many benefits of Fuck You Money.

30. I live a minimalist lifestyle, but still dress great. You can improve your looks by wearing nice, expensive clothes, but without paying the full expensive retail price when they go on clearance this time of the year.
    I bought these Taso Elba shirts from Macy’s today, $11 each. I don’t understand how people can pay full retail. These are regularly $50 each
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e07c92b5ca69216c10f96ce6e43b14b8ef15d946ea72614cc5315f4037fce230.jpg

    1. I prefer Icebreaker merino wool t-shirts (long and short sleeve, depending on season). They do cost a bit (around $50), but last forever and don’t absorb odor, unlike cotton.

       1. This article is about how to save and accumulate your money, not spend it on luxury items like $50 wool shirts.
          I have some Nike dri-fit shirts that have lasted for 10 years, that cost me $12 at Marshalls, when they normally cost $40 at the Nike store.

          1. OK.

31. difficult since everybody wants this.

    1. How so?
       Everybody wants to breath air, still easy.
       Everybody wants a car, not hard to get one.
       Seems to me that investment, especially Index based mutual funds, get *better* the more people get into them.

32. “Great fuck you position lost forever”. Not forever…. Trump, saying fuck you since 1946.

33. New guns….ammo budget.
    I seriously want a Barrett .50. Better allocate funds and buy one before the next presidential election should Trump either flip and go leftist or lose to a Democrat.

34. If you only read one article on ROK this month, make it this one. I lived too much of my life ignoring these rules and I paid a heavy price. Digging out of that hole is taking time. Make no mistake: debt is slavery. It sucks the life out of you like a cancer.

35. I had my “Fuck You Money”…
    I spent it on smack…
    I am fucked now…
    However, I am not entirely fucked, thank God!
    I am sober now, I am not homeless, and I am looking for employment nowdays…

36. A few pro tips:
    1. The video in the article is correct. Rent as nice of a place as you can reasonably afford, that is around 1/4 of your income. Make sure the place is as close to your job(s) as possible. For me, this is in a very nice suburb of Denver and happens to be 3.5 miles from the office.
    2. Buy a used econobox, like a Honda Civic (my vehicle of choice). Mine is 14 years old and has 240,000 miles on it. It is dented and the interior is literally coming apart, but it purrs like a kitten. I bet I’ll get at least 300,000 out of it. I did buy the car new, when I was 23 (one among many mistakes of youth). It has, however, long outlived the depreciation schedule.
    3. Preferably, live in an area with bike lanes or trails. I ride to and from work, weather permitting and it is not only a way to stay in shape and become Quadzilla, but you have the added benefit of saving on gas/maintenance on that econobox you are trying to make last for as long as possible.
    4. Don’t get married. Don’t get into long-term relationships. Ever. I did the latter and paid for it, though I did have the foresight to not get married (thank God). Don’t knock anyone up.

    1. This is a sure road map to the life of a loser.
       You live in a cheap (read: shitty) place
       You drive an old and crappy car.
       You have no kids, no legacy – whats your saved money good for then? Buy you 5 more years in intensive elderly care or something?
       You work a full time or more jobs. Why? At least your frugal lifestyle should save you from the need to have a job. Maybe do some part-time stuff here and there or freelance when you feel like it. That i would understand.
       Hell you even ride to your work like a poor 3rd worlder.
       What is the good stuff in your life I wonder?

       1. I live in a nice neighborhood, I assure you. The money is to sit on the beach, drink in hand with a little umbrella in it.

          1. I’ve been living that life for 10 years. After 1 year it becomes as tedious as working. Unlimited booze and girls is no life for a man.

          2. Here is the beach, and in the bay the floating bar filled with young local women. Just outside my apartment. Beer is $2 a bottle all afternoon, the girls cost a bit more. (Kokomo’s floating bar, Baloy Long Beach)
             https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/613214d7c9a67dff5e21c9790aac62fc92cdbc7d04d4b7895b3e58fb42b4b29c.jpg

37. One year? That’s not fuck you money. Not even close. That still means you need a new gig soon.
    I would say it has to be a lot more than that. The most important thing is to keep the monthly nut to a minimum.
    There are three major enslavers in the modern economy.
    1) Debt to live. The debt to have a place to live. Buy cheap pay it down fast.
    2) Obamacare and the medical care racket. Pay to live. A century was spent pushing prices sky high and now it’s a requirement to be insured for them.
    3) property taxes. Pay to live.
    Not much can be done about the last two at the moment.

38. Speaking of Collins, I strongly recommend reading the famous Stock Series on his blog: http://jlcollinsnh.com/stock-series/

39. I would argue that the 4% number is too low. The stock market has returned about 10% a year, on average, since the end of WWII. So if your expenses are equal to that return on your capital, you have arrived at a financial break-even point.

40. i have 60k in the bank. What should i do?

41. Complete bs! I’ve had 5 years living expenses in my bank for the past 20 years. It didn’t make me free.

42. Funny enough, I actually encourage all young men out there to rack up as much debt as they can and never pay it off.
    I got my f u money. That way when the fat single mother at the airline doesn’t want to refund my ticket, it’s nothing to me. I’m not wealthy, but I got f u money definitely. Fixing to double, even triple it too.

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