So I’m 25 and obviously have known my uncle who just turned 55 this year.
My family comes from a long line of labor slaves (thinks working 2,000 hours in a week makes you better than the rest of people) that being said they are still all in poverty for the most part working at lumber mills for almost 12hr their whole life with no benefits.
My uncle went through a nasty divorce and became a high functioning alcoholic. He worked all day and night going out of town, making a decent bit of money.
He saved up enough money to buy his own house and land (it isn’t much or good looking but still a house with 12 acres in the country) once he did this, he started working two jobs even though he only paid utilities.
Working two jobs for a year solid and all of sudden he stops working entirely and lives off of all that money from the two jobs for at least 3 years after.
All he ever bought was the cheapest food and cheapest liquor. He does all his own dental work, he fixes his car, he barters a one day job in return for parts for his car or house.
He’s been doing this for years. He picks up a decent job works around 6 months and takes off a year. My family calls him lazy and irresponsible but he honestly lives better than them.
He’s a minimalist before being a minimalist was cool, and in my opinion very smart. He knows the price of everything he’s gonna need and has never bummed money from my family.
It’s crazy to think he has managed a happy life and paid for his habits working a fraction of the time that most of us do.
If your wondering about when he gets older and may not be able body to work anymore well he’s already told me that plan.
He obviously has social security that will be in place at 65 or 64 but, his property is appraised at around 100,000 last time he inquired taking a loan out on his property. His planning is take the loan out or sell it and buy a small camper on a smaller piece of land and that money should carry him to the finish line considering he has been a heavy alcoholic most his life. Idk if it’s gonna work but his math has never been wrong on what he’s gonna need lol. Not sure if this belongs here just thought it’s pretty cool he’s found a way not to be a bum, a homeowner, and barely work his life away. This may not be applicable to most of you, (myself included because I have 5 kids and a wife) but I still find my self day dreaming of survival without breaking my back.