goldbug9999 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 how did you go from 30k to 100k ? did the fact you earn 3 times as much make you happy putting money aside , than the actual things you can buy with it By 1) going freelance and 2) keeping an eye on trends in my field (IT) and trying to stay a step ahead by acquiring the right skills but without becoming over specialized. I also made sure to build a decent emergency fund fairly early on which means I can be more choosy about the gigs I take, which in turn makes is easier to keep building the savings pot, its a virtuous cycle I guess. As the old saying goes "negotiate like you don't need the money" which is a lot easier when you really dont need the money ... As I said before, not having to worry about money coming is the big difference rather than possessions. I've realized that is some ways knowing that you can own something is almost as good as actually having it. In fact I'm about to embark on a big slimming down phase possessions wise as I've recently moved rental and 80% of what I own is still in boxes after 3 months so its made me aware of how much rubbish I was hanging onto for no particular reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 (edited) By 1) going freelance and 2) keeping an eye on trends in my field (IT) and trying to stay a step ahead by acquiring the right skills but without becoming over specialized. I also made sure to build a decent emergency fund fairly early on which means I can be more choosy about the gigs I take, which in turn makes is easier to keep building the savings pot, its a virtuous cycle I guess. As the old saying goes "negotiate like you don't need the money" which is a lot easier when you really dont need the money ... As I said before, not having to worry about money coming is the big difference rather than possessions. I've realized that is some ways knowing that you can own something is almost as good as actually having it. In fact I'm about to embark on a big slimming down phase possessions wise as I've recently moved rental and 80% of what I own is still in boxes after 3 months so its made me aware of how much rubbish I was hanging onto for no particular reason. which area of IT ? , i was doing server support for an airline up until 2007 that was still using NT4 ! 40k was ok as most of the time we had feck all to do. i have worked about 2.5 years in total since then as these support roles are dead ends now and don`t pay anything worth getting out of bed for. ideally i would like to get into the san nas backup area`s but where do you train , without on the job skills Edited February 26, 2015 by longgone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I downsized to three days a week remote online work a few years ago. Best thing I've ever done. Time is more important to me than money and consumer toys. I live frugally, but well. I worked briefly in India amongst some very poor people and it made me realise material goods have f-all to do with happiness. As long as you're healthy and have sufficient food, clothing and shelter, happiness comes largely from your own positive mental attitude. The problem with modern Britain is we have a toxic society filled with consumerist envy, which is why most people are unhappy. The commute-work-consume-debt-commute-work cycle is very harmful,IMO. By the way if you want to be more frugal there's a very good early retirement website called Mr Money Moustache. Unlike many frugal websites it's aimed at educated professional people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackney Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Gone from about £30k when I left university steadily to £400k+ for the last few years and don't feel that the money has changed much at all for me other than not having to worry. I never dreamed of earning what I earn, and it was never my primary focus. Family, friends and relationships are far more important for personal happiness - we only have "now" when it boils down to it, and money can actually make you plan for the future a bit more rather than enjoying what you have today. The man on the council estate is not always less happy than the family in the big detached house. Many rich people I've met lead pretty boring unhappy lives, in fact. Money just removes some of the stresses of daily life, but it also adds some if you're not careful - I've learned that the hard way before! Ultimately I enjoy my life, and I view money as a side effect of my work rather than the core goal. I also think most people are much happier earning a million than winning 10 on the lottery. The old saying "the journey is the reward" is very true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northerner Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Gone from about £30k when I left university steadily to £400k+ for the last few years and don't feel that the money has changed much at all for me other than not having to worry. I never dreamed of earning what I earn, and it was never my primary focus. Unmasked! Cristiano Ronaldo Wants £400,000 Per Week to Stay at Madrid - Report Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I downsized to three days a week remote online work a few years ago. Best thing I've ever done. Time is more important to me than money and consumer toys. I live frugally, but well. I worked briefly in India amongst some very poor people and it made me realise material goods have f-all to do with happiness. As long as you're healthy and have sufficient food, clothing and shelter, happiness comes largely from your own positive mental attitude. The problem with modern Britain is we have a toxic society filled with consumerist envy, which is why most people are unhappy. The commute-work-consume-debt-commute-work cycle is very harmful,IMO. By the way if you want to be more frugal there's a very good early retirement website called Mr Money Moustache. Unlike many frugal websites it's aimed at educated professional people. Plus lots.....Joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkWeston Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 By 1) going freelance and 2) keeping an eye on trends in my field (IT) and trying to stay a step ahead by acquiring the right skills but without becoming over specialized. I also made sure to build a decent emergency fund fairly early on which means I can be more choosy about the gigs I take, which in turn makes is easier to keep building the savings pot, its a virtuous cycle I guess. As the old saying goes "negotiate like you don't need the money" which is a lot easier when you really dont need the money ... As I said before, not having to worry about money coming is the big difference rather than possessions. I've realized that is some ways knowing that you can own something is almost as good as actually having it. In fact I'm about to embark on a big slimming down phase possessions wise as I've recently moved rental and 80% of what I own is still in boxes after 3 months so its made me aware of how much rubbish I was hanging onto for no particular reason. Hi goldbug9999, On topic: I'm in IT too, a developer. My salary has doubled since 2004 when I first moved to London. I feel like I save not much more each month than I did back then. I've always had a reasonable salary and not struggled to save while buying things I decided I wanted, though I do live fairly frugally. Holidays are more important to me than stuff. I build my own PCs for eg and only replace them every 4-5 years (I'm on my 2nd since 2004). I'm reasonably content with my finance situation, just no more content now than I was in 2004. And of course I do want to continue to increase my earnings. Which leads me to... Off topic: I wonder if it's rude to ask what particular brand of IT you're in? Are you a developer, if so, what sort? I'm a developer myself and on a pretty decent salary but struggling to break through a ceiling. I'm also getting disillusioned with working for a company and considering testing out the waters of either freelancing or trying to develop a product and sell it. Any advice is appreciated, how do you identify upcoming trend demands for eg. How do you get jobs? By freelancer do you mean short jobs or just that you are contracting but still in a > 6 month role? I'm new to posting the forum btw. Been reading it for many years though. Love the knowledge I've picked up from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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