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My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

software.rajivprab.com

371–380 of 583 posts

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#371
post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Lots of people _do_ think you should feel guilt for privilege. Except I don't see anyone in this comment thread actully expousing that belief. I _do_ however see a lot of people strawmanning it.

This thread does not contain the entirety of discourse about privilege.

Sure, but that's a thought-terminating argument.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#372

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You then end up paying London rent… You won’t be able to afford to rent a luxury London flat on 100K or even 150K but a 2 bed in any decent area is £2-2.5K council tax and utilities would be another £200 p/m easily. You are probably better off making £80K in Manchester as a senior dev than £100-110K in London. Newcastle has also a decent tech ecosystem tho it is very much focused around Sage.

Maybe. We own our flat in Zone 1 (Soho, 48k down payment, 12k closing costs) after 5 years saving, mortgage is 2.29% ~ 1900 a month. Save about 2500 a month. The one thing I will say is that the "single tax" certainly exists in London, and I find my situation affordable because I have no kids, and my partner brings in an other £35k or so. If we wanted a 3 bedroom or something, forget about it. That's when it becomes…

We lived in NW1, W1H and SW1 for fifteen years and it was totally doable with two earners even starting on a perm salary of 35K, and as the income increased we stayed, but within three years of kids arriving, it was clear that we needed to make a choice. Stay with a two-bedroom in Zone 1 - and pollution etc - or jet to Zone 4 and triple our space.

Five years later I think it's more feasible to stay in Zone 1 or 2 with kids as the air becomes cleaner and you should have saved up enough to find a bigger place. A friend travels from Zone 1 to 4 every on the train for the school run, so it's perfectly doable given flexible working.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#373

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The modern "progressive" thought-process is to feel guilty about having a good education. I went to private school in the UK and the only thing I feel is infinite gratitude to my parents for forking-out the money to send me there (they were not rich, they were both teachers).

I disagree with everything you've said. The only difference between myself and my other friends (who also have advanced degrees from top universities in the bay area) is that I abandoned my field of study and jumped into tech. After 10 years, we have vastly different financial outcomes now. A lot of hard working, well educated, dedicated people struggle financially around here, because they happened to not choose tec…

Part of working smart rather than working hard is seeing the salary signals the market is sending and responding to them strategically. This is worth more than mastering a skill that is saturated with competition relative to demand.

It took me a long time to accept this as I was wedded to the idea that hard work and skill alone should be well compensated. But that hard work and skill needs to be pointed in a good direction in the first place.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#374

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've said way too much PII already, but it's on HMRC/Land Registry if you want to look it up. Bought in 2019. Non-council.

For a 2019 purchase there is no way that’s more than a studio maybe maybe a tiny 1 bed, if I want to buy where I rent now (W2) I’m looking at 1M+ for any two bed that isn’t a 50sq/m lower ground closet, the non council is a given I don’t think there are any council properties in Soho… The 2 bed flat I’m renting got recently evaluated at 1.7M it’s very nice and very large (for London)but the lease remaining on it is 6…

I stayed at my ex's flat in W2 around twenty years ago, the estate was selling 2-beds for 240K then - are you suggesting those flats are over £1M?? I dare not look at prices.

Edit: Reader, he looked at the prices

Found almost identical flat at 499,999K, so coming in at less than Millbank flats were going for in 2016. Those flats are only £25K more now. This seems perfectly doable for software engineers who have a good permanent job or are contracting.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#376
Let me add

1) get a prenup before marriage because there's a 50/50 chance you'll lose half in divorce (at least in California.) This is not very romantic so it's not something I ever considered, but it's recommended to wealthy persons by lawyers.

2) don't become an alcoholic or drug addict. If you think you might be developing a problem, own up to it, seek help and go to rehab if necessary. This includes gambling addictions. A cocaine and gambling habit is probably the quickest way to become broke again.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#377
post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but thinking privilege is equatable to guilt is missing the point.

I don’t think anyone said that. Lots of people _do_ think you should feel guilt for privilege. Pretending those people don’t exist isn’t helping the progressive movement. It’s important for progressives to acknowledge and counter the people who wave the progressive flag but espouse the opposite of progressive ideals.

That's literally what the first two comments on this thread say.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#378

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IR35 hasn't really affected that path, you can find contracts that are outside of the legislation and as long as your working practices are also outside you're fine, there are also insurances now for these things.

A lot of companies don’t hire contractors under their own LTD anymore they only take those that come through an umbrella company that pays them under PAYE.

The people taking these roles arguably aren’t contractors anyway. The market in the uk for contracts outside the legislation is healthy.

Re: My Path to Financial Independence as a Software Engineer

#380

Let me add 1) get a prenup before marriage because there's a 50/50 chance you'll lose half in divorce (at least in California.) This is not very romantic so it's not something I ever considered, but it's recommended to wealthy persons by lawyers. 2) don't become an alcoholic or drug addict. If you think you might be developing a problem, own up to it, seek help and go to rehab if necessary. This includes gambling add…

Real tip is don’t have kids. Corollary to your number 1
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