Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

news.ycombinator.com

121–130 of 157 posts

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#121
post #31
post #15

• Move to the SF area • Attend loads of cool conferences • Splash out on some new gear — a new Mac for starters • Be able to spend a lot more time on personal projects • Start a new startup; its not work if you enjoy doing it. ;)

• Buy more fonts

Wow, never seen that before.

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#122
post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Athletes peak in their late 20s and early 30s. In intellectual endeavors (despite prominent counterexamples, half of whom were like Keats or Galois and died on ascent) most people peak in their late 40s or 50s. So there isn't the same call to quit after a few years of success.

Well, yes and no. Mathematicians for example are notorious for burning out young.

Chalk poisoning. ;)

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#125
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knowing when to quit is also a skill. Especially applicable to professional sports.

Athletes peak in their late 20s and early 30s. In intellectual endeavors (despite prominent counterexamples, half of whom were like Keats or Galois and died on ascent) most people peak in their late 40s or 50s. So there isn't the same call to quit after a few years of success.

This really isn't a useful generalization. Nor factual. If people are genuinely interested in peaking, read "Overachievement" and "Talent Isn't Everything".

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$5m invested invested fairly conservatively can throw off 8%, or $400k / year. I'm sorry, but if you can't live on $33k / month, even in the Bay Area, you've got problems. A couple of those people in the article have homes worth over $1m that they own free and clear while they work 70 hours a week to make ends meet. Not smart. Mortgage the house to 70-80% (rates are dirt cheap right now) and invest the cash at the af…

Please link to a single "conservative" investment with an 8% yield.

Until this latest hiccup, my simple IRA was making 10-11% a year without me even thinking about it. Also with 5 mil, or 22 mil the types of investments available to you are not 'regular' or something you average hacker has access to.

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#127
post #61

I sold my startup a few months ago for enough cash that I never have to work or worry about money again. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=341565 I went to the most peaceful spot I could find, and relaxed. I did nothing. http://www.vimeo.com/1292105 After only a couple days, it was never more clear that I was never doing anything for the money anyway, and the reason I'm always working, driving, pushing, learning, g…

What I would really like to know is how much money it takes to get to that point. $5 million isn't enough according to a very interesting New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/technology/05rich.html So how much does it typically take for someone in Silicon Valley to "solve the money problem"?

BTW that NYTimes article you cite is boom-town trash. Published in 2007, just before things started going in the shitter. The mentality of the past 5 years was "more, more more" and it's almost sickening to read this account of how greedy these millionaires are/were.

They all chose to live in Silicon Valley and continued to aspire to be hundred-millionares instead of enjoying what they have. Some people don't deserve their wealth.

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#128
Find the hardest problem that intrigued me personally and start working to solve it. Hire some top-drawer help to have some great minds to bounce ideas around. Keep it simple and focus on bang-for-buck.

Heck. I guess I'd do the same thing as now, except I'd have more resources to do it with.

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#129
post #64

Depending on HOW wealthy I am: - Clean up all friends/family student loans and credit - Build a new house, buy anything I want - Start a college fund for my nephew - Do it again

In your place, I'd make college funds for nephews (or anyone for that matter) obsolete, by making education really inexpensive if not free.

Depending on the amount of $ I have, I agree with this. If I was only filthy rich, family education would come first. If I was stupidly/insanely/infinitely rich, everyone would benefit from free education.

Re: Ask HN: you're rich, now what?

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I would really like to know is how much money it takes to get to that point. $5 million isn't enough according to a very interesting New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/technology/05rich.html So how much does it typically take for someone in Silicon Valley to "solve the money problem"?

BTW that NYTimes article you cite is boom-town trash. Published in 2007, just before things started going in the shitter. The mentality of the past 5 years was "more, more more" and it's almost sickening to read this account of how greedy these millionaires are/were. They all chose to live in Silicon Valley and continued to aspire to be hundred-millionares instead of enjoying what they have. Some people don't deserve…

They all chose to live in Silicon Valley and continued to aspire to be hundred-millionares instead of enjoying what they have. Some people don't deserve their wealth.

So you're saying it's bad if rich people continue to build things instead of switching to being mere consumers?

Post reply on HN