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I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

mrmoneymustache.com

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Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#71

Post by stevenwei »

PythonDeveloper wrote: post #2

Awesome article. Kudos for sticking to your guns, and I hope your revenues skyrocket, even though credit cards are the worst financial decision anyone could ever make. I'd rather YOU make money on their bad decisions than Chase or Citi.

I really don't understand this sentiment.

I prefer carrying around credit cards compared to cash, it's more convenient and I don't have to worry about whether I have enough cash on hand when I need to make a large purchase.

I feel safer using a credit card compared to my ATM card due to the chargeback and fraud protection provided by the credit card company. There's less money "at risk" if someone steals my credit card or skims my cc number (which has happened to me at a restaurant before - I paid with a credit card and the guy wrote down the number while handling my bill. A week later he attempted to use it at Best Buy to buy a laptop, which was caught by my credit card company's fraud department.).

I earn frequent flyer miles by spending with my credit card, which (combined with signup bonuses) earns me several free plane tickets every year. Since I fly semi-frequently this is a major cost savings for me.

I pay off my credit card balance in full every month, never incurring interest. In doing so, I show a consistent payment history and build my credit score. I don't particularly need it right now, but if I ever need to take out a mortgage, finance a car, or take out any other kind of loan, having a high credit score will benefit me in the long run.

I literally cannot think of a reason why this is a bad idea, or why anyone would consider this a bad financial decision.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#72

Post by learc83 »

ZanderEarth32 wrote: post #49

Well, I am happy that $4000 is so inconsequential to Mr. Money Mustache that he can just say 'fuck you' to it. Not everyone is so lucky. I am sure there are plenty of families or individuals who would sacrificed their 'integrity' or 'freedom of speech' on their blog for that kind money to feed their families, pay for their home or get a medical procedure done. It doesn't sound like any of these issues are a concern t…

He specifically addressed that

>If this blog were the only thing between my family and a homeless shelter, I’d surely be a banner-changin’, credit-card-hustlin’ fool. Just as the indebted office worker faced with an abusive manager will bow down and do the shitty work, year-in and year-out.

The whole point of his blog is financial freedom. How to make enough money that you don't have to live like that.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#73

Post by jaems33 »

crikli wrote: post #51
anthonyb wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Until you need to borrow money for a car or a house...

If a purchase requires you to borrow money, seriously ask yourself if you need to make the purchase. Could you (the royal you) buy a cheaper car, borrowing less or paying cash? Could you sustain another year in your current living situation? The problem with debt-financed purchasing is that while it expands short-term options if not managed properly it can severely limit long-term options.

I think most people need to borrow money to buy a property or start a business.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#74

Post by repsilat »

jaysonelliot wrote: post #70

Freedom of speech doesn't mean no one can ask you to change what you say, or that you never change your words to please anyone. It's a very specific concept from the United States Constitution that relates to the government forcing you to refrain from saying things that you want to say. Freedom of speech is the kind of thing that comes up when a government agency puts warning labels on record albums, news media are p…

> It's a very specific concept from the United States Constitution

This is completely incorrect, and it's a little insulting to the users here who aren't American.

Freedom of speech is a value with broad applicability. The United States Constitution enshrines a right to free speech as a limitation of government power, fine, but they don't have a monopoly on the idea. Relative freedom of speech is a characteristic of every forum in which speech and the suppression of speech are possible.

Banning users of a forum limits freedom of speech, removing commentary that goes off-topic limits freedom of speech. Forums are often quite free to set their own rules about who is allowed to say what, and users are often free to choose the forums they frequent, but that's mostly beside the point - speech within any particular forum is free to a given extent, and some people (be they owners, operators, users, whatever) believe that this freedom is intrinsically valuable.

(I don't really see this one as a free speech issue myself - to me, this one is about the credit card company preserving their brand integrity.)

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#75

Post by Mz »

pixelbath wrote: post #69
Mz wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I swear like a sailor. I try to keep it down to a dull roar online. If I could make $4k/month by removing a single swear word from my site, I would be a total sellout in a heart beat. Fuck "integrity" of that sort. Mz bookmarks article to try to figure out if she can sell her soul for $4k/month at some future date.

> If I could make $4k/month..., I would be a total sellout That's certainly a valid choice; some people prioritize "integrity of that sort" over money.

I am currently homeless and deeply in debt for valuing my integrity over money. I could have dumped my two adult sons on my ex. He would take them in, though he won't give me one thin dime to help feed them. And because they are legal adults, no shelter will take us as a family. My financial mess is due to the fact that I* have gotten well at my expense. As a former military wife with an incurable genetic disorder, I, instead, could be a lifelong legal drug addict at tax payer expense. But one swear word in the subheader? I would at least A/B test it. Perhaps cleaning up his foul mouth would grow his audience even bigger.

* Really, all three of us have gotten well at my expense.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#77

Post by grannyg00se »

jaysonelliot wrote: post #70

Freedom of speech doesn't mean no one can ask you to change what you say, or that you never change your words to please anyone. It's a very specific concept from the United States Constitution that relates to the government forcing you to refrain from saying things that you want to say. Freedom of speech is the kind of thing that comes up when a government agency puts warning labels on record albums, news media are p…

There is definitely a brand integrity aspect to this but you are making light of what I think is the more significant aspect. What he claims is that this is a test of his own personal financial independence at work. A challenge to the value of being financially independent and the sacrifices required to attain the goal. In his words, "this is really a test of what financial independence is all about." That seems accurate. If he champions himself as financial independent, it would be personally dishonest to then do something undesirable for the sole purpose of further financial gain.

There is brand integrity there, but I think there is also personal integrity and resolve.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#78

Post by grannyg00se »

learc83 wrote: post #72
ZanderEarth32 wrote: post #49

Well, I am happy that $4000 is so inconsequential to Mr. Money Mustache that he can just say 'fuck you' to it. Not everyone is so lucky. I am sure there are plenty of families or individuals who would sacrificed their 'integrity' or 'freedom of speech' on their blog for that kind money to feed their families, pay for their home or get a medical procedure done. It doesn't sound like any of these issues are a concern t…

He specifically addressed that >If this blog were the only thing between my family and a homeless shelter, I’d surely be a banner-changin’, credit-card-hustlin’ fool. Just as the indebted office worker faced with an abusive manager will bow down and do the shitty work, year-in and year-out. The whole point of his blog is financial freedom. How to make enough money that you don't have to live like that.

I'm not an expert on the site content, but I think it's about how to require little enough money that you don't have to live like that. The focus is on needing less, rather than making more.

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#79

Post by fsniper »

jaysonelliot wrote: post #70

Freedom of speech doesn't mean no one can ask you to change what you say, or that you never change your words to please anyone. It's a very specific concept from the United States Constitution that relates to the government forcing you to refrain from saying things that you want to say. Freedom of speech is the kind of thing that comes up when a government agency puts warning labels on record albums, news media are p…

It's not just essential brand securing. Making the changes according to the requests would open up the way for referral agents to manipulate him in any way they like. It's basically telling them "yeah, I'm for sale. Give me money I will say whatever shit you like"

Re: I Just Gave Up $4000 Per Month to Keep My Freedom of Speech

#80

Post by ZanderEarth32 »

learc83 wrote: post #72
ZanderEarth32 wrote: post #49

Well, I am happy that $4000 is so inconsequential to Mr. Money Mustache that he can just say 'fuck you' to it. Not everyone is so lucky. I am sure there are plenty of families or individuals who would sacrificed their 'integrity' or 'freedom of speech' on their blog for that kind money to feed their families, pay for their home or get a medical procedure done. It doesn't sound like any of these issues are a concern t…

He specifically addressed that >If this blog were the only thing between my family and a homeless shelter, I’d surely be a banner-changin’, credit-card-hustlin’ fool. Just as the indebted office worker faced with an abusive manager will bow down and do the shitty work, year-in and year-out. The whole point of his blog is financial freedom. How to make enough money that you don't have to live like that.

Fair enough, but isnt everyone financially free in that way at least partially? If I needed to work a second job to support my family, I would. But I don't, so I am financially free in that respect.

The overall concept and goal of the site is great, financial freedom is an excellent thing. The tone I perceived from this singular post just wasn't as noble as others have received it as. More power to the guy for being able set standards for his content and not let financial incentives affect them.

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