Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry if I was a bit blunt. Let me try to explain it a little better... This is hacker news. One of the primary beliefs here (correct me if I'm wrong) is that this is the best time ever for one or two good hackers to start a business if you can build something people want. Why? The incredibly low cost of entry, available technology, tremendous demand, etc. All you need is some skill, some smarts, a couple of laptops,…
It's not actually THAT easy to earn money with your own startup. There is no guarantee for success. And it isn't that cheap, either - you still have the living expenses. Both factors combined can make a hacker accept freelance work from time to time.
And yes it is cheap relative to other businesses. Try opening a restaurant with only 2 laptops, some determination, but no money.
I'll rephrase myself: "You don't even need much incremental money". You have living expenses whether you do something or sit on your butt. Better to do something.