Join the Engineering Leisure Class • Hacker News Board

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#31

Post by chrisBob » Thu, May 07, 2015, 6:51 PM UTC

Its nice to see a name for this. I am considering joining the Engineering Leisure Class this winter. My wife got a new job which will comfortably support our family, so I will have some flexibility. My plan is to look for jobs also, but only apply for ones I would love.

If that doesn't work out then I will find something fun to do that may not pay. This will be some combination of taking Tactition Programming seriously, and working on open source lab specific software that my wife uses for crystallography.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#32

Post by yummyfajitas » Thu, May 07, 2015, 6:52 PM UTC

bergie wrote: post #17

velocitypsycho wrote: post #7

Two words make this difficult. Health Insurance.

Only in the places where healthcare isn't free and provided for every citizen

Or in the places where a mostly capitalistic system provides it. I did something similar last year in India and the medical system was not a problem. (I did not by any stretch of the imagination get lucky and manage to avoid injury.)

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#33

Post by toast0 » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:16 PM UTC

stevenmays wrote: post #11

velocitypsycho wrote: post #7

Two words make this difficult. Health Insurance.

Not with the ACA... now if you retire and only have income you draw from your investments, you pay a low income based rate even though you may have significant assets.

This is a natural outcome of conflating 'wealthy' with 'high income.' Outside of FAFSA, and estate tax, and maybe FDIC limits, the US government really doesn't have a good view into what assets you may have.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#34

Post by emptybits » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:20 PM UTC

velocitypsycho wrote: post #7

Two words make this difficult. Health Insurance.

One word makes that easier. Canada.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#35

Post by desbo » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:22 PM UTC

The author obviously doesn't live in London. I could never afford to pay rent without a job.

The article is idealistic bullshit.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#36

Post by Flip-per » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:27 PM UTC

sandstrom wrote: post #15

velocitypsycho wrote: post #7

Two words make this difficult. Health Insurance.

Not in most European countries where this is handled at the national level, instead of by each company. I.e. switching jobs (or having none) doesn't affect whether a hospital will treat you or not.

Switching is no problem usually, but if you are able to work but not 'willing' you'll lose your health insurance pretty soon.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#37

Post by rifung » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:34 PM UTC

ChrisLoer wrote: post #24

rifung wrote: post #16

This is actually exactly what I want to do, although I just started working so for obvious reasons it isn't a reality yet. How long does it take to save up enough money that you wouldn't need to work though? Also, it seems like eventually you'd run out of money unless you can just retire early, in which case, you have the issue of explaining why you've been out of work for so long and proving you still are up to the…

- On how long it takes to save up enough money that you don't need to work: depends on your assumptions, but yes it takes some years of work. There are lots of people who write on this, I especially like: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/ - I don't personally have enough money to pay for my current living expenses for the 70-odd years I hope to remain alive. It was an important shift for me when I stopped thinking this…

Hey I really appreciate that you took the time to respond to me.

I completely agree with all your points! I'm definitely looking to find ways to start saving so that I'll be able to spend some time not working sooner. And I am sure that once I stop working I won't have to de-stress as much!

I am sure it will be glorious.. being able to do things just because you feel like it! That's the dream

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#38

Post by walshemj » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:42 PM UTC

Flip-per wrote: post #36

sandstrom wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not in most European countries where this is handled at the national level, instead of by each company. I.e. switching jobs (or having none) doesn't affect whether a hospital will treat you or not.

Switching is no problem usually, but if you are able to work but not 'willing' you'll lose your health insurance pretty soon.

not in most eu country's ok recent immigrants may have to have a short period of paying into the system.

When I was out of work in the UK I signed on to keep my NI record up to date as they only account full years

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#39

Post by walshemj » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:44 PM UTC

geebee wrote: post #22

"An engineer earning an amazingly-not-uncommon salary of $100k/year ends up living in an expensive place like San Francisco, starts spending money on some admittedly lovely luxuries, and quickly becomes convinced that her spending is just about right for a comfortable life." Certainly, one way to manage all this is to not live in a place like San Francisco. But I think it is important to make sure people know that lo…

From what I see of housing costs 100k isn't that much in sf and one relitivly minor medical emergency can put a big hole in any savings you have.

Re: Join the Engineering Leisure Class

#40

Post by crpatino » Thu, May 07, 2015, 7:46 PM UTC

ChrisLoer wrote: post #10

hyperbovine wrote: post #6

How many kids do you have, Chris? :-)

One kid is on the way -- and yes, I have no idea how children are going to affect our lives! I've considered going in two totally different directions: I might go for a high-paying full-time job so that my wife and I can pay for a nanny and all those other modern affluent child-raising tools, or I might try to go full-bore stay-at-home Dad changing diapers and raising the kids to grow their own food in the backyard a…

I find it kind of confusing how you fit this back to the land idea with being an engineer that wants to work on his own engineering projects rather than just scape the cubicle farm.

Also, you mention you have a spouse. I know it is terribly unfashionable to say this, but have you considered being a single income family? Sounds like that would give you the best of both worlds.

In my case, we are a single-and-a-half income family. Once kids go to school, there's no much reason to keep an adult around home all day. I am officially the bread winner, and my wife has the lifestyle job, but considering how much she has accomplished just by working part time, we might need to revisit that decision sometime down the road.