This guest post from Nicholas is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure. These stories feature folks with all levels of financial maturity and income. Want submit your own reader story? Here’s how.
I was on on track, chugging along full steam ahead, barreling down on the American Dream with nothing in my path: get a college degree, a well-paying job, buy a house in the suburbs, have a family, and live happily ever after. Simple.
I’d graduated from high school near the top of my class, lettered in three sports, and went off to Oregon State University where I graduated in electrical engineering and a minor in business. I even had a job lined up before I had graduated. Work was great. Amazing people, made great money (upgrade significantly from Top Ramen and Macaroni n’ Cheese), and lived the city life in downtown Portland. All I needed was a house and family and I’d be all set.
Finances weren’t a problem. I was making great money, putting nearly 30% into savings. Aside from a few minor purchases and that upgrade in meals, I was living well below my means. Sound the whistle because I’m flying down the tracks!
De-railed by a Dream
About a year in though, things started to go wrong. I started questioning the American Dream. Was this what the rest of my life would look like? Sitting in a cubicle and staring at a computer screen for eight hours a day? Going out with friends on the weekend with a Timbers and Blazers game thrown in the mix? Little league and pee-wee soccer later in life?
Being a vagabond started to have a strange appeal. I wanted to wander the globe, meet people from all over the world, experience different cultures. I wouldn’t be able to do that with a house and family. I’d been saving for the house, but decided my new dream was more important. It was time to hop of the tracks and start exploring a bit. Vagabond here I come!
I worked for another year to save a little more and then took off. People thought I was crazy giving up such a great job, especially given the recession, but I had to do it. No looking back. Throw away a high paying job to live like a bum? Sure, why not.
I spent seven months hiking and exploring New Zealand, then another month basking on the beautiful beaches of the Philippines. Great people, amazing culture, something new every day. What could be better? Turns out a lot.
I started to miss my friends and family. I’d see the great things they were doing back home, and I wanted to be there with them. Plus, I know it sounds crazy, but sitting on a beach all day can get mighty boring after a while.
Don’t get me wrong. Traveling was spectacular. Those things I’d dreamed about were great. But I just wasn’t cut out to be a life-time vagabond. I headed back home and chalked up my wasted year to capricious youth. I’d itched the travel bug thoroughly, and now it was time to get back on track. Just a slight detour.
My old boss found out I was back in the country and offered me an indefinite contract to come back to my old job. Because of cutbacks, they couldn’t offer me a permanent position, but this would be just fine until something permanent came along. “Great,” I thought. I’d be picking up right where I left off. Stoke the fires and lets get rolling.
Doomed to Dissatisfaction?
A few months in though, those fears and uncertainty all came flooding back. I couldn’t figure it out. I wasn’t happy working, but I wasn’t happy traveling either. What was wrong with me?
That’s when my brother approached me with a proposition: partner with him on a clothing company he’d just started. This thing was still in it’s infancy, only a couple months old, not even turning enough profit for him to live off, let alone two of us, but it appealed to me.
This wasn’t an ordinary clothing line though. The whole purpose was to benefit others. With each shirt sold, one person is provided with 25 years of clean water. 25 years! In a world where one billion people lack access to clean water and a child dies every 19 seconds for the same reason, this was a huge issue.
Was I prepared to get off that track again? I’d done it once before and things didn’t work out quite how I’d planned. After some serious consideration, I decided to take my brother up on the offer. I’d rather go down swinging than not fight at all.
So here I am, back living like a college student. Scraping by on the little savings I have left, living on hot dogs and hamburgers (couldn’t sink all the way back down to Top Ramen), making every penny count, and loving every minute of it.
Was it the most sound financial choice? Definitely not. Being an entrepreneur and working for a start-up is no “get rich quick” scheme. It’s long hours with little to now pay. The epitome of Get Rich Slowly. However, I think I’m already rich. Each day I know that what I put in, I’m going to get out. Not only that, but with each sale, I know that I’m changing the life of one person in ways that I’m not even fully able to understand. With each sale, I may be saving the life of a child, allowing a kid to go to school and get an education, stopping a women or girl from getting raped during the long walk to collect water.
I may not be able to afford all the cool gadgets and fancy car I’d dreamed about. My bank account may not say it, but I’m rich beyond measure.
Being rich isn’t necessarily about a white picket fence or a specific dollar amount in the savings account; being rich is living a life of purpose. So, for a second time, I’ve derailed. I’m off the life track that I’d laid for myself oh so long ago.
Or maybe, just maybe, I’ve flipped a switch and am flying down different track.
J.D.’s note: The company that Nicholas’s brother started is called ThirstTees. You can read more about their mission here.
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That’s great that you’re doing something meaningful. Someday you may want to combine your skills in electrical engineering and business to directly help non-profits. There are a lot of people in non-profit who care a lot but not as many people who have technical skills.
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So long as the author is happy, it doesn’t matter how bad her personal finances are because we’re all rational in the long term. I believe in the human spirit, and so long as we are doing things we like, and have free will to do so, then we will be OK!
Sam
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Money does not always equal evil. So often we hear of people quitting good jobs to eat Ramen and work at non profits which is great. But don’t forget some of us can be fulfilled and still be able to fulfill a families needs and long term goals.
I think it may be even possible selling T shirts. Don’t correlate money with evil because it’s what makes many able to do the good that they do!
Just think of Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation and countless others!
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You’re totally right Chase, money is not evil.
I was at the World Domination Summit this weekend and was very impressed with a talk given by Cal Newport.
He presented the concept that “following your passion” is bad career advice. Instead, you should get good at something rare and valuable and then leverage that skill to do what you’re passionate about.
I think Bill Gates was passionate about computers at the time but now he’s using the money and skills he gained from building Microsoft as leverage to work on his passion, helping people around the world.
With Gates’ net worth, he’s really not having to leverage anything. He can pretty much do what he wants, but I’m just using him as an example.
Money is not evil, but it can make you lose sight of what you’re passionate about. If you spend so much time and energy focusing on money, eventually, when you’re able to leverage your assets, you have no idea what you’re passionate about. Sadly, money has become the passion.
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Definitely confused as to why these are replies to my comment. Who said money was evil? Or that Nicholas is female or has bad personal finances?
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My guess is that those are three people who want to see their own comments at the “top” of the page, so they’re piggybacking off of your “first comment” position.
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Early to bed, early to rise makes a person likely to be an early commenter on GRS…
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At 27 I had a comparable situation, but rather than quit my job and travel I quit my job and got another job in another country. Not only was this new job much better paying, but it also involved a lot of travel around the world. Traveling while saving a lot seemed a good solution to me!
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Jerome – can you please tell us a little more about that? What kind of job was it? What country are you from / where did you go?
I bet lots of readers are thinking the same thing, that’s a really exciting life experience. I want to hear more! Thanks
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I’m not Jerome—but I went into International School teaching.
The students are well behaved and schools pay for their teachers to be “worldly”. We visited 23 countries in the five years we were overseas. The pay is commonly in line with the Northeast teachers (best paid in the nation). We did some interesting volunteer work both with and without students. The problem is that the experience does not enhance gaining employment back in the states in education. Teachers tend to be VERY territorial and districts don’t like too much experience.
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See comment no 46.
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Good for you J. D. You know what they say about the best plans of mice and men
I went through the career crises bit a few times. Then I found a job I enjoyed, but couldn’t make a living from. Now I’m doing a job I never thought I’d ever do (manufacturing as opposed to an office job) and I’m as happy as a clam. And I get paid much better than any of my previous jobs. I am really intrigued by the amount of socially-responsible, not-for-profit companies starting up. Gasp! Could it be the business world is getting a conscience….?
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This wasn’t by JD, it was a guest post. Good for you, Nicholas!
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I’m 24 years old and I think I know what to do with my life (all thanks to all the experiences that I learned from talking with business partners and mentors). But just like what Nicholas said, he “thought” he was okay with living the American Dream. Then went towards a different road. Back again. Then derailed once more (with a purpose). But I guess part of getting rich slowly (“rich” is somewhat subjective in every sense), is looking back at all your adventures. Then taking a hard look at where you are standing right now and afterwards, looking mighty far ahead into the future and visualizing what you want to be. I might leaning towards living the Filipino Dream (where did you stay here in the Philippines?) but I’m very much excited with all the “detours” and “getting off track” that’ll happen.
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Perhaps try and stick it out for several more years Anthony! But who can blame you for kicking back in Aman Pulo! Love it there!
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“little to now pay”? hmmm… may want to correct that one.
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There is definitely more to life than just money. A fulfilling job that you find satisfying is what it is all about. Teaching is my fulfilling job! Fortunately, I had a successful career for years before I entered teaching.
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Sounds like you guys have a very unique product. Hopefully you sell lots and provide a ton of water for people. 25 years is a long time!
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“With little to now pay”?
“This thing was still in it’s infancy”?
I liked the topic, but too many grammatical and/or spelling mistakes. I stopped reading after noticing them. Just unacceptable. Next!
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This was a reader story, not an audition piece.
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Michael obviously was so conscientiously tracking spelling and grammar errors, he forgot to read the post! LOL.
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Michael, this was not an audition piece, but a reader’s story. Please be nice.
Nicholas, thanks for sharing your experience, I enjoyed it.
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Wow, lighten up please. It’s a great story about real life experience. To not finish reading because of grammatical errors is a miss in my opinion.
All the best Nicholas.
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Dear Jay,
There should be a comma between the word “best” and the name “Nicholas”. I regret to inform you that I was unable to read the rest of your comment due to this omission.
Sincerely,
David
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Literary snob, does anyone smell a skunky Chardonnay here?
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The beauty of being educated (whether it’s with a degree or through life experience) AND having money – is that you have the freedom of choice. What a wonderful way to use that experience – traveling and experiencing other cultures while learning about yourself in the process. Then taking that new education and putting it to use elsewhere.
I’ve always had an ‘itchy foot’, though have not been able to travel abroad due to family issues regarding obtaining a passport. No worries though – there are plenty of places within the US to experience different ways of living and viewing life.
This article has inspired me to continue on my quest for earning enough money to save and invest so that financial freedom is reached.
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Keep it up Charlene!
More emphasis needs to be put on education through life experiences. I love reading and book learning, but there is nothing like getting out there and experiencing the world first hand.
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Good article on how much freedom you can have if you work for yourself. My first job out of college wasn’t really a job…it was an independent contractor position where I was self-employed and simply offered a service to another company. Yes, my income fluctuates from one week to the next. Having the flexibility to set my own hours, make more some weeks (by far) than I would have in a salary job and being able to work from home is priceless though. For those out there who are unhappy with sitting in a cubicle for 8 hours a day, it truly is better being in business for yourself if you have a good idea and you can monetize it.
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To each his or her own, I guess. It’s one thing to start a business for oneself AFTER having established the means to do so, but it’s another thing to jump in under the hopes that life will be great because he or she works for himself.
We’ve all heard the stats stating the number of small business that fail, right? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to run our own business, I”m saying that we have to first establish some financial means of doing it in order to “hedge our bet.”
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Romeo, I absolutely agree that you need to have some sort of income (if possible) to start. Still, I wouldn’t worry too much about the statistics that most small businesses fail. As a matter of fact, I audit small businesses for a living…that’s my living. Specifically, I do payroll audits for Workers’ Comp and General Liability insurance policies. So as you can imagine, I see a lot of the inner workings of companies. Most companies are not successful, or make such meager profit that the owners can’t pay themselves a salary, because people run the company into the ground. Whether it’s because the company is their “baby”, they’re not good with money, not good with people, etc. it’s almost always not because they didn’t have the ability to succeed but because they pushed success away.
There’s a lot of industries where you can start making money right away with very little overhead. Heck, look at landscaping contractors. All you need is a truck and a lawnmower to start and many millionaires own landscaping businesses. There will always be risk, yes, but without risk there is little reward.
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Tim-
I’m interested in your experience on this topic. What are some of the other industries out there that you feel fall into that category?
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Pat, what skills or knowledge do you have? Do you like to shop? Lots of people need someone to do that for them. Do you like to arrange flowers? I have a silk flower arrangement business. I’m doing my first wedding this summer. Can you do minor repairs? Especially if you do “small jobs” there is a lot of demand out there. (Hint: Don’t try doing things that require a licensed electrician…. Know when you are over your head and refer the person to an expert.) Do you like to work with kids? Birthday party entertainment, babysitting, daycare…
Then you look for clients. Who would need your services? How do you advertise to them? Figure out what you want to earn per hour and how long a job will take and set your prices there.
You might have zero out-of-pocket expenses to start with. I recommend Entrepreneur magazine for a great education on self-employment.
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Pat, SLC has already hit on some great examples, but essentially my answer would be any service-based industry. If you think about it, what do accountants who work out of their home, bookkeepers, auditors like myself, etc. all have in common? Our biggest expense is our car, which we would be using anyway to commute to a regular job.
Please keep in mind that my statement that you can start earning money right away should not be inferred as it’s easy money. It’s certainly not and I work far in excess of 40 hours a week even with an assistant. My point was simply that someone should not be deterred from being self-employed for fear of not having some sort of income in the first year. Unless you are the worst salesperson in the world, you will have some sales. The key there then is to do something with low overhead so that revenue is already bringing in profit.
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Being an entrepreneur and working for a start-up is no “get rich quick” scheme
Just ask the Instagr.am guys.
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I think that the writer is going through what every other 20-40 year old young professional goes through. We want job satisfaction, and want to find it in the first job we land. We deserve better, right?
Well, we have to start somewhere. I think many of us fail to realize that our life spans beyond year 40.
Nicholas, go back to your “good paying job” and save like it is nobody’s business for the next 20 years, while helping your brother on the side. After saving 70% of your take-home pay for this time period, you’ll be able to do whatever you want to do. No doubt.
“Don’t Prevent Wealth!” You’ll have plenty of time to save the world and have fun in the process.
You may get empathy from me, but no sympathy.
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I don’t think it’s a great idea telling someone to go back to a place they have no passion for just so they can save more money. You can never save enough money. Once again, the premise here is that it’s better (for some) to do what they love instead of make all kinds of money.
I was on the same path as Nicholas (saving until I could make my own escape) when I was abruptly fired for no reason. I have no desire to jump right back into Corporate America just because I didn’t reach my savings goal. Corporate America sucked the life out of me and I’m ready to get something started on my own.
All the money in the world was not worth what I went through at my previous employer. I’d rather eat ramen the rest of my days and be stinkin’ happy with my own work than sit in a cubicle while the boss vacations 6 months out of the year on the money I help make for his company. But that’s just me
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That may be true until the bills start piling up and that savings money disappears. I’m glad that both you and the reader have escaped corporate America. Believe me, I know how soul sucking it can be, yet at the same time I don’t think there’s any reason that you or the writer has to be eating ramen noodles for the rest of your lives. It’s so common for people to up and quit what they’re doing to chase after dreams and goals, but I think I alot of people do it without perspective of the long-term future. The writer’s happy. Great! I wish him all the happiest and success in the world, but what happens after the savings money dries up? What if it dries up before this new business can start generating profit. I don’t think there’d have been anything wrong with staying at the other job until financial success could have been guaranteed at the other one. There could even be the aspect of investing more money into the company if needed as opposed to borrowing money on loans. Just like another commenter said, often times us young people forget that life spans past 40. We want instant gratification and instant meaning in our lives, when sometimes what we really need to be doing is developing skills and patience.
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I did enjoy the post very much, but I do wonder if we’re getting “too big for our britches”, so to speak. I mean, many of our parents worked at jobs they were probably less than happy about but they knew that’s what they had to go to get by and support themselves and eventually their children.
Work is not supposed to be fun, its to support us and our own. Is it possible to “be happy” during the evenings and weekends? Should life now be all about 24/7 satisfaction and vacations?
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Great question, Carla. I find myself asking it frequently. Some days, I’m ready to walk away from my job and never look back. Other days, I tell myself that this is just how I earn the money to do the things I enjoy. I’m not sure there’s one right way to do it.
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I feel the same way you do Carla. It is hard to figure out when a crappy job is worth sticking to because it will lead to something satisfying and when it is really just a crappy job. I stayed with a job I did not like very much for 4 years. I wanted to quit many, many times. I was very good at it and got more and more responsibility over those years, but I never accepted that I was even close to reaching my potential there, and never would be. By the end I felt empowered by the extra roles but also like I was at the end of my rope as far as how much more of it I could do. I was offered a supervisor position there and turned it down. I have changed jobs twice since then and now am in a place where I am excited to come in to work. I am learning and doing exciting things that would never have been possible in the old job. The twist to this story? I am in the exact same organization and have been throughout every career move I have made. I make the same pay that I did at the unsatisfying job, but I never could have gotten to this job without putting in time at the other. So my advice is that sometimes it pays off to stick with what you are hating, as long as you keep your eyes open for where you really want to be.
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Great blog and great business concept Nick – so neat that you had a session with Daymond John from Shark Tank.
I found this quote on your site – love it.
“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” ~ Albert Einstein
I think it’s wonderful that there are people like yourself with a macro / world view – and that there’s people like me that just work in a cubicle (well an office actually) and donate to places like Thirst Relief.
What I also want to say though is that enthusiasm doesn’t have to be restricted to something as grand as saving lives. Thinking that way can lead to existential angst like you experienced. It can be little every day things like being a good co-worker or manager, having friends at work that you’re happy to re-connect with on Monday morning, teaching your kid how to make pancakes from scratch (today’s morning project for me), or building an awesome spreadsheet in your cube.
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After spending my early twenties vagabonding across Europe for a few years, I truly would not change a thing. Exposures to other cultures, and being completely immersed in the strange and new, provided invaluable skills and some brilliant memories. Thank you for sharing your career journey thus far, Nicholas. Being engaged in a startup is both frightening and exhilarating, and I wish you and your brother continued success. What a noble cause as well! (I find myself to be most content when willingly serving others.)
It would be interesting to receive an update on your business progression after a few months has passed.
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This is a *great* story. The answer lies neither in a complete traditional life nor in a complete vagabond life. Having a career that is both challenging and meaningful makes work worth the hours behind a computer.
Thanks for sharing your story, Nicholas. I have started following ThirsTees on Twitter and look forward to learning more about your company and maybe even buying a T-shirt.
Katy
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Do you think we’ve lost our ability to persevere?
I don’t think it’s bad you took off to go travel shortly. We do things that are rational and that make us happy.
So long as you are happy, what do personal finances really matter?
Best,
Sam
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Great story, Like you I feel being rich is not just about money. 8 years ago I decided to put my plans of returning to school with my friends to become a CRNA. This degree would much more money than an RN. Instead I moved to Houston to take another job not knowing where this would take me. I was single and wanted to settle down but at the same time wanted to experience the world and other cultures too. I decided to a position that has allowed me opportunities I wanted. I hooked up with an organization that traveled to underdeveloped countries to perform free surgical care. I’ve gotten to travel to Vietnam, Egypt and Guatemala. I even met my wife here in Houston. We are expecting our first child in October. The point is I made a decision to fill my life with more than just money. I like money so don’t get me wrong. I just believe experiences will last me longer in the long run. Now I will get to experience fatherhood and that is worth more than anything I can think of. I think I made some good choices.
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I can relate. I am starting Month 7 of a year-long sabbatical following the cubicle life and leading to… TBD. And this came after being a faithful GRS reader for 2 years! I am ready to work again, but will be much more careful about my employment choices, work-life balance, etc. when I get another job. This time has been great for clarifying values, living on a tiny budget, and generally taking a very deep breath. Six months is probably enough to do this and then get back to building up retirement savings. Anyone who can manage a break like this should try it. (PS JD, et al, please copy edit!)
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haha interesting.
I love my office job. I sit behind a desk and manage people all week love and adore it. But I am surprised by this. I really thought I was cut out for the vagabond lifestyle, too. I love to travel — but I also love to come back to my 9-5 life and the “American” dream (I use that loosely because I still have no interest in some conventional things like home ownership, and I don’t have a car or a TV).
It’s good that you found something you’re passionate about. I think that’s very important, but it’s also nice to know you can always go back and make money if you need it.
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Awesome, heartwarming story. The American Dream is whatever dream you’re dreaming right now – it’s different for everyone.
Just go for it…a rich heart is worth more than money! Don’t cha feel GRS is getting more spiritual these days?
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I’m not seeing anything about health insurance here. Or disability insurance. Talk about ways to get off track, permanently!
I agree — in most cases life is long, and it is important to store up while you are young to manage future contingencies.
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Health insurance was definitely a concern. I know some people can live without it but I am definitely not one of them.
I built up an emergency fund as well as a pool to draw money from while building ThirstTees.
The pool is there to cover living expenses as well as health insurance premiums. There are great programs out there for short term health insurance (6 mon – 1 yr) with a modestly high deductible and low premium. I made sure that the deductible wasn’t higher than my emergency fund. This way I’m covered for any catastrophic event.
I also had travel insurance while abroad.
Personally, healthy insurance is a must in my mind.
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Health insurance was definitely a concern. I know some people can live without it but I am definitely not one of them.
I built up an emergency fund as well as a pool to draw money from while building ThirstTees.
The pool is there to cover living expenses as well as health insurance premiums. There are great programs out there for short term health insurance (6 mon – 1 yr) with a modestly high deductible and low premium. I made sure that the deductible wasn’t higher than my emergency fund. This way I’m covered for any catastrophic event.
I also had travel insurance while abroad.
Healthy insurance is a must in my mind.
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I love this story! I really wouldn’t call the past choices you made ‘getting off the track’ either. We too often call choices failures, but failures or trying different things is not a bad thing. We need them to become who we are.
I also believe that no one can be truly happy without helping others, no matter how they’re able to help. If all we do is try to please ourselves & never put another person first, we can’t understand what real happiness is.
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Thanks for sharing your story. I went to the website, signed up for your blog, pinned it on Pinterest and will most likely make a donation. I don’t need another Tshirt. I always say that it is a good day if I don’t have to carry water on my head like the women in Africa. They thing I am most grateful for is hot water. Ann
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I greatly enjoyed this post!
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Just a comment on the business side– I love your concept, but would be more likely to buy some tees if you had ones that were more plain/versatile in design. You might consider a line that did not have large slogans but just a small “Thirstees” logo or something. My two cents.
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I totally agree. I’m need of new tshirts, so I went to Nicholas’ website with the intention to buy. Sorry, but I’m not really into wearing a big old message across my chest no matter how valid it might be.
I enjoyed the post. It was well-written and lively. I realize that you aren’t auditioning, but thanks for writing! I hope we get an update.
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Thanks Paularado and Eve for the suggestions.
Along with some new graphics, we’re also thinking of releasing some new shirts that are void of any graphics.
Simple colors with a small patch on the hem or sleeve with a water drop.
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How much did it cost to hang out in NZ and the Phillipines for 7 or 8 months? You used the term “vagabonding”. What does that mean, exactly? Living on begging handouts from the people? Or did you take plenty of money and had enough to stay in hotels the entire time? Or did you sleep on the beach? I’m wondering about the details to this trip. Is it even possible to “travel the globe” for 8 months on something like $1000 USD?
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Yeah, that’s a good question. I’m curious myself.
In any case, I really enjoyed the post, and I wish the best for your cause (and I’m glad that J.D. threw in a plug for your website).
BTW: I also agree with Nicole@1. I don’t know whether you’re able to exercise your unique talents in your current position or not, but regardless, keep them sharp, as you never know what deserving organization may be able to make use of them (well, maybe not fab’ing chips, but I’ve heard lots of interesting stories about setting up telcoms in Africa, say).
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Great question BD!
A vagabond is essentially a drifter. Someone who just wanders wherever on a whim.
I did take plenty of money but definitely not enough to stay in hotels. The hostel system in New Zealand is fantastic but can be a bit expensive (roughly $25 a night.) The workaround is that most are always looking for helpers. Stay in one place for at least a week or two, work for two hours each day cleaning bathrooms and making beds and your night is covered. I did that pretty much the entire time I was there which greatly reduced expenses.
Another option is called WWOOFing. A lot of great opportunities volunteering on anything from farms to breweries. In return for volunteering, the host will usually cover your both your room and food.
Although you could go the standard route and get a regular job down there. You may qualify to get what’s called a Working Holiday Visa which allows you to get a social security number to earn paychecks.
The Philippines is just so cheap to begin with you could go there with very little money and travel for quite a while for very cheap.
Traveling the globe for 8 months on $1000 USD would be difficult but not impossible. WWOOFing is all over the globe and, if you were strategic, you could travel for quite a while on a small budget. Couch Surfing is another great way to stay places on the cheap. I’d recommend saving some more though.
Without the cost of flights, I’d say I spent around $400~$500 USD a month in New Zealand. You could greatly reduce that amount, but I bought a car and was driving to various hikes almost every day and petrol is not cheep down there (neither is beer).
Send me a tweet @morrowni or get in contact through my personal website (www.nicholasmorrow.info) if you’ve got any other questions.
Cheers
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Thanks for the reply! I do have some questions that I’d love to ask, since I’m interesting in traveling one day, but I have very little in the way of money.
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To all the people complaining about spelling and grammatical errors – did you miss the note on being nice? I personally thought it was a great post. Thanks for sharing
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Great post!
@JD – notice how the comment section is starting to flame up? Please, take the hint – we have been overloaded by audition pieces of mediocre value and are now pouncing on good quality reader articles because of this burnout. Please, please either give us a break from the auditions or screen/edit some of them out.
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Happy to! Not very exciting though.
I am a physician, married, 5 kids, live in the Netherlands and work(ed) in the pharmaceutical industry. At 27, I had a well paid job with nice colleagues, great job-security and excellent benefits like a pension. But somehow I was getting restless.
I than applied for a job in a large, globally active company in Switzerland and with the aid of some contacts got it. I earned 3 times what I earned before, but without the job-security, limited benefits and Switzerland is very expensive. On the plus-side, my responsibilities were global so I could travel as often as I wanted, to the States, Japan and within Europe. In fact the first 2 years I basically lived from my suitcase.
After 4 years I emigrated to Germany to start at another company where I moved up the ranks unexpectedly. And again, with global responsibilities, I travelled a lot. And even better, with trouble-shooting being a main focus of my work, I was ‘forced’ to dine in quit a lot of the best restaurants in the world. Oh what bad luck!
When we got our children, our perspective slowly changed. In the end we both quit our jobs and moved back to the Netherlands. We live in a small house in a small town where know most of the people. I don’t work anymore and spend my time with our children, working on the house and in general doing things I want to do and like. My wife fulfilled here dream of having her own company. She mainly works from home and is doing quite nicely. I earn my share of money on the stock market with a 19th century philosophy of investing. We have no debts and we are certainly not rich. But free to do what we want.
What I have learned till now: do your job, whatever it is with pride, as good as you can and have fun doing it. If life puts an opportunity in your way, take it. Spend far less than you earn AND learn how to invest what you save. Banks will cost you money. And finally: people in the 19th century knew how to live from capital very well. All you need to know about investing can be learned from Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens.
Hope that answers your question at least a bit!
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Excellent writing.
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Check out “Quitter” by Jon Acuff, excellent for learning how to fall in like with a job you don’t love and how to get to your dream job.
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Thanks for the recommendation Rob. I recently started following Jon’s blog and have Quitter pretty high up on my reading list right now.
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That sounds like a great new job, hope the sacrifices lead to good things in the end. Good for you!
As an aside, I don’t mind getting a t-shirt for a good cause (I recently read a Dan Savage column and bought a cool t-rex t-shirt from Point 5cc TShirt Company for transexual top surgeries). So I checked out your t-shirts. My recommendation, as a likely potential customer, is that you make a few more designs, preferably at least one that isn’t so “preachy”, and more fun/funky/cool. I would be uncomfortable being that holier-than-thou person in a group… if you had a fun and funky design that involved water drops or well something fun, I’d be in. Maybe hold an Etsy designer competition? I know that might cut down on the amount of free advertising (unless you had a cool design on front and a short/pithy sentence on the back?) but might up sales.
I don’t want to rain on your parade (heh), just giving feedback as a potential customer.
I’m tracking comments on this thread, so please post if you add new designs and I’ll go back and check them out. Good luck!
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Thanks for the suggestion! We’ve been working on some new designs and will keep you posted.
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Hey Nicholas, thanks for sharing your story of boldness. I believe we’ve been given time and resources to make a difference in the world– the money is just a tool. Your kids likely won’t tell their kids stories about you playing it safe and building wealth, but they will tell them crazy stories about you taking risk and making a difference while you were here.
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Nicholas, thank you for sharing your story. I admire you for being brave and following your heart. I hate working in a cubicle and long to travel everyday. Your experience was eye opening. Who knew that hanging out on a beach all day could get boring.
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While I applaud you for following your dream.. you remind me of the young workers at my office who are never happy. They don’t like to work.. they get bored easily and don’t have a plan for retirement.
They tell me the government will take care of them.
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It certainly doesn’t sound like this is a person that doesn’t like to work. And you shouldn’t blame the drone workers (like the ones in your office) who are dependent on the system to survive for being bored and dissatisfied, but then criticize someone who has broken free of the mold and is trying a different model.
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