Hey all, 33M single. I work for a large company, currently making about $92K and likely around $100K next year. I've been remote for the past few years and absolutely loved life during that time, working from my car or different Airbnbs around the country, hiking in the mountains after work, and exploring new places on weekends without needing to take time off.
But they brought me back into the office last month, and I hate it. Even though I’m doing the exact same job as before, I can’t stand being back. It reminds me of the pre-lockdown days when I felt restless and unsatisfied. I do enjoy the routine enjoy the small talk and camaraderie with coworkers, but I’m not passionate about what I do, and honestly, I don’t think most people are. It’s a job. I know I’m lucky to have one, but when I’m sitting at a computer all day, surrounded by people doing the same thing, I can’t help but think: "Is this really what life is about?"
Outside of work, I have a lot of interests that make me feel alive: travel, hiking, and adventure. But being locked in an office 40 plus hours a week feels like slowly trading away the best years of my life.
Financially, I’m in a solid place. I have about $200K in stock (I put $35K into a stock that performed extremely well), $40K in savings, and $50K in my 401k. No debt. My expenses are low, and my car is paid off.
My goal is to simply escape the grind. I want to go all in on something that gives me control, either investing or starting my own business. I’m not trying to retire early in the lazy sense. I just want to wake up and work on something I care about, on my terms. I can’t imagine spending another 20 plus years doing this exact thing. I’m not saying I don’t want to work. I do. But I want the freedom to decide when, where, and why I work.
My family on both sides is pretty well off. My aunt, who is 70, is leaving her entire trust to me since she has no kids. We’re close, and she always jokes that “you’ll be a very rich old man.” She owns two paid-off houses worth over $1M each, as well as two triple net leases on fast food franchises that generate around $150K per year passively. She’s had them for 30 years with 20 years left on the current lease, and even if they don’t renew, the properties are worth around $3–4M.
On my other side of the family, I’ll probably get around $8K per month in rental income from property they own once it’s passed down in about 20 years or so. So theres a chance I may be getting $200k+/yr eventually.
And no I am not receiving anything large money wise as of now. She does give me and my brother $500/month. Also worth noting, when I am ready (settled down in a location) she said she will "buy me" a house (maybe around $500k or so). What that means is the house will be in her name, but will be in the trust that I will inherit. However I would live in it, can rent it, she would pay property tax, etc. So essentially it won't be "mine" but I would do what I want with it, raise a family in it, and would not pay rent so that would lower my expenses down the road as well.
I know anything can happen in 20 years, but my goal is to leverage this situation wisely. I want to build something now that lets me work for myself or at least free myself from the grind before that point. I’d rather create something meaningful and live freely while I’m young, not just wait to collect money when I’m 55 and already burned out from two more decades in a cubicle. I contribute 6 percent to my 401k since it’s matched, but I’m not putting anything beyond that.
Anything you would recommend or any financial goal you think would get me closer to not needing to go into an office? I’m fine with getting to a number that can tide me over and then combining that with a lower-paying job that has more freedom.
My goal is to buy Airbnb properties and/or start a cohosting business for cash flow as well. Although my expenses are low, I am thinking about a family when the time is right, so I want to factor that into the equation too.
I’m really just trying to figure out what to do. I’ve lived out of my car before, actually willingly traveling while working remote, hiking, and living simply. So the idea of taking a risk and losing everything isn’t terrible to me. In fact, in some ways, it would give me the freedom to actually live the way I want.
Right now, I plan to stay in my current role for about two years, but I want to have a concrete plan to get out after that.
How to structure life with money coming in down the road?
byu/Mysterious-Boat-917 infinancialindependence
Posted by Mysterious-Boat-917
4 Comments
Look for a better job.
When my company told me to go back to the office, I gave it a try and similarly hated it. In the end, I quit that job and found one that would allow me to be remote again.
If you found a work situation that you like, then it’s up to you to maintain that for yourself. A company is not going to advocate for your own well being, only you can do that. I am amazed how many of my peers at that last job also hated returning to the office, but basically just said, “well, I guess this is my life now” and stayed there… it’s not like the pay was even that great, the compensation only ever made sense because of the flexibility they offered us originally. Once they forced us back into an office, it just turned into being underpaid.
A saying that resonated with me a while back that I use as a north star for my career is, “design your life, or a company will design it for you”. A company made a change and we were no longer compatible, so I moved onto one that once again aligned with my goals. If this new company tries to put me into an office, then I’ll similarly quit that one and find something else.
If you want to start a business or your own thing, go for it. But you should do it on the side and get some momentum/revenue before quitting your day job. In the meantime, take control of your situation and find something remote so that you’re not miserable in the meantime. It might not be easy but these jobs do exist – you did it successfully for quite some time, so clearly your job is able to be done remotely. Being happy in your day job situation will mean more energy to work on building your business on the side.
You’d be smart to act as if all that future windfall is simply not happening. Lawsuits and medical bills and whatever else – or even just people living to 110 years old. Assume it’s not yours til it is.
Regarding your career it sounds like it’s time to figure out who you want to be the rest of your life. What’s your vision for the future, in detail? The most important parts. And then work backwards – if that’s not tied to your work already then what work would enable it? You’re in a great position to make a pivot if you want to. When I was your age I quit my normal job and started a consulting business doing similar work and the lifestyle improvements were amazing. That might not be a big enough change for you, so think flexibly.
If you can get a house paid for now, find one in a location that you love or in a location that allows easy travel to the places you want to be. Ensure that a portion of it is rentable and that rent covers its own costs and as much of your living expenses as possible. A duplex, extra bedrooms, etc. A long term lease will be more stable and likely less work to manage which would be easier on you if you’re out of town a lot.
And get a new remote job as others have said.
Involving a future significant other and kids in this makes it more complicated but not impossible.