You keep offering me more money, but that's not what I want | Hacker News Reader

You keep offering me more money, but that's not what I want

16 pointsNicholasMan9 comments

I have been working as a full stack web developer for 12 years. Right now I have 10 job offers. I am one of the best in my city and I've produced some amazing products. But I don't want to work for any of these companies. They keep offering me more money, but that isn't what I want. I want my life back. I want time. You want to pay me 11x minimum wage, but I'm still considering a job at Starbucks or maybe Uber. While my friends lived their lives, dating, finding wives, I built your companies. I will not work for you anymore unless you offer me time. Let me work 3 days a week and you will retain your talent. Only pay me for 3 days. I don't need medical or benefits. You can even pay me less than market value for my job. I JUST WANT TIME. I have so much to offer the world and I want some of my own life. If it comes between getting paid 200 / hr to work somewhere 5 days a week or living out of a car so that I can experience life again I will choose my car. Please email me at worldnick@gmail.com if anyone has any ideas. Thank you.

The nice thing about being paid three times what you need to live comfortably is that you can then save all the money you need to live in a third of the time. You're then free to quit your job and go live your life during that other two thirds of the time.

In my experience, I've found that 3 to 6 month contracts work best for this, as it gives you a good 9 months to a year to relax before you need to start thinking about work again.

As you've noticed, there are no other professions that pay this well and are in this high of demand for talent. Think very hard before you throw that away to drive taxis full time.

Since you say you've been doing this for 12 years, you no doubt have a few dollars saved away (especially since you claim not to have had a "life" during that time in which to spend your money.) I'd recommend forgoing every one of those job offers for the moment and taking a good year off starting today. Go travel the world and find that life. Come back when the money starts running out or (likely to happen sooner) you miss having to use your brain.

Good luck!

Work for a few months at $200/hr and then take many more months off. You don't even have to ask. Just quit.

Or just work 40/hours a week. That really won't hold you back from having a life.

If you think having a real job is less stressful, you're nuts. Being poor is a bad time. And good luck having a family as an uber driver. You really want to stay in $200/hour software fantasy land.

With respect, you not having time is your fault not your employers or any prospective employers.

If you want time set that as your expectation with an employer, negotiate it if you are moving between employers. Most employers are reasonably flexible in the technology world, but of course there are exceptions and some business fields outside tech aren't so amenable so YMMV there. If you can't find an employer willing to work with you, but you are as good as you say, freelance. Hell you can work 2-3 months, take of a couple of months off or get a longer term gig where you work 20-30 hrs a week. Many people have already pointed this out to you.

Employment or freelancing is a contract (even if not written), so If you set expectations up front or negotiate in good faith with an existing employer, you likely can have your cake and eat some of it too. But don't expect anyone to read your mind, you have to be up front.

Freelance. I recently took a month off and traveled around Asia. I regularly take 3 and 4 day weekends. I fully intend to take 3-6 months off sometime in the next 6 months.

If you're half as good as you say, freelancing should be a very easy option and provide you with all the flexibility you want. Find companies in need that can provide lots of work and then manage their expectations around your availability.

You've likely considered this, but for those in a similar position, why not freelance and just choose your months? You likely have many contacts in the field and I'm sure you do very good work. Work half the year and do whatever you want the other half, surely your hourly working half the year is enough to sustain you (since it would be $100/hr for anyone else working full-time)

I'm very, very late to the party, but, do consider early retirement, and perhaps a part-time side gig as a consultant for projects that you feel like working on.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/ http://earlyretirementextreme.com/

Simply change your model: You're no longer available as a full-time employee, but a contract consultant.

Suggest reading up on Alan Weiss, effective proposals> http://www.summitconsulting.com/articles/vol-1-10.php

Following andrewchambers' advice, have you asked companies if you could work part time? Companies can be flexible sometimes.

If you can afford it, you could start a consulting business and work only couple of days a week.

Maybe you should negotiate with them for part time work. I dislike the current systems too.

Sometimes i wish i could take all my time off in the form of 3 day weekends every second week.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com