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- 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 was necessary. I have enough money to glide for several years, and I'm confident that either some money will come my way during those years (and I believe it's a little easier to make money when you're not worried so much about it), or I will at least have enough time to notice I'm running out and adjust course. I'm not too worried about the "hole in my resume". If you do interesting stuff with your life, you'll always have a good story to tell. Maybe your story isn't optimized for going up a certain career ladder, but who cares?

- I don't think luxuries are bad, and I think you spending money on a piano could be an awesome use of your time on earth. I just think we don't realize quite how many choices we have. I know lots of poor musicians find ways to get access to pianos, and owning a house out here in 29 Palms is certainly not too costly. But that doesn't mean you have to do it that way!

- I also spent more money while I was working long hours in part to "de-stress". While I don't think it was strictly necessary, I don't think it's crazy. It's just useful to remember that those "de-stressing" costs disappear when you leave the stressful situation.

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

Actually I have a question! If you aren't going to be able to permanently not have a job, don't you worry about your retirement or savings? After all, what you invest should compound so the earlier the better! Or so that's what I read..

Wow, you live out in 29 Palms? I grew up in Yucca Valley.

You can live pretty cheaply out there but you also have to deal with all dumb crap out there. It wasn't very pleasant growing up in the schools there.

We're still a few years off from worrying about schools, but it is the sort of thing that makes us toy with the idea of some variety of home-schooling. I'm sure there other nuisances around, but I'm a desert rat and I think this place is absolutely beautiful (although my opinion of the desert usually dips a little in July and August).

> I want to continue studying piano, but pianos cost money, getting a house costs money, and lessons cost money.

Given the difficulty people experience in getting rid of pianos, and the constant flood of pianos, a piano might not cost you much money; you might even be able to get paid to take a nice piano off someone's hands: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos...

Seriously, getting a nice piano might cost money but paying attention to craiglist can easily net you a piano for "free if you can get it out of here"

Hey, thanks for taking the time to try and help me out! It does seem like it's a buyer's market right now for pianos, but a decent piano still costs a considerable amount of money. Of course, I think this is partly because I'm very serious about it so I don't want just anything.

If you get a poorly maintained piano, it could cost several thousand dollars to restore it. Just replacing the actions of a grand costs something like $4k-$5k from what a technician told me.

If you're willing to try a lot of free pianos and know how to recognize ones that don't need restoring you can get a good one for the cost of having it moved.

Re: piano - for most use cases, mid-to-high range digital pianos are more than good enough nowadays. They don't require tuning, they fit in even fairly small apartments, and they can be moved with relative ease. It's not uncommon to see professional musicians using digital; the action and sound are at least comparable to the real thing.

Someone in my area sold me an old Roland RD-500 in excellent condition, two amps, and a stand for $500. Total cost including van rental to move it, music stand, and a bunch of sheet music: $700-800. Not sure what an equivalent setup would cost new, but I'd wager somewhere in the $1.5-3k range.

Hey thanks for the advice.

I actually have a digital. In fact I have something somewhat better than a digital: a hybrid (Yamaha N1). It has the action of a grand but I can still use it in an apartment.

I also thought this would be good enough, but after taking lessons it's obvious that it's really not. Even though the action is supposed to be that of a grand piano, the reality is that when I actually try to play on a grand I can't play it. My teacher has also said that I really need to get an acoustic piano.

I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I think the main difference is that even if the action feels like that of a real piano, it doesn't react quite the same. There are a lot more subtleties that you can get from a grand piano that's just not possible from a digital with the touch and especially with the pedal.

Note that this is for classical music, I don't know a thing about Jazz or pop music.

I really do appreciate your trying to help though!

Check out the Kawai CA-65 or CA-95. They have extremely realistic action and I find them indistinguishable from a quality grand. The sound of course is not equal, however it is acceptable.

Hey I will! But the Yamaha N1 actually has the action of a grand and it still doesn't seem to be enough =/

Many serious teachers won't accept students without an acoustic piano, as the action is too different. I'm not a pianist, but every single one I know whom I asked about this said that the difference is too great, at least to learn on.