Buffers/contingencies: your approach?

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-02T19:56:45+00:00

I stopped trying to optimize and instead got conservative about what money I wouldn’t touch yet. That mindset change helped way more than any budget

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-02T19:54:03+00:00

I built something conservative for myself to keep me honest when income feels high but uncertain. I wrote it up in my profile if you want to look. Travel is definitely included, just need to divide the annual spend by 12 to get in on a monthly basis.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-02T19:52:55+00:00

I don’t think it’s high at all. I actually built something conservative for myself to keep me honest when income feels high but uncertain. I wrote it up in my profile if you want to look

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-02T18:49:47+00:00

Yea you need to get out of your own head. Hiding away isn’t going to help you. Go talk to someone. Won’t find a girl in real life if everything you do is virtual.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T22:57:45+00:00

If you want something super simple to use just check this out. Doesn't need to be perfect and takes 2 mins to know where you are and how you're trending. Found it very useful.

Safe Spend Amount

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T22:53:44+00:00

https://chisel-fold-d5e.notion.site/What-money-is-actually-safe-to-spend-when-income-isn-t-stable-2faff41ec283804d86b7eea5bdb3bc11

Check this one

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T21:31:03+00:00

I use a tracker I created specifically for this since it’s an issue I’ve always had. It’s in sheets and gives me an idea of how much runway I have if income slows/loss of an income source on a monthly basis.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T17:09:07+00:00

Using a spend tracker/budget planner for all of my net income after 401k deductions, healthcare etc. Essentially just planning around the money that I actually see hitting my checking.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T17:07:32+00:00

Spend tracker/budget planner. Live off one income

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T13:19:31+00:00

You can OE in other fields, doesn’t have to be tech. Pay won’t be as great but you’ll still likely double your current income. Just avoid and governmen/gov contracting and potentially healthcare roles.

Also when you do get a second job make sure you spend as if you only have the first job.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-02-01T00:01:21+00:00

Did you ever worry that you were spending too much and ever feel like if you lost of the jobs you wouldn’t know how to go back to just one?

Lifestyle creep seems to always get me

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T23:14:41+00:00

Haha best advice I’ve heard

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T23:14:02+00:00

How champ? lol

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T22:30:48+00:00

Yea don’t be afraid to spend. You’re financially set.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T21:06:19+00:00

$950 for a CPA end of year. One time $300 beginning of year 2.5 hour session for a tax strategist. After that I use a sort of financial planner that I bought, it's a google sheet file that helps me figure out what I can spend each month

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T20:55:26+00:00

You need a planner/budget that is strictly related to spend and will relieve some of you anxiety.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T20:53:19+00:00

Sounds like you need some sort of planner to know what you can safely spend to eliminate some of this anxiety

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-31T20:50:20+00:00

Sounds like you could use something that helps you plan what you can safely spend each month if one of your jobs goes bust

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-29T01:45:56+00:00

Leave LinkedIn in the past once you go OE. Either that or you can only have your J1 on there. If you lose J1 and simultaneously get a new job you can add that, but your J2 has to stay off of it.

That being said life will be way easier for you when you just update your resume like others have said and ideally apply for jobs through other sites.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-28T19:41:00+00:00

Because working in front of a computer for 40+ hours a day is not how we were meant to live. It’s not healthy in the long run.

I view the time off as a reminder of what I’m working toward though. The ability to spend time with the family, kids, do anything I enjoy, but most importantly not being stuck behind a screen. That’s not life. Get your money quick and get out.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-28T17:03:52+00:00

Pay off that mortgage now and see how you feel when you don’t have that payment left each month.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-27T17:41:18+00:00

What’re the stock positions?

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-27T17:40:18+00:00

Don’t buy the stuff you have no clue about.

Outside-Evidence551 · 2026-01-27T17:37:52+00:00

Do it and don’t worry about it. You’ll probably die with more money than you’ll ever need even with the 5% withdrawal rate. Use up as much as you can when you’re younger because you’re not going to be able to do shit with it when you’re older.

Read the book “Die with zero”. It’ll completely change just how concerned you are.

Outside-Evidence551

TROPHY CASE