Is never having a worked a bad thing?

dandelionclock30

Proc wrote: »

If your work is "hell" then you're in the wrong job.

I take about 3 months out of work every year. There's no way I could just sit around in the pub, gym, or following football teams. To me, that is "hell"...and completely monotonous.

I like to travel places, see new cultures. Recently got back from a trip around Isle of Skye and part of Scotland. Due to friends and camping the costs were minimal (I probably spent less on a typical night than if I sat festering in a pub) and I've seen things that were amazing. Within a week I got within 10 feet of a young seal, saw the Fairy Pools at sunrise, played in snow near some castle ruins, watched sunset from a lighthouse on a gusty peninsula, and saw dolphins.

This is nothing to do with using money, as it is using free time.

Your friend just sounds boring, with or without money, as he hasn't taken good advantage of his time (which is far more valuable than money). Sadly, now the money is drying up, he is pretty unemployable so probably won't be able to maintain his mundane lifestyle of drink and football.

You are very lucky to be able to take 3 months off work each year. None of the jobs I have done would allow that. I've also been camping/caravanning and staying with friends in Harris/Lewis/The Uists and Barra. None of that was cheap because you still have to pay to get there which is expensive from England. Theres fuel costs,ferries or plane, food,bus travel etc and being gererous with friends if they have put you up. I know that even a budget holiday there still costs a few hundred pounds.

seven-day-weekend

I have a friend of forty who has never worked. His mother left him a private income, he also has a mobility disability and uses a wheelchair. H e claims no State Benefits other than DLA for his disability. However, he volunteers several times a week at an Animal Rescue. So one could say he is not idle, he is giving his time for a worthwhile cause and not receiving any benefits that he is not entitled to.

I know someone else who is fifty and has never worked, he has lived on State Benefits throughout. He does not have a disability or afaik any illness that stops him from working.

I think the first case is acceptable, the second isn't.

(My husband and myself are now retired, but we still both do a paid job (house/petsitting) and both do voluntary work).

morganedge

BillJones wrote: »

You could look at this the other way round, though, and ask why you've ended up in work that you don't enjoy. There's no need to have an unpleasant job when there are so many good ones.

I think it's the same for most people, though?
If I look at my facebook feed on a Monday morning, I see hundreds of statuses from friends of :
''Oh God! Another working week begins Lets hope the weekend comes fast!!!''

As for me personally, I can't imagine 'enjoying' work unless I was a professional footballer or something.
I'm only really qualified for factory/warehouse jobs. Not many qualifications because I'm just not very smart, unfortunately.
Even if I was smart, I can think of nothing 'career wise' that I could see myself doing.

The OP's friend sounds like he's living my dream, and i'm jealous! lol

BillJones

morganedge wrote: »

I think it's the same for most people, though?
If I look at my facebook feed on a Monday morning, I see hundreds of statuses from friends of :
''Oh God! Another working week begins Lets hope the weekend comes fast!!!''

It's hard to say whether it's most or not, I suppose.

I remember in the early days of working in the city, when memories of having been a civil servant were still fresh, feeling excited each day at coming up out of the tube at Bank, looking forward to getting to the office and being allowed to have another try at being a trader. I couldn't believe that not only was I getting to do a job I loved, but that I was being paid for it.

It's less exciting now, but still very enjoyable.

Teacher2

Work is about so much more than money to live on. Rich people educate their children and encourage them to take up professions and careers because they know this. Megarich people are now limiting the money their children inherit so that they become useful and do not succumb to a wasteful party lifestyle. Work brings challenge, interest, colleagues, good habits, structure, a feeling of self worth and responsibility and many other benefits.

Having said that, as a 'burnt out' teacher I retired early and am enjoying the absence of harmful stress. However, I have created a pattern and structure to my life, do as much as I can for others and work and exercise hard every day. A close relative who has retired without a structured plan has sunk into despondency.

Work is a benefit as long as you are not exploited or bullied.

mr-mixalot

Well said Teacher 2

Theozoon

I'm aware that I'm very lucky.

My grandparents invested in the works of people like Jethro Tull and Kraftwerk, which means I'm entitled to inherit a steady income. It's not enough for silly things, but I find it's enough for the food roof and books which are the requisites of a life worth living. More than that, it gives me the time to devote to art and science and sport (well, not sport in my case) which make a life fulfilling. I don't see anything morally wrong with this. The purpose of life is not to go stupid in a factory.

My cousins, however, take a larger proportion of the inheritance than I do, and take more again from the resources we should be bequeathing to our grandchildren. I think their waste and selfishness - as well as their self-righteousness - are far more reprehensible than taking no more than you need and helping others get what they need.

makeyourdaddyproud

If you were frugal, £800k is easily enough to live comfortably for the rest of ones life, but the big stumbling block would be where you live.

If you were content with your lot, enjoy a low priced hobby, and treat your recreation just like a regular menu a menial job, it would be enough:

150k house
4 x 100k properties giving 2000 per month (put into ltd co, pay out as salary, use yr personal allowance)
250k in cash
Say you spend only 10k/year: lasts for 25 yrs
Meanwhile property portfolio rises in value
Sell 1 property per 15 years
Trickled asset drawdown then lasts for life

makeyourdaddyproud

... As for those that believe people are only made for work; slaving away for the benefit of the glub enumerated few with deeper pockets, then they need their head examined.

So, the luxury of hobbies and artistic compliance is only to be conferred to the already historically revered such as Dickens, Tolkien and Britten, and everyone else must only slave for a wage.

Not everyone wants to be indoctrinated into capitalism.

BillJones

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

... As for those that believe people are only made for work; slaving away for the benefit of the glub enumerated few with deeper pockets, then they need their head examined.

So, the luxury of hobbies and artistic compliance is only to be conferred to the already historically revered such as Dickens, Tolkien and Britten, and everyone else must only slave for a wage.

Not everyone wants to be indoctrinated into capitalism.

No, but those who write semi-literate (enumerated means counted, not rich, or well paid) screeds against it do always seem to enjoy the fruits of it.

Also, compliance, and glub? Are you drunk, or just rambling?

And it's conferred on, not to.

And no luxuries are conferred on historical figures, as they are dead.

If you are not drunk, please call an ambulance, as you are possibly having a stroke.