What does "making a living" mean to you?
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Original Post
Hi all,
I'd like to know what "making a living" means to you. It could be anything from having a roof over your head, to having health insurance. Or it could mean working your own hours doing what you love, while having a family and teaching.
I actually started Etsy way back when because I wanted to start a furniture company. I put a woodshop in my bedroom (the first thing I built was a loft for my bed), and looked at the next steps. Of course I got sidetracked, and started a Web company instead, but now I'm back to focusing on that original challenge: the big leap from selling some things I've made to making a living from it.
I am building a website to meet this challenge, and an important first step is understanding what it means to you to make a living.
All answers are welcome, and thanks!
Rob
Posted at 10:56pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Responses
'making a living' for me, means to be able to contribute to family household expenses and be able to stay home with my little monsters while doing it.
it means being able to pay rent and bills and still have hobby money left over (roller derby can get pricey after a while!)
it means not having my evening at home ruining by a crappy day dealing with buttholes at a job with the general public.
and, it also means doing all that and more through something i enjoy!
Posted at 11:39pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Rokali says:
I like the phrase "making a life," too. And I understand that "making a living" is closely tied to work and making money, in many people's minds.
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Yes. To me, making a living means being able to sustain yourself financially from the work you do. Unfortunately, this does not always include also "making a life", at least one you can appreciate. To me, the ideal is being able to love what you are doing and still support yourself financially. Unfortunately this isn't always possible.
Posted at 11:39pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Making a living (to me), means: being able to cover all basic expenses (food, shelter, utilities, health insurance, etc) afford to operate and maintain a vehicle, be able to invest 10% of income, have an emergency and "play" fund, save for college tuition for 4 kids.
I guess, in my case, it adds up to around $100,000 per year give or take a few cents
Posted at 11:39pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Making a living = coving the bills plus a little more
Making a life= doing what I love and making enough money that I can be happy and comfortable.
I am not so concerned about making a living, that is easy, I want to make a life
Posted at 11:40pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
To me they are one in the same. If I am making a living then I am making a life. My income supports the life I want and the life I want drives me to earn the income I do.
Posted at 11:42pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
"I guess, in my case, it adds up to around $100,000 per year give or take a few cents"
*passes out*
I would LOVE to make $100,000 for just one year. I'd blow all the extra money on a kick-ass ridiculously luxurious vacation. I've always wanted to do that! The responsible part of me would be screaming, "nonono! savesavesave!" but I'd totally ignore myself. hehehe
Posted at 11:42pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Rokali says:
Back in the day, what you made with your hands was often times reflected in your last name: flickr.com/photos/rokali/2988646850/sizes/o/
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mine would have been deelind Lush Plush (Lush as a noun)
Posted at 11:44pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Rob, have you ever read "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin?
The first chapter discusses your question precisely. Basically they say that we aren't making a living, we're making a dying. "What they do for money dominates their waking hours, and life is what can be fit into the scant remaining time."
I recommend the book highly. It changed the way I think about the role of money in my life.
Posted at 11:44pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
Making a living means to me that I am able to contribute by paying my share of the bills. I mean those bills that would go unpaid if I don't have the money to put towards them. (I am not saying "my share" as in I would feel guilty not making any money -- my husband does not make enough money *smiles*).
Beyond that, though, making a living means I am able to set my own hours in order to be there for my family when they need me. That I will be established enough that a few days off here and there will be ok.
Best of luck to you Rob!!!
Posted at 11:45pm Dec 27, 2008 EST
hehe...not lush plush as in awesome drunken octopus?
Posted at 11:45pm Dec 27, 2008 EST