Introduction / Needs / Structure / Jobs / Money / Why?

 

 

Why?

I recently found out that a decently-sized, tropical, private island costs between $300,000 and a million dollars for (usually) a 99-year lease from the relatively stable nations in Oceania, and thereabouts.

The writing below outlines why I have made such a serious inquiry into the logistics of how to move to a desert island with a bunch of friends.

 

Building a house.

My wife and I drew up initial ideas for a custom house we wanted to build. I was going to cost between $200,000 and $500,000.

I'm going to have a hard time building a house knowing that, for twice the price, it could be on an island, other costs (boat, travel expenses, etc. notwithstanding).

I've also realized that a house isn't the greatest thing in the world. I'm not sure I want to be beholden to a bank for thirty years. I've seen more of the world than some, but I am also not sure I am so enamoured with Tucson that I wouldn't want to leave someday - on a whim, even.

 

Education and Work.

I've already resigned myself to home-schooling my kids. I was a teacher long enough to know I don't trust Arizona's school system to pick my children's brains when it can't pick its own nose.

I went to college. I got my degree after working my ass off for 6 years, all the while working jobs I hated or that didn't pay anything, or, usually, both. But I have the job I wanted, now: Media Production Coordinator (Webmaster/Designer) for a stable institution (a grad school in San Francisco). But I know how volitile jobs are. I have no illusions of permenance. And that worries me, a lot.

Because I know that work, per se, is not what gets you ahead in the United States. Investing is. Once you have a certain amount of money generating interest for you, you are pretty much set. The hard part is the initial investment. If you manage to get $100,000 together, and keep an average return of 8%*, in 6 years, you'll be making more money annually than half the United States (<$50k) just on the interest. No work. Not a dime added to the fund.

 

Community.

Most of what I learned about growing up to be successful in the U.S. involved getting good grades, getting a degree, and having a big, fast car. At least, that's what people attempted to teach me.

Instead of all that - and especially instead of debt - I want to be with my wife, raise awesome children, enjoy friends and family, improve myself, write some awesome music, waste nothing, and generally be happy. What else could anyone want?

A lot of that is my own responsibility, but a lot of it is in the group of people I surround myself with: my children's teachers, my friends. In a word, my own community. Right now, it doesn't exist. I should do something about that.

 

 

* at 15% taxes, 3.1% inflation, which is reasonable.
Check out the calculator here.