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I remember the feeling of dread when I signed up for my first two graduate school courses at Baruch College in 1997. Those two courses would cost me roughly $1,200. Throw in the cost of the Long Island Railroad and books and my first semester in grad school was going to add $1,800 to my living expenses—$1,800 I didn’t have by the way.

Faced with additional expenses that couldn’t be avoided—given my desire to earn a master’s degree—I did what any rational person would do. I looked for a part-time job.

And as fate would have it, the perfect part-time job materialized just a few blocks away from my condo. The owner of the neighborhood car wash was looking for another crew member for the Saturday shift. He paid the minimum wage—$5.15 an hour—but with tips included, the typical crew member made about $100 a shift.

Sounded good to me. To paraphrase Rose Royce, “I might not ever get rich…but it was better than diggin’ a ditch.”

So for two Saturdays in a row I did the car wash gig. And it went rather well. The pay was as advertised; the work was harder than I thought it was going to be, but far from brutal; and my crew mates, even though they spoke little English, accepted me into their merry band of hand-drying and wheel-cleaning brothers.

But then something tragic happened. I got a visit from Mr. Ego.

Mr. Ego Doesn’t Like Slumming It

Mr. Ego is the fiercest advocate you’ll ever have. He’s also as impatient as a two-year-old and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about logic or reality. His soul purpose is to impress upon you how great you are, how you’re better than everyone else, and how your exclusion from the rarefied ranks of society is a crime against humanity.

And because he has such an elevated opinion of you, he’s tenacious as hell when it comes to protecting your image. I should know. Just look how he treated the news of my new part-time job.

Mr. Ego: “Hey, I hear you’re working at the car wash with all the other brain surgeons.”

Me. “Yeah? What’s it to you? It’s honorable work.”

Mr. Ego: “Sure, sure. It’s honorable work. Didn’t your best friend just get a monster promotion at the fire department? What is he now, a deputy chief or something? Why don’t you tell him about your great car-washing job so both of you guys can celebrate your glorious ascent up the career ladder?”

Me: “C’mon, Mr. Ego. You’re way out of line. If Jesus Christ can wash feet, I can wash cars.”

Mr. Ego: “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. And tell all the girls you meet in bars how deftly you handle a shammy. I’m sure they’ll be very impressed. You’ll be getting laid left and right.”

Me: “Damn it, Mr. Ego. I’m not going to be washing cars for the rest of my life.”

Mr. Ego: “Duh. But why are you washing cars even now? You have a bachelor’s degree for heaven’s sake.”

Me: “I know, I know. But this car-washing gig fits my schedule and is going to pay for grad school.”

Mr. Ego: “Hey, dummy. That’s what credit cards are for. Have some self-respect. Put grad school on Visa and pay it off with overtime money. Don’t you get a lot of overtime during the winter plowing snow?”

Me: “Alright, Mr. Ego. You win. I’m quitting tomorrow.”

Egotrage

Egotrage, a word I just coined, is defined as follows:

The strategy of advancing your financial position by doing something that is “beneath” your socioeconomic status. 

I should have kept that car-washing job. It would have saved me from a lot of revolving debt, armed me with a reason to moderate my Friday-night partying, and provided me with a wonderful opportunity to learn Spanish. But nooooo. My ego couldn’t handle it. A man of my stature—I did have an illustrious journalism degree from Long Island University, after all—didn’t wash cars.

Ah, the follies brought forth by pride. Thankfully I’m no longer consumed with my image. My car, phone, and clothes are ample proof of this. Better to look like a bum and have money to travel extensively than to look like a big shot and barely have enough money to leave my house.

Now, before I conclude this section of the post, I want to give you a few more examples of egotrage so you can wrap your brain around the concept. Here we go.

  1. Claudia and Garrett over at Two Cup House are two successful professionals in their early 30s who live in a 536 sq ft house. They weren’t always small-house people. Their previous home was 1,500 sq ft. But because they decided to go small and flout convention, they were able to eliminate all of their debt and they’re on track to be financially independent in 2019.
  2. Jillian over at Montana Money Adventures saved $200K with her husband Adam to buy their first house. But rather than buy a McMansion, they decided to buy a fixer-upper for $50K. And because they went for a house well below their means, they’re currently in their second year of a mini-retirement.
  3. Finally, my brother left New York in 2013 and relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. He was 52 years old and basically broke. But Brother Groovy has always been a hustler. He got a good job and soon thereafter opened a gym with two of his workout buddies. He’s currently making just over $100K. And where does Brother Groovy live? In a trailer. That’s right. He makes six figures and lives in a single-wide. But because he decided to live in a humble trailer, he’s saving 65-70% of his income and he’s on pace to be financially independent by the time he’s 62.

Final Thoughts

On the second Wednesday of the month, I normally devote my post to something that my warped mind supposes will either lower the cost of government or make it less tyrannical. But this is the holiday season, and most Americans are understandably fed up with politics, so I decided to give this feature of my blog a one-month hiatus. I’ll return to the intersection of politics and personal finance in January.

Okay, groovy freedomist, that’s all I got. What say you? Is egotrage a joke? Or is egotrage a legitimate concept that all FIRE enthusiasts should be aware of? Let me know what you think when you get a chance. Cheers.

93 thoughts on “Egotrage: Taking a Step Back Socially to Advance Two Steps Financially

  1. Egotrage is really real. While I understand some jobs not being worth the time due to how little they pay, believing our own hype can cost us when we think we’re too good for certain occupations, even temporarily.

    1. I totally agree that some work is not worth the time. If you can fit it into your schedule conveniently, that’s great. Kevin (Financial Panther) is a real rockstar with this. He has a law degree but he’ll make a delivery on his route home from work, or dog sit when he’s already walking and feeding his own dog.

  2. Yes, yes, yes! Fantastic story. I’ve worked a variety of, I guess, jobs ‘beneath me’ but never considered them so, maybe because I grew up doing field labor. My parents grew ginseng as a cash crop in addition to my dad’s cheese packaging factory job and there was a lot of work to be done in the summer. So *any* job that did not require literal hours of working in the fields under the blazing sun was a luxury. These jobs included working on a hot dog cart, working in a scissors factory the summer after high school, working in the dining center during college, being a janitor in my old high school the summer after college graduation (with a degree in biochemistry!), and working in a factory that involved scraping mold off cheese for the few months after getting a PhD in neurobiology and before joining Peace Corps. I sure did learn a lot about ice fishing that winter.

    I went through a 6 month period of unemployment a few years back after voluntarily quitting a fairly prestigious job and was looking into being a dog walker. Several well-meaning friends brought up the ‘isn’t that beneath you?’ thing. My thought was ‘are you kidding me? Isn’t it awesome that I could be paid to walk around all day with awesome dogs?’ That option sure seemed to beat the pants off of any policy jobs I was applying to.

    I look forward to having the time to do one of these jobs that are ‘beneath me’ when I early retire. Maybe even a car wash.

    Keep up the excellent writing!

    1. “My thought was ‘are you kidding me? Isn’t it awesome that I could be paid to walk around all day with awesome dogs?’ ”

      Holy crap, CE. This sentence in particular and your comment in general gave me a tremendous CMLT. Thank you so much. I couldn’t have had a better start to my Tuesday. Cheers.

  3. Too many people buy into the whole image is better than financial security mentality. Does everyone really need a supersized SUV? The media has convinced people that what they have and the image they present is most important when in reality what you have can become a burden if you’re not smart about it. Get what you need and limit getting what you want. Save the rest so you can become financially independent later on in life but don’t be so miserly that you don’t enjoy life. Thanks for the column.

    1. “Too many people buy into the whole image is better than financial security mentality. Does everyone really need a supersized SUV? ”

      I salute you, my friend. In a few eloquent sentences you captured the essence of my post far better than I did. Bravo.

  4. Never heard of egotrage. Well done!

    I remember working the cash register at McDonald’s in high school. So embarrassing for some reason, b/c a girl I liked used to check in on the weekends when I worked.

    Now I look back at that period with pride. But I wish I had that foresight back then.

    Driving a beater for 10 years was my egotrage.. and then driving a Honda Fit for another 3 years continued the trend. I guess downsizing to a fixer in a less exclusive neighborhood in 2014 was another.

    Simple life!

    Sam

    1. I love it, Sam. You had some exemplary egotrage in your life. And I hear ya about McDonald’s. When I was growing up, we weren’t looked down upon by our peers if we worked in a fast food joint or a deli. But something happened to the generations that followed mine. Doing grunt work or minimum wage work suddenly became frowned upon. Too many young people got the idea that it was better to have a wounded bank account than a wounded ego. Sad.

  5. I loved this post and to be honest, I think all FIRE and non-FIRE people should take note.

    I feel like I keep lifestyle inflation at an ok level (yes, I so could do better). But when I look at where I am, and how much more I have indulged in that I didn’t and don’t need to. I might need to think about how I can egotrage in 2018.

    1. Thank you, Sarah. Yes, a little egotrage is good for the soul. And I think it becomes more important as one’s financial well-being grows. It makes one more empathetic and less prone to assholery. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah. And may 2018 be very kind to you. Cheers.

  6. Before I began taking the bus to/from work I used to drive the ugliest $700 POS you’ve ever seen. I make good money and this car didn’t fit my professional image. At all. Parking that thing at my office between a Ferrari and an S Class Benz was a daily blow to my ego, but I’d decided that I wanted to buy my financial freedom more than I wanted a new car so I dealt with it. At work it became a source of good natured ribbing but in the early retirement community egotrage can be worn with a badge of honor! Good stuff, G.

    1. “I used to drive the ugliest $700 POS you’ve ever seen.”

      LOL! I knew you were more than just a great blogger. I would love to see a picture of your egotrage car sitting between a Ferrari and an S Class Benz. What a great picture that would make for a PF Christmas card. Love the way your mind works, my friend. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

  7. Loving the word egotrage! I don’t think I’ve developed the part of the ego that prevents us from doing things “below our station,” though, because I just got funny looks at my firm Christmas party by suggesting that sometime in the future I may leave the practice of law to return to low-level judicial clerking, some kind of manual labor, or barely-profitable personal business (like my secret blog).

    1. Awesome, IV. And I hear ya about manual labor. It’s nice to see the physical manifestation of your toil. At the end of the day, grass is cut, drywall is up, or the toilet is installed. You can look at something and say, “I did that.” I wasn’t able to do that at my last job. Writing a query or producing a digitized file just doesn’t have the same gravity.

    1. I love it, Tony. I think the hardest job I ever had was working in a cardboard factory. The machines that made the cardboard used steam and it was 120 degrees in that factory during the summer. I think I lost five pounds every shift.

  8. I’ve definitely been there Mr. Groovy. The worst was probably raking blueberries under a hot sun in Maine one summer. I was maybe 14 years old, working along side some folks who only spoke Spanish, and earning per bucket collected.

    There was also the summer before law school when (with an undergrad degree) I was working during the day at an office and at a restaurant on the weekends. I remember running into people who seemed surprised when I told them I was headed to law school. To be honest, I don’t remember feeling ashamed. I have always been proud about working hard – just wish I’d learned to be smarter with money back then.

    1. I hope you weren’t offended by their surprise. I was working at a restaurant before and during law school, and people were often surprised by that….but it wasn’t a commentary on me as a person or the way I present myself. I’m perfect.

    2. Hmmmm. Let me see if I got this right. You’re not only smart, but you also don’t shy away from hard work? I knew there was something special about you, Harmony. I sure hope Mr. CMK appreciates you.

  9. I love it! That conversation with Mr. Ego had me laughing so hard. Most of us have been there though.

    When people have asked what we’ll do if I have a hard time finding work after our mini-retirement (which I don’t expect, but is always possible), I’ve felt pretty free to tell them that I’ll go with at McDonalds if I need to.

    Every job is important and while there are some that wouldn’t top my list of dream careers, there’s lots of ways to make a living!

    1. You’re a wise man, Chris. A few years back, I saw a want ad for an assistant manager at Cookout. Starting pay was in the high 30s, and benefits included healthcare, paid vacation, profit sharing, and a 401K with a 6% match. Someone with his or her head screwed on right could make a nice career at Cookout. And I suppose the same could be said of every other major fast-food chain. Wouldn’t it be great if someone fresh out of college went the fast-food route and really tried to excel? And blogged about it anonymously? I bet this person would be a manager by the time he or she was 30. Like you said, my friend, “there’s lots of ways to make a living.”

        1. Oh, man, that would be one gutsy move. Are you familiar with the movie Waffle Street? I believe it’s on Netflix. Anyway, it’s about a former Wall Street huncho who lost his job during the crash and bought a Waffle House franchise. If you did do the McDonald’s experiment, it would be the blog equivalent of Waffle House. I would love it, and I’m sure tens of thousands of others would too. You got a marvelous mind, McBlogger. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

  10. Any legal job is far better than the way a lot of people “make” their money, sometimes even lots of it. Think of all the people who stoop to the low level of shady activity to support their lifestyles. Those who labor hard in tough, low-paying jobs have substance. And sometimes the lowest-paying jobs can be the toughest in many ways. That’s why tipping those in service jobs is one thing I would never scrimp on.

    1. “And sometimes the lowest-paying jobs can be the toughest in many ways. That’s why tipping those in service jobs is one thing I would never scrimp on.”

      Love the way your mind works, Rybo. I agree 100%. In fact, I had lunch in Winston-Salem this past weekend and Mrs. G and I gave the server a 40% tip. She was young, around 4 months pregnant, a very good at her job. She really made our lunch an enjoyable experience.

  11. Love it man. Although I thought you could have also gone with Jim Croce’s “Workin’ At The Car Wash Blues”

    I think if parents practiced more egotrage they wouldn’t always force their kids into college if they’re not interested. Lots of good trade jobs out there that pay well and won’t start you out w/massive student loan debt.

    Great post man!

    1. “Lots of good trade jobs out there that pay well and won’t start you out w/massive student loan debt.”

      Nailed it, AF. For the life of me, I don’t know why the trades are frowned upon. But for some reason, too many thought-leaders in this country equate success with a bachelor’s degree; that is, if you don’t get the vaunted BA, you’re a loser. Sigh. What a load of crap.

      Thanks for stopping by, my friend. And thanks for reminding me of Jim Croce’s “Workin’ At The Car Wash Blues.” I forgot all about that song. I’m firing it up on YouTube now.

  12. Awesome article as always, Mr. Groovy. I practice a mild version of egotrage (egotrage-lite, if you will) by living somewhat below my means:

    1. For several years (before buying our current house), my wife Lily and I lived in an apartment in a gentrifying section of our city. It was one block away from a sketchy area; we could hear fights, yelling, and gunfire at night. This was while most of my peers were starting to buy nice houses, but it put us in the position to buy the house we have now.

    2. Many of my friends drive European luxury cars. Despite being creditworthy enough for that, we are not stretching out finances to do it, and in fact plan to downgrade our car next year.

    I firmly believe that, in matters of PF, slow and steady wins the race. Too many people move too fast and buy too many things on too much credit, only to fall on their faces eventually.

    1. “…in matters of PF, slow and steady wins the race.”

      Thank you, Miguel! Couldn’t have said it better myself. Does a fancy new car really enhance one’s quality of life? On most days, my car sits in the garage for over 23 hours. And I fail to see how I would be better off if a brand new Mercedes were sitting in my garage rather than my 14-year-old Camry. Am I missing something?

  13. Hey Steve Bannon! Just kidding man…

    That was funny sh*t Mr. Groovy. Jesus Christ did wash some feet in his day, didn’t he??

    I’ve had to set my ego aside too many times to count. Working a fast food job in high school. Driving a beater in college. Working in a pickle factory complete with hairnet one summer. So now, living in a 1500 square foot house and driving a used Honda Fit while being 7 figures in net worth don’t bother me.

    1. Oh no, I’ve been doxxed! But if I’m going to be doxxed, at least I get the satisfaction of knowing it came from someone who lives softly but carries a big financial stick. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Made my day.

  14. You’re right, egotrage is for real. It’s a bit like keeping up with the Jones’ which is a pretty daft concept that most people seem to do.

    Hey, did I just see that you have a journalism degree? That just doesn’t seem fair – how are us other wannabe bloggers meant to have a chance?🤣

    1. Haha! You’re too kind, David. My journalism degree, after all, is from Long Island University, not the Columbia School of Journalism. My real secret is that I’ve married a top-notch editor. You should see the crap the Mrs. Groovy has to whip into shape. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. It’s always great hearing from you.

  15. Based on the reactions that we got from family, friends, and co-workers, I guess our decision to live without a car is a form of egotrage.

    Though I think it may have been more scarring to their egos than it was to ours.

    So glad to be part of a community that is actively re-mapping the sources of self-importance.

    Great post, Mr. G!

    1. Family, friends, co-workers: “How will you live without a car?”

      Forgive them, Mrs. G, for they do not know they are on the hamster wheel.

  16. Egotrage, I like it! I’ve had some pretty demeaning jobs, but in reality, they’re just jobs. It’s your attitude that makes it seem demeaning. I let ego almost drive me into needing to “somehwat keep up” with our new fancy neighbors when we first moved into our neighborhood. A lot of Mercedes (bmw’s? no thank-you) and $60k trucks, but fortunately Mrs. SSC steered me away from that.

    Even when I got a Hyundai Genesis because I finally accepted that the Camaro wasn’t a good family car, it stuck around for only 2 years before I “traded down” to a basic Jetta. I mean, it has satellite radio and a backup camera and that’s it for perks. I love driving it, though.

    Of course that could also be because I’m married and not needing my car to convince women into “extracurricular activities” with me. I’d be hurting in that dept if I was single, lol.

    1. Nailed it, Mr. SSC. One of the prime benefits of being married is that you’re no longer compelled to impress potential mates. Only after I was married did I feel comfortable enough to forego the “manly” SUV for the classic old-man car–the Toyota Camry. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. We love Jetta drivers here.

  17. I’ve never washed cars (aside from my own and maybe my mom’s) but I’ve worked a ton of retail. Sometimes, that meant cleaning up bodily fluids, sometimes it meant getting abused by the public, sometimes it meant relocating the whole store. Not always pretty jobs, and not particularly lucrative until I moved into management (which was a lot less fun.)

    You know what? I loved that job, despite all that and despite the fact that for a long time I thought, “No one will confuse this with a REAL job.” Well, it turned into a real job, and even if buying and selling books is no longer my passion, books still are.

    I still struggle with “maintaining appearances” vs “doing what’s right for me.” But it gets easier each year.

    1. Hey, Emily. Thanks for sharing with us the unseemly side of retail. Retail is tough. And I admire anyone who does it with aplomb. And I hear ya about books. I used to love books stores, especially the mom-and-pop shops. I used to know all the clerks in the mom-and-pop shops, and I used have marvelous conversations with them about books. It was great. I love Amazon and my Kindle, but something has definitely been lost with the demise of book stores.

  18. Enlightening as always!!

    I worked on a farm for $5 an hour. It was rough, but not all bad.

    During a spat of unemployment I was tempted to get a job slinging bags at the airport. Alas another job came up. But I’m still tempted. I mean exercise, be outside, and travel benefits. Why not?

    1. Haha! I love your airport story. When we first moved down to Charlotte, I was having trouble finding an IT job that fit. So I saw a job for an assistant manager at an 84 Lumber facility. And I was already to apply for it, but Mrs. G vetoed it with extreme prejudice. She didn’t veto it because the position was “beneath” me. She vetoed it because she didn’t want me working on the weekends. Can’t say that Mrs. G was wrong. Everyone once in a while, wives are good to have around. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. It’s always great hearing what you have to say.

  19. Awesome read! I love your car washing story! It’s amazing how our ego can sabotage a good thing. That’s one of the reasons I love being part of FI community – we support each other in working towards our values. And with this great FI family, its easier to ignore those other voices that derail our efforts!

    1. Thank you, Jaime. I couldn’t agree more. We got an amazing band of brothers and sisters. Rarely a day goes by when I don’t learn something from someone in our community or get inspired by someone in our community. Check out this clip from a cartoon that aired in the 60s and 70s–Sinbad. Our “magic belt” is the great FI family you so eloquently referred to. And because our magic belt is always there for us in a pinch, we’ll never be defeated by Mr. Paycheck-To-Paycheck and his dastardly gang of financial dirtbags.

  20. 1. This has to be the first reference to Rose Royce in the history of FI blogging. Kudos for that, Mr. G,

    2. At the risk of sounding like Dana’s Carvey’s Grumpy Old Man, I suppose ego is what keeps parents supporting their kids well into their late teens and twenties, so their little one can focus on school or whatever they’re doing. (Shakes fist in the air). And when they do get out in the world, they feel entitled to have the fancy, expensive car and every consumer item they see.
    The hopeful sign is that there are so many impressive people in their 20s and 30s who are actively working towards FI, and who are making ego-free or ego-managed choices.

    3. I was always willing to work the jobs that my ego warned against, but was incredibly stupid in spending the proceeds. I ignored the ego on one hand, but listened when it told me how to blow my cash.

    4. Again, brilliant Car Wash reference. Time to watch the movie again.

    1. I definitely get blogging points for working Rose Royce into a post. That’s some real creativity there. Or is it chutzpah? And I hear ya about our young people. They do appear to be very soft. Enough with the skinny jeans, already. Enough with running to the government to solve every problem under the sun. Go out and work. Go out and create something. Go out and get dirty. Aaarrrggghhh! Sorry for the rant, Mr. Grumby. I just have a severe case of excuse-making fatigue. America is supposed to be the home of the “brave.” Not the home of the coddled.

    1. I don’t know. It just came to me. I was just thinking of what to call it when you’re one of the few people willing to lower yourself temporarily for a better financial position in the future. And then it hit me that the only reason most people won’t go low is ego. After that, egotrage was a short step away. I hope it sticks. Like “side hustle,” it’s the perfect shorthand for a very common FI strategy that has no definitive name. Thanks for stopping by, Fritz. If I get a “pure brilliance” from you, I know I’m doing something right.

    1. I’m shocked that no one ever came up with. It aptly describes so many FI situations. And now we have a word for those situations. “I’m not driving a sh%tty car. I’m engaged in egotrage!”

  21. Mr. G, been lurking on your blog for a while now, and enjoyed your interview on ChooseFI. I even hung your FI Gothic picture in my (home) office to motivate me to get out of my last job!

    The timing of this post is mind-bending…I sold my beautiful, almost showroom condition Lexus yesterday! It served it’s purpose when I was in sales, but now it would just sit in the driveway. Driving a 2003 Element with no AC now and smiling the whole time. Well, at least till this summer.

    Thanks for the entertainment and enlightenment.

    B

    1. I don’t know what makes me more proud. The fact that you have FI Gothic hanging in your home office or that you ditched the Lexus for a 2003 Element with no AC. I am positively humbled and floored. You are one righteous dude, my friend. And a true inspiration. Thank you so much for your kind words. They really mean a lot.

  22. Egotrage is no joke. I think I built most of my professional success around this concept you created. Even in my past professional positions, I wasn’t afraid to get my hands dirty in stuff associates questioned me for lowering myself to do. It builds credibility and trust with those who aren’t in your socioeconomic zone. Like your car wash buddies. Nothin’ wrong with that. Tom

    1. Oh, man, I forgot about credibility and trust. Excellent point. Nothing sharpens a man’s willingness to get dirty more than when he see his boss get dirty too. Great freakin’ comment, Tom. Thank you.

  23. Ego is real. It leads to lifestyle inflation for sure, and can make people feel trapped.

    I always think back to stories about people not being able to find jobs after 08-09 and I wonder how much ego had to do with that. Hell, I’d flip burgers 12 hours a day if that’s what it took to keep a roof over my head.

    To advance my goals though I’ve got a different approach though. I know I wouldn’t like flipping burgers, but I’d do it to save us from financial meltdown. But I wouldn’t do it to hit my financial goals earlier. I’d consider other things that I would likely hate something less.

    1. Exactly, Dave. “There are no such things a menial jobs, only menial attitudes.” My father’s generation was the last generation that didn’t give a rat’s ass about finding fulfilling work. They derived pride by taking care of their families, and if that meant doing sh%t work, so be it. But today I hear a lot of excuses. And the worst is, “I can’t find a job.” Bullsh%t. People travel thousands of miles from Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and they manage to find jobs. So what’s the problem? Lack of imagination? Laziness? Ego? I weep for my country when I contemplate how wimpy we’ve become. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Your comment has helped me realize that all is not lost.

  24. The worst job I ever had was spraying weeds with a backpack sprayer for a landscaping company. Besides have a 40-50 lb pack on your back (when full) and having the chemicals slosh on you, plus smelling like weedkiller every night, it was an eye-opener.

    I did it because I was sick of fast food and retail, big mistake.

    I have a whole new respect for the grunt labor for landscaping companies. It’s nothing like my neighbors who ride a riding lawnmower, bare belly with a fine beverage in their hand

    1. Hey, Josh. Never worked a bug sprayer before. That doesn’t sound like fun. I think my worst grunt job of all-time was doing spray stucco. It was brutal during the summer. The cement would always get stuck in the line and we would spend 15 minutes or so hammering out the clog. And when I left the job site, I was always covered in a film of white dust. Our employer did give us dust masks, though. So things weren’t that oppressive. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. It’s always great hearing from another grunt.

  25. I do think it’s a legitimate (and possibly underutilized) tactic in the FIRE tool chest, and certainly one I’ve been employing for many years as a dog walker and pet sitter. I live amongst high earning professionals but it’s my husband’s career that grants me admission to the upper middle class socioeconomic level instead of my own merit (turns out there isn’t all that much you can do with a Spanish degree and no skill sets.. who knew!). For the first three years living here and working as a dog poop disposal manager I felt chronically self-conscious about it. There only seems to be two kinds of women in my neighborhood.. the professional (doctor, lawyer, corporate manager) and the stay-at-home “mommy” (by choice, of course…). My husband tried to make me feel better by referring to me as a “small business owner” but give me a break.. my dad was also a “small business owner” but one making $500k a year whereas I was challenged to break $5k my first six months. In any case, to add insult to injury I decided to exchange my car for an electric bike and I started wearing mostly men’s clothing for comfort and protection in the Pacific Northwest winters.. I knew I reached a new (low???) level when one soggy afternoon the community HOA’s landscaping crew pulled their trucks aside my stride and asked me where I bought my rain gear (and I proudly told them: Workwear Place… where all the construction guys get their garb!). But I gotta tell you, I feel like the joke is all on them, about a third of the people for whom I work for and live near. They see my job as doing the dirty work as I am specifically hired just to take the dog outside to do it’s “business”. But that’s (no longer) how I see myself. I see myself getting paid to ride my bike (which I love with all my heart)… to take long walks (in what is arguably one of the most beautiful areas of the country)… and to hang out with friendly furry pets… as much as I want!

    I think most of us in the community are aware that Perspective is a key concept to making FIRE a reality. We are aware that perspective can be a choice and that sometimes for our long-term self-interest we must choose our perspective instead of having society dictate the perspectives we conform to.

    And I’ll be honest and say that for the most part I’ve not only taken a step back socially, but I’ve stepped out of society. My job, my clothes and Frugalwoods-style frugality make us complete odd balls.. and so does our 60% savings rate, fully-funded emergency fund and maxed out retirement accounts…

    Which characteristics do you think I find important?

    Which characteristics do you think anyone in the FIRE community finds important?

    And that takes me to a final point I’d like to make about my egotraging (see what I did there?). Since I found Rockstar Finance and started accessing the FIRE community I’ve felt significantly less isolated and marginalized. While I’ll never have a conversation with even a small fraction of them, I know there are thousands of like-minded individuals that would not only appreciate the alternative perspectives and behaviors I’ve engaged in but would enthusiastically encourage continuing them. So I spend a lot of time looking at the Rockstar Finance bloggers and making it a habit to read PF blogs first thing in the morning sets me up for a successful day. Certainly reading many of your posts have helped me… and this is definitely one of my favorites!

    1. “Since I found Rockstar Finance and started accessing the FIRE community I’ve felt significantly less isolated and marginalized. While I’ll never have a conversation with even a small fraction of them, I know there are thousands of like-minded individuals that would not only appreciate the alternative perspectives and behaviors I’ve engaged in but would enthusiastically encourage continuing them.”

      You don’t know how much the above two sentences, and your whole comment, for that matter, mean to me. I’m so proud to be a part of the FI community, and so proud to have readers like you. We surely got a freakish cult. But it’s the best cult I’ve ever been associated with–by far.

      I have two things to say to you, SJ. First, I liked you even before you made this comment. Now that I know you’re a Dog Poop Disposal Mananger, I positively love you. (But in an honorable way, of course. I don’t need your husband smacking me around.)

      The other thing I have to say is something I’ve said before: Why the heck aren’t you blogging? Your comments contain some of the most profound and lucid thoughts I’ve ever come across. You have a great mind and a great story, and it would be a shame if you didn’t share those assets with a wider audience.

      Seriously, please consider starting a blog. And if you rather not, please do a guest post on my blog. Here’s my email address. Reach out to me whenever you want.

      [email protected]

      Thank you for stopping by, SJ. You really made my week. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

  26. During my first marriage, I lived in a neighborhood full of oversized egos, and let mine compete with them. Big mistake. The money would fly out just as soon as it came in (or before that), and often for things I didn’t need or even really want. After that marriage ended, I moved out of that neighborhood and began to realize how being frugal and keeping my ego reined in would benefit me in the long run. Egotrage is for real and I love that you’ve put a name to it.

    1. “The money would fly out just as soon as it came in (or before that), and often for things I didn’t need or even really want.”

      I know it well, my friend. To paraphrase George Washington, “Ego, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” But thankfully I’m in the dangerous servant phase of ego management now. And I’m glad to see that you entered this phase a lot sooner than I. Thanks for stopping by, Gary. As usual, your comment really resonated.

  27. I’m pretty sure this will be your next post that gets featured on Rockstar. What a great example of letting your ego get in the way. By spending a few hours drying cars and learning to speak Spanish, you could have avoided credit card debt. There are so many other applications of this concept too. For example, taking a step back in your career to learn a new skill that will help you in the long run. Well done Mr. Groovy.

  28. Such lovely in-yo-face writing as usual. I giggled at the Jesus example. I had to swallow my ego when I had to clean up Airbnb guest’s drunken vomits – I wasn’t happy about it – still not but you gotta do what you gotta do!

    1. Haha! You’re too much, Lily. I had some pretty low jobs in high school and college, but oddly enough, none of those lousy jobs entailed cleaning bathrooms. I did do my share of cleaning vomit off the sides of my friends’ cars–because it was mine. I was such a bad drunk. I wouldn’t get violent or anything like that. I would just heave my cookies much sooner than the next guy. God I was so pathetic. Anyway, thanks for stopping by, Lily. It’s always great hearing from a fellow vomit cleaner.

  29. I’m so blown away by the concept of egotrage that you’ve got my mind racing on how physicians (who tend to enjoy a surplus of ego) might take full advantage of this phenomenon.

    This is great idea, kind of the “baby on board” for the FI crowd. Now you just need to copyright a bumper sticker slogan and you are in the clear.

    Thanks for the brain fodder!

    1. Thank you, Crispy. When the word came to my twisted mind, I surely thought someone already came up with it. I mean, c’mon. It’s the perfect word to arm yourself with in your battle against your ego. But I googled it and nothing came up. So I guess I invented a word and a concept. Not bad for a little ol’ country blogger from North Carolina. Thanks for stopping by, my friend.

    2. I’m blown away too. This is the first I’m hearing of this. We even watched Breaking Bad in which the lead character, Walter takes a 2nd job at a car wash, where he’s humiliated by both his employer and the high school students from his day job. Mr. G’s response when I brought this up? “You can’t know everything about me!” I guess egotrage is a tough pill to swallow, even for the Fabulous Mr. Groovy.

  30. Oh my gosh, Mr. Groovy, thanks so much for the Wed morning giggles. And thanks for mentioning Jesus. 😉

    This is one of the top things we teach our kids; kick your ego to the curb. “Master yourself today, conquer the world tomorrow.”

    1. This is one of the top things we teach our kids; kick your ego to the curb. “Master yourself today, conquer the world tomorrow.”

      I love it. Also, I’ve been reading a few pages from the New Testament every night. I don’t know if you know it, but this Jesus guy was pretty damn cool. Thanks for stopping by, Laurie. I always feel better about life after reading one of your comments.

      1. YES!!! I’ve been staunchly immersed in the NT for about a decade now – and yes, Jesus ROCKS!! The dude knows about how to treat a person. Unfortunately, we humans aren’t perfect and mess up His precepts often. But it’s always great to have such an awesome role model to look up to. Woohoo! 🙂

  31. Can we add “Egotrage” to the urban dictionary? After college, my first F/T job was unloading trucks at Target for minimum wage. It took a lot to fight my ego off and get up each morning at 5 AM to throw boxes around, but I did have a small student loan to pay back. There weren’t too many college degrees among my Target crew. I so wish I would have taken some other financial cues in my 20s.

    1. Haha! Slinging boxes for Target? How low! But hey, as the old saying goes, “There are no such thing as menial jobs, only menial attitudes.” You’re a better man than I for muscling through your ego at such a young age. Bravo, my friend.

  32. I think ego is more important when you’re young and don’t have a lot of confidence in yourself.
    At this point in my life, I don’t need to pump up my ego to project confidence. I’m comfortable with who I am and I don’t really care about what other people say.
    I’d work at a car wash if I really need to, but probably can’t hustle as well as the younger folks now.

    1. So true, Joe. I remember one time I refused to go into a house party because I had jeans on. Yep, and the real killer was that a girl I really liked was at the party. Looking back, I’m sure no one at the party would have cared that I looked like a “slob.” But Mr. Ego did a number on me that night. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. I always love hearing what you have to say.

  33. Good post Mr. Groovy. And ego is a true threat indeed. Back in the time when I started university, my family was in good financial shape (which means in our country that you have something left at the end of the month). Later this changed and I had to search for a part-time job myself. I worked as a motel receptionist on the night shift. I did not like it very much but earned enough to pay for living and provided many life lessons which I would not have otherwise. Fortunately, Mr.Ego had no power here, because I had no other choice.

    1. Hey, HCF. Thankfully your youth had enough constraints to keep Mr. Ego at bay. I wasn’t so lucky. Mr. Ego led me to do a lot of stupid things. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. I really appreciate it.

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