If you don't mind me asking. feel free to say no to answering these! how old are you? What country do you live in? What does "coasting" mean? have you ever had any of these things before (full time employment? a driver's license, and a place where you pay your own rent)?

@No_uh I'm 27. I live in the US, having moved back recently after living in Mexico for about 4 years. By coasting I mean having a good time, keeping my home nice, traveling, maintaining social relationships, but not meaningfully producing anything external or building human capital. I worked as a full-time SWE for three years before getting laid off two years ago. I had my own apartment from September 2022-September 2024 and spent most of my nights in hostels for a few years before that. I've never had a driver's license, that'll be new for me.

@traders I'd like to clarify/broaden the scope of "full-time employment" to something like "a reliable income stream, driven by my own efforts, large enough to support my desired standard of living" to allow for something like starting a company. This is in keeping with the spirit of the question, achieving my goal of getting back to self-sufficiency, but would be a material change to the resolution criteria. Any thoughts on whether/how I can do this fairly?

@AriZerner Happy for self-employed to be treated as fully-employed, provided it’s generating actual revenue.

I also would tentatively accept a startup type role that doesn’t generate revenue, provided it’s full-time and funded by genuine investment.

Actually, quick question for context generally: do you have substantial savings and/or familial support?

@OP I've basically exhausted the (formerly substantial) savings that let me coast for the last two years. As of September 2024 I'm living with my dad and he's paying for groceries.

@AriZerner I have no issue with this update.

Does this imply you have something in the works to get this to resolve YES?

@Quroe only a potential of something for now, but I want to account for the possibility now rather than risk having to retroactively change the resolution criteria when it's definitely relevant

Do you have any of those three right now?

@OP no

One factor is the job market: SWE is in a bad place so it's tough unless you do something like AI, but you should be able to get it by may

I think you'll have a job and a place, but I think the driving practice and the bureaucracy of license-getting will take longer than anticipated (by mid-summer perhaps)

Consider this even more incentive!

Putting 1000 on no to incentivise you to do it

I assume it counts as your own place if you have housemates? it's about paying rent, not living solo, right?

@shankypanky right