Programming is the best way to ERE

[flying_pan]

I have not found a similar topic around.

So, I think that programming (namely, web development) is the easiest way to ERE. If one is ready for Extreme, then programming is the best way to do it! Look at numbers (assuming a person has reasonably high IQ and basic math/physics education):

- you don't need a degree
- to learn programming, one needs about 3 months. I landed a job after 2 months.
- first year your salary won't be high, probably ~$40k for USA, which is fine for no-degree world
- in 3 years you'll make close to ~$100k/year (assuming you study on your own, try new stuff and actively develop OSS)

So one can make it in ~5 years (in fact, faster, but let's be defensive here). So in exchange for 5 years of your life, you get FI. Of course, it won't work for everyone, but again, for many alternatives are worse. If you are not retiring extremely, then yes, you might have to work more than 5 years doing something you are not into.

What do you think?

[Scott 2]

Reading Jacob's latest article, FI isn't the point of ERE, it's a side effect

I don't think there's a one size fits all approach.

[flying_pan]

Reading Jacob's latest article, FI isn't the point of ERE, it's a side effect

I don't think there's a one size fits all approach.

It is definitely not a holy grail But I was just thinking that accumulating phase is hard, especially when you your income is on the lower side. Well, I think nobody argues that it is a good idea to raise your income anyway, so if you are willing to spend several years in exchange to big money then it might be a good deal for some people.

It is just in a sweet spot when salary is still high even for not so experienced people and you can totally get into it by yourself. The field itself has many problems and concerns, but for several years it looks stable enough.

[7Wannabe5]

It shor 'nuff beats planting turnips.

[conwy]

Programmers are the modern equivalent of pharaohs slaves, only we’re treated like pharaohs courtiers. (Did pharaoh have courtiers? Whatever the equivalent was.)

It’s a great gig and not dying anytime soon.

Even if they invent AGI (which I doubt) they’ll need people to tell it what to do, ie make rules for it, ie program it.

I’d keep one eye on the UX field, that’s also growing pretty big and demand it going up.

[tonyedgecombe]

It’s a great gig and not dying anytime soon.

I'm not so sure about that, I've been working in technology for nearly forty years and I've seen it wax and wane several times.

[Dream of Freedom]

Arguably switching careers every 2 years would be more ERE in that you would gain a wider variety of skills.

[KevinW]

IMO programming is a good path to ERE but not the path. OP is right that it is remunerative and can be self-taught. But it seems like only a small percentage of the population has the aptitude to become a competent programmer, and only a fraction of those are capable of learning on their own outside of a class environment.

[Scott 2]

Forums carry a selection bias. Programmers are disproportionately represented.

Plumbers are making bank, for instance. Not too many on this board.