For me, I care far less about the money than the freedom it buys me. I like solving problems, and learning new things, and ending up with something tangible that I can point to and say "I made that."
In a 'job', I don't necessarily have the freedom I want to play around all day. If a new language comes out and I want to play with it, but can't because I'm coding a login form for 'the employer', that sucks.
If I were financially independent, I could do what I wanted, more or less. I also hate doing dishes, and laundry. But I also really hate it when there aren't any clean dishes or clean laundry. Money buys me clean dishes and clean laundry.
Beyond that, I'll freely admit that I never had a huge desire for more money than I needed to live the life I wanted until I entered the wonderful realm of parenthood. Now I'm dumping tons of money into her education, into savings. She's going to need (hopefully) college, a new car, the ability to fail without too much pressure that the world is going to end. I'd also really like to leave an inheritance. I don't need my daughter to grow up like Paris Hilton, but I don't want her to grow up in poverty either.
While it's true that money doesn't buy happiness, lack of money is a pretty direct road into depression for many. Having money that you don't have anything to do with is just responsible, in the same way you have dental, medical and life insurance. The same way you buckle your seat belt.
In a 'job', I don't necessarily have the freedom I want to play around all day. If a new language comes out and I want to play with it, but can't because I'm coding a login form for 'the employer', that sucks.
If I were financially independent, I could do what I wanted, more or less. I also hate doing dishes, and laundry. But I also really hate it when there aren't any clean dishes or clean laundry. Money buys me clean dishes and clean laundry.
Beyond that, I'll freely admit that I never had a huge desire for more money than I needed to live the life I wanted until I entered the wonderful realm of parenthood. Now I'm dumping tons of money into her education, into savings. She's going to need (hopefully) college, a new car, the ability to fail without too much pressure that the world is going to end. I'd also really like to leave an inheritance. I don't need my daughter to grow up like Paris Hilton, but I don't want her to grow up in poverty either.
While it's true that money doesn't buy happiness, lack of money is a pretty direct road into depression for many. Having money that you don't have anything to do with is just responsible, in the same way you have dental, medical and life insurance. The same way you buckle your seat belt.