127 comments

My Top Questions from Internet Strangers

worldwide-mustachians2Every day, the ever-generous Google search engine sends thousands of random new people from around the world to the shores of our Mustachian Nation here. Do they find what they are looking for?

Just for fun, let’s take a rapid-fire tour through the top questions people have asked the Internet over the course of the last month, which were in turn referred to Mr. Money Mustache.

Since I view this blog as an ongoing experiment, I find it fascinating to learn what types of things the world wants to know the most. Plus, some of the questions are pretty funny.

I’ve grouped them into categories:

Getting a Job:

jobs that pay 20 an hour without a degree
jobs that party you 26 dollars a hour
how to get rich without college
jobs that pay 50k a year without a degree
50000 a year is how much an hour
how to get rich without college

These queries are showing up because of a two-post series I wrote last year called “50 Jobs over $50,000 – without a degree“. It has become an accidental hit with the search engines, and is now the second most popular post on this whole blog.

Quick Answer:  Take control of your pay rate. Think like an entrepreneur and try something different. And $50,000 is equivalent to about 25 bucks an hour.

Saving and Investing:

how to make money in the stock market
betterment
betterment review
betterment vs vanguard

QA: Accumulate low cost index funds consistently over your lifetime. Vanguard funds will do just fine. Just keep buying, don’t worry about market fluctuations, and work on earning lots and spending little. Those Betterment results are showing up because I wrote an article about my new investing experiment with Betterment here.

simple math behind early retirement
how long will my money last if i withdraw 4%

QA: Save 50% of your net income and retire in under 17 years. With wise spending, this can last a lifetime. Full details here.

i only make 2600 a month can i save 10000 in a years time

QA: You sure can – that works out to $833/month, so keep your spending below about $1700.

Mobile Phones:

republic wireless
$10 a month phone plan
mr money mustache cell phone
cheapest phone plans with unlimited everything

QA: Mobile phone service has come way down in price in the last few years and should not cost anywhere close to the $100/month some people are still paying. We use two Republic Wireless lines in my household, but Ting is great as well, and Straight Talk if you need to keep your iPhone.

Cars:

top fuel efficient cars

QA: Just get a Honda Fit from Craigslist. Manual transmission, pay cash.  For more variety, my old top 10 Cars list still applies.

depreciation on car and economics of distance of 110 mph at 20.00 hr ?

QA: Hmm.. you might want to rethink your units, but 110 miles will cost you about $30-60 every time you drive it, including gas, wearing out your car, and other costs. You don’t want a commute like that for any job, especially not one that is paying you only $20 an hour.

how can you avoid the stress of traffic if you take a way about 50 km to work place

QA: you can move closer to work or get a new job. I know I keep harping on this anti-car-commuting thing, but that is because Your Spare Time is Worth Way More You Think.

find vehicle that will carry 12 foot ladder

QA: Anything with a good roof rack will handle a small ladder like that. My painter friend carries a 32-footer (retracted to 16′) on his stock Subaru Outback rack in a pinch. But the ultimate roof rack vehicle is a compact pickup with an over-cab-and-bed roof rack.

is awd worth it?

QA: Not for people who drive on roads.

whats too big a commute

QA: one that you feel is too long to do by bike.

top 4 suv

QA: SUVs are generally a losing choice, but you might enjoy my article on the Top SUVs for growing families.

hypermiling

QA: Just remember the rhyme, “If you need to brake, you’ve made a mistake”. More detail here.

Food and Nutrition:

average grocery bill for family of 4
how much does it cost to join costco
how can I save on groceries
how to lose fat

QA: Eat mostly foods your great grandmother would recognize, lots of fats and healthy oils, and no sugar. It is possible to eat very well for about one dollar per person per meal, and although my family averages closer to $2, that is the result of millionaire-style grocery shopping. Think of that as the upper limit.

Philosophy:

hedonic adaptation

QA: It is your biggest shopping weakness: incorrectly thinking new things will make you happier.

what is stoicism

QA: It is your biggest life ally, teaching you the true sources that embracing hardship and expanding your General Badassity is a powerful source of true happiness.

your money or your life

QA: it’s a great book that is credited with starting this movement of ours. Think of money as “life energy”.

how to stop worrying about money

QA: By accumulating more of it, as well as increasing life resilience with a mesh of interlocking skills.

when i’m rich what do i do with my money
marginal utility of money

QA: If your goal is happiness, anything other than spending it on yourself will probably be fun. The marginal utility of money really drops, once you get your food and shelter taken care of. This is why I suggest that buying freedom would be one of the next targets.

is it ok to only have one child

QA: Great news, Yes it is!

who is the most optimistic person in fiction or the real world

QA: I am honored that Google referred this search query to me. I am a strategic and very happy practitioner of Outrageous Optimism, and you should be too.

Do It Yourself Handyman Stuff

Although this is supposed to be a financial blog, I’ll occasionally throw in some stuff about building houses. That is because it’s the task I spend most of my happiest days doing, and I have no editor to keep me on topic here. Freedom is great.

how to build your own shower
how to build a tile shower
DIY shower base
how to frame a shower floor on a basement floor

QA: You can do it! Building a relatively sweet shower is not as unattainable as people assume.

diy radiant floor heating
does adding more pex increase suction pressure in radiant system
can you use a water heater for radiant heat

QA: Yes, it turns out you can build your own heating system. Longer runs of PEX would increase the backpressure and slow the flow. And yes, you can use a water heater (preferably a really efficient one) instead of a boiler.

run the air conditioner with the windows all closed, or open windows and shut it off all together

QA: If we’re talking about a house, open the windows, dude! You’re a human, and you need to be connected to the great outdoors. Plus A/C wastes a shitload of electricity. In the car, running the A/C burns about $1 of fuel per hour, and the crossover point for that vs. the aerodynamic drag from partially open windows is about 45-55 MPH.

metal roofs for homes
the best way to replace a shingle roof with sheet metal roofing
is metal roofing cheaper than shingles

QA: Metal roofing is far superior to shingles. It should be almost as cheap, but in most areas the contractors rip you off because there is not enough competition. So I bought the metal myself from Metal Sales Inc and built my own.

aquaponics

QA: I don’t know much about it other than the fact that it is the Automated Ubergarden of the Future.. however my friend Jeremiah Robinson is the National Grandmaster of the field, and he taught us about it here.

SUPER RANDOM

watching d activities of competition as a means of bus survival

QA: Huh? I can only guess that Google decided that reading Mr. Money Mustache is a better way for this person to pass the time while riding a bus, than watching d activities of competition.

extreme frugality

QA: I have no idea why this person ended up at MMM. This blog is not about extreme frugality.

investments i can make 100 % within 3 months

QA: Hmm. You could get lucky on a penny stock, but that’s not investing. Buying a foreclosure and doing a rapid rehab/resale might come close. There’s also paying off your payday loan, or paying off your car loan early so you can sell it on Craigslist, then buying a less expensive one with the cash in hand.

is it good to buy a house when im 13

QA: Sure, if your Mom will let you and you have a solid 20% downpayment in hand. You can build some solid equity by renting out spare bedrooms as you go through college. Just don’t let all your partying friends destroy your investment!

working really hard will make you look old

QA: In a cubicle or a coal mine, this is probably true. But in general, working hard at healthy pursuits will keep you young and vigorous much better than any plastic surgery or Botox treatments will.

mr money mustache book

QA: Sorry, no book yet. I still haven’t figured out how to fit this into my oddly packed days, short of abandoning the family. But other people have done it, which means it can be done.

how to share one internet connection between buildings

QA: You put a TP-LINK WA7510N outdoor access point at each end. Plug them into your existing routers and set the outbuilding side to “client” mode. Invent a new Wi-fi network name and get them to link up to each other. Set the outbuilding’s router to serve up DHCP addresses on the 192.168.2.x network to avoid IP address conflicts with your main house network. Eventually you’ll get it working despite the terrible translated instructions and it ends up really reliable.

frugal toque

QA: Hooray for my friend Mr. Frugal Toque! There’s only one of him on the Internet, although he does write novels under another pseudonym. You can find all his articles by using the URL https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/category/mr-frugal-toque/

is it possible if in anyhouse have peerpgumbr mjhar

QA: no, this is currently impossible

money

QA: You’ve come to the right place!

describe me a 10 year old could earn money 

QA: see if you can get your parents to pay you a dollar for each book you read. Also, if you get a bike and keep track of your miles with a speedometer and send me pictures and stories about biking, I’ll pay you 10 cents per mile you ride plus a 10 dollar bonus for each good story.

benefits bike in avery small paragraph

QA: A bicycle is an automatic life-balancing machine. It is a money-printing fountain of youth. You can’t really make any rational decisions about life, finance, or national planning unless you have the context of bicycle transportation as part of your frame of reference.

Additional Visitors From Unknown search terms:116,619

Of course. No matter how many questions you answer, there will always be more to learn and more to be written about. So until next time, I remain your faithful Mr. Money Mustache.

 

  • C Moon March 2, 2015, 6:03 pm

    I’ve been reading and loving this blog for a while now, but this is my first time commenting. Could you please do a blog post explaining how to get food costs down to $1 a meal? What exactly are you eating that’s so cheap? What would a sample menu look like? By cooking everything, I can get my food costs down to about $300 a month, but I can’t seem to get it down to $2oo a month. And, no, there is NOT an Aldo in my area (Las Vegas). Thanks again for all the help you’ve already provided!

    Reply
    • Alison Z March 3, 2015, 10:17 am

      Check out the Mustache forum. There are TONS of discussion threads there about grocery hacks/frugal recipes and ways to reduce one’s grocery bill. One simple answer to your question though, is beans and rice.

      Reply
    • Gerard March 4, 2015, 2:19 pm

      Oh, living in Vegas, you are so lucky. You have multiple Cardenas stores available to you! The giant Mexican supermarket. Once you start shopping there, especially in the weekly specials and the vegetables and dry goods sections, you’re gonna have to work to get your food costs UP to a dollar a meal!

      Reply
      • C Moon March 10, 2015, 8:18 pm

        Thank you, Alison & Gerard for the great advice! I will check out the grocery hacks on the forum. Also, for whatever reason, it’d never occurred to me to check out the Mexican supermarkets (Cardenas et al). It’s true that there are a ton of them around Vegas. That’s a great idea! Thank you!

        Reply
  • kittyshooz March 3, 2015, 12:29 pm

    Great post! Thanks for this succinct version of your philosophies. Especially enjoy that you come up under “extreme optimism”, as I believe this is the foundation for our entire belief system leading to financial independence and happiness! Keep em coming!!!

    Reply
  • Andrea N. March 3, 2015, 5:36 pm

    Hi!

    I love your blog and the amount of information you give to live a “fuck you” lifestyle (see John Goodman in “The Gambler”). I made a slight grave mistake by allowing my cousin to be my financial advisor (he works for Edward Jones) and was convinced to max out my Roth IRA. I wouldn’t mind this deal, but I don’t make that much (~40k/year) and I’m an entry-level, 24-year old worker. I’d like to invest more of my money in stocks, ETFs, etc. but I’m not sure what to do about my Roth IRA. Should I keep contributing to it? Is it worthwhile?

    Looking forward to your response!

    Reply
    • dividendman March 5, 2015, 10:27 pm

      From your comment it appears you need to read up a lot on investments and IRAs. An IRA, including a Roth IRA, is simply a bucket for investments – this means stocks, etfs, etc. It is not an investment by itself.

      It’s almost always better to contribute to a traditional IRA than a Roth. Here is a good explanation: http://www.madfientist.com/traditional-ira-vs-roth-ira/

      The most important thing you should do right now is check what the fees and funds are in your Roth IRA. If you’re paying an expense ratio of over 0.5% you are being ripped off badly. If you want some specific advice I suggest making a post on the forums here.

      Reply
  • Solofist March 3, 2015, 10:43 pm

    The only time I would disagree with you on the whole commute thing is when the job pays significantly more than what you could earn closer to where you live, and moving close enough to the job means living in an industrial area. That’s my situation. I almost doubled my salary by commuting 1/2 hour (25 miles) but there’s no way in heck I’d ever want to live there.

    Reply
  • Frugal Bazooka March 5, 2015, 11:17 am

    Being able to keep your food costs down for a couple or a family is definitely not as easy as doing it as an individual.
    The first step for me was being lucky enough to have a wife who was on board with the less is more concept. We also have a shared aversion to the massive marketing/advertising industry determined to sell us shit we don’t need so – another plus.

    Next finding the wholesale food outlets in Los Angeles became a combination adventure/scavenger hunt. We now use at least 3 warehouse style outlets to find reasonably priced food: Super King, Vallarta, Valley Produce and sometimes Food4Less which is a subsidiary of Ralphs. We primarily buy fruits, vegetables, beans, rice and chicken at these places. For $40 we can usually eat for 10 – 14 days depending on how much food we have left over from the last week.
    When we want to go all Rockefeller on our food budget we head to Costco and pick up a Rotisserie chicken ($4.99) and a Broccoli Salad kit for like $9! These 2 items can feed us for 2-4 days depending on how we prepare them.

    This was not possible when our kids were at home because they were very finicky when they were living at home and we didn’t feel comfortable forcing them to abide by our frugal ways. The good news is as young adults on their own, both of them have followed their parents lead by becoming very responsible buyers and preparers of reasonably priced food.

    I think it’s easier for us living in a big city because we have so many choices and so much competition that food prices have stayed relatively low. Having said that you won’t know if you can cut your food bill unless you really give it a fighting chance.

    ; )

    Reply
  • Dianne March 5, 2015, 12:30 pm

    I enjoyed your comments in relation to these searches, I always look forward to your articles and have been reading for a while. I have good news, after Easter I will be working 3 and a half days a week. I enjoy my job but feel the weekends fly by and there is not enough time for my hobbies and keeping my house in order. I do get tired of hearing people saying how will you cope? I save just about all of my income as it is, both myself and my husband work full time and to be honest the thought of an extra day and a half per week feels like riches beyond belief! I enjoy learning, sewing, cooking, walking my dogs and playing my guitar. All of these things do not require more income just the luxury of more time to do them.
    Keep up the good work, here’s to hoping more people come to their senses. I am a teaching assistant by the way so accumulating great wealth on my salary was never happening but happiness is more important to me, plus we have always been debt free due to good habits since the age of 16. (I’m now 43)

    Reply
  • WhiteNorth March 5, 2015, 7:46 pm

    Dear Mr. MM,
    One day I was hunting the web trying to get quick answers to the true costs of commuting. Since I work for a company called MMM Group your article drew my attention. Wow, I think this site was one of the best finds of my life. Thank you for all your efforts and willingness to let the badassity fly. There is such a wealth of knowledge here and good old Canadian ingenuity.
    I would like to add an opinion from an internet stranger. I love that this site consistently stays true to it’s focus and cuts a steady path through the miriad of financial rabbit holes. However, there is one rabbit hole that I think you should strongly consider: the history of money. If mustachians were to spend a little time there and on the ominous debt held by governments and individuals it would be easy to see that something has to give. Let me cut to the point, we are getting close to an economic collapse/restructuring or depression. Mustachians might find their index fund investment is not the best spot to tuck those hard earned dollars.
    Now before anyone starts to flame me realize that I am not trying to promote anything, and I still think that this site promotes the kind of common sense that is lacking in today’s lipstick society. I’m just saying that there are enough red flags out there that a smart Mustachian would send some smoke down this rabbit hole to see what came out the other side.
    Regards, GreatWhite

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache March 11, 2015, 8:04 am

      Hey Great White North. I think you are on the apocalyptic side of the money opinions spectrum – taking the view of Peter Schiff in Crash Proof, etc. For a really detailed counterpoint from a guy who actually ran the show, you might read “Stress Test” by Timothy Geithner. In summary, our financial system is much more resilient than you think, and the current config regarding debt-to-GDP ratio is somewhat deliberate and reversible.

      Also, read this: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/03/03/why-we-are-not-really-all-doomed/

      Reply
  • 9 O'Clock Shadow March 6, 2015, 12:35 pm

    peerpgumbr mjhar SOLVED with Google Hindi Decoder!

    “is it possible if in anyhouse have peerpgumbr mjhar?”
    “peerpgumber”Peer = pir = ‘Pirate’
    “pgumber” = paigambar = ‘Prophet’
    mjhar = mijhar = Mishap (accident)

    Translation + grammar = “Is it possible in any house to have a Pirate Prophet mishap?”

    Translation + Philosophical Arts degree = “Is it possible for a Rogue Contrarian Prophet to occasionally not practice what s/he preaches?”

    Your move FSM(MM)! (Although all disciples know the answer is “No Shit Sherlock-no excuse NOT to get on with it already!”)

    Reply
  • Mable March 6, 2015, 4:25 pm

    Time to take a moment to remember Thomas Stanley, co-author of The Millionaire Next Door, who advocated many MMM principles when Mr. MM was still a boy. Mr. Stanley died in a car crash last weekend. His book is what enabled me to retire at 49.

    Reply
    • Glen November 12, 2016, 12:31 pm

      Fuckin cars

      Reply
  • Patrick Thibault March 15, 2015, 11:22 am

    First off , i love you man. You completely changed my life, I have started reading your blog 3 years ago, and i have read all of your posts (that’s a bit hardcore)

    I’m 35 and by the age of 40 i’ll be retired, it’s a bit difficult here in Quebec, Canada but my wife, 2 kids and i are redoubling efforts to achieve what many friends and family think impossible.

    So keep up the good work, and thanks again.

    Reply
  • Joe March 16, 2015, 11:14 am

    Out of curiosity are you pulling these searches from Google Webmaster Tools or Google Analytics? If not using Webmaster Tools, you’ll find a ton more in there!

    Reply
  • Kaydee March 26, 2015, 11:48 pm

    Thank you, I very much enjoyed this post!

    Reply
  • Rachel September 24, 2015, 10:55 am

    My 11 year old wants to know if the bike-riding guest blogging option is still on. Also, our city is VERY non-bike friendly (drivers who are not tuned in/dangerous, my husband got hit once, and vicious hills), so would Mr. MM be interested in a guest blog post by an eleven year old who WALKS everywhere? She also can blog about her investments in the stock market from the money she earned as a camp counselor.

    Reply
  • steve poling July 12, 2016, 3:14 pm

    Sir, you have answered this question incorrectly, “who is the most optimistic person in fiction or the real world?”

    That would be Mark Watney of “The Martian,” who scienced the shit out of his Optimism Gun. (At one point he duck-tapes the trigger on then shoves it down his spacesuit).

    Reply
  • Marc October 4, 2017, 1:20 pm

    MMM, I love the blog and appreciate the time and thought you put into it each month. You’re an inspiration.

    My question relates to how to save. Jobs with a 401k (or equivalent) usually come with some form of matching. It strikes me as foolish and irresponsible to leave that money on the table. But having done so, you’ve dedicated a saving stream to a track that can’t be touched until you’re 59 1/2 years old. That looks like the normal thing… not badassity. What is your recommendation on how to split between a 401k and normal post-tax investing not tied to an IRA? Thanks!

    Reply

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