Best Life Plan

campgottagopee wrote

That's it?

Well, I'm trying not to get political, but the H2B visa system has been abused by companies that don't want to raise wages... Companies like ski resorts and a certain resort in Florida.

And those things you're talking about barely existed in the 80s and cost thousands of dollars. Now they cost as much as a couple of 12 packs of beer.

Did you have the technology of the day? Walkman, radio, TV, alarm clock? That's the fair comparison (and what the old guys of that day were probably bitching about the "spoiled kids" having).

I have friends who's kids are ski bumming and they go without the "needed technology" you speak of. It's done all the time MC. They ski, they work, they party. No different than I did with my windup alarm clock.

Camp, that’s anecdotal evidence.  I definitely don’t think as many American 18-24 year olds are choosing to ski bum anymore.

Even disregarding the cell phone plan and other costs that didn’t exist, the price of eggs, milk, bread, gasoline and rent have all gone way up in 30 years compared to wages.

Were you in employee housing, or were you renting a house or apartment? If so, is that place an airbnbor a vacation house now? Did you call home from a payphone once a week or every other week to let your mom know you were still alive?

campgottagopee wrote

I have friends who's kids are ski bumming and they go without the "needed technology" you speak of. It's done all the time MC. They ski, they work, they party. No different than I did with my windup alarm clock.

Nobody said it wasn't possible.

I'm arguing that it's harder today because of changing economic tides.

Which is one of the reasons I started this thread. I was wondering what strategy you guys thought would work best in the current economic climate.

One thing we didn't discuss is that taking a bunch of years in your 20s to ski bum diminishes the amount of years that you're saving money. And with the way compounding interest works, early career money saving is the most important money saving there is. Warp knows what I'm talking about. Which person is in a better spot: a guy who bums from, say, age 22-32 and doesn't save any money year-over-year? Or someone who does the weekend warrior thing from those ages and amasses, say $80,000 in savings (that will grow to $700,000) by the time they hit retirement age?

witch hobble wrote

Camp, that’s anecdotal evidence.  I definitely don’t think as many American 18-24 year olds are choosing to ski bum anymore.

Could be, my point is kids still do it. To do it you can't have any debt and you go without.

witch hobble wrote

 

Even disregarding the cell phone plan and other costs that didn’t exist, the price of eggs, milk, bread, gasoline and rent have all gone way up in 30 years compared to wages.

Not arguing that. When you're a ski bum you just make things work. If it doesn't work out you just roll with it.

witch hobble wrote

 

Were you in employee housing, or were you renting a house or apartment? If so, is that place an airbnbor a vacation house now? Did you call home from a payphone once a week or every other week to let your mom know you were still alive?

I lived in my car for the first 2 nights ---- hooked up with a bartender after that (man she was smokin), crashed at her place for 2 weeks until I found a house to live in. I have no clue if that house still exists or not. I cut and stacked firewood for my first year there as my rent. After that first year I decided I was the one getting screwed so I started paying rent. Can't even remember how much it was.

We had a house phone but nobody was ever there to answer it. My Grandma was dead for 2 days before I even knew it. It took my parents that long to track me down ... LOL

If you want to claim it's harder fine with me. If that's the case then those who do it want it even more than I did.

Camp is right. Not only can kids still skibum if they’re willing to economize a little, anybody can, middle aged or old or whenever. If you want it, there’s a way to do it. There’s a million ways. You don’t have to be rich, smart or talented, don’t need a degree. You need a car (unless you have a skibum friend with a car) and a pair of skis (but if you don’t have Skis, don’t worry, somebody will hook you up- unless you’re a dick) And you have to be tough. You can’t take the “bum” out of ski bum. It’s right there in the name. Being a bum can be physically uncomfortable.

I haven’t read the entire thread yet but I’ll throw another option out that allows a good amount of skiing: teacher in a public school in the mountains.

I grew up in the Catskills and went to college at SUNY Ulster then New Paltz. Through college I was able to ski at least 45 days per year, mostly at Belleayre.

Now I work at a small school district in the mountains where we get 10 snow days per year. Getting the call at 5AM that school is closed on a powder day is awesome!

I’ve been able to get at least 50 days per year of skiing since I started teaching, with a max over 60. This year I have 52 days and I skipped some days that weren’t good. Hoping to get 2 more at Killington.

The cons are a lot of weekend skiing (which is why I have an ORDA pass since the crowds aren’t bad) and weeks off are when the rest of the world is off and wants to ski too. But having every powder day off is a good trade off and the retirement is great; I plan to be out at 55 and ski a bunch!

Broski --- I don't think one can understand what we're talking about unless a person has done it. Like RA has said multiple times it's a feeling of freedom like no other.

Bandit wrote

I haven’t read the entire thread yet but I’ll throw another option out that allows a good amount of skiing: teacher in a public school in the mountains.

Definitely a great plan. Requires a bit more schooling in this state (and jobs in certain locations are highly coveted & rare), but if someone can pull it off in a place they love to live, it's a solid way to live a "normal" life in an awesome location.

campgottagopee wrote

Broski --- I don't think one can understand what we're talking about unless a person has done it. Like RA has said multiple times it's a feeling of freedom like no other.

You’re right. Freedom is the right word. I’m not saying you won’t get your oranges pissed on at some point but I’m glad I did it.

Are people truly free if they are 1 ACL tear from $20,000 in medical debt?

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Are people truly free if they are 1 ACL tear from $20,000 in medical debt?

Yes

Brownski wrote

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Are people truly free if they are 1 ACL tear from $20,000 in medical debt?

Yes

Back when health insurance was spotty, we jokingly had different lines on our favorite trails - lines you'd ski if you had health insurance, and lines you'd ski if you didn't.

Back in the ‘80s only pussies blew out their knees.

Only pussies worry about blowing their knee out

Who would have paid your bills if it had happened to you back in ‘88 or whenever?

campgottagopee wrote

Only pussies worry about blowing their knee out

Aren't you the guy who hasn't skied for the last 3 years because you blew your knee out?

MC2 5678F589 wrote

campgottagopee wrote

Only pussies worry about blowing their knee out

Aren't you the guy who hasn't skied for the last 3 years because you blew your knee out?

I thought it was because he bought a new snowmobile that you're still jealous about.

Johnnyonthespot wrote

I thought it was because he bought a new snowmobile that you're still jealous about.

I won't need one of those until I move to Haines, AK (or Red Lodge, MT, or Pemberton, BC).

Still a few years away from that, though, so I'm just hoping he keeps up on the maintenance so he can sell it to me in 2025.

2 years -- but I never worried about it

I could ski if I wanted to but sled are my jam as of right now