This post originally appeared onThe Simple Dollar.
Marc writes in with an interesting question.
Ive been really enjoying your articles and have read many articles in the archives over the past week.
Your story is a lot like mine but different in some ways.
I also started a job right after college that paid pretty well, got myself into debt.
I started a YouTube channel about five years ago that became my full-time job about three years ago.
I am now more or less debt free.
The biggest difference is that Im single.
I dont date and dont have any interest in doing so.
I have no children and no plans to ever have any.
What would you do differently if you were in my shoes?
Its an interesting question to think about, I suppose.
I really dont even want to imagine my life without Sarah and my children right now.
They are truly the brightest parts of my life.
Id still spend far less than I was earning, but I would save less per year.
What would that change?
What would my life look like?
If I were single, though, such flexibility would be a lot less important.
It would still benice, but it wouldnt be a top priority in my life.
Does that mean Id jump on board with things likeBitcoinorprecious metals?
Those things are outside even my own personal risk tolerance.
Id simply make my investments somewhat more aggressive, not radically aggressive.
Without that kind of constant evening commitment, my non-working hours would be very different.
What would I do?
Id fill almost every evening with community events.
A simple look atMeetup.comprovides a starting point.
I would actually be interested in at least trying about 30 of those groups.
I couldeasilyfill every weeknight with a different group in my area, and Id happily do so.
Id probably live even cheaper than I do right now.I thinkmypersonal expenses would go down.
I can easily pack a meal for myself, but packing a meal for five is pretty tough.
Idget rid of cable televisionand might just get rid of my television entirely.
The biggest drop in expense?
Lets talk about that specifically.
I wouldnt need a house this big if I were a single guy.
I could easily eliminate a bedroom or two, multiple bathrooms, and some of the living space.
That would drop the square footage significantly.
I wouldnt worry so much about finding a job afterward for two reasons.
One, I dont need a tremendously large income, so a lot of jobs are open to me.
Two, I am good at finding avenues with which tocreate my own self-employment.
I think that many people on the road to financial independence are in that same boat.
I might even do something like walk the Appalachian Trail.
The experience I really crave from traveling doesnt come from expensive trips, it comes from time.
If anything, Id double down on the frugality.
If I Were Single| The Simple Dollar
Trent Hamm is a personal finance writer atTheSimpleDollar.com.
Image byPretty Vectors(Shutterstock).
