What Does “F-ck You Money” Really Mean: Why Financial Independence is So Important for a Great Life

I saw an incredible video tweeted out by Frederik Gieschen. “'F-ck you money' explained in the movie “The Gambler”. It is so good. You absolutely have to watch this: https://twitter.com/NeckarValue/status/1723448925988835682

Jim Bennett: I've been up two and a half million dollars. 

Frank: What you got on you? 

Jim Bennett : Nothing. 

Frank: What you put away? 

Jim Bennett: Nothing. 

Frank: You get up two and a half million dollars, any asshole in the world knows what to do: you get a house with a 25-year roof, an indestructible Jap-economy sh-tbox, you put the rest into the system at three to five percent to pay your taxes and that's your base, get me? 

That's your fortress of f-cking solitude. That puts you, for the rest of your life, at a level of f-ck you. Somebody wants you to do something, f-ck you. Boss pisses you off, fuck you! Own your house. Have a couple bucks in the bank. Don't drink. That's all I have to say to anybody on any social level. Did your grandfather take risks? 

Jim Bennett: Yes. 

Frank : I guarantee he did it from a position of fuck you. A wise man's life is based around f-ck you. The United States of America is based on f-ck you. You're a king? You have an army? Greatest navy in the history of the world? F-ck you! Blow me. We'll f-ck it up ourselves.”

This is a bit crass but it’s really insightful and wise. FU Money gives you options. So many options. It gives you choices in life. 

If you hate your boss or your job, you can quit. And without worrying about the next paycheck.

Heck, work for yourself. You can turn down business opportunities. You only do it if you find it interesting. 

You get to spend time on stuff that is personally interesting to you. You can chase your curiosity. 

You get to control how you spend your time and whom you spend it with. 

You can live where you want. You can do what you want, as long as you are not hurting anyone else of course! You can do what deeply matters to you personally. 

Everyone has a different level of F-U money. I think for most people if they had 12 months cash worth of expenses in the bank that would be enough. It lets you breathe easier and optimize for the long term. It gives you the calm to do the right thing for you and your family. It’s an incredible gift you have to earn. Your life gets so much better here so it is worth working toward this point.