One of the things I've learned since COVID started is that if you have disposable income and savings, it really helps to mitigate a lot of problems in life. Doubly so if your income is location-independent. More generally, this concept is called anti-fragility: how well can something handle stress without breaking? This is something that is not taught to young people, not even in universities where they are being prepared for career tracks. Some examples:

  • BLM riots making your neighborhood dangerous? Move to a more expensive neighborhood.
  • Where you live doesn't allow your favorite vices? Go travel somewhere to indulge in them.
  • Got a shitty boss at work? Just quit without having another job lined up.
  • Landlords won't rent to you because of racial/ethnic discrimination? Go to a more upscale complex and show your bank account.
  • Need to establish residency in a different part of the country in advance of your physical move? Fly out there and get a temporary rental.
  • Need to expat overseas? Get a visa by investment, or a visa that favors skilled workers with high income (e.g. Taiwan's Gold Card).

You can't deny it. Having more income/wealth opens up more options in life. Money enables you to do your thing, whatever it is. And for those of us going our own way, that is more important because we cannot depend so much on the social support of other people.

On the flip side: having a woman in your life fundamentally dilutes the power of money to create options in your life. I don't even have to go into what happens with having kids or divorce:

  • You want to move; your woman expects a bigger place / nicer neighborhood, compared to what you'd be buying if just for yourself.
  • If you want to move to across the country, and your woman has her own career, it will fundamentally make it difficult.
  • You need to buy two plane tickets. Or, if your woman has a high enough income that she can pay her way, you need to line up your busy schedules to take vacation together.
  • More paperwork required to expat overseas if you're married. If you're not married, your woman needs to figure out her own visa solution.

In short: having more wealth and income makes your life more anti-fragile; having a woman in your life makes it more fragile.