I’d call it investment. If you invest time into a new skill that you can use to switch jobs or get promoted, it’s very worth putting in the time even if it has no direct monetary value at first

I agree one hundred percent. There isn’t really a failure mode to this. Worst case you lose some money, but like when you rejoin the workforce you’ll be somewhere else. Right now I’m like 20x the programmer I was when I quit.

I saved hardcore. I also made some ok stock decisions which helped me somewhat. Besides rent you won’t have too many expenses. But rent sucks.

Unless you have a family.

You can find a way or find an excuse.