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Financial Samurai

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The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby!

Updated: 03/18/2021 by Financial Samurai 82 Comments

When you find a great job that you love, it’s like winning the lottery. Working doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing something that’s fulfilling and in line with your interests. If you feel like debating, head over to “The Dark Side Of Early Retirement” and get your fix. I stand by my main thesis that nobody quits a job they love to do. 

Someone who is able to find a great job that brings them happiness is one of the luckiest people on Earth. And because we are all different, what we consider to be great jobs is unique to each of us as well. We shouldn’t make fun of anyone for being a “loser” for working as one commenter put it. Instead, we should figure out what makes the happy employee tick! If you believe there’s no such thing as a dream job, perhaps I can convince you otherwise.

Everybody gets bored at something after enough repetition. That’s why it’s key to have many different interests which straddle both the mental and the physical aspects of your life. It’s no surprise that interesting people have a plethora of interests. These people also probably have a higher than normal level of commitment to their activities which make them that much more intriguing.

The key to finding a great job is identifying your interests, skills, and what type of tasks you like to accomplish. Search for jobs that encompass all of these things and you’re more likely to land that great job you’ve always dreamed about.

The Top 5 “I Can’t Believe They’re Paying Me To Do This!” Jobs

Dream big and take action to score your own incredible, exciting, fulfilling, great job. You’ll never know what you’re fully capable of if you don’t try.

Here’s a list of what I consider to be the top 5 great jobs. Your list of great jobs may be totally different as they should be influenced by your own interests. Whatever the case may be, I hope this list of dream jobs will get your creative juices flowing.

1) Tennis instructor at the 4 Seasons in Bora Bora

Crystal blue waters and sunshine, two of the best things in life, also happen to be free! You can be dirt poor. But, if you’re living in a place like Bora Bora, I venture to guess you can compete with any rich person in a downtrodden, polluted land. 

Being a tennis, golf, diving, or surfing instructor at a tropical resort is definitely a great job if you’re athletic and don’t want to be tied to a desk. I think it’d be exciting to meet new travelers through sports and keep in touch online.

2) Snowboard instructor for The Lodge at the base of Vail, Colorado

Nothing beats the back bowls of Vail! We’re talking 10-minute wide open, steep, tree-less, and massive powder runs! The Lodge is a quaint resort, and every time I go to Vail I meet some very interesting people.

If you love the snow and flying through powder like I do, this could be a great job to consider. Break out of your cubicle and breathe in the fresh, winter air!

3) TV sportscaster for college football and basketball

Any sports fan would jump at the opportunity to get paid to watch sports. Talk about a great job to not only get paid to watch sports, but talk about it nonstop too.

I literally could watch college football and basketball all day and night long, to the dismay of some! That said, I don’t pick and choose so as to not over indulge. When college football and basketball season start, my excitement literally goes up a notch.

4) Food critic for Michelin.

Yes, for starters I would like the Black Truffle Octopus Salad and the Yellow-fin Tuna Carpaccio. Please pair that with a bottle of 1974 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. For the main course, I’ll have the Butter Poached Maine Lobster with a cup of extra melted butter on the side. I’ll pass on your selection of caviar and artisan cheeses and go straight for the Mandarin Souffle. Oh, and here’s my business card.

Can you imagine getting paid to eat the most exquisite, delicate, divine meals on the planet? Man that would be a great job. And believe it or not these jobs actually exist. To get started in this competitive field, start your own food blog. It’s easier and cheaper than ever to start your own website.

5) President of The United States

There’s no amount of money in the world enough to match the stress of being the Commander in Chief. Hence, I’d rather not take a salary and serve my country for free. One of the first steps as President? Institute a flat tax so we no longer have to discriminate against hard working American citizens who’ve struggled to get to where they are! 

I’d also reduce military spending to fund education. It’d be awesome to take Airforce I and a bunch of family and friends to Hawaii like the President does every December. Meanwhile, winning the Noble Peace Prize for being in office after one year ain’t too shabby either!

Even if you don’t want to be the next POTUS, there are lots of well paying jobs in politics. Check out the net worth of AOC, Nancy Pelosi, and Bernie Sanders. And here are some of the wealthiest members of Congress.

The Next 5 Great Jobs That Come To Mind

Now that the first list of great jobs got you excited, check out these additional five.

6) Masseuse guinea pig

There are so many benefits to massage. That’s why it’s called massage therapy. It’s healing, reduces stress, and feels great. Sign me up! Alas, I think most massage therapists in training don’t pay their guinea pigs. But you never know!

7) Blogger

Financial Samurai is so fun, thinking about monetizing just isn’t on my mind for this site. It’s just a blast writing about things that interest me, discussing personal finance topics, learning from y’all, meeting new people, and gaining perspective. If someone wants to pay to advertise, great! If not, that’s OK too. 

Being a blogger is a great job because it doesn’t feel like a job if you love to write. Hitting publish every time I finish a post is incredibly satisfying. You can learn more about being a blogger here.

8) Late Stage Film Critic (Academy Awards)

For those who love movies, being a late stage film critic is a great job. I say late stage because I’m specifying the desire to critique only the best movies that have already passed the gauntlet! You know, movies such as Shawshank Redemption, The Matrix, The Usual Suspects, Hot Tub Time Machine and many more, which only a late stage film critic would get to review. What joy!

9) Travel writer and photographer

I don’t know how to take wonderful photographs like our friend Lyndon, but I do love to travel and write on occasion. Send me to Barcelona or Rio de Janeiro to write about their favorite foods and secret gems I’m there!  Put me on a train towards Amsterdam to write about whether locals really eat special brownies after lunch, no problem!

Being paid to travel and capture the world in photos would be such an incredible, adventurous, great job imo. It’s been a while since I’ve traveled due to having young kids, but once they’re older we’re going to go on lots of adventures. And I will eagerly write and photograph our trips, experiences, and adventures to share with you.

10) English teacher in a non English speaking country.

If we can’t communicate properly, we’re wasting our potential. English continues to become the global language standard. Thus, teaching English to those who wish to speak English is very important. Let me go see if the Maldives or somewhere in the South Pacific needs an instructor. Teaching English in a tropical paradise sure sounds like a great job to me.

There Are So Many Great Jobs Out There

So there you have it. I love travel, sports, eating, and writing. Many of these great jobs provide free lodging (White House anybody?) and food (4 Seasons) can literally be eaten for free. When it comes time to fully retire, I’m prepared to incorporate these elements into the next stage of my life.

Perhaps I can be a travel writer in Bora Bora in the morning while teaching tennis in the afternoon? Perhaps I can be a traveling food and luxury resort critic on my site, while letting the new spa staff give me full body massages before they work on paying customers. At any rate, I’ve got a full docket of things planned!

Further Reading

Here are some additional articles to help you land a great job and grow your wealth.

  • The Upside Of Being Average In The Workplace
  • Top Jobs Of The Future For Your Million Dollar Education
  • How One Company Is Trying To Screw Over A Loyal Employee
  • When Is The Right Time To Quit My Job And Do Something New?
  • The Difference Between Three Types Of Corporations

If You Want To Quit Your Job

Are you miserable at work and dreaming about finding a new great job that you love? If you want to leave a job you no longer enjoy, I recommend negotiating a severance instead of quitting. It may sound strange, but it’s actually one of the smartest things you can do.

If you negotiate a severance like I did back in 2012, you could get a severance check, subsidized healthcare, deferred compensation, and worker training. The possibilities are huge.

When you get laid off, you can also be eligible for unemployment benefits. Having a financial runway is huge during your transition period.

Conversely, if you quit your job you get nothing. Check out, How To Engineer Your Layoff: Make A Small Fortune By Saying Goodbye.

It’s the only book that teaches you how to negotiate a severance. In addition, it was recently updated and expanded thanks to tremendous reader feedback and successful case studies.

Add to Cart

Start Your Own Business

The best job is one where you’re your own boss. It used to cost a fortune and a lot of employees to start your business. Now you can start it for next to nothing with a hosting company like Bluehost for under $4/month and they’ll give you a free domain for a year to boot.

Brand yourself online, connect with like-minded people, find new consulting gigs, and potentially make a good amount of income online one day by selling your product or recommending other great products.

Not a day goes by where I’m not thankful for starting Financial Samurai in 2009. Being my own boss is the best job in the world due to the freedom it provides.

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Filed Under: Career & Employment, Motivation, Retirement

Author Bio: I started Financial Samurai in 2009 to help people achieve financial freedom sooner. Financial Samurai is now one of the largest independently run personal finance sites with about one million visitors a month.

I spent 13 years working at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. In 1999, I earned my BA from William & Mary and in 2006, I received my MBA from UC Berkeley.

In 2012, I left banking after negotiating a severance package worth over five years of living expenses. Today, I enjoy being a stay-at-home dad to two young children, playing tennis, and writing.

Order a hardcopy of my new WSJ bestselling book, Buy This, Not That: How To Spend Your Way To Wealth And Freedom. Not only will you build more wealth by reading my book, you’ll also make better choices when faced with some of life’s biggest decisions.

Current Recommendations:

1) Check out Fundrise, my favorite real estate investing platform. I’ve personally invested $810,000 in private real estate to take advantage of lower valuations and higher cap rates in the Sunbelt. Roughly $160,000 of my annual passive income comes from real estate. And passive income is the key to being free.

2) If you have debt and/or children, life insurance is a must. PolicyGenius is the easiest way to find affordable life insurance in minutes. My wife was able to double her life insurance coverage for less with PolicyGenius. I also just got a new affordable 20-year term policy with them.

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Comments

  1. Bruce says

    May 21, 2010 at 2:18 pm

    British Gigolo?? LOL. Now that’s a creative thought. But it could work!

    Reply
    • Financial Samurai says

      September 5, 2011 at 10:49 am

      Deuce Bigalo, male gigalo baby!

      Reply
  2. Larry says

    May 14, 2010 at 6:03 am

    Actually I’m not in academia (though I used to be), and for the past 20 years I’ve been working in the software industry and doing quite well. I’m not trying and have not at any point tried to complain about my own tax situation, but you keep trying to personalize the discussion.

    There are arguments pro and con regarding a flat versus progressive tax, but they have nothing to do with what I’m earning and what taxes I’m paying. Adam Smith, hardly a foe of free-market capitalism, wrote in 1776 that:

    “The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their little revenue is spent in getting it. The luxuries and vanities of life occasion the principal expense of the rich, and a magnificent house embellishes and sets off to the best advantage all the other luxuries and vanities which they possess. A tax upon house-rents, therefore, would in general fall heaviest upon the rich; and in this sort of inequality there would not, perhaps, be anything very unreasonable. It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion.”

    Reply
  3. The Genius says

    May 13, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    @Larry
    Using Warren Buffet is a bad example. Of course he’s going to fight for progressive taxes and a redistribution of wealth, b/c he’s super rich. If he gets taxed 99%, he’s still richer than 99% of the world!

    You should learn how to work harder and get a better education if you want to make more money, instead of be bitter and hope the government taxes people making more than you so you can get subsidized. Start fighting for yourself instead of relying on others!

    As for an idea job i’d do for free…. I actually like landscaping and planting trees.

    Genius

    Reply
    • Larry says

      May 14, 2010 at 3:26 am

      “You should learn how to work harder and get a better education if you want to make more money, instead of be bitter and hope the government taxes people making more than you so you can get subsidized. Start fighting for yourself instead of relying on others!”

      Thank you for making unwarranted assumptions about my character and telling me how to run my life. I have a Ph.D. in English and work quite hard, I assure you. And that should be “being bitter”; you need a participle rather than an infinitive there.

      Reply
      • The Genius says

        May 14, 2010 at 5:41 am

        Well that explains it then! You’ve got your PhD, but aren’t making a lot of money, hence you are bitter at the system because you think you’re smarter than the rest.

        The news flash is, PhD doesn’t mean you’re smart. It means you just went to school for a long long time and are on the track of academia, research, or teaching which is frankly excellent. However, you can’t be mad the world and not making more, and wanting to tax others who do make much more than you a higher percentage just to fund everybody else.

        I believe in equality too. I’m surprised they didn’t teach you that in school.

        Reply
  4. admin says

    May 13, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    Good list Jeremy! Have you done any public speaking before? How do you get over your fears and jitters if you have any?

    I always read about consulting and coaching…. how does one actually monetize that though?
    .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

    Reply
  5. Little House says

    May 13, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    I would have to include staff writer for National Geographic (though travel writer/photographer covers that, I guess.) What about documentarian for Discovery channel? As for teaching English in a foreign country, it’s not that far-fetched. I can send you the contact info if you’re interested ;)!
    .-= Little House´s last blog ..Tuesday Tips, Week 9 =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 13, 2010 at 7:06 pm

      OK, sounds good LH. Feel free to shoot me your contact that’s looking to hire an English teacher. Hope S/he is based in a tropical paradise!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  6. Betty Kincaid says

    May 13, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    @Larry
    “I neither think he deserves or does not deserve. I merely point out the inequality.”

    Yep, life isn’t fair (or equal.) And, in related news, water is wet.

    Betty

    Reply
    • Larry says

      May 13, 2010 at 5:50 pm

      Yes, and fire is hot. Mr. Samurai, however, is convinced that he’s promoting equality. I say he is not.

      Reply
      • admin says

        May 13, 2010 at 7:05 pm

        Larry, what tax rate do you pay? Equality is equality.

        Reply
        • Larry says

          May 14, 2010 at 4:19 am

          Why do you want to personalize the question? My personal tax rate is irrelevant. Suffice to say it’s lower than your friend Lyndon’s, and higher than those who earn less than me. As far as I can see you haven’t, by the way, taken up the question of state, sales, or property taxes. Since as a New Yorker I pay high state taxes and a Texan pays none, would your flat tax plan impose a flat state tax, or is that a matter of states’ rights?

          Reply
  7. Roshawn @ Watson Inc says

    May 13, 2010 at 9:19 am

    This is such a fun idea. Of course, the old saying is that if you love what you do, you will never work another day again. There’s probably at least SOME truth in that. Looking at your list, I think the items that resonated with me were 1) Food Critic 2)Late Stage Film Critic, and 3) Blogger.
    .-= Roshawn @ Watson Inc´s last blog ..Uncommon Money News (Vol. 93) & Round Up =-.

    Reply
  8. MikeK says

    May 13, 2010 at 6:25 am

    Unreasonable? Why should a sliding scale for pricing be any more unreasonable than a sliding scale for taxes?

    Isn’t a percentage an example of a sliding scale? The ‘rich’ person is paying exactly 20x more taxes than the ‘poor’ person.

    Reply
    • Socialism Is The Way says

      May 13, 2010 at 6:29 am

      Sliding scale for pricing, what you mean? Like if a rich guy comes into a Banana Republic store, he gets charged $1,000 for a suit, and if a poor guy who shows he makes only $50,000 a year, he gets to pay $300? Is that what you are talking about?

      If so, yeah, I’m all for pricing discrimination! Tax the rich until they bleed!

      Reply
      • MikeK says

        May 13, 2010 at 6:46 am

        OK, lets do that. Now the rich are bleeding…. What do you think happens next?

        Reply
      • admin says

        May 13, 2010 at 7:03 pm

        Lol, hilarious! Love the example. What about going to a restaurant and getting charged 50% more because you make 50% more than others? Now that would be awesome! Not.

        I just hate discrimination, and I don’t know why we should ever discriminate in any situation.
        .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

        Reply
        • Larry says

          May 14, 2010 at 5:40 am

          Sam wants to ridicule the idea of sliding-scale pricing, but it is not altogether absurd and in some ways is built into our economy at present. The most obvious examples are student and senior discounts. The assumption (right or wrong, as the senior could be a multi-millionaire) is that these people have fewer assets and are therefore entitled to lower charges.

          The same thing happens in medical offices, where doctors will sometimes accept lowered charges from people without means to pay. I even remember a condo building being put up in Boston about 10 years ago, where the intention was to provide housing chosen by lottery for people of varied economic situations, and units were priced according to the buyer’s means.

          If you hate discrimination – in any situation, mind you – then you have to hate such discounts.

          Reply
          • admin says

            May 14, 2010 at 6:03 am

            Ah, but you missed the spirit of your example regarding student and senior discounts. The spirit is that of trying to save money for student who likely have no or less means to make money, and seniors who have already put in a life time of work and dedication to society and we are helping them if not thanking.

            Taxing certain people 40% instead of 15% is persecution.

            As soon as you get in the giving mindset, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

            Reply
        • Larry says

          May 14, 2010 at 6:35 am

          This “spirit” is solely an assumption on your part. The Wikipedia entry on “senior discounts” writes that “The customer is assumed to be retired, and/or have a limited income, and/or living on a budget.” Nothing here about thanking the person for past service, and in fact the senior is entitled to the discount solely based on age, and for all you know may have been a deadbeat all his or her life.

          As for “persecution” – well, I’ll prefer to reserve that term for cases where it truly applies. Is that what your pal Lyndon has been feeding you? Poor persecuted little rich boy, barely able to survive on a measly $300K a year? :)

          Reply
  9. Andrew Hallam says

    May 13, 2010 at 3:57 am

    Ahhh, life’s too short not to really enjoy what you’re doing RIGHT NOW unless you have to do a job you hate just to live. I finished reading Nickel and Dimed about a journalist who took on an array of minimum wage jobs in the U.S., and lived just on that income, just to see what it was like. Wow! Now that’s an example of a position where you don’t have a choice. But if you’re not a big consumer and you make a decent salary, you can save enough to give you far more choices. But don’t put it off too long. You never know how long you’re really going to be around.
    Samurai, if you want to be a professional tennis “Knocker”, I can set you up at a resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. You’d get paid in accomodation and rice, but it might be fun if you can take the heat!
    .-= Andrew Hallam´s last blog ..Tioman – Paradise on a Shoestring =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 13, 2010 at 7:01 pm

      Thanks Andrew. Sure, hook me up! I’d love to get to know the Resort owner at Hua Hin, Thailand!

      Reply
  10. admin says

    May 12, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    Nah, the world wouldn’t be fun if everyone agreed at all! Singing Kumbayah is boring if we sing it too much!

    Good call on trying to keep everyone happy and then end up being hated! These jobs are so tuff, no amount of money would be enuf, hence why I wouldn’t take a dime to run the country!
    .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

    Reply
  11. Charlie says

    May 12, 2010 at 8:20 pm

    What a fun idea. I’d love to be a tv show critic, nature/animal photographer, and book/magazine critic. If I hadn’t had 2 really bad massages by massage school students I’d totally put down massage guinea pig too. I really appreciate quality massage therapy now though – it’s much harder than it seems and there are definitely ranges of ability out there!

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm

      Even a bad massage is a good massage in my book! And if they are really bad, I’ll just ask them to work on my back and hands. Ahhhh.
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  12. Nunzio Bruno says

    May 12, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    I have to agree with you with the blogging! I wish doing it could support me so that I could do it permanently. You are totally right about the people you meet and the perspective you gain. Especially with what we blog about, financial landscapes are changing everyday so people need voices like ours more than ever.

    I guess tropical weather and 4 seasons would be pretty cool too :)
    .-= Nunzio Bruno ´s last blog ..Blog Spotlight! =-.

    Reply
    • Money Funk says

      May 14, 2010 at 10:58 pm

      I am beginning to really understand that it is not the blogging that supports but the products you offer. Blogging only helps to bring the masses.

      Reply
  13. Alexis says

    May 12, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    I would have to brush up on my tennis but would be very eager top accept job #1! Thanks!

    Reply
  14. Powell says

    May 12, 2010 at 11:27 am

    What about being a male escort for loney super models? I could live with that, provided they pay for the date :)

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:21 pm

      Hmmm, not bad! YEah, I would need them to pay for the date too, and a nice car, house, and other stuff. Sugar mamas!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  15. Mysti says

    May 12, 2010 at 11:26 am

    Great list, although I wouldn’t be pres……that just isn’t my bag, baby.

    I would be a secret shopper for travel resorts. Food critic wouldn’t be bad either. Maybe….a professional painter…not of picture….walls! I love to paint!
    .-= Mysti´s last blog ..Family….do you say something or not? =-.

    Reply
  16. Monevator says

    May 12, 2010 at 11:09 am

    I actually got into my current career as it was in an area I love, but over time the less enjoyable stuff has caught up, or maybe I got bored.

    As we discussed on the Dark Side… post, my aim is to have a relatively modest inflation-proofed freedom fund by around the time of my mid-40s, and then perhaps to do the stuff I love in my career wherever I want to do it, and be able to take the financial consequences on the chin.

    Then again after five days holed up in bed with a crook back, almost anything seems like a joy! (Sarno is working his magic, fear not).

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:20 pm

      Ouch, 5 days in bed? I would love to come over there and do some back cracking! I love cracking bones and backs!

      How do you plan to have an inflation-proof freedom fund by mid 40s? I still donno exactly what you do for a living except for invest. Is that what you do?

      Do you like soft or hard beds for your back?
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
      • Monevator says

        May 13, 2010 at 11:19 am

        I’m vague about what I do in real life for anonymity reasons. But it’s not only investing – that’s what I do for fun. ;)

        Re: Investing, I’m much less risk averse than you – think of all our arguments about the risks of cash. With equities, reits, and index linked bonds bought when the time is right (not now!) I don’t think it’ll be impossible.

        I’m also in between Jacob on ERE and you, from what I’ve read. I just want to ‘retire’ (but not really retire) comfortably lower-middle class free, rather than super rich. If I end up rich fair enough.

        From what I’ve garnered/presumed from your updates, I could retire tomorrow if I was you.

        But we’re back to your friend Lyndon again. He could easily be free in a year or two, also. Most people get on a treadmill of some sort.

        If you’ve got the money you’ve alluded to, in my humble opinion you could easily move to Thailand, surf and blog/write, teach tennis, and live in a beachside bungalow for $500 a month.

        Not saying you should, but with wealthy people I think it’s always the wealth that snags them. :)
        .-= Monevator´s last blog ..Snap thoughts on the Con Dem coalition from a private investor’s perspective =-.

        Reply
        • admin says

          May 13, 2010 at 3:06 pm

          Hmm, perhaps you are a British Gigolo by night and investor by day? :)

          Good point at the end, being the wealth that snags them. I’m dirty poor, or so I enjoy believing I am, which helps put things in perspective and allow me to dream!

          Reply
        • Money Funk says

          May 14, 2010 at 10:56 pm

          British Gigolo?? LOL. Now that’s a creative thought. But it could work!

          Reply
  17. Mrs. Frugal says

    May 12, 2010 at 10:57 am

    Love your list although I would probably swap Tennis Instructor to be Rafael Nadal’s hitting partner.
    .-= Mrs. Frugal´s last blog ..PUR Water Filtration System Winner Announced! =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:19 pm

      Now THAT would be sweet! Hitting partner to the pros! I’ll have to limit my work to 2 hours a day though. My arm would fall off otherwise!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  18. Mike @ Saving Money Today says

    May 12, 2010 at 10:46 am

    There aren’t many jobs I’d want to do without compensaton…perhaps photographer for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition could tempt me. ;)
    .-= Mike @ Saving Money Today´s last blog ..What Scrooge McDuck Taught Me About Finances =-.

    Reply
  19. OdysseusToday says

    May 12, 2010 at 9:02 am

    Great list!

    Job I would love to do and can’t believe I would be paid would be blogging. I love to just meet people, write on topics that interest me, and the general peace of mind I obtain after writing stuff down.

    Thanks for sharing Samurai!
    .-= OdysseusToday´s last blog ..How to pick a Graduation Gift =-.

    Reply
  20. Evan says

    May 12, 2010 at 9:19 am

    Can someone explain to me why people keep commenting with blogging? There is no hoping, wishing, or even training needed – just start blogging! Sam Did it, albeit better than most (including me), but if you want to do it for free head over to wordpress and start blogging.
    .-= Evan´s last blog ..What are Annuities? An Introduction to Immediate Annuities =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:23 pm

      I think those who comment on blogging have blogs no? At least from the comments here. I have a feeling big bucks are going to come showering down on us by end of the year! :)
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  21. Larry says

    May 12, 2010 at 7:47 am

    I’d support your flax tax only if it were accompanied by corresponding proportions in pricing. Your example reads:

    Poor man: $50,000 income taxed at 15% or $7500 = $42,500.
    Rich woman: $1,000,000 income taxes at 15% or $150,000 = $850,000.

    Equality?

    Now let’s see what happens when both poor man and rich woman buy a $10,000 car, both paying cash:

    Poor man: $42,500 – $10,000 = $32,500 left over.
    Rich woman: $850,000 – $10,000 = $840,000 left over.

    Equality?

    Shaw took a different approach in “Pygmalion” when the impoverished Eliza Doolittle offers Henry Higgins a shilling for elocution lessons. Higgins accepts with alacrity, reasoning that “If you consider a shilling, not as a simple shilling, but as a percentage of this girl’s income, it works out as fully equivalent to sixty or seventy guineas from a millionaire. Figure it out. A millionaire has about £150 a day. She earns about half-a-crown. She offers me two-fifths of her day’s income for a lesson. Two-fifths of a millionaire’s income for a day would be somewhere about £60. It’s handsome. By George, it’s enormous! it’s the biggest offer I ever had.”

    Unreasonable? Why should a sliding scale for pricing be any more unreasonable than a sliding scale for taxes?

    Reply
    • Fun In The Sun says

      May 12, 2010 at 8:04 am

      Don’t think the poor man in your example has read Samurai’s 1/10th rule for car buying! lol. What is someone only making $42,500/yr doing spending $10,000 on a car? The 1/10th rule would stipulate at max $4,500 if not much less. What’s wrong with public transportation? Is it a right everybody should own a car in the constitution? Americans..

      Reply
      • Larry says

        May 12, 2010 at 8:18 am

        Substitute any other item of any other price for the car. Substitute a quart of milk if you like. The point I am making remains the same.

        Reply
        • Fun In The Sun says

          May 12, 2010 at 3:29 pm

          OK, milk. The guy still has $42,498 gross, and the other guy has $849,998 left over. The point is? You think the guy making $42,498 deserves to live the lifestyle of someone making $850,000? Uhh?

          Reply
        • Larry says

          May 12, 2010 at 7:17 pm

          I neither think he deserves or does not deserve. I merely point out the inequality.

          Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:13 pm

      Fun in The Sun says it well. If I were only making $50,000 a year, I’d be busing it all day long, and riding a bike! Funny thing is, that’s what I’m doing anyway, and my car is work $5,000 bucks!

      The person who is buying a $10,000 car making $50,000 is poor for a reason… cause he bought a $10,000 car! Your example shows egregious entitlement issues.

      There’s no reason why the person making $50,000 can’t do more to make more if he/she wanted to. That’s the beauty of America!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
      • Larry says

        May 13, 2010 at 4:10 am

        “There’s no reason why the person making $50,000 can’t do more to make more if he/she wanted to. That’s the beauty of America!”

        Really. With 10% unemployment and millions out of work, sometimes for a year or more. There are some real blinders on here. And you are both doing a marvelous job of completely missing my point, which has nothing to do with the car per se. But carry on.

        Reply
        • admin says

          May 13, 2010 at 6:14 am

          Larry, I usually find that when a reader misses my point, it’s my fault b/c I don’t explain clearly enough. Care to continue trying again as to why taxation equality is bad and why people can’t do more to get paid? Yes, it is still tough out there.

          Reply
        • Larry says

          May 13, 2010 at 6:13 pm

          A good summation, in my opinion (with a link at the end to the counter-argument):

          Reply
        • Larry says

          May 13, 2010 at 5:46 pm

          Since you asked: I will try to express my views on the flat tax once more, in case I was not clear myself. Yes, I oppose it. It obviously would be simpler and more efficient to administer, and would perhaps throw an entire profession of accountants out of work, but my primary reason is that I am not convinced that it would promote equality. The economic system in this country is skewed to favor the wealthiest members in any case, and the lowest earners are inevitably at a disadvantage, for example often not having health insurance, being less educated, having fewer skills, and paying a larger percentage of their income towards basic needs than the wealthy (which is why I brought up that passage from Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion”). The objection to a progressive tax is that it “taxes success,” but Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying that his secretary pays a higher percentage of her income in taxes than he does – obviously because he can take advantage of complexities in the tax code that less affluent earners cannot. A progressive tax at least tries to rectify the gross disparity between higher and lower earners, by easing the burden somewhat on those least able to pay, and asking for a larger share from those who can most easily absorb the higher payments.

          As for your second question, with employers holding the purse strings and granting stingy raises (if they’re giving any raises at all), most workers’ real earnings continue to decline, at the same time the wealthy (whom you seem to feel are treated so uinjustly) continue to accumulate more and more.

          Reply
  22. Money Funk says

    May 12, 2010 at 8:37 am

    Funny, I was just thinking of leaving you a comment on that Dark Side article. You tweeted ‘honourable’ for my husband being at his job for 30 years. I have to think differently. He hates his job.

    These phrases/words come to mind: ‘coward for not trying out your dreams’, ‘afraid of change’, ‘afraid to change routine’. I don’t think its honorable for him being their 30 years. Sure, he needs a job to pay for his way of life. But its not what he enjoys. And he will keep his job a little longer past his qualified age of retirement to put make up for retirement money he doesn’t have. I hear him talk about his dreams all the time. Yet now, he is near the late age retirement.

    I love your list of jobs you’d take for free. And I would love to live them, under the pretense that I am taking an early retirement’.

    BTW, my Burmese friend learns his English from me (even though he speaks better English than me). I tell him all the time, I feel sorry for his future students (as he wants to go back to Burma to retire and teach English), because they will know a lot of slang and bad words. ;)

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:16 pm

      That’s sad he hates his job. Well, after 30 years at one job, I think a majority of people would hate their jobs too!

      Does he have enough money to retire, or at least take a 1 or 2 year hiatus and do some soul searching? How long more does he have to work? 30 years is a long gone time!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
      • Money Funk says

        May 13, 2010 at 5:33 am

        Actually, he loved his job until all the Family style Germans retired. Then it became strictly corporate. Treating people like respectable human beings went out the door.

        He can retire, but he will not take a hiatus. Well, he may… only because his wife wants to travel. ;) But he does not have enough to retire in buying the dream ranch he wants. Thats a bit of an expensive taste.

        Reply
        • admin says

          May 13, 2010 at 6:58 pm

          Hmmm, bummer. But, hopefully after 30 years, he’s got a decent retirement nut that allows you guys to go to Maui like you did earlier this year!

          A ranch? What about just a nice back yard?
          .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

          Reply
        • Money Funk says

          May 14, 2010 at 10:52 pm

          That is why he married someone much younger than him…so I can work and bring home the moola. LOL. J/K. Well…maybe. ;)

          Reply
  23. Money Reasons says

    May 12, 2010 at 8:32 am

    While I have no basis for the believe, but I think I would like to be a small scale pilot on a small resort like area island (perhaps Hawaii).

    Hey, great choices in your movies list, you nailed some of my favorites! The only one that I haven’t seen yet is “Hot Tub Time Machine”.
    .-= Money Reasons´s last blog ..Lemons to Lemonade – Mowing To Excercise and Save Money =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:14 pm

      I was joking about Hot Tub Time Machine! :)
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  24. kt says

    May 12, 2010 at 7:37 am

    i would go for blogging and traveling. Though i doubt that there is anyone in this earth who would want to bank roll hobbies like this. Something else that i think is the dream job is a car critic like jeremy clarkson. Can you imagine that this guy gets paid over a million euros a year to drive trash and bash all sorts of sports cars and suvs all over the world. Give me a lambo and i will drive it for free for as long as you like
    .-= kt´s last blog ..robert kiyosaki’s conspiracy of the rich- my criticisms =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:10 pm

      Oh gosh, I totally forgot! I would LOVE to be a test driver for Car & Driver or Motortrend magazine! Ferrari Enzos, Porsche 911 GT3s, Audi R8 V12s and so on!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  25. Evan says

    May 12, 2010 at 7:03 am

    I am thinking back office for the Atlanta Falcons! But other than that this guy needs compensation to motivate
    .-= Evan´s last blog ..What are Annuities? An Introduction to Immediate Annuities =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:08 pm

      Back office? Why not the front office?! Whoo hoo!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  26. Matt SF says

    May 12, 2010 at 6:15 am

    Major league baseball talent scout. Also on this list would be the official score keeper for the New York Yankees.

    While it’s hard to imagine getting paid to play a game like baseball, or any game for that matter, but think how cool it is to get paid a generous salary just to show up, watch a game, and don’t even have to break a sweat doing it.
    .-= Matt SF´s last blog ..The Social Stigma of Foreclosure is Ending =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 9:04 pm

      That would be an awesome role Matt. Just like being a college basketball or football announcer. Rattle off stats, and watch games for free!

      Where you been? It’s good to see you around again!

      Best, Sam
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  27. Money Green Life says

    May 12, 2010 at 6:12 am

    i don’t think there’s anything i’d do for free, unless it’s my own pet project. but to work for someone else and get paid for it to me sounds pretty silly. gotta have some kind of compensation or incentive to do my work well.
    .-= Money Green Life´s last blog ..Cheaper Gas Is More Expensive =-.

    Reply
  28. Matt says

    May 12, 2010 at 5:56 am

    You go flat tax and you got my vote, FS.
    Let me know if there are any cabinet positions open.
    .-= Matt´s last blog ..Free and Affordable Sources of Financial Data =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 8:49 pm

      Sounds good Matt. We’ll save you a seat, since you are one of the rational people who believe in taxation equality!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  29. Single Mom Rich Mom says

    May 12, 2010 at 5:21 am

    I used to date a guy who was a tennis pro / instructor at a Club Med. I think your wife might have some objections since the job paid squat but apparently comes with tons of fringe benefits. :-)

    I’d own a bar (not for the fringe benefits either, this cougar isn’t that desperate! Yet.) – just like talking to people, even (maybe especially) drunk people.

    But my #1 pick would be a staff writer for The Onion. Although that may not be so out there…
    .-= Single Mom Rich Mom´s last blog ..Posts I liked from Yakezie people #2 =-.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 8:47 pm

      Ohhhh, tell me more! What type of fringe benefits are we talking about here?!

      The Onion huh? Sounds fun!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
  30. myfinancialobjectives says

    May 12, 2010 at 4:26 am

    Yessss!!! I love your number one!! Two things I love, Tennis and the Tropics! I’ve been trying to get my Trinidadian girlfriend into tennis, that would be probably be the closest I could get to actually obtaining that kind of position :)

    For me, I’d have blogger a bit higher up on the list. I love the potential freedom that comes along with the problogger lifestyle.

    Reply
    • admin says

      May 12, 2010 at 8:47 pm

      Good stuff MFO! BTW, I’ve tried to click your link/blog site several times before, and I keep getting an error. Can you click on your site link from another computer and get it to work?

      I’d be happy with $70-120K/yr as a pro blogger for sure. I ain’t greedy!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The List of Jobs I’d Do For Free Baby! =-.

      Reply
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