# How much will it cost me to get you to abandon your real life forever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020 "2010-11-26T23:16:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/21 "2010-11-27T00:15:04Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Let’s see > > I’d do it for the cost of replacing my stuff, which would be a high estimate of $10,000 bucks, heck I’ve interviewed for jobs cross country for $9.00 an hour and I said, I’d pay my own moving costs. 😕 Why the hell would you \*volunteer \*to pay your own moving costs? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/22 "2010-11-27T00:17:09Z")
As I already live alone in a different country to the rest of my family, and am not partnered nor have kids of my own, but I like my life where I live, then a couple of million dollars per year should do it. I await your confirmation by email. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/23 "2010-11-27T00:20:34Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Sailors and explorers used to leave their families and such for a lot longer than 5 years sometimes. So basically you’re hiring me to go explore some new culture. > > I’m in for room, and board. Unless it’s a desert local, _than_ room, board, and $100,000,000. I do not like the heat. > I’m in for room, and board. Unless it’s a desert local, _than_ room, board, and $100,000,000. I do not like the heat. > Unless it’s a desert local, _than_ room, > \*than \* > > _ **than** _ :smack: AND a phonetic language. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/24 "2010-11-27T00:23:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I have a feeling this is going to break down sharply between people who have serious familial attachments (i.e. people with SO’s and kids) and people who are single and childless. Kind of. I don’t care about moving a place where I know no one, etc etc but I’m not leaving my family and friends. No kids, no SO here but I love my life and the people in it too much. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/25 "2010-11-27T00:24:37Z")
Let’s see, how much would I charge you for the opportunity to move to France for 5 years and miss my children’s post college basement years? Part of me would do it for nothing, but the other part of me is greedy so I’ll take $5,000,000.00 plus moving expenses and a $250 per diem. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/26 "2010-11-27T00:34:34Z")
Is this “forever” (topic line) or “5 years” (OP)? If it just means you can contact family after 5 years, how far can that go? If you pay them to move nearby, doesn’t that count as bringing back part of your “real” life? ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/27 "2010-11-27T00:38:24Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > 😕 > > Why the hell would you \*volunteer \*to pay your own moving costs? Just a WAG, but I believe that **Markxxx** seriously wants full time work and since most 9.00 per hour jobs don’t pay relocation, that shows his level of commitment to getting back on the job and moving onward and upward. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/28 "2010-11-27T00:53:39Z")
I’m going to try to run up the bill, just to try to get what I can. But basically, I’ll take the offer no matter what it is. I’ve been lucky enough to start my life over a number of times, and it’s always done wonders for me. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/29 "2010-11-27T03:20:52Z")
Five years? I can handle that. But I’m single. I have responsibilities to take care of my parents, but for five years, they can handle themselves. It’d be in the millions range, because of tossing away my career and my stuff… but I’d do it and enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/30 "2010-11-27T03:53:07Z")
I’m single, childless, and retired so on paper I probably seem like the ideal candidate for this. But in reality I can’t imagine doing it for any amount of money. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/31 "2010-11-27T04:05:18Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > $100K? Seems low. Because you’re moving someplace where you don’t know anyone and don’t speak the majority language; your law degree may be of limited use. That’s why I wanted the loans fully paid for. That way I won’t feel bad about wasting the degree for $100,000. This is under the assumption that I can go back in five years. If I could never use my law degree again I would want a lot more money. Somewhere over $1 million. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/32 "2010-11-27T04:28:49Z")
If I’m naming my price, 20 million euros. With that much capital, I could start a business in my new home & live all right despite not knowing the language. Of course, I’m going to require a clause that the money will be in a form usable in my new location, or more precisely translatable to a form usable there. A bank account is probably fine in Japan, perhaps less help in certain wild districts. On the other hand, considering the source, I’m not really daft enough to take the offer. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/33 "2010-11-27T04:49:38Z")
Got a lovely wife and a lovely daughter. I could barely squint and see working it out with my wife to have five years apart if we never had to work again–probably not, but like I said, squint. But there’s no way in hell I’d leave my daughter a toddler and come back to find her in second grade. The idea is appalling. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/34 "2010-11-27T05:18:46Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I would not leave my family for any amount of money. Heavens. I agree with DtC. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/35 "2010-11-27T05:38:53Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I have a feeling this is going to break down sharply between people who have serious familial attachments (i.e. people with SO’s and kids) and people who are single and childless. That’s actually only probably a factor because of the relative affluence of people who post on a message board like this. Ask someone in a third world shit hole, whose children are struggling to survive every day, if they wouldn’t spend 5 years abroad in exchange for a means to get them out of that situation forever. It’s actually not even a situation that doesn’t already happen, except people do it for much much less than “name your price.” The only real difference is people who do this kind of thing today in third world countries have the ability to mail their earnings back to their family as they earn them, in this scenario I guess that would count as contact and be prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/36 "2010-11-27T05:39:49Z")
For 5 years? Honestly, it sounds like an extended travel vacation. Practically, I’d need enough to settle my affairs here and then to live on there (wherever “there” is) while I figure out things like “the language” and “what do I live on.” In case things went very wrong, both there and when I came back, I’d ask for enough to live in the lifestyle to which I wish to become accustomed for the rest of my life… I’d probably ask for 8 figure neighborhood. I’d probably settle for a whole lot less. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/37 "2010-11-27T07:55:29Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You have to quit your job, leave your family, and move not only out of your current city and nation, but off your current continent, and to a location where you are not fluent in the native language. If you live on an island – for example, Bimini, in the Bahamas-- you may not move to any other island in the archipelago, nor to the nearest continent. You may not move to any city where you have lived before, nor to any city in which you have family or friends. As long as I can bring my possessions, especially my computer and my DVD collection – I’ll do it for free. Well, okay…I’ll accept just enough to pay off my current debts (or however much it costs to fake my death) plus $10,000 moving expenses. On second thought, make it $20,000 – but only because you can obviously afford it. 😉 _\<— single, childless, self-employed_ > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You may not initiate any contact with anyone you currently know for at least five years. Do I _have_ to? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/38 "2010-11-27T08:44:32Z")
Define “anyone I know”. Do Dopers count? Can I keep posting here? Can I go to Dopefests where I may or may not have met a few of the people at one or two previous Dopefests? At this moment, there are only two people on Earth who I would be troubled by not seeing for 5 years. But they’re both capable people who could survive without me. Sooooo… one MILLION DOLLARS EACH, tax free, for my emotional devastation. Though I will need to consult with Siam Sam about rental costs of Thai bar girls before I can be firm on that price. I’m thinking a 5 year Far East sex tour sounds real good about now. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/39 "2010-11-27T10:26:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I think the real breakdown will be between childless or not, rather than being married. I’m married and we don’t intend to have children, and I wouldn’t leave my husband for any amount of money. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020/40 "2010-11-27T11:00:05Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > [demonic bureaucrat hat on] > > For reasons that need not concern you scum, the LowerArchy is considering offering bribes to get people to abandon their current lives. You have to quit your job, leave your family, and move not only out of your current city and nation, but off your current continent, and to a location where you are not fluent in the native language. If you live on an island – for example, Bimini, in the Bahamas-- you may not move to any other island in the archipelago, nor to the nearest continent. You may not move to any city where you have lived before, nor to any city in which you have family or friends. You may not initiate any contact with anyone you currently know for at least five years. > > Currently we are in research/budgeting mode. How much will it take to get y’all to take Hell up on this? Pfftt… I’ve done that and I _paid_ for it. Well, except for the last condition. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-will-it-cost-me-to-get-you-to-abandon-your-real-life-forever/562020.md?page=3)