What's your "number"?

[HobbyTrading]

I don't get the whole volunteering fad. If I'd go and serve at a soup kitchen or go clean cages at dog shelter, I would be doing work that pays the minimum wage. So, from the productivity perspective, I would be throwing out X dollars for every hour I volunteer. Instead, what I actually do is donate a big fraction of my income so those organizations can hire people or use that money in other ways.

I have been steadily increasing the portion of my income that goes to the "causes", my aim is to reach 45-50% of my income (maximum deductible) in the near future. It's a surprising amount of work, hassle and stress. First, it takes an effort to figure out where the money should go, most non-profits are either ineffective or an outright scam, and it's unclear how to measure what "a good charity organization" is quantitatively. Second, there is smoothing the allocations - right now I use donor-advised funds but might switch now that I have access to self-invested charitable foundation. Third (an odd one), is saying "no" to the ones I don't like, it's amazing how many phone calls or emails I get.

First of all, I applaud you for financially supporting "good causes".
However, it is sad that this creates "a surprising amount of work, hassle and stress". If you would work less in your daytime job you would most likely have less money available (maybe even none at all) for these causes. Your work would generate less stress for you. Also the selection of the causes to support would diminish, due to no funds available. All in all your life would become less stressful.
Are you sure that your intention to financially support these causes is worth all this?

Instead of "serve at a soup kitchen or go clean cages at dog shelter" you could become an advisor for a local trading or investment group and educate people who are interested in this field? That is also a form of volunteering, and can be very rewarding. Just as an example.

 

[sle]

However, it is sad that this creates "a surprising amount of work, hassle and stress". If you would work less in your daytime job you would most likely have less money available (maybe even none at all) for these causes. Your work would generate less stress for you. Also the selection of the causes to support would diminish, due to no funds available. All in all your life would become less stressful.
Are you sure that your intention to financially support these causes is worth all this?

Funny enough, I still worry about money, which is why I decided not to set aside any more. Logically, I understand that all my obligations are paid off (the UES apartment, the "huge tracks of land" upstate) and I have enough to support a comfortable life style as long as I do not continue living in Manhattan (no such thing as "enough" here). I worry about health, I worry about wars, I just fucking worry all the time. Might as well be productive while at it.

So far, I have discovered that I am a stressed person no matter what I do, it must be genetic. Which makes me think that no matter what the set-up is, I'll be anxious about it (see below). At least the markets stuff I do now I enjoy - I just finished a gardening leave and actually am happy to get to work.

 

[Mtrader]

I worry about health, I worry about wars, I just fucking worry all the time.

There are studies in psychology that proof that people that are intelligent worry more about everything in life then "less intelligent" ones.
So don't worry to much about worrying.

 

[sle]

There are studies in psychology that proof that people that are intelligent worry more about everything in life then "less intelligent" ones.
So don't worry to much about worrying.

The true American way is to take medication for it, but I've found that whatever I take makes me feel so slow and stupid that I can't tolerate it

 

[HobbyTrading]

So far, I have discovered that I am a stressed person no matter what I do, it must be genetic. Which makes me think that no matter what the set-up is, I'll be anxious about it (see below). At least the markets stuff I do now I enjoy - I just finished a gardening leave and actually am happy to get to work.

Thanks for your explanation. Enjoy your work.

The true American way is to take medication for it, but I've found that whatever I take makes me feel so slow and stupid that I can't tolerate it

I am of the opinion that taking medication should be avoided, unless really necessary.