A wise man once told me that you can be young without money in this country, and you can even be middle aged without money in this country, but you do not want end up being old without money in this country.
If you have generational wealth that can produce passive income, like dividends from low risk investments or rent from purchased properties, then living without active income (a job) is entirely viable. Some might even say that if you can afford that lifestyle then pursuing a job when you don't need one ends up denying employment for someone who does. Simply live withing your means and manage your existing wealth and passive income for long term success. Most people in that kind of situation wouldn't be considered NEETs even if the definition technically fits.
If you're getting by on benefit programs like welfare, disability, or unemployment then you're placing your future at the mercy of those programs continuing. If those programs get reduced, end, or change such that you no longer qualify, you're fucked. Still that's not exactly what comes to mind when someone thinks of NEETs either, it's more like being a leech or black.
The common understanding of a NEET is someone who's over 18, unemployed, and either hasn't gone to college or has graduated without any career aspirations. The kind of person who's living with their parents in a financial situation that won't be sustainable when they die.
So my question is which of these three situations best describes your own? And my follow up question is if its anything but the first one what's your plan for making sure you don't end up being old without money?
