If it's self sufficiency you are speaking of there is no reason that should be a "bad" experience. I am enjoying life more than ever before, even though my expenses are far less.

This does not mean that you need to earn less, it may only mean that you have far more money than necessary to meet your minimal expenses, and little or no concerns about earning more.

A person could still bring in (or sit on) any large amount of money what-so-ever, and still live on a very small amount of money, merely if they desired to.

(That's sort of what J.Paul Getty did)

If an even slightly wealthy person is adventurous, they could go native, retain way more than they would ever need in wealth, and become invisible to the IRS or whoever else might be tailing them for their money. It is only by spending large amounts of that wealth that they become visible to TPTB.

There is a distinct security in being wealthy, but of being capable of blending in with humble surroundings.

I know one author worth millions that went on a year long journey with native people on foot and with only the clothes on their backs, from Mexico to South America, and as a challenge they carried no money and no documents or ID with them what-so-ever, and he not only survived, but called it "a magical experience".

The two issues, of wealth, and of humble self sufficient living, really have little to do with one another.

Of course it is much better to try living with little or no money, WITH hidden wealth to back them up.

A persons wealth is perhaps better measured in how little they need, rather than in how much they earn or have.