A cloud file service (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc) gives similar benefits to a file server with more use of money and less of time.
Correct. In fact for most people it's probably both faster and cheaper, going by my Googling of Dropbox's prices. I just don't have the sort of use profile such services were intended for. E.g. I do things like mount /home over NFS from multiple machines, and that's not something I want to do at anything less than local speeds, even if my files would fit in whatever the highest tier plan is. (which they don't)
(I also run my own DNS, a VPN bridge between my home and a couple family members, and several other unnecessary but interesting things. I'm in IT; it's just what I do. The file server referenced above is actually going to be a homemade SAN if I have my way.)
On ChrisHallquist's post extolling the virtues of money, the top comment is Eliezer pointing out the lack of concrete examples. Can anyone think of any? This is not just hypothetical: if I think your suggestion is good, I will try it (and report back on how it went)
I care about health, improving personal skills (particularly: programming, writing, people skills), gaining respect (particularly at work), and entertainment (these days: primarily books and computer games). If you think I should care about something else, feel free to suggest it.
I am early-twenties programmer living in San Francisco. In the interest of getting advice useful to more than one person, I'll omit further personal details.
Budget: $50/day
If your idea requires significant ongoing time commitment, that is a major negative.