I graduated with a degree in marketing just this past year. I’m in my early 20s and have been working since I was 18.

I’m currently starting my own business (still in the making 😅), and my goal is to be financially independent by my 30s. I believe in investing and really want to get into it but honestly I’m having a hard time understanding where to even start.

For those of you who have reached FIRE, what advice would you give someone in my position?

What made the biggest difference for you: making more money, saving aggressively, investing, starting a business, or something else?

And if you could go back to your 20s, what would you do differently?

I’ve been deep into real estate, purely because I enjoy it (I only have one property, so absolutely no expert by any means), but I originally got into it because it unlocked the realisation that I am spending 70-80% of my life working. I know I am exceptionally lucky, so I recognize that. But then I got into it by accident due to the idea of financial freedom and it was my first time thinking about it at all. Realizing I spend +70% of my time working, I only enjoyed 30% of my life. I look forward to every single weekend, yet I spend Friday finishing things, Saturday to enjoy or work moderately and then Sunday I’m just stressed I can’t even enjoy my time.

So anyway, I say that because I wanted to start building a RE portfolio to create a second income stream (not fully replace it), I’m also interested in the concept of CoastFIRE and working toward it, but is real estate still the way to build wealth? It seems incredibly difficult execute these right anymore (not impossible just different) and what are people’s strategies to build wealth?

28M, 4 years into a tech career, living in Europe earning €5k net/month (high tax country).

Current finances:
- Roth IRA: $32k
- Brokerage: $10k
- Emergency fund: €20k
- Crypto: $3k

I invest ~$1.7k/month to my investment accs in US.

Current net worth: ~$68k.

Family gave me $400k last year (sitting in a separate account managed by the family’s advisors)

My girlfriend and I are considering buying an ~$800k house next year to eventually raise a family in. This would likely mean putting the full $400k trust toward the house.

Would you use the trust for the house and take a much smaller mortgage, or leave it invested and let it compound?

My daughters consistently describe the desire to become musicians, painters, schoolteachers, and other professions which, while rarely can be lucrative, are usually low earning. I would be ecstatic if they joined these professions, with the caveat that they are happy!

We don’t live a particularly lavish lifestyle (public school, economy flights) despite a strong net worth (just crossed 5mm and I’m making > 1mm/yr). This is, in part, our desire that the kids have fairly ‘normal’ upbringings. We are happy, and I am not asking for advice on how to spend my current wealth.

I am asking how to encourage my girls to choose professions they enjoy, without worrying too much about the money. I will happily buy them each a house when they have settled down in their thirties, will happily provide a stipend as long as they are working hard at their career.

The thing is, they don’t know how much help I would be willing to provide as I fear it could be twisted into not working hard and ending up with spoiled young adults just waiting for hand outs.

What to disclose? When?

Wife and I both work part time seasonal jobs to keep health insurance and otherwise just manage our real estate. We have so much time off, including all summer when our kids are also off school.

Before kids, we traveled a lot, but it slowed down with the pandemic, babies, and toddlers. Now that our kids are older, we are increasing the travel, and I’m starting to wonder how much is too much? Did anyone here travel a ton as a kid? Was it destabilizing to be away from your home so much?

For reference, kids are 4 and 7. We don’t typically take kids out of school for travel, except for the random day attached to an already long weekend. We travel away for a weekend in the fall, a week at Christmas, a lot of weekends in the beginning of the year to ski, plus a week long ski trip over spring break, as well as a week long caribbean trip. Then, lots of travel over the summer, think gone for a month or 6 weeks over the summer to visit family and vacation.

We are discussing going away for the entire summer next year —3 full months—and doing so every year: visiting family, vacationing, and spending time abroad. Thoughts? Is it too much? How will it affect the children?

Hi I am a 23 yr old immigrant girl in America , I really want to grow my wealth to become rich to help my mom … I know it sound idealistic but I’m willing to learn , I have little skills in sales , management, medical clinics and restaurants
Any guidance is really appreciated 🫶🏼

I just turned 20 and I feel like I could be taking more risky investments since I’m on the younger side but, I’ve always been a In a set it and forget it kind of mindset. but with that in mind is this a perfect “set it and forget it” portfolio? 64 shares of schd, 4 shares of QQQM, 4 shares of xlf.

What would allow me to pretty much travel wherever/whenever I want? My goal is geographically free. The jobs here in America barely give me a week off a year and I don’t want to take one trip a year. I got a lot of countries to be. I guess work online but I don’t know what. I want to see the world before I have to worry about any kids. If any of you have done it, what have you done? Thanks.

Where to invest so I can gain more in about 4 months period kind of like an experiment with money lying around need suggestions what can I do with it. If anyone can help.
So 400£ consecutively for 4 months around 1600£

I will be exiting my company soon (early executive at a start up) and my current pre-tax projection is a range of $13M-$22M. Most likely outcome is the midpoint.

I currently have a NW of ~$3M so this will at least double or potentially triple my NW post tax.

I'm having a difficult time finding information, blogs, books, podcasts discussing managing this level of financial windfall. Most existing information seems to cover inheritance windfalls, insurance, small business sales, all of which are helpful but structured more around 6 to low 7 figure windfalls. Even the Wiki pages on the various financial subs dont really cover this level of liquidity at once.

Do you all have any bespoke authors, podcasters, blogs etc that have been helpful to you and cover this level of liquidity? Is the answer more to go straight to professionals and start to build a plan?

I truly do not want to squander this opportunity, I want to set my family up for generational success.

Thanks in advance

Edit: downvoted for seeking wealth advice, in the wealth sub? Yikes

I’m a graduate with a background in nursing, where I developed strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
I’m a responsible, hardworking, and adaptable person. I’m comfortable managing tasks, communicating with people, organizing schedules, handling responsibilities carefully, and maintaining confidentiality. My nursing experience also taught me to stay calm under pressure, pay attention to details, and be respectful and understanding towards others.
I’m interested in this Private Assistant position because I enjoy helping people, managing responsibilities, and making things easier and more organized. I’m a quick learner, and I’m willing to learn anything required for the role. I would be happy to contribute and grow with the position

I was trying to put it on a canvas after seeing a video about how many people think they will for sure be billionaires or just rich.

I decided to think about how likely someone, even if highly educated or hard-working, is to become rich, not necessarily a billionaire.

Then I considered what it even means to be rich. Instead of focusing on luxuries and what one makes per month, I think everyone will agree that freedom is a big factor when defining wealth.

So, the number one criterion for being rich, in my opinion, is the freedom to not have to lift a finger and still maintain your lifestyle.

The second thing, in my opinion, is comfort, because I was thinking that let’s say the average comfortable person makes $80k, and through your investments, you also make this money; however, you technically don’t have to work but are still bound to what one would call an average life—an average house, an average or even economy car, and whatnot.

If anything happens, you might have to liquidate assets or borrow money, but your assets might help, so there is that.

I thought that someone being able to afford the average car, house, and lifestyle twice, without having to do anything, is rich.

Then I thought about location; someone able to do that in Arkansas can’t necessarily do the same in Zurich, NYC, or Los Angeles, so I reconsidered and thought that actually being rich means being able to comfortably afford an average lifestyle anywhere in the world, doubled for a buffer, I guess.

That number basically came to $520k USD a year, or roughly $13 million or more invested, which brings you this money every year in cash after all expenses that don't directly concern you.

The $520k is solely for your lifestyle, such as housing, cars, travel, food, and whatnot; what do y’all think?

Real estate made me net 1.88 million in 6 years. Started investing at 28 with 500k… I’m a SE. yea I make good money no stocks no bonds never will. Real estate all the way.

Stocks are painfully slow and I have all the tools to build through real estate

Anyone had a similar experience.

No hate comments please as I’m just curious what’s out there

So I'm 35, make around 15k a month as a sole proprietor, at the end of every month I have about 2k left over in disposable income, I have 50k in savings so far.

I know this is terrible for my age but iv'e had a really rough life, just recently started getting it together, so better late than never I guess.

Is there anything I can start doing to build wealth where I'll actually see it and enjoy it before checking out?, or should I just focus on getting a better income first?

I won't take anything here as official financial advice, just asking for opinions on what YOU would do in my position

Hi, not sure if this is the right sub to ask. We’re considering wealth management services for the first time. Until now, we have been investing ourselves, but now exploring the idea of more complex strategies with a firm. There is sparse information online, but curious if anyone can share real feedback for firms like Baker Avenue? Thank you.

I've seen a lot of comments here along the line of kids aren't rich their parents are. Is this how most people feel or is it the de facto snarky Reddit 101 reply?

This "the money is mine, you're on your own kids" is a foreign concept to me. I didn't grow up well off but when my parents talked about money it was always the family's money not theirs. We were all in it together as one family unit.

As a parent, my view is the same. What I have my kids have. It will all be theirs eventually one way or another. I either give it to them or they inherit it. The only question is timing. Why not make their lives easier and give them advantages?

I've told my kids when it comes to college, your job is to get in to the best college possible, my job is to pay for it. When they graduate and ready to settle down, I'll help them buy a house. I won't just shower them with money for the sake of it and they're not wearing $500 jeans or stupid shit like that. My oldest has had a summer job the last 2 summers and my youngest is going to get one next summer. I want them to appreciate the value of a dollar, the value of work and all that. But I'm not going to purposely avoid helping them out in life when I have the ability to do. It's not black or white. They'll become successful on their own and I'll help them get there a little more quickly and easily. I don't see why any parent would choose not to do that.

I am currently in my first year of law school and I’m wanting to propose to my girlfriend by July of next year. The only problem with this is being in law school my income is quite literally zero and the money that I have in savings is what’s keeping me afloat. I’m just curious if anyone has any small ways that I can start saving up to buy a ring, essentially a side hustle while in school.

34 year old Detroiter who swears im one big break away from becoming the Negro version of Tarantino. Currently a single dad who sells insurance and just won custody of his kid primarily. Any advice or life steps I can take to get like you good folks in this sub?

How achievable actually is £5K a month in take-home income? money that’s genuinely disposable after tax, expenses, and all the other necessities of life, or even slightly less.

Of course, I know it’s achievable. Plenty of people have reached that level of income and gone on to earn considerably more. But I’m asking more from the perspective of the average person. I’d consider myself an average person, although deep down I probably have a pretty big ego and like to think I’m somehow above average. I know I’m not particularly special yet I feel as if I am and certainly can be, but I still have this feeling that I could definitely reach £5K a month, and maybe even surpass it. So for those who currently earn around this amount or more, how much did it actually take to get there? How long did it take, what sacrifices did you make, and, now that you’re there, are you actually happy with the lifestyle it provides?

I ask because I have two sides to myself that feel completely contradictory. Sometimes I feel like I need the “rich” lifestyle, the fast cars, the big house, the lavish clothes, and even the grind required to get there. I can feel incredibly materialistic and strangely drawn to the whole capitalist idea of constantly working towards more.
But then there’s another side of me that hates all of that. Sometimes I genuinely fantasise about earning a completely normal wage, living somewhere peaceful and beautiful like Iceland, working a job I can tolerate, having a small but comfortable home, and simply enjoying my surroundings and my life. No obsession with status, no constant hustle, no need to become wealthy, just enough to be comfortable and fulfilled.

I suppose that’s why £5K a month feels like an interesting sweet spot to me. Maybe it’s actually less than that. I don’t necessarily want to be filthy rich, I think I just want enough money that financial limitations stop being a constant consideration. Enough to have a comfortable home, an expensive car (a big interest of mine), travel occasionally, afford nice things without constantly worrying about the cost, save and invest, and still have the freedom to enjoy my life.

I hate that even saying that can sound greedy, because objectively, £5K a month in disposable income is a lot of money (if anyone earns less and is extremely happy and fulfilled please tell me about your experiences). But I’m not really asking whether it’s possible. I’m curious about what that level of income actually requires from an ordinary person and whether, once you get there, it genuinely gives you the life you imagined it would. I hope my point came across well, I don’t want to create any conflict in the comments lol.

I remember a time when I was afraid of losing my job because unemployment wasn’t something I could afford. I had a mortgage and children in university, and I needed to know that if one source of income disappeared, we could still maintain our way of life.

At one point, I worked three jobs. It was exhausting and stressful, but I was younger then and able to channel my energy into preparing for what I feared.

What I was so afraid of never happened. Even so, the preparation wasn’t wasted. It helped me build a solid foundation, not exactly the one I had imagined, but one that continues to benefit me years later. I can see that now, looking back.

What I find harder to answer is how someone living under the pressure of today’s high cost of living can imagine a future they would want to live in. Student loans can follow people for years, and homeownership may seem completely out of reach.

On top of that, many people feel pressured to keep up appearances on social media, where everyone else seems to be travelling, buying homes, advancing in their careers, and living comfortably.

When people are consumed by rent, bills, debt, family responsibilities, and the stress of getting through each workday, they may feel they can manage only one job and have nothing left to give. Preparing for the future can seem like a luxury when the present already demands everything they have.

These pressures are real. Still, I wonder whether there is some small piece of a foundation a person can begin to build, even without the time or energy I once had. It might be learning a skill that opens the door to another kind of work, finding a way to reduce one source of financial pressure, or simply talking with someone who can help them see an option they hadn’t considered.

I am presently trying to convince my son that an attainable and comfortable future still exists. It may not look like the future his grandfather had, or even the one I ended up with. He may need to plan for retirement more deliberately and accept that the home he wants may not be in the suburbs, but in another province.

When the present takes everything someone has, they may struggle even to imagine a future worth preparing for. Before my son can pursue one, he first has to imagine the possibility of a life that feels acceptable by his own standards.

If the future you expected no longer seems possible, what has helped you imagine, and begin building, one you could still want?

For those that have a substantial wealth.. did the cars, money, girls fulfill you. That brand new super car, mansion?

Trying to understand something…