• eran_morad@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Briefly: phd at Super Prestigious Institution. Fuck it, left science because didn’t want to languish making like $50K/year as a postdoc for like 6-8 years, with no guaranteed path forward. Pivoted toward money & people management. At every step up the ladder, I didn’t know shit. So what? I figured it out. Not that hard. Real talk: I benefitted substantially from elitism. I’m mid forties, salary about $220K, should hit $250K/year in the next 2-5 years.

  • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    Most of the things mentioned in this thread are mostly dumb luck and not necessarily active financial decisions.

  • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    As 2023 was beginning I set a goal that I would have $5k in the bank no matter what.

    Up to this year I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck. But resolving to save up $5k pushed me out of that for the first time ever.

    I never did hit $5k. But I stopped living paycheck to paycheck. I haven’t checked my balance before paying rent since february of last year. I always have enough, and I just pay the bill.

    • AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Same here! Spent about $100 for my vasectomy after insurance. Best $100 I ever spent really, saved me hundreds of thousands.

  • ohlaph@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I decided to basically stop buying anything unless I absolutely needed it for about two years. I put everything I had towards paying off my car and student loans. I had holey socks and shirts, torn up shoes, etc. Refused to spend money.

    As a result, I was able to invest the money I was paying on my car and loans and eventually worked enough for a down payment on my current house.

  • Skkorm@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Paying off my fucking car. New cars are a scam guys, don’t be stupid like me 6 years ago.

    • tim@lemm.ee
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      11 months ago

      Doesn’t have to be if u keep it long enough. The problem is folks usually get upselled long before it sarts being a good deal.

  • shastaxc@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    Buying a house during covid when I saw rent was increasing drastically for no apparent reason. I could barely afford it at the time but thanks to inflation and a couple raises, I’m comfortably sitting on a house that’s now worth 50% more than I bought it for, and paying way less than current rental prices. Rent is insane right now.

  • Qkall@lemmy.ml
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    11 months ago

    I’m in the States so dunno how this translates… But my parents made get a 500usd limit credit card when I was like 14. It had been the best decision that I’ve made. My credit is so dn good now that I can get what ever I want easily approved. That and they insisted I make a home purchase at like 23- right be fore the mortgages went nuts. My mortgage is like a quarter of what others pay for a rental…

    Thanks ma and pa 🤜🤛

    • LrdThndr@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      By dumb luck I bought a house right before the housing market lost its goddamned mind.

      $145K for a 3 bedroom on an acre of land. It’s more than doubled in value since I bought it, and I pay less than $1000/mo at 2.9% interest.

      I keep getting letters from my mortgage company offering me $80K in a cash-out refinance at like double to triple my current interest rate and I’m like “how about blow me?” I’m riding that interest rate until the wheels fall off.

  • UNWILLING_PARTICIPANT@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    Buying a house. Got lucky and bought before the pandemic, and even then just barely scraped together a downpayment by borrowing from inlaws.

    It’s crazy how having a mortgage have us access to so much cheap credit. We were able to pay off all consumer debt and even most of our student loan debt. Even with all our debt bundled in the mortgage we’re still paying far less than we would to rent an apartment.

    It’s nuts