Sorry, that was a shot off the hip. I agree that governments can’t finance themselves off debt alone without econimic activity to back it up. My point was that taxation (like money itself as I see it) is primarily a stimulus designed to trigger actions. Anyway, I’ll save the Rich Dad discussion for another thread so as not to hijack the OPs forum.
That’s Modern Monetary Theory in a nutshell. https://youtu.be/E5JTn7GS4oA is a fun video to watch, or you can read https://www.amazon.com/Deficit-Myth-Monetary-Peoples-Economy/dp/1541736184
Pardon me for not joining the applauses of others, i’m just a lowly software engineer at a high stress finance job, burned out and cynical from it late;y
But I don’t really think your numbers are good and a cause for celebration. In the same boat - came to CH at 23 with zero savings, by 30 I already had crossed 1.3M mark. It had a well paying job at a megacorp but not much more than 2x better paying than next random SWE job in Zurich.
And now at a buy side firm, 160k is probably what I’d clear just this year alone after taxes and expenses…
Did I mention anywhere that I’m celebrating? I just posted my story…
Nice, good for you.
Congrats for landing a job with 200k at 23 years old. That’s exceptionally high, I don’t think you can compare this with my story, I made 80k before taxes at my first job…
1 Like
No it wasn’t 200k - my starting salary 120k (grew to only 160k by the time I left after 30’s), plus a bit of bonus and vest all in all less than 160k back then - like, i said it was at most about double what I could get at a random job elsewhere in Zurich. So doesn’t explain why I was able to end up with 10x more rather than just 2x. Total yearly TC at that megacorp was ~270k at highest point (again, 1/2 of that is totally reasonably at companies you don’t have to be so lucky to get hired at) and it shrank in later years which is why I left for finance
That’s still an execeptionally high income for a 23yo, you were really lucky. Your logic is flawed, for an accurate comparison we’d need to compare income after tax and expenses and also take compounding interest into account.
This is something we should all be wary of. Past some level of income, enduring health costs for more money isn’t always worth it.
Spoken as an environmental engineer probably close to burnout for way less money than you do.
The factor of 2x of average income I had was luck I agree. But adjusting for that, what OPs figures show he managed to save merely 1/5th of what I would have without that luck factor.
Don’t worry, looking to quit it for good as soon I hit my Nth million. Just a few more quarters…
The statement was fairly different, afaik MMT depends heavily on spending+taxation (it’s taxation that makes money be money).
An ongoing tax obligation, in concert with private confidence and acceptance of the currency, underpins the value of the currency.
(sorry for the OT/tangent)
1 Like
Your math doesn’t make any sense, I saved on average 20k per year (25% of my total compensation), and you say you saved 5 times more so 125% of your income???
No, it’s you who’s not making any sense. Are you keeping your hard earned cash in a mattress or something? S&P500 4x’ed in the last decade.
Oh believe me I do and don’t need your pity. I’m a loser alright compared to these people around my age
Sounds great. You don’t pursue FIRE, so you’re in a very good financial situation considering your personal goals and you seem to enjoy life.
Sounds awful.
Doesn’t seem to make you happy. And to make things worse there are people who have more than you, even on this forum. So nothing to celebrate following your own logic.
I don’t get why some people here are so negative. OP obviously didn’t brag and just told his story. And financially he’s still way ahead of most other people in his age.
//edit:
I just saw your last post.
Yeah that’s the right mindset for a healthy and happy life! Good luck…
6 Likes
Yeah, but it pays so well that it’s hard to pull the trigger to self employment / own company, which is necessary to become truly rich. You can’t become one of those guys I linked to selling your time for money, that’s the truth
A multi million portfolio is plenty to celebrate in europe, that’s generational wealth - enough for me and my kids for life sans a major screw up. But it’s not exactly rich, I’m just “comfortably off”…
And will becoming truly rich trigger fulfilment and/or happiness? Or would truly rich people’s problems make that difficult even then?
This. Success and failure are best defined in relation to ourselves, not what others have achieved.
1 Like
I think everybody can decide for himself what’s worth celebrating. A multi million portfolio can be gone quickly depending on your lifestyle. I think most people especially here in Switzerland know a people with this kind of networth.
OP never stated he’s rich, nobody here did.
Congratulations for your achievements, but if you don’t grant anybody with less than you have the right to celebrate, that’s just arrogant and out of touch with reality.
With this mindset there’s a good chance OP will be happier than you even if you become the richest person on this planet.
2 Likes
Well, I did apologize in advance for the tone in my posts right and explained why in the very beginning, did you not read?
I just thought a healthy dose of realism was needed among those “good job, steady progess” comments which are just such an obvious bullshit.
If the guy goes bankrupt, I fell he’ll get the same “good job” “life well lived” “yolo” comments at this forum as well!
Exactly. It ain’t much in the end
I definitely enjoy life to the fullest 
My friends, my family and my dog are the most important things for me. I also highly value a good work/life balance.
5 Likes
Thank you for your kind words! I’m definitely focusing on earning more, but there are some expenses that I really need to take care of and reduce 
I think the most important thing is that you are happy and you do things that make you happy.
Having 1 or 10m won’t make a difference if you do things that you don’t like.
Having said that the most important thing to live comfortably is to live below our means. I think you could have optimized your spending more but who I am to tell what makes you happy. So perhaps it was money well spent.
Important thing is that you are aware where your money goes and once it’s clear to you and you are happy, that’s all it matters.
Switch off the noise!
1 Like
Do you seriously think you can just say pardon and then whatever you want and nobody will be offended? This posts are very discouraging and a probably the main reason why average people hesitate to share their stories.
A healthy dose of realism would probably be to acknowledge that 160k at age 30 is a great achievement. What do you think in which percentile of the population is does that put him? It’s no bullshit, it’s a steady progress. Just look at the chart.
7 Likes